Creatus (Creatus Series) Read Online Free PDF Page A

easy to quit drinking cold turkey, but you did it. You’re going to be okay.” He hesitated. “Unless you start drinking again, that is.”
    After swabbing the area on her forearm with alcohol, he removed the IV from her vein and covered the tiny puncture with a clean cotton square and tape, smoothing the area several times with his thumbs, delighting in just holding her hand in his.
    When he finished, he looked up at her, wondering why she hadn’t spoken more than two words. “You need to call Beth. She’s worried sick. I returned her texts as if I were you, ensuring her you were okay, but she keeps asking you to call.” He paused at the confusion in her eyes then quickly added, “I’m sorry if I overstepped my bounds; I just didn’t think it was right to leave her worrying about you.” He reached for Kristina’s phone on the table and held it out to her, letting her know she wasn’t a hostage, since she was staring at him like a trapped mouse. “Just let her know you’re alive, nothing else.”
    Without offering a word, Kristina finished off the bottle of water, trading the empty plastic for her phone.
    Not knowing what else to say, Derrick stood to leave as she continued to gawk at him. He assumed she’d have more to offer than a few words. He’d rather questions than nothing. Even though she must have been reeling about everything, he was anxious to talk with her. He’d waited so long . Maybe his brother was right; maybe they weren’t supposed to be together. “I’ll give you a few minutes. You’re probably starving anyway. Please don’t mention me,” he reminded her.
    She offered him a nod, so he left the room somewhat contented. It was something anyway. At least she wasn’t catatonic. She just needed to catch her bearings.
    Derrick walked out into the hallway and then took the elevator to the café in the lobby to get something to eat. He had plenty of food, but he didn’t have any way to cook it, and she needed protein. He also wanted to be out of earshot in case she told her friend about him. The lobby wouldn’t be far enough, but he could make an effort to tune out her voice. He didn’t want to hear anything that would make him have to turn her in. He would never allow them to kill her; he’d destroy anyone who tried. The only thing he could do was hope she fell for him.
    He’d only looked to be in his early twenties when he met Janelle, but they had become great friends. In actuality, he’d already lived more than thirty-five human years at that time, but most of his kind lived to one hundred fifty, so they didn’t count their years the same. His family had warned him he was too young to fall for a human and that he should stick to his own kind. He’d heeded their words, but since Janelle and Kristina had lived in such a rough area of Boston and were all alone, he’d always felt compelled to check on them. Something his father and grandfather had done for complete strangers in the early days of America, before everyone had a video camera on their phone.
    He was now at the age where he wanted to make a lifelong commitment, and Kristina was the woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with, something Vic and he’d discussed numerous times. No matter how many times Vic or Michael tried to change his mind, he wouldn’t bend. Kristina was the woman he wanted.
    Derrick ordered a double-egg and cheese bagel sandwich and a latte for Kristina, and then headed upstairs.
    “I brought you a vanilla latte,” he called out as he walked inside the apartment. She didn’t respond, so he peeked in the bedroom, hoping she was decent. He blanched when he didn’t see her. “Oh, Kristina,” he shrieked. “They’ll kill you.” He loped to the front door and jerked it open, as if she would be standing in the hallway waiting for him. Of course she’d left. He probably scared the heck out of her by strapping her to the bed. But if he hadn’t, she would have hurt herself. He needed to find