Twilight Guardians Read online

When she got back inside, floating on a cloud of bliss, Roxy was waiting for her. She had two cups of tea and a stern expression on her face.

  Charlie closed the door behind her and faced her grandmother, feeling guilty as hell and wondering why. Then Roxy’s eyes dipped lower, narrowing when they focused on Charlie’s neck.

  “Oh, Charlotte. Oh, Charlotte, child, do you even know what kind of game you’re playing?”

  Charlie’s hand went to her neck immediately. She’d felt the delicious pinch of Killian’s teeth there. He’d probably left a hickey and blown her cover.

  “It’s not what you think, Roxy,” she began. And then she shrugged. “Oh, hell, it probably is what you think. But there’s just something about him. Something–”

  “Oh, there always is,” Roxy said with an exasperated toss of her head. “You know more than I thought you did, Charlotte. That’s good. That’ll make this all a lot easier.”

  Charlie frowned, not knowing what the hell her grandmother was talking about, but not wanting to prolong the conversation either. She wanted to go to bed, to dream of him again.

  “Bring his ass in here tomorrow night,” Roxy said, “and I’ll hide him as well. God knows I’ve got enough experience bailing his kind out of trouble. This will just be one more. Fortunately, he has friends on the way. Maybe they can teach him what’s appropriate behavior toward the daughter of The Oldest Chosen, and what isn’t. The rude little fuck.”

  Charlie stood there frowning and trying to make sense of her grandmother’s words. Why would she want to hide Killian? And how could she know he had friends on the way, when she’d only just found out about him? She didn’t even know his name yet.

  “No more sneaking out, Charlotte. I mean it. We’ll talk this out tomorrow. I’m going to bed.” She picked up her tea and was down the hall and closing her bedroom door before Charlie could even construct a reply.

  Frowning, replaying Roxy’s words in her head, Charlie walked into her own bedroom, flipped on the light, and sat down at her nightstand. Her reflection stared back at her from the stand’s oval mirror, and she searched her own eyes...and then caught a glimpse of a slight red trickle on her neck. Hell, had Killian nipped her that hard? Hard enough to draw blood?

  She tipped her chin up, leaning closer for a better look at the hickey and then just stared at the two puncture wounds in her throat. There was no mistaking them.

  Her breaths came faster as she stood up, backing away from the undeniable truth in the mirror.

  Killian was a vampire.

  That was why he could visit her in her dreams. That was why she could feel him when he was near. He was manipulating her mind! He was making her feel things for him that couldn’t possibly be real. All...all for what? Just to get a taste of her blood?

  She had Belladonna blood, the vampire’s favorite kind. And her grandmother knew it, had looked right at those marks on her neck and hadn’t even seemed all that upset. Her words replayed in Charlie’s mind.

  I’ll hide him, as well.

  I’ve had enough experience bailing his kind out of trouble.

  He has friends on the way.

  “Oh Jesus, Oh God,” she whispered. Her grandmother was on the vampires’ side! That’s why she seemed so strange and outrageous. That was why she hated and mistrusted the government. She was aiding the enemy!

  Charlie looked around the room, feeling suddenly vulnerable. “I have to get the hell out of here.” She went to her window, made sure it was closed, made sure it was locked, pulled the curtains tight, then curled onto her bed, drawing her knees to her chest and hugging them.

  And in spite of herself, tears came into her eyes. Killian had lied to her. He’d used her. He’d...he’d fed from her!

  He was a vampire. And all he wanted was her blood. It was just like that military asshole had said on the news the other day. And her grandmother. God, her own grandmother was in on this. Did her mom even know?

  She had to get out, but she was trapped! She was trapped here in the woods with a hungry vampire and a crazy old lady with an arsenal in her basement....

  The basement.

  As soon as she thought of it, clarity came. The safe room with the escape tunnel and the car at the other end with the keys always in it. Charlie did have a way out. And the minute Roxy had time to fall back to sleep, she was taking it.

  Chapter Six