Bound Through Blood by Alexis Kennedy Read Free Book Online

house watching and waiting, but shape-shifted into a black cat now, when the sun started to come up over the treetops. He heard her alarm clock beeping from inside the house—he'd get to see her again. While that excited him, it also made him anxious. He had to find out more; what was the connection? He had to get a look inside her house and learn more about her. He'd start by looking at the family tree and books she'd been examining. Is that why she was looking at them? Does she know something? Were they books of magic spells? His cat fangs were grinding from the tension he felt.
     

Chapter 18
    The alarm went off sending Salena bolting upright in bed. Feeling groggy from a restless sleep, she started to remember the lustful dream she'd had. Even this morning, it had her feeling aroused. She had dreamed about her mystery man from the phone booth. She remembered his long, drugging kisses with perfect clarity. She also remembered the feel of his warm, strong hands as they roamed all over her body, stoking flames of desire within her. She could still feel the ache between her creamy white thighs from his teasing touches there. But that is when the dream had ended. Just like in the phone booth, he'd worked her body up into frenzy and then abruptly left her. Was this guy the Kissing Bandit or what? It would figure that even her dreams would leave her feeling frustrated and unfulfilled.
    A dull sting in her neck brought her back to the present, though, and with eyes wide open, she ran to the bathroom mirror. There it was—a telltale mark that said last night wasn't a dream. It couldn't have been—there was a bite mark very similar to the one that had been on her wrist, which had now completely faded away. She wondered if she was losing her mind and seeing things, or if somehow he'd found her and gotten into her home. Yet, there it was on her neck now, and as she fingered the slightly painful two puncture wounds, she knew she was definitely not imagining it. She felt a flood of panic wash over her body, but it quickly gave way to another feeling—curiosity perhaps? Why did this man come to her twice now and then leave her all of a sudden with both her life and virtue intact? She wondered, perhaps, if the latter bothered her more than it should. He had spent the time working her body into a molten pool of desire, twice now, but didn't follow through. Even now, when she should be calling the police and then running for her life, she was undeniably lascivious. She was lusting for this stranger, this man, this killer of women—except her. What in God's name is wrong with me ? Am I crazy or just a masochist?
    She fingered the bite mark again. What was the biting all about? Then her thoughts returned to her conversation with Heloise and to her great-great-great-great-great-whatever- grandmother, who had also been bitten by a mysterious man. She'd have to speak to Heloise again, very soon, before he returned to her. Would he return to her? She felt certain of it. This brought back the other concern—how'd he get into her house? Everything had been locked up tight, so was there no way to keep him out? And why didn't she try to fight him off either time? She answered her own question in one word, vampire .
    What could she tell the police? That possibly a killer got into her locked up home, seduced her, and bit her before running away? Oh, and by the way, she thinks he's a vampire. That would go over really well, and she'd be the one locked up, in the nuthouse. Yes, she had to see Heloise after her trip to the market today.
    After checking all of her locks, which were of course secure, she took a steamy shower and got ready for errands. While putting on her makeup, she grabbed her concealer to cover the bite mark, but, surprisingly, it wasn't as visible now. Was it fading? She glanced again at her flawless wrist where the other had been as of yesterday, and she recalled the comments made in Heloise's grandmother's diary. She decided