Dracula's Secret Read Online Free PDF Page A

her shallow, but a taunt always made her night. Valerie stifled a chuckle. “Still want to give me a good time?”
    â€œYou would do that?” Watches and Rings stammered, his eyes so wide the whites showed all the way around.
    â€œAre you really that stupid?” Annoyance made her fingers contract, ever so slightly, on Chad’s tender neck.
    â€œMa’am, please,” Chad whined from his constricted throat. “My dad’s rich. Just let us go. You can have anything you want.”
    â€œWe won’t tell nobody nothing,” Guitar Boy pleaded.
    â€œThat’s more than you offered,” she sneered. She held Chad out at full arm’s length. “Why should I be more generous than you?” She turned him so he could look at her face. Her lips curled back in an ironic smile, showing her fangs in blatant aggression. She hadn’t had this much fun in a long time. After she killed her target, she would make more time for play.
    One of them whimpered, “Holy shit, she’s a vamp!”
    â€œThey are all dead,” another protested. “She’s a fake.”
    Valerie couldn’t help herself. She laughed.
    His friends lacked courage. At the sound of her amusement, they turned and ran, expensive sneakers slapping against the asphalt. One by one, they disappeared into the safety of a traffic-clogged street. Sweet, sweet music to her ears.
    â€œSo.” She set him down, met his frightened eyes with her own cold gaze. Time for this young man to face a truth. “Here you are. Alone. In the dark. With someone stronger and more dangerous than you. What will you do?” She put her hands on her hips, awaiting his response.
    He puffed his chest and spread his legs, claiming more space on the sidewalk. “Hey, lady, look, my dad works for Radu Tepes. I’ve even met him on our yacht. I know things. You can’t hurt me. That’s against the law.” Chad swaggered a step closer.
    â€œ Kill . Killing is against the law,” she reminded him of the most salient fact of the International Treaty. “Feeding does not count as killing, especially for my kind, who does not feast on flesh.”
    â€œI don’t consent!” he wailed.
    A glimmer of sunshine teased the corner of her eye. The priest had eluded the press long enough to follow the boys. So much for a barely legal snack. Instead, she decided to reinforce her lessons.
    â€œI can be very persuasive.” She lowered her eyelids in exaggerated pleasure.
    Chad cringed when he looked into her eyes. If he’d been a dog, he would have tucked his tail and ran away yelping. Valerie could barely keep from smirking.
    Stupidly, he tried another tactic.
    â€œCome on, lady. I’m sorry. My dad can fix this, really he can. Just let me go.”
    This was just too much fun. “Are you bargaining with me, young man?” Valerie took her voice down to a dangerous growl.
    Even though he topped her by a good five inches, he cowered. Desperation crossed Chad’s face. He threw the world’s worst punch at her face.
    She caught his fist. Panic drained his skin of all blood and crossed his eyes. Chad blacked out and landed on the sidewalk. Not amused with his poor showing, she let go.
    Valerie stroked her chin. He had to be good for something. But what?
    Almost-sunlight kissed her skin, loosened muscles in her throat and chest. Surprise jolted her. Lance was here. Somehow, he’d escaped the press and his shelter and found her. He walked until they were face-to-face over the boy’s body.
    For an eternity, Valerie and Lance watched each other over Chad’s still body. Despite his blazing aura, his eyes stayed frosty, until they dropped to her mouth again. Blue fire lit in their depths.
    They were complete opposites. He was touched by holiness. She was awash in gore. No wonder passion flared. She ran her tongue across her lower lip.
    He smiled, turning his expression into lazy