Blood at Stake (Warriors of the Krieger Book 2) Read Online Free PDF Page B

of her hand.
Eventually, her body relaxed enough for me to open her hands flat,
so that I could bring them to my lips. After a brief kiss across
her tiny knuckles, I exited the Hummer and walked around to
retrieve her, opening the passenger door to help her from the
cab.
    “I know,” she nodded, taking my hand to help
her out of the vehicle.
    “I’ll stay for a bit.” I resigned myself to
just go in and sit at the bar, until she was comfortable with being
alone. Something inside my chest demanded that I not leave her. I
couldn’t explain it, but it was like my heart didn’t want to let
her go just quite yet.
    We made our way inside. The music was
pumping loud enough that several couples on the dance floor didn’t
notice us arrive. The place was steadily flowing with customers,
and it looked like everyone was enjoying themselves. Lydia’s
waitress, Abby stopped by and gave her a sisterly hug, asking if
she was alright.
    “I’m fine,” she assured her friend. “Don’t
worry about me.”
    Abby straightened when she looked up and saw
me behind Lydia. The newly turned vampire smiled stiffly and
returned to her customers.
    We walked past the bar, and the young male
bartender nodded toward Lydia, sliding her a mixed drink. Lydia
scooped it up into her tiny hands before the glass had come to a
complete stop, like this was her nightly ritual. She sauntered
toward the office, not speaking as she walked. I scented the aroma
of the amber liquid in the glass and knew that she was hitting the
hard stuff already. I also knew that Lydia and Charity liked to
drink occasionally, and I didn’t have a problem doing that
myself…when the time permitted.
    She sat down behind the large oak desk and
clicked on the computer, the machine hummed quietly to life. The
drink was downed in only a few sips, and she set the glass on the
corner of the desk.
    “Are there any leads on the guys that
attacked me?” she asked, pushing a strand of her beautiful, auburn
hair behind her ear.
    “Not at this time,” I admitted. “We are
looking for them and any information we can find on those bullets
they used to shoot you with.” I saw her flinch, and I wanted to
take those memories away. No female should be treated the way that
Lydia had been the night before. The beautiful, petite vixen should
be cherished, not harmed.
    Her emerald eyes softened and she pulled a
card from her desk. After scribbling on the backside of it, she
handed it to me, “Here’s the number directly to my office. You
know, just in case.”
    I walked around the desk and sat on the
edge, kicking my feet straight out in front of me. She was so close
that I reached out and stroked her cheek while she was seated in
her chair.
    “You need to be safe, Lydia,” I sighed, as
she closed her eyes and leaned into my palm for comfort. “Please
don’t leave this place with anyone but me.”
    “I’ll call you about an hour before I’m
ready to leave,” she said and placed her tiny hand over mine. I
felt the stirrings of something deep in the pit of my stomach. It
was a tightness that made the muscles over my abdomen tremble.
    “Promise?” I raised a brow. Lydia and
Charity were two of the sneakiest females I’d ever met, and I
wouldn’t put it past her to head out on her own.
    “Promise,” she replied, her eyes never
leaving mine.
    “I have to go,” I said, regretfully. Leaning
down, I captured her lips. Managing only the briefest of touches, I
pressed my lips to hers and pulled away.
    “Be safe,” she said, touching my cheek. We
didn’t speak for a few moments, both of us remembering what had
happened earlier in the evening.
    I nodded, because I didn’t trust myself to
say anything else. I didn’t want to leave her here alone, but I
knew that she’d be okay. I had a patrol already in the area. I had
to keep telling myself that she was going to be safe.
    After closing the door to her office, I made
my way back to the floor of the club. All of the employees