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

Into the Lion's Den

I slumped behind the wheel of my car with no idea where to go or what I should do next. Having made up my mind that I didn't want to die, my life now depended on getting John back from Josiah. But where had the Watcher taken him? The only vampires I knew that might be able to tell me were either M.I.A. or flat-out refusing to help. There wasn't anyone else to turn to.

Or was there?

Jamming my key in the ignition, I gave it a hard twist and threw the gear in drive, speeding away from Kinsley Real Estate in the direction of The Marauder's Cove with a small flame of hope guttering in my chest.

When I arrived several minutes later and stepped across the threshold of the bar, every head in the dimly lit room turned in my direction. It was strange to see so many people at a bar this early in the day, but then again, The Marauder's Cove wasn't your typical bar. I made my way to an available table and sat down, eyes closed as I willed my heart rate to slow. I especially didn't want to consider that I might be the only human in the bar who wasn't currently serving as some vampire's lunch. If any of the vampires decided to attack me, likely no one would step in to save me this time.

The booth shook as someone slid into the seat opposite mine. "Dang, girl," she said, wrinkling her nose. "You smell like—"

I raised my hand to stop her. "I know what I smell like." I recognized her as the waitress who'd waited on me the first time I visited the bar.

The woman twisted the beaded necklace at her neck around the tip of her index finger as she stared across the table at me. After a few uncomfortable moments of intense analysis, she shook her head and laughed under her breath, a deep and velvety-smooth sound. Her brow shot up in the shape of a question mark.

"Why are you here, baby girl?"

I raised my chin toward the back of the building and leaned forward, lowering my voice. "I know what this place is. I know what goes on behind that curtain over there, so let's cut to the chase, shall we?"

A slow smile stretched her already broad mouth. "You got a lot of nerve for a human." She sat back, folding her arms across her chest. "Go on then. Speak your mind."

"I want to know where Josiah Butler takes vampires who've broken the law."

The waitress's eyes widened, the whites of them gleaming like crescent moons. "I take it back," she said. "You got even more nerve than most of the vamps I know."

She started to rise from the booth, but I grabbed her wrist to stop her. "You have to tell me."

She looked down at my hand on her arm and shook her head, but she wasn't smiling anymore. "You listen to me, baby girl. Don't go stickin' your nose where it don't belong. You hear me?"

I released her arm with some reluctance but was relieved when she stayed put. "What's your name?" I asked, if only to stall her and keep her talking to me.

She looked over her shoulder, but those who had watched me walk in had already lost interest. "Donna," she answered, with a note of suspicion in her voice.

"Well, Donna. Here's the thing. Josiah took John, and I need your help getting him back."

Donna sat down abruptly. "Josiah took John? That doesn't make sense. I doubt John's done one wrong thing in his life. Ever."

"Well . . ."

She was rapt with attention as I recalled the events of the past two months. I finally ended with how John had been on the brink of turning me when Josiah rudely interrupted. "I went to Andrew Larsen," I said, "but he refused to help and literally shoved me out the door."