There was a curious expression on his face, almost as if he was surprised to see her here.

“Now look at that. Amaury’s little tart.”

At first it appeared he had little interest in her. But then she took a step back, and he was suddenly on her. Nina didn’t dare move. When Luther inhaled a deep breath, she instinctively knew it wasn’t a good sign. A flicker in his eyes confirmed that her luck had just changed. She cursed Amaury. Had he not brought her to Samson’s house for her safety, she wouldn’t be in danger now.

“Who would have thought?” He took in another breath. “Yes, two birds with one stone. Lady Luck is on my side tonight. At first you were just an annoyance to get rid of, snooping around in my business, but now … your value has just gone up.”

Luther took a curl of her hair and twisted it around his finger. Nina turned her head so it slipped out of this grip.

“You’re gonna pay for this,” she warned him, feeling she had to be brave.

He let out a bitter laugh. “I’ve already paid a long time ago. Now finally, I’ll get something in exchange. I think Amaury will regret having made you his mate, and so will you. He’s turned you into a target.”

Nina’s chest tightened.

By making her his mate, Amaury had handed Luther another bargaining chip. If he wanted revenge on Amaury, what better way to take it out on his newly bonded mate? She glanced past him where Delilah had given up her struggle against Johan who held her arms behind her back. She realized instantly what Luther was planning to do to both of them, her and Delilah. Her fear tightened her throat, making her unable to speak.

Luther looked back over his shoulder. “Tie her up. This one too. We’re taking both.”

Johan grunted and tied Delilah’s wrists with duct tape. Nina kicked Luther into his shin when his attention was diverted by Carl who still struggled with the other intruder.

“Don’t, Nina; it’s not worth it,” Delilah warned.

“Bastard!” Nina screamed the moment Luther pinned her against the door frame, glaring at her.

“Try that again.” The challenge in his voice carried a menacing warning, a clear indication that he wanted to inflict pain.

Behind him another figure moved.

“Nina?”

Her ears were playing tricks on her. The voice Nina heard belonged to a dead man. She shook her head trying to clear her mind, but then the man came into view behind Luther. No, it couldn’t be true. He was dead. She’d buried him a month ago, buried his charred body.

“Eddie?”

Luther released his grip as Eddie pushed in. “Nina! What are you doing here?”

“Eddie!”

She was dreaming. Eddie was alive. How?

“But, you died.” She touched his arm, looked at his face. It was Eddie, but he was different. He looked stronger than before, and there was a strange glint in his eyes. His skin was clearer than before. No pimples, no sign of blemishes, when just before his death he’d been fighting a bout of acne.

Was her mind playing tricks on her?

All of a sudden, a movement she caught from the corner of her eye distracted her from perusing the man in front of her. Nina whipped her head to the right. Carl had scrambled to his feet and held a stake in his hand, as he jumped toward Eddie, intent on killing him.

Without thinking, she pushed Eddie out of the way and took Carl’s impact. The wooden stake, while blunt, drove into her arm. It didn’t penetrate deeply, but nevertheless managed to break through a layer of muscle. Blood dripped from her. She clamped her good hand over her injured arm, trying to press hard against the stabbing pain. To no avail. A dull ache coiled through her body.

When she looked up, she saw her brother’s face before her, his eyes red and sharp fangs protruding from his lips. Reality hit her harder than the stake had seconds earlier: her baby brother was a vampire. And not only that, he was working for the bad guy. For Luther who now restrained Carl.

“Oh, no, Eddie.”

His fangs came closer and closer. Nina felt her knees buckle as nausea overwhelmed her.

“Please, no.”

Would her own brother kill her? It was too much for her mind to handle. Black blotches appeared in front of her eyes. She wouldn’t faint, no, she couldn’t. She wasn’t some weak girl who’d fall …

Thirty-three

The light from the open door spilled onto the sidewalk. Samson stormed up the front steps to his home just ahead of Amaury.

The hallway and living room were scenes of destruction: overthrown furniture, broken glass, and blood. Amaury’s stomach twisted painfully. He inhaled sharply, and the scent of Nina’s blood hit him.