Hunting Kat Read Free

Before I turned, Marguerite tried to explain this vampire’s sixth sense, and I’d compared it to sharks, who can pick up electromagnetic pulses from their prey. Now that I’ve experienced it, I’d say that’s exactly what it is—a weird pricking of the skin that tells me people are close.
    When I concentrated, I could pick up the couple’s voices, muffled and faint.
    “. . . car’s empty.”
    “No one could have walked away from that.”
    “Well, there isn’t any blood. Maybe the driver was thrown clear.”
    “We’ll backtrack. Keep looking. The police should be here any moment.”
    I waited until I couldn’t sense them anymore. Then I lifted my head slowly. I could hear them back by the embankment.
    I wiggled my legs. They were moving now. Good.
    I tried pushing up. My legs gave way and I splashed back into the stream. I hunkered down, but the couple must not have heard. I rose again, not putting too much weight on my legs, just using my knees to get some traction, pushing myself up the streambed and into the long grass.
    When I was far enough away, I took out my cell phone.
    It was off. And it wouldn’t turn on.
    As I shook it, a shadow passed over me. I looked up, and caught only a blur. Then hands grabbed my shoulders and pinned me down. Something ice-cold pressed against my neck. I writhed and twisted, struggling to get free, but the world tilted and spun and then . . .
    When I came to, there was still a guy bending over me. Instinctively I jerked up and slammed him with a line drive to the chin. He flew back with a yelp. I jumped to my feet. Still a little wobbly, but at least I could stand.
    I glanced around quickly. The forest was gone, and I was in a room with wooden plank walls, like a cabin. I blinked hard, woozy from the sedative, my brain not kicking into gear yet.
    The guy I’d hit glowered up at me as he rubbed his chin. He looked about my age. Broad shoulders. Football player build. Dark hair. Blue eyes, which were looking more pissed off by the second. When I stepped forward, he leaped to his feet, fists flying up, boxer stance. I took a step. He swung. I grabbed his wrist and threw him over my shoulder.
    “Could I get a little help here?” he called as he struggled up from the floor.
    “He’d like you to stop hitting him.” Another male voice, lower pitched, with an accent I recognized from a few months in New Jersey. I looked over to see a second teenage guy sitting on a crate, book in hand. Scrawny. Glasses. Wavy light brown hair that tumbled over his forehead. He glanced up from his book, dark eyes meeting mine. “Please.”
    “Thanks a hell of a lot,” the other guy said.
    I turned. The jock was coming at me, moving slow, cautious.
    “Look,” he said. “Whatever you think—”
    Another step brought him into personal space range. Another wrist grab landed him on the floor.
    He glared at Glasses. “Would it kill you to get involved?”
    Glasses gave me a once-over. “Maybe.” He closed the book but made no move to stand. “Clearly she thinks we’re the ones who brought her here, which would make sense, coming to with you crouched over her. First, I would point out, though, that we’re a little young to be in the market for a backwoods bride. Second, had we been the ones taking her captive, I hope we’d have had the foresight to tie her up before waking her. Third, if she checks for exits, she’ll discover we’re as trapped as she is.”
    I looked around. It was a single room with only blankets and crates on the floor. No windows. One door. I walked over to it and yanked. It was bolted—from the outside. I could sense at least one person guarding the door.
    I turned back to the guys. The one with the book stood.
    “Neil Walsh,” he said. “That’s Chad. We hadn’t gotten to surnames yet. I take it you’re a vampire?”
    I stared for a second, then choked a laugh. “Excuse me?”
    “Vampire. By blood, at least. If not, then you’re in the wrong place. This