The Vampires' Last Lover (Dying of the Dark Vampires Book 1) Read Online Free PDF Page A

bother to let him know he had a lot to learn about how daughters acted when not in the presence of their fathers. I did hurt inside for how much he worried about my welfare. He knew I could take care of myself, and he trusted my choice to go to Tennessee for college. But I guess the stakes had changed with a murderer on the loose—one who brought tremendous violence against a girl who reminded my father of me. And, worse yet, one whose family he knew personally.
    “Your Grandma told me to tell you to be especially careful,” he added, perhaps to break the awkward silence. “She says you are one of the last ‘special ones’, so you should know you mean the world to all of us.”
    “Of course Grandma thinks so.” I hoped I didn’t sound disrespectful. “I know you all love me, and I love you very much, as well.”
    Again, more silence, and then I heard a low sigh on his end.
    “Txema… your Grandma Terese means this literally,” he said. His voice was softer, and it seemed as if he was searching for the correct words. “I’m not sure how to explain this without sounding corny. I wish I didn’t have to do it over the phone. But, after what has happened, there is no putting it off. Please listen closely, honey. Until this afternoon, when I spoke to your Grandma, I didn’t realize your birthmark meant anything, other than old wives’ tales and legends from the old country.”
    “What did she tell you?”
    I tried to sound nonchalant, although my heartbeat quickened. I pictured the two small streams of blood trickling down my neck again, and the angry redness that swiftly disappeared, leaving no trace of any trauma.
    “Well, the birthmark is supposed to have originated many hundreds of years ago. The ancient Basque rulers once bore this mark,” he said. “It changed down through the centuries to where only females carry the mark, and only a few girls have it at any one time. Momma says that each generation produces a handful of females around the world with the birthmark, which is hard to track since we are spread out everywhere. That’s why she called when she heard about the murder today. She decided this couldn’t wait until your next trip home. And, she thought it would be best if it came from me. She’s very upset.”
    “I don’t understand,” I said. “What does this,” I chose my words carefully to not cause him further worry, “tragedy here have to do with the birthmark?”
    “Ah, maybe I shouldn’t have told you in this manner,” he said, his tone one of regret, and I could tell he was ready to forget the matter for now.
    “No, Papa… please tell me,” I insisted.
    If there’s one thing I hate, it’s mysteries where the person holding the useful information keeps it to themselves. I hate movies, books, and TV shows that end on painful cliffhangers. Whoever writes that shit should be hung by their thumbs, so they can never use them on a computer keyboard or typewriter ever again!
    “She says they are all dying. From what she has heard from our family back in France, the girls with the mark are not surviving.” His voice choked up. “There are now just three that she knows of. Two of your cousins that are still living in the Pyrenees and you.”
    The world began to swim around me and being on the phone was not helping things. There were too many strange things happening in too short a period of time for it to all be coincidence. It was all starting to be too much.
    “Papa…” I trailed off for a second as I tried to make sense of it all. “Papa, I love you. Give my love to Momma, and everyone else there. I will be careful, but I have to do this Lit assignment. I need to go.” I didn’t wait for him to answer before ending the call. I wanted to know more, much more, but I didn’t even know what to start asking. I tossed the phone down on the bed and started processing everything he told me. A few seconds later, Tyreen sauntered back into our room with the announcement that