Claiming the Vampire Read Online Free PDF Page B

more than fifty demon kills to her credit. But when it came to men…to physical passion…she was completely inexperienced. Of course she knew—in theory, at least—what an erection was. But this was the first time she’d ever actually seen, much less touched, the evidence of a man’s arousal.
    So yes, she’d been a little distracted.
    Of course it was obvious now that all of that was just part of his plan. He’d pretended to care about her state of mind when he first met her. Pretended to be attracted to her. He must have sensed, or guessed at, her inexperience, and used that to his advantage. It had all been a ploy to get her let down her guard, to throw her off balance—all so he could maneuver her into precisely this position.
    Tactically, it had been brilliant. Cold and heartless, but brilliant.
    It occurred to her that Hawk had a lot in common with the Fae—and especially her mother. At the moment Talia was looking icily calm as she stared over Jessica’s shoulder at the vampire holding her daughter at knife point, no doubt seeking tactical advantages of her own.
    “What else did you talk to my daughter about?”
    Jessica frowned. That wasn’t the question she’d expected her mother to ask.
    But when she heard Hawk’s voice turn deadly, she knew that this was exactly the question he’d been waiting for.
    “That’s just it, Your Highness. We didn’t have time to talk to any purpose. But that can change—unless you agree to meet with me privately.”
    Talia’s eyes flashed. “When?”
    “Right now. Your people will back off to a distance where we can speak without being overheard. Your archers can keep their weapons trained on me if you like.”
    The queen smiled without humor. “That’s remarkably trusting of you. What’s to prevent them from killing you the moment my daughter is free?”
    “This will.” Hawk shifted behind her, and the arm around her waist was gone. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw him holding something in his hand for the queen to see. Whatever it was, it was small…which still didn’t excuse the fact that she’d overlooked it when she’d searched him.
    “And what is that?” the queen asked coldly.
    “Poison.”
    Almost before the word was out of his mouth Jessica felt something jab her right forearm, and she looked down in time to see Hawk withdraw a silver needle from her skin.
    “Unless I tell you the antidote within twenty minutes, your daughter will die. All I ask is five minutes’ conversation, Your Highness. Surely your daughter’s life is worth that?”
    Talia’s gaze flickered once to Jessica, but there was no emotion in her face. “Very well. Guards, back away a hundred paces. Prince Kel, please escort my daughter.”
    “Of course,” Kel said immediately. As he came towards them, Hawk murmured in her ear, “Don’t be afraid. You’ll feel no ill effects while I speak to your mother. Everything will be all right, I promise.” Then he withdrew the knife from her neck and stepped back.
    Jessica felt strangely detached from everything that was happening. She let Prince Kel take her arm and lead her after the retreating guards, as Hawk and her mother drew close together and began to speak. It was impossible to hear their conversation, but the tension between them was palpable.
    “Are you in any pain, Your Highness?”
    It took her a second to realize that it was Prince Kel who had spoken. He still had his arm around her shoulders.
    “No, I’m not in pain.”
    She kept her eyes fixed on her mother and Hawk as she addressed one of her mother’s guards, a man she’d known all her life.
    “Mark—give me your bow.”
    He complied without hesitation, handing her the bow and slipping the quiver over her shoulder.
    “You can’t shoot the vampire,” Kel said sharply. “If he dies before telling us the antidote—”
    “I won’t shoot him yet,” Jessica said, fitting an arrow to the string. “But if he so much as touches my mother, he’ll be