Deep Kiss of Winter Read Free

remain to fight. These assassins traveled in bands, and the number of arrows indicated at least half a dozen men.
    Even as she raced directly toward the mortal gauntlet, her mind rebelled. She hadn’t seen another of her kind in centuries. I thought I’d be safe from them here.
    Her only hope was to outrun them, yet she knew how fast they would be. Like her, they were born of the fey—
    She dashed right in front of the vampire, nearly knocking him over.

T WO
    Murdoch had just rubbed the back of his neck, then peered upward, convinced he was being watched.
    He’d spied nothing, started on his way again . . . and almost ran over a small blonde in a skimpy backless dress.
    With lightning speed, she darted in front of him, sparing him the briefest glance. He caught a glimpse of high cheekbones and alarmed silvery eyes before she sped across the main thoroughfare toward another alley. A pointed ear had peeked out through the wild spill of her long fair hair.
    Pointed ears, silver irises, running too fast to be a human.
    An immortal—possibly one of them .
    That glimpse of her was all it took, and the chase was on. He hurriedly followed her into the alley, then traced, vanishing and materializing ever closer to her.
    Though small, she was swift as she navigated through a maze of shadowy blocks, heading toward the river. He was barely gaining on her.
    What kind of being could run as fast as a vampire could trace?
    As he neared, he made out finer details of her appearance. Her legs were taut and shapely under her short dress. Her bared back and arms were slim. She wore silver bands above her elbows, and elaborate braids threaded her long hair.
    She seemed foreign, unusual. Like women from faraway lands in olden times. I can’t wait to get a better look from the front.
    That thought threw him. Since the night he’d been turned into a vampire three hundred years ago, he’d had no interest in women, no need for them, just as he never reacted to the scent or sight of food.
    Why would I give a damn about what her front looks like? He would wrest information from her. He could do little else.
    His body was deadened. And he preferred it that way.
    Just then, she glanced over her shoulder as she ran, and he caught sight of her elven face once again.
    Those pointed ears . . . several factions in the Lore had them, at least that he knew of. Valkyrie were among them. He was becoming more and more convinced he’d found his quarry.
    But she seemed to have lost sight of him altogether, focusing in another direction.
    With each minute that passed, they traveled deeper into a decaying labyrinth of abandoned warehouses and stacks of railcars.
    Finally she was slowing. She stumbled in a puddle, then tripped on the corner of a shipping pallet.
    He stopped tracing and began running toward her. He was close enough to hear her heart drumming, her gasping breaths.
    The Valkyries his brother had once encountered had known no fear of vampires. Maybe in the last five years they’d learned they had reason to flee from one. The thought made him pursue her with even more excitement. His vampire instincts rushed to the fore. The thrill of the chase overwhelmed him, and Murdoch played with her, letting her lope until she tired.
    Just as he decided to end this, he turned a corner after her, running into a four-way crossing.
    There was no sign of her.
    Only silence.
    â€¢Â Â Â â€¢Â Â Â â€¢
    Danii crouched on the second floor of a storm-ravaged warehouse, struggling to catch her breath and shuddering from heat.
    She still couldn’t believe the Icere were here. She’d thought she was safe living in such a warm climate, believing they’d never look for her this close to the equator.
    Like the Icere, Danii didn’t sweat. Unlike them, she could go into thermal shock if she grew overheated. But she was more accustomed to the temperature here than they were. And she knew every