Deadly Liaisons by Terry Spear Read Free Book Online

asked before she could attempt her ruse.
    “You already know about the other police killing. You got the tissue samples from him. So what else do you want to know?”
    Daemon took the samples? Her heart thumped even harder. Then Daemon must have kil ed the officer before he came to see her, or maybe right afterwards and before Bernard came for her. Or had Bernard been there too, and witnessed the whole affair? Damn Bernard! The SCU hadn’t removed the body. The vampires must have.
    “What’s wrong, Daemon?” Atreides asked.
    Dead silence.
    “Daemon?” Atreides sounded like he was in big trouble, and she was in even bigger trouble if Daemon had kil ed the officer and found her here.
    Holding her head in her hands, Tezra kept her mind shielded and quiet, wishing she could slow her racing heart.
    The wooden floor creaked while one of the vampires paced. The pacing abruptly stopped.
    “Is someone in the house? Someone not of our blood?” Daemon was trying to locate her, to hear her blood rushing pel -mel through her veins.
    “No. No one. Why do you ask?”
    “Damn, Atreides, who have you got locked up in the house this time? It’s…a woman.”
    Atreides didn’t respond.
    Daemon stormed down the hal until he reached her room. She dashed across the floor, but before she could make it to the bed, he appeared inside. Though she couldn’t see him, she recognized his spicy scent. Backing up, she bumped into the bed’s unforgiving, hard oak footboard, instantly trapped. She raised her hands to defend herself, hating to feel so vulnerable without her weapons.
    “Dammit to hell, Atreides , ” Daemon growled, moving toward her, the hair on her arms standing at attention.
    Atreides appeared next to him. “Sorry, Daemon. I only meant to keep her safe.”
    For a minute, silence ensued, then Daemon laughed out loud, a heartfelt, gut-wrenching laugh from the bel y.
    Tezra couldn’t figure out the joke. Atreides seemed sincere in wanting to keep her alive. So why did Daemon think it was so funny? Because he didn’t want to keep her that way?
    Trying to calm herself, Tezra took a deep breath.
    “What should I do with you, huntress?” Daemon asked.
    She wasn’t a huntress by occupation, though if the SCU had al owed it, she would take on the role in a heartbeat and eliminate every renegade vampire there was.
    She glowered in Daemon’s direction, unable to do anything more, and felt the heat of his body so close her own skin grew feverish.
    “She will vanish and you will tell no one I have taken her,” Daemon said.
    Vanish as in they meant to kil her?
    “The others know I brought her here. They’ll notice she’s gone.”
    “Tell them she slipped away, but you won’t tell them she’s with me.”

    Atreides spoke again, this time with a mixture of regret and accommodation. “I will do as you ask.”
    Nearly giving Tezra a stroke, Daemon wrapped his arm securely around her waist and pul ed her hard against his body. Before she could cry out, or pul away, or scream in protest, he yanked her into a black void of space, transporting her the way of the vampire. Her head and stomach swirled as she sifted with such speed. The air wooshed past her in a rush as if she were on a wild carnival ride in total darkness.
    She closed her eyes, hoping she didn’t perish in the sift.

Chapter Three
    Daemon deposited Tezra on the guest bed in the dark cel ar, the perfect place for SCU troublemakers. Normal y he used the windowless room for visiting vampire friends desiring a deeper sleep and to store his favorite bottles of cabernet sauvignon, pinot noir and chardonnay racked against the concrete block wal s. Stark otherwise, but perfect for his needs.
    Particularly at the moment.
    For some time, he considered the woman, her posture rigid, attempting not to show her fear. Tezra glowered at him, her heart stil racing exasperatingly fast.
    Daemon flipped on a light in the cel ar with a wave of his hand. The unsettling woman squinted