Vampire King of New York Read Online Free PDF Page B

came into view. “What did she look like?”
    “I can’t remember.”
    Laura stroked her hair. “Max, I’ve read her mind. There isn’t even an image there. It’s like someone erased it.”
    “Do you mean a vampire attacked her?”
    “It’s possible,” David said. “We’ll have to do some investigating.”
    Evelyn sat up. “Oh, God, my head feels like hell. Laura, where am I?”
    “You’re home in your bedroom.”
    “Okay, Max. David. Please, take your loud investigating elsewhere and leave me in pain.”
    “Very soon you won’t be in pain,” Max said.

    Sitting straighter, then almost doubling up with nausea, Evelyn put out a hand to steady herself. “Did you bite me, Laura? Did he bite me?”
    Laura hugged her. “No one bit you. I introduced some of my saliva into your wounds. You had several. Your outer injuries are nearly healed. Internal injuries take more time.”
    “You licked me?”
    “Well, yes.”
    “Ick.” Evelyn sighed. “I mean, Okay. Thanks.”
    “I’m sorry. I know you don’t like to be licked. It was that or take you to the hospital.”
    Evelyn hugged her sister. “Thank you, really.” The idea of going to a hospital made her shudder. All she could think of was going down to the morgue in the hospital to identify her small son’s body. Oh, God. J.J. It was all she could think about. Tears streamed down her face. “I love you, Laura. Thank you.”
    “I know, Evie. I love you too.”
    “I need …” She convulsed. When her body stopped, Evelyn looked up at her sister.
    Laura stroked her hair. “Max, what’s happening to her?”
    “Her body’s reacting to your saliva. She needs to rest.” Max gazed down at her.
    Evelyn wanted to say something but the words never came out. Instead everything went black again. But this time, it wasn’t scary. No voice of doom recited in her head. It was pleasantly quiet, like being blanketed in a warm cocoon, where she felt safe. Time ceased to be important. Evelyn breathed. She cried. She let all the pain wash out of her and fell asleep.
    When next she opened her eyes, Evelyn found the source of the warm protection. Fully clothed, Max had lain beside her and hugged her. She rested her head on his chest, and no matter how much she didn’t want to admit it, she enjoyed feeling his arms around her. Evelyn had too many bad memories of Jack, and so far Max was nothing like him. Even though the drapes were drawn, the lack of light around the edges revealed it was still night. She didn’t want to think about the time. It made sense that she was exhausted. Yawning, she fell back asleep.

    The dream that took her was different from the others  A new chapter to a very old story. She stood atop a huge cliff gazing down into the depths of the fjord. Every crevice of blue and white delighted her, as if a sword had cut deep into the earth and found it could not bleed.
    “My ancestors know each name.” Max was different; his Armani suit exchanged for the Norse warrior’s garb. His hair longer, the beard she enjoyed pulling when she teased him.
    “They have names?”
    “This one is the Cutter. He was cursed to stand eternally to protect others, because in life he failed to protect those he loved most.” Her Viking husband dragged her against him from behind. They fell backward into the soft grass of the high plateau facing up and gazed into the blue summer sky.
    “Svenna, you are my heart and the breath of my life. Before I found you, I did not see the beauty in the world around me.”
    She chuckled and leaned on her side facing him. “What will happen to you when I die? You will mourn me briefly and take another wife like other men do?”
    He leaned on his side to face her. “No. You are my one true star. When you are gone, I will be plunged into eternal night, hopeless without love.”
    She flung her arms around him and planted a hard kiss on his lips. Then she pushed him away laughing. “Oh, Reynard, you make me laugh with your pretty