Blood Type: Book One of the Blood Type Series (complete)

Closed Doors

Josiah made no move to enter but continued standing sentry in the doorway. He was a foreboding presence, especially now that I knew exactly who and what he was. "Leave us," he said to me, the rumble of his voice pitched low. "This does not concern you."

I stepped closer to John and grasped his hand in mine. "The hell it doesn't."

Josiah's eyes lighted briefly on our joined hands before returning to meet my gaze. His mouth hardened. "The girl is no longer a viable candidate," he said to John. "Therefore, you no longer have jurisdiction over her. I suggest you compel her to forget before others take matters into their own hands."

"I won't let anyone hurt her," John said. "And I won't leave her to die."

"There is no alternative."

"Blake wants to become one of us. I'm going to turn her."

"I will not let you do that," Josiah said. "Compel her. Now."

John's hand closed around mine so tightly I thought my fingers would snap. "No."

Josiah's eyes narrowed. "From what I understand, it was your maker who bit and infected the girl." The 'your' was stressed, a glaring accusation against John. "Ian McAvoy is wanted for crimes committed in more than one jurisdiction. Tell me where he is, and I might be persuaded to forget your disrespect of authority."

"You won't find him here," John said, defiant. "He left."

The muscles in the Watcher's jaw flexed and unflexed. "Let me remind you that you will be held accountable for not reporting Ian McAvoy upon his arrival."

"I had no reason to report Ian to the authorities," John said. "I had no idea he was wanted until after he'd already attacked Blake. And even then . . ."

John left the sentence unfinished, but I knew what he'd been about to say. Even if he had known Ian was a wanted vampire, he wouldn't have turned him in. Their bond was that strong.

Josiah took a step forward. "Where is he?"

"I already told you," John said, standing his ground. "I don't know."

Josiah grabbed John's arm and nearly pulled him out of my grasp. I yanked back with all the power I had, but I was little match for Josiah's vampire strength.

"What are you doing?" I demanded, digging in my heels and struggling to hold on as Josiah pulled harder and forcibly removed John from the house. "He's not going anywhere with you!"

Josiah turned to me. "I assure you he is."

"It'll be okay," John said to me, though there was no mistaking the sudden apprehension in his voice.

I continued to cling to his arm. "Don't go with him, John. Please!"

"He does not have a choice," Josiah said, his words clipped as he gave one final tug that wrenched John from my grip. He pulled John outside and marched him down the front steps, his large hand clamped around the back of John's neck.

"Where are you taking him? What's going to happen?" But Josiah didn't answer. I might as well have been yelling at a brick wall for all the good it did.

John turned to say something but Josiah pushed him forward, causing him to lurch and stumble on the uneven pavement. Sprinting down the steps after them, I stopped at the edge of the sidewalk and watched helplessly as Josiah shoved John into the backseat of an idling vehicle. There was a girl in the driver's seat I thought looked vaguely familiar, but the car pulled away before I could get a good look.

"Wait!" I yelled. "Come back!"

But the car disappeared around the corner, leaving me standing alone and wondering what to do next.