Monsters Within by Victoria Knight Read Free Book Online Page B

reputation.”
    “No? Tell me, what are the latest rumors?”
    Kara blushed again and the excited smell seemed to radiate from her now. Saul took a single step towards her and breathed it in. Somewhere in the furthest reaches of his primal mind, he wanted to go for her throat. There was another urge beyond that, one that was fueled by a male need that had not been quenched for a very long time. Thank God she was wearing a police uniform that hid most of her natural curves.
    “I haven’t heard any new ones.”
    “Really? Nothing at all?”
    She rolled her eyes. “Well, the old dumb ones still float around. People think your family was into Satanism. Some think you’re witches or vampires or demons or some damned thing.”
    “Disappointing,” Saul said. “You’d think they’d come up with something much more unique in this day and age.”
    “Oh, they aren’t as bad now.  No new rumors, really. Although, I’m sure this event at Randy’s Roost will change all of that. Which…I have to say…I wouldn’t be surprised if Randy presses some sort of charges for his window. I haven’t heard from him on that yet.”
    “I’ll gladly pay for the window. I’ll head down there later this week.”
    “That might help matters. But if you decide to do that, let me know. I’ll take the money to him. No sense in you risking another encounter with Lester.”
    “I suppose not.”
    “Also, if he pays you another visit, please call the station as soon as you can. I have a feeling that if i t di d come down to an actual fight, you could put him in the hospital. So let’s avoid that, shall we?”
    “Agreed.” Secretly, he thought : I don’t think Lester Dobbs will be paying me any more visits any time soon.
    “Well,” Kara said, “that’s all out of me. Just had to come by and get your side of the story.”
    “I understand.”
    There was a very brief pause that lingered in the air. Saul gave Kara a smile and when she looked at him, he saw interest naked in her gaze. He’d seen that look before, had felt that sensation before. As a vampire, it was something he was used to but had never fully understood. It was a burning knowledge that if he chose to do so, he could have Kara Humphrey in his bed within the next five minutes.
    But there was so much going on, so many changes. And he was certain The Guard was watching him. He could feel their presence just as clearly as he could feel Kara’s eyes crawling over him.
    He walked to the door and opened it for her. When he did, her scent smacked him the face and his primal urges swarmed like bees inside him.
    “Let me know if I can be of further assistance,” he said.
    She nodded at him and walked out onto the porch. When she passed, Saul saw the curvature of her neck where it met her shoulder, exposed by the ponytail she wore her hair in. He nearly had to grind his teeth to steady himself.
    “Thanks for your cooperation,” Kara said when she reached the bottom of the stairs.
    “Absolutely.”
    He watched her get into her Escape and didn’t take his eyes off of her figure until she had turned it back up the driveway and towards the road. He stood in the doorway and squinted at the mid-afternoon sun. He could still smell that scent of excitement that she had left behind—sharp and somewhat salty.
    He was both delighted and anxious to find that it was lingering in the cabin when he headed back inside, closing the door behind him.
     

6
     
    Nikki wasted no time after her shift at the Red Creek B&B was over. She had been thinking about what she was going to do all day. She had originally done this in the hopes of talking herself out of it but it had the opposite effect. By the time she left work at 5:15, she was more convinced than ever that she was not only going to pay Saul Benton a visit; she was going to confront him and let him know that she was on to him.
    What exactly she was o n to , she wasn’t sure.
    She stopped by her small apartment off of Main Street and