Sterling Silver (Sterling Hunter Series Book 1)

Chapter 13

"Psshh I so could have taken him down. You were just being overprotective," Tabitha chided, pointing a bagel at him.

Sebastian chuckled and leaned back in his seat, Dracula open between them. They were supposed to be studying and discussing the reading material for the week. Or at least they had planned to do that when Tabitha got to his house. Instead, Sebastian had decided to take her out for an impromptu hunting session.

A week had gone by. A whole week of him taking her out hunting at night in the city and he still couldn't let her take a vampire down on her own. "Do you not remember Sebastian? I've been doing this for three years! I'm not completely incompetent!"

"I never said you were. I just don't want to end up force feeding you my blood again."

Tabitha snorted and took another bite of her bagel. "Whatever. You don't think I can handle myself."

He shrugged and took a swig from his bottle of blood. One of the vampires had scraped him up real good. Despite him not trusting her he took her out hunting early in the evening when the sun was still out and they ran into two vampires almost as old as Sebastian. Sebastian ended up knowing one of them. Keller something... Supposedly he was a real killer. Had gotten several of his victims in the news. So instead of letting Tabitha handle him, Sebastian had taken care of his friend, but Keller had gotten away.

"You said it not me. How about this? Tomorrow night I promise not to get in your way. I will be there to observe only. Sound good?"

Tabitha narrowed her eyes but nodded. "Fine. But you'd better let me do my own hunting. I'm sick of your bloodhound routine."

He laughed. Tabitha grinned at his laugh. Making him laugh or smile... it made her happy. Made her heart swell in a way she had never felt before. It was an amazing feeling. She set her bagel down and grabbed the Dracula book, flipping through the pages. "We should probably finish this. I know grades don't matter to you but I have a reputation to protect."

"What the smart mouth teacher's pet who all the other kids are jealous of and who all the school staff adore?"

Tabitha smirked and nodded, slapping the book on the counter. "Yep. I need to keep my straight A streak. Going strong since fifth grade."

He cocked his head. "What happened in fourth grade?"

She scowled. "Mrs. Carmon. She was a stickler for the rules and she despised me. I got two A's my entire year of fourth grade!"

Sebastian quirked an eyebrow as he pulled the book back over to him. "Do I detect a hint of bitterness?"

Tabitha folded her arms on the bar table and watched as he flipped back to the correct chapter. "You detect a bucket load of bitterness. Because of Mrs. Carmon my entire school career shall be marred with an F."

He gasped mockingly. "Oh, the horror."

Tabitha opened her mouth to return his sarcasm when the front door banged open, surprising both of them. Tabitha jumped and spilled her water all over her shirt and Sebastian went ridged.

"What's wrong?"

"Sebastian! Sebastian, something happened. We need your help!" she heard Sandra shouting from the front hall.

They shared a glance and then Sebastian disappeared. Tabitha ran after to him to see what had happened.

Carlos lay bleeding on the couch in the front room. Tabitha covered her mouth as she took in the scene. Sandra knelt beside him, pressing her hands, now slick with blood, into her husband's wound, trying to stop the bleeding.