Dating for Demons (Book 3: Half-blood vampire series)

Chapter Three

Chapter Three

COLBY

 “Piper, you’re amazing!” I praised, completely ignoring my would-be stalker. He wasn’t a vampire and hadn’t jumped in to finish us off. At this point he wasn’t an immediate threat.

“I’m so sorry.” Piper moaned, wiping her mouth with the torn sleeve of her shirt.

“Uh, that’s okay. Are you sick? What happened?” the guy asked her, shaking the vomit from his boots, one foot at a time.

I took that moment to attempt some damage control. It was time to determine what he saw and what he knew.

“What do you think happened here?” I asked shrewdly. “Some punk kids threw spoiled dairy products everywhere, making my friend ill and causing me to fall and hurt myself in the process.” It was the lamest, sorriest tale I had ever told and seriously, I’d told some whoppers in my day.

“Ri-ght.” He nodded slowly, looking around at the chaos and sounding not a little unlike Dr. Evil in his skepticism.

I decided lying might not fly so I turned into an invalid. People rarely demanded answers right away from an injured girl.

“A little help here?” I ventured, going from agitated liar to weak-kneed female.

“Oh, Colby. Are you okay?” Piper rushed to my side and I rolled my eyes at her. She of all people couldn’t be falling for my act, could she?

“I’ve been better. And what happened to the plan, Piper?” I accepted the offer of help and leaned against her, trying to flex my leg. I winced in pain (only slightly exaggerating) as it made a popping noise when I straightened it.

“Is your kneecap broken?” he asked incredulously.

I waved his concern aside. “No, no. Old cheerleading injury. I’m double-jointed and the knee pops out sometimes.”

I smiled brightly in his direction, looking directly into his eyes, and saw his body relax. I channeled all my Undead mojo into the stare and could practically hear him thinking, Of course. That’s it. Nothing to worry about there. She must have tripped. But now she is perfectly fine.

“Stop it, Colby,” Piper demanded, glaring at me. The guy broke eye contact and looked back toward her, visibly tensing once he was no longer caught by the power of my gaze. Damn it, Piper!

“She slipped on this goo and went down hard. Can you help me get her to my car?” And then Piper actually fluttered her eyelashes at him. She wouldn’t let me use my hypnotic powers but it was fine and dandy to use her feminine wiles? And since when did Piper use feminine wiles anyway? This evening was getting weirder and weirder.

I looked at him and asked bluntly, “Where did you come from?”

He swept me up into his arms in one motion. “I noticed you on the floor when I was walking to my bike and thought you were hurt. My name’s Hunter, by the way.”

He carried me easily; I had to admit it was impressive how Piper barfing on his boots hadn’t fazed him and how carrying a total stranger to her car was no big deal. And really, what gal isn’t a little enthralled when a man can sweep her up in his arms so effortlessly? That’s why firefighters are such popular fantasy fodder. This guy was definitely hot on so many levels, but I sensed he could be dangerous as well.

“I’m Colby and this is Piper.”

He smiled at Piper, flashing a dimple in his left cheek, and I could practically hear her purr. It was disgusting. And sadly, I felt a little purr coming on myself when I felt his chest muscles ripple as he carefully lowered me to the ground so I could get in the backseat of Piper’s car.