The Blood Bargain by Macaela Reeves Read Free Book Online Page A

against the wood frame against their blows.
    The metal clasps holding this subdivision particle board in place were breaking, as was the cheap man-made wood of the door. They had whittled a small hole about waist level. Dead fingers were desperately trying to push through, leaving bits of torn flesh on the edges of the opening.
    My time was coming. Soon. I had hours to tell myself how I should have listened to my father, to my friends, to every other soul in Junction who told me this was a graveyard. What did I really expect to do up here? Save the day? Come in guns-a-blazing and save the world? All I did was demonstrating my immaturity. I had made my choice, and now I would die with it.
    My only hope was some of those things didn ’ t follow Cole back to town. I pictured Zoe and her happy little boys. I wished for them to be safe, to grow up in their protected town.
    Funny, coming to terms with one’s end has a peace to it. One that's hard to explain. There was one thing I would change though.
    I would not go out cowering in the corner.
    Standing, I backed as far away from the door as I could and still get good light from the window. The particle board gave way, the dresser tipped. The undead poured into the room around it.
    Today, as they say, was a good day to die.
    As I readied myself for hand to hand combat, the window broke. Glass flew everywhere like a maelstrom, I quickly shielded my eyes with my forearm. The quick sickening sound of flesh being shredded echoed through the room. Again. And again.
    I thought it would hurt. Must be in shock.
    Time passed. I was still thinking. I was still breathing, my chest slowly going in and out absorbing the metallic twinge in the air.
    I lowered my arms from my face slowly, my eyes registered I was still not alone in the room. In the light of the moon a man stood in the center of a pile of battered corpses.
    Tall, maybe six foot, with broad shoulders. In a black hoodie pulled up to cover his face and a pair of dark jeans, I couldn.t be seeing this...was I hallucinating?
    “Have you been bitten?” His accent was so thick. Hungarian, maybe Russian. He turned around as he asked the question, giving me a look at his face.
    Vampire.
    Like the other two I had seen years ago he reminded me of a rogue model. This one was apparently on the lam from a street wear shoot. There was something in his face though, that kept him from being truly handsome. Harsh lines at his eyes, the tension in his jaw. His brows drawn into a scowl. Everything about his face read evil of the do-not-engage variety.
    Not wanting to gawk, I shook my head quickly from side to side. The adrenaline overload caused my hands to shake and my breathing to short.
    “It was foolish to come here. Do you have a death wish girl?” He chast ised me, slightly rolling his r’ s.
    “I picked up a distress call from the suburbs.” I mumbled. “Why are you here?”
    “Your council implored Caius to save your life. So I come.” Oh hell...they knew what I had done. I thought of my Dad, just imagining the look on his face. This would not be a happy homecoming by any means. I wondered if Cole had made it back. Not because I worried for his safety, well I did. More so though I wanted him alive so I could punch him in the face. Repeatedly.
    “It's time to go, hold on to me girl.” He extended his hand.
    “ Liv .” I crossed my arms. Bloodsucking freak or not, no one talked to me like a little child.
    “Excuse Me?”
    “My Name is Liv . Stop calling me girl.”
    “Live is not a name, it is a state of being.” He motioned for me to join him. “Come. Waste not the time.” I could hear the moans echoing outside, it would not take them long to wander up here. At the moment I had to choose between the lesser of the two evils it seemed. Taking his hand I was surprised his skin neither hot nor cold. He was room temperature, like a desk or my
    favorite jeans.
    Then he threw me over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes and jumped