Colton's Dilemma (Shadow Breeds) by Dara Nelson Read Free Book Online

you’re going to need some things – and I’m going to need my sweatpants back,” he added, grinning.  “Besides, if it feels better, you can consider it a loan and pay me back.  Will that work?”
    She dropped her hand back to the bed, “I, I guess,” she mumbled.
    “Great,” he said as he stood up.  He grabbed a pen and paper from the nightstand, “Make sure you have it shipped overnight.  I have a post office box in town.  I can send Hansen to pick it up tomorrow.”  He turned to head out the door, “I have a few things to take care of downstairs but I’ll be back up here to check on you this afternoon.  And if you need anything at all – food, drink, a helping hand to the bathroom – just holler.  It’s a big house, but sounds in it really carry,” he said, thinking – no, it’s my vampire hearing that will hear you.
    She had to bite her lip to keep herself from asking him to please not leave.  And, truthfully, he really didn’t have anything to take care of downstairs, but he didn’t want to hover – and he didn’t want to tempt himself further.
    He carried the tray downstairs and found Hansen, brooding of course, in the kitchen.  He walked to the sink and began rinsing the dishes.  Hansen walked over and tried to move him out of the way, “I can do that, Sir,” he said as his hands tried to push Colton’s out of the way. 
    Colton smiled at Hansen, “Relax, Hansen.  Let me do this for a change.  Besides, I need you to sit down and make up a shopping list.  You’ll need to go to the store tomorrow and stock up on enough food for the two of you.”
    Hansen shot him a dirty look, but kept his mouth closed.  Finally he sighed as he sat down at the table, “For how long, Sir?” he said.
    “I don’t know, Hansen.  It could be a while.”
    Colton could hear Hansen’s jaw muscles clenching.  Finally, Hansen pushed the chair back from the table and stormed to the refrigerator.  As he pulled it open he said, “Fine.  I understand.  I guess I’ll fix the two of us steaks for dinner.”  He stood up and tossed two packages of raw meat onto the counter.  As Hansen tore open the plastic so that he could marinate the steaks, the scent of the raw blood oozing from the fresh meat hit Colton like a sledgehammer, reminding him that it had now been a few days since he’d fed.  He inhaled sharply and felt his fangs push into his mouth.  He could see that Hansen really wanted to scold him for allowing him to go so long, but Hansen held his tongue.  “It’s almost sunset.  You should go into town for a little while and feed.  I can keep an eye on the girl,” he said.
    Colton’s eyes lifted up, towards the second floor.  It shouldn’t take him more than an hour.
    But he didn’t want to leave her.  Not right now.  He shook his head, “No.  I’m fine.  I’ll wait until she’s asleep and then I’ll go.”
    Hansen shot him a look.  He wanted to say something to Colton, but he didn’t.  He didn’t because he owed Colton.  He owed him everything.   Colton had saved him, saved him from himself, over three hundred years ago.  And that was a debt that he felt would never be repaid, not as long as he was alive.
    Colton looked a little concerned as he studied Hansen.  Finally he said, “It’s almost time for you, isn’t it?  We’re coming up on a year, right?”
    Hansen squeezed his eyes shut .  He still hated this part of himself, but at least it was controlled now.  Thanks to Colton, he could control it.  You see, Hansen was what was known, in modern terminology, as a Devourer.  He stole people’s life essence, not their blood.  That was how he survived and was made immortal.  In every other way he was human except for the fact that he was over three hundred years old.  When Colton had first found him, Hansen had just been made, well, just - as in about fifty years before.  He had been made and then his maker had abandoned him without any training or