The Vampire Hunter by LISA CHILDS Read Free Book Online Page A

life.”
    â€œAnd now he has no life?” The vampire’s voice was hollow with doubts. “You really killed someone? You?”
    â€œWhy not?” she asked.
    And even though his vision was still blurred, in his mind Liam could see her shrugging nonchalantly.
    â€œBecause you’re too sweet. Too gentle…”
    Liam shuddered because he could tell, from the intimate tone of the man’s voice, that he’d stepped closer to her. That he might be touching her…
    Jealousy wound through him, quickening his pulse and renewing his strength. His vision cleared, the room righting itself. And he righted himself and sat up. He had to get to her, had to protect her no matter what she said.
    â€œBut it’s the law of the society,” she said. “If a human finds out about it—about us—we have to get rid of them. And Liam McKiernan wasn’t just any human. He was the only human who knows how to kill us.” And now she was protecting her sister.
    â€œHe nearly killed me,” Roger admitted. “But he didn’t get the stake in deep enough—didn’t do enough damage that Doc Davison wasn’t able to fix with a couple stitches and a transfusion.”
    Damn…
    â€œHe won’t be a problem anymore,” Jennifer assured him. “You can leave now.”
    â€œNo,” he insisted. “Not without seeing his body for myself…”
    â€œYou don’t believe me?” she asked, as if surprised. “You think you’re the only one who can kill for the society?”
    â€œWhat do you mean?”
    â€œIt was you who killed his brother, right?” she asked. “The boy who was looking for me right after I was turned.”
    â€œI had no choice, Jennifer,” Roger swore. “I only did it because I was protecting you.”
    â€œI know that. I know now how you feel about me. Let’s get out of here.”
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œI’ll leave with you,” she offered. “I’ll go wherever you want me to go.”
    And Liam had his answer. She was putting herself at risk for him. Mustering all his slowly returning strength, he vaulted himself out of the bed and yelled out, “No!”
    He couldn’t let her sacrifice herself for him. He would rather die…and as the vampire rushed into the bedroom, he realized that he just might….

Chapter Six
    â€œNo!” Jennifer echoed Liam’s shout as Roger headed toward the bedroom. She flew at his back, pounding on him. Roger had to be weak yet from the stake, but he shrugged her off as if she were inconsequential.
    As if she were powerless—and she had been powerless for too much of her life. She launched herself at him, pulling at his hair and kicking and biting at his shoulders.
    â€œDamn it!” he shouted. “I don’t want to hurt you.”
    â€œYou hurt me when you killed my friend,” she said. “And you’re going to hurt me again if you do any harm to Liam. Let him go. Just leave!”
    â€œDon’t you get it?” he asked, whirling on her, his soulless, black eyes full of a scary intensity. “I can’t ever leave you. I can’t ever let you go. You belong to me.”
    She shook her head. “I’m not a possession. You don’t own me.”
    â€œI’m the reason you’re alive,” he reminded her. “I risked my own life when I told you about the society. And how do you thank me? You go to the professor. You could have got me killed.”
    â€œI didn’t know,” she said, defending her action. And she hadn’t known then that if a vampire revealed the secret, he forfeited his immortality. She hadn’t entirely believed that Roger had told the truth about being a vampire.
    â€œYou owe me your life! I’m going to take it, but first I’m going to take his.” He turned back to the bedroom.
    Liam stood in the doorway, weakly propped against the