Read Bleed For Me for Free Online Page B

else. Hadn’t he
told her that he was all-powerful? Immortal? Unstoppable? He was
sure he’d mentioned those facts once or twice. He didn’t need—
    “Don’t hurt him, Eric,” she whispered. “Please.”
    “Ah…begging already, my dear?”
    Oh, that was it.
Apollo caught Terese’s arms
and pushed her behind him. The vamp would pay. “I think I’m gonna
have to kick your ass, Drac.”
    Eric’s eyes shined brighter. “Kneel before me,” he
ordered.
    Apollo quirked a brow. “You’re kidding me,
right?”
    Behind him, Terese inhaled sharply. “Don’t look into
his eyes, Apollo, don’t—”
    “
Kneel
!” Eric screamed, veins bulging in his
forehead. “Kneel and bare your throat
so that I can rip it
out.
”
    The guy was a fucking nut job. “Um, no thanks. But
how about we do this?” And Apollo drove his fist into the guy’s
mouth, aiming straight for those white fangs.
    Eric fell back. A cry of pain and surprise broke from
behind his now bloody lips.
    Apollo drew back his fist once more. “Here’s a
warning, asshole. For future reference, don’t ever fucking touch
her again.” He drove his fist forward, ready to feel the satisfying
crunch of bone—
    Eric caught his fist and held it immobile five inches
from his face. Blood slipped down Eric’s chin and splattered onto
his white shirt. “
What
are you?”
    Apollo smiled back at him. “I already told you, I’m
the guy who’s gonna kick your ass.”
    Eric growled and slashed out with claws. The swipe
drew a well of blood from Apollo’s side. “Think again, mortal,”
Eric snarled.
    Mortal.
He’d never been called that one
before. Ignoring the pain in his side, Apollo rammed his booted
foot into Eric’s stomach.
    The guy barely flinched. But Eric did charge at him
with fangs bared and claws extended.
    “Stop!” Terese threw a lamp at Eric. Her aim was
dead-on as the lamp slammed into the side of the vampire’s head. “I
told you to leave him alone!”
    Both men froze.
    Apollo glanced back at her. Her pale face was set in
determined lines…and she had another lamp in her hand.
    “You would choose him?” Eric gritted as he swiped at
the blood on his chin. “After what I did for you?”
    “You
killed
me, Eric! You. Killed. Me. How
many times do I have to tell you? I didn’t want to become like
this! I. Didn’t. Want. This!” She was shaking, violent shudders
that wracked her entire body.
    “You’re mine, Terese.” Eric’s shining gaze locked on
her and seemed to brighten. “I’m not going to let you go.”
    “You never had me.” Her knuckles were white as her
fingers clenched around the base of the lamp. “Now get the hell out
and don’t ever come near me again.”
    Eric glared at her.
    “Do what she says,” Apollo ordered, his fists ready
at his sides. He was tempted, so very tempted, to call on the power
of the sun…and burn the vampire to ashes.
    But if he did that, Terese would be hurt. She was too
close to him, too close to Eric, she’d never be able to withstand
the blast of the sun’s power.
    The anger slowly drained from Eric’s face. “This
isn’t over, Terese,” he said, his voice almost…sad?
    Her jaw locked. “Yes, it is.”
    Eric stalked toward her.
    Apollo stiffened. “Don’t even think about touching
her.”
    “Oh, I’ll touch her,” now that freaky smile was back,
“and I
will
see you dead.”
    “Promises, promises…” Apollo taunted.
    The vampire growled, then vanished.
    * * *
    “Oh, shit!” Real terror rocked through Terese when
she saw Eric teleport right before her eyes. “He’s an elder!” No
wonder Eric had been able to control her so easily, to convert her
and—
    “What,” Apollo began carefully as he closed in on
her, “is an elder?”
    “An ancient vampire.” She dropped the lamp and
realized that her knees were shaking. Being a vampire hadn’t made
her immune to human weakness like fear. She was so scared then that
she was shaking. “One who has lived for centuries