Stake and Dust (Stake and Dust series, Book I) Read Online Free PDF Page B

"Where
did she go?"
    Bram cleared his throat.
    "What?" he snapped.
    Bram pointed toward the back door. "I believe
she and the Hashasheen demon decided to take their little party out
back in the alleyway."
    " Jaysus ," Tremayne cursed as he threw
down the towel, he had draped over his shoulder and hurried around
the bar toward the back door.
    "Three's a crowd, Tremayne," Bram called
after him. "I don't think she wants a threesome."
    He heard both Sheerin and Bram chuckling at
his expense, but he ignored them. He could care less who Cassandra
Hayes frolicked with, but he didn't want her death on his
conscience.
    Besides, this was his territory and he'd be
damned if he let the piss-ant demon ruin his gig by killing a
hunter or visa versa. He didn't want it known hunters could take
out demons whenever the mood struck them. He liked governing this
area of the Hamptons.
    He pushed the door open and stepped into the
alleyway. His gaze took in the scene unfolding before him and he
pursed his lips. Cassandra hadn't wasted any time in provoking the
Hashasheen demon into action.
    The demon's eyes glowed red, and his stance
spoke of lethal intent, but the hunter didn't appear distressed in
the least. She truly was a Hayes through and through, and they did
not shirk their duties when it came to eliminating what they deemed
an undesirable.
    Like you , he thought with annoyance,
but first she'd have to figure out he was a vampire. Being
centuries old had its perks. He could easily glamour his
Otherworldly attributes. He could enjoy human food to some extent.
He could tolerate meat if prepared on the rare side, and he could
consume coffee as long as no cream was added.
    Some humans, though rare, had the ability to
slow down their heart to mimic death. He knew how to speed up his
to imitate a human's vitality. Only thing, he had not accomplished
was walking in the sun. He could tolerate daylight on cloudy days
without severe effects, but that's all. Even then he could only
manage a few hours before he'd burn as red as a boiled lobster if
he didn't completely cover his skin, wear a hoodie, and sunglasses.
The UV protection sunscreen helped a little too.
    He stood back and observed Cassandra's
fighting techniques. Graceful like a ballerina, but deadly as a
ninja, and just as fast with her reaction to deflect blows and give
ones of her own.
    The hunter was winning this fight and
probably could manage with one hand tied behind her back by the way
it was going. He should well remember this and not underestimate
her ability to dust him if she found out the truth about his
identity.
    "Stay back, Tremayne," she said to him.
    "As you wish," he told her. She didn't even
glance his way, but knew he had joined the party.
    His brows furrowed as he caught sight of
something in her hand. When he realized what she held, he almost
chuckled out loud. She gripped one of the pencil's she'd used to
hold up her bun. He never realized a number two pencil could be
used for something more than taking a test. Quite
clever .
    She sliced the air with it as if she held a
sword. The Hashasheen didn't have a chance. He almost felt sorry
for the creature. Almost…
    She brought the Hashasheen down with a clever
sweep of the foot, tripping the demon onto his back.
    Tremayne palmed his dagger just in case, but
he doubted it would be needed.
    "Who's behind the kidnappings and the
murders?" she demanded to know. She pressed her boot into his
chest.
    The demon laughed and spit blood on the
ground beside her.
    "Tell me what I want to know and I may let
you live," she added.
    Tremayne moved in closer. The demon met his
gaze with a sneer. "Come to watch, have you, bartender ?"
Then he leveled his gaze on Cassandra. "Do you know who you're
working with?" the demon asked Cassandra as he nodded toward
Tremayne. "Odd company if you ask me, hunter ."
    Not good. The Hashasheen may not have spelled
it out, but Tremayne had a hunch the demon knew he was a
vampire.
    "Don't worry who I'm