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

anything.  So for fifty years he roamed the countryside taking every life essence he could, thinking that that’s what he needed to survive.  Young, old, male, female – he didn’t discriminate because he thought he needed it – and he was going insane because of it, he was becoming a monster.  Until Colton saved him.  Colton found him when Hansen tried to take Colton’s life essence.  Colton had laughed at first, “Young man, don’t you know what I am?” he had said.  Hansen replied, “No, and I don’t give a damn,” and had lunged at him again.  In an instant, Hansen had been flipped around so that his back was pressed to Colton’s chest.  Colton’s hands were squeezed around his neck.  And then he felt Colton’s breath on his neck, felt his fangs scrape the skin but not pierce it.  Hansen’s eyes went wide and he stopped breathing.  “I could drain you in ten seconds.  Do you know what I am now?”
    Hansen’s Adams apple bounced on Colton’s fingers as he swallowed hard.  He nodded and managed a raspy, “Yes.”
    “You need to learn some self-control, young man.  And some manners.  Would you like me to teach you?” Colton had said.
    Hansen knew instantly that he would learn so much from this vampire.  He barely hesitated before he nodded and said, “please.”
    They had been together ever since.  Teacher and pupil to the end.
    Hansen looked at Colton and tilted his head to the side.  He finally wanted to ask the one question that he had never asked before, “Why didn’t you drain me that night, Sir?  The night that you met me, why didn’t you kill me?”
    Colton looked surprised at first, then he smiled, “Finally getting around to asking that, huh Hansen?  Okay, truthfully?  I’ve tasted a few Devourers in my life.  Your blood is, how shall I put this, pretty f-in’ nasty,” he said grinning as he walked out of the kitchen.  Colton smiled when he heard Hansen mumble, “liar,” as he walked up the stairs.  Yeah, he was a liar.  Hansen knew him too well.
    He knocked lightly on the door.  “Come in,” she said from the other side.  He smiled as he walked in and saw her furrowed brow as she studied what was on the computer screen.  She looked simply adorable.  “Did you order your things?”
    “Huh?  Oh, yeah, I did.  I’m looking for missing persons articles in newspapers right now.”
    Colton pulled his phone out of his pocket.  He knew his credit card account was linked to his email, so he would have an email confirmation of the order in his inbox.  He brought it up on his phone.  “Eighty-three dollars?  That’s all you spent? ”
    “What?  Oh, well, yeah, I don’t need much,” she whispered.
    He sat on the edge of the bed, staring at the order on his phone as he spoke, “Miss, two t-shirts, one pair of jeans, one bra and one pair of panties?  That’s it?  Look, not to be blunt here, but what about feminine pads, tampons, shampoo, deodorant?  And that foot will take about six weeks to heal.  If your memory doesn’t come back before then, then you will be staying here that entire time.  Do you really think that one set of under garments is going to be enough for six weeks?  And one pair of pants?  What are you going to wear when everything is being washed?  And what are you going to sleep in?”
    She blushed as she stared at him, “Oh,” she mumbled.
    He moved a little closer so that he was sitting next to her on the bed, “Let’s place another order, shall we?”
    She watched him for a few seconds.  “You’re not going to let me say no, are you?”
    He shook his head, “Nope.”
    Thirty minutes later – after trying to argue with him at every turn - (“I don’t need a dozen pairs of underwear”, “Oh, come on, four yoga pants?” “Slippers?  Seriously?  I do not need slippers.”) - she finally clicked on the ‘confirm order’ button.
    “God, you are as stubborn as a mule.  Do you always get your way?” she