Craig's Heart

Chapter Two

Craig came awake slowly. His entire body ached and his mouth was dry and pasty, like it had been stuffed with cotton. His head pounded as though someone was trying to break into his skull with a jackhammer and his stomach was none to steady. It felt as though he’d been on a two-day drinking binge, which was impossible because he never drank to excess. He’d probably had yet another marathon work session where he’d mainlined coffee for days. It was more likely eye strain and caffeine overload making his head throb so incessantly and his stomach churn, and sleeping at his desk that was making his back and shoulders complain.

He tried to open his eyes, but it was too difficult. Instead of pushing things, he took a slow, thorough inventory of his body. He frowned. He wasn’t slumped over his desk because he was lying on his back. It took an effort, but he moved one hand and felt a scratchy blanket beneath him.

His stomach ached like he’d been violently ill. A not-so-nice memory popped into his head. He had been sick.

He had a vague memory of running a fever and then shaking with the cold.

He’d been sweating and vomiting too.

Had he caught some kind of stomach bug? And where the heck was he?

Frowning, Craig forced his eyes open and immediately closed them. The light was bright and hurt. He tried again, squinting slightly. Much better.

“You’re awake.” The female voice startled him. Why was there a woman with him? He didn’t have a girlfriend.

Rarely dated for that matter. He couldn’t afford to bring another human into his world. It was much too risky for his siblings’ safety. It was better for them and the Haven pack if no other humans knew about them. Sure, he was lonely at times, but having his family safe was worth the sacrifice.

Had he picked up a woman somewhere? One-night stands weren’t his speed, but right now he couldn’t remember a damn thing. “Who?” He wanted to ask more but his mouth was too dry.

“Here, drink this.” Soft, strong hands helped him into a sitting position and a bottle was put to his mouth. Craig drank, gratefully gulping the water. “Easy. Not too fast,” she cautioned.

Heeding her warning, Craig stopped.

Now that he was sitting, he took a better look around. It shocked him to realize he was lying in the corner of an empty room. There was no light source other than ambient streetlight coming in through the shuttered windows. What then had blinded him when he’d opened his eyes?

He turned his head slowly and got his first look at the woman. In spite of the dim light, he could see her as easily as if she were standing beneath a spotlight. She had long, straight black hair that was tangled around her face.

Worry filled her green eyes before she glanced away. Her skin was fair, her lips full and lush.

In spite of his aches and pains, his cock sprang to life. He almost laughed.

At least that part of him was still working. “Who are you?” He took a deep breath, pushed himself up against the wall and leaned against it. The floor was hard beneath him in spite of the blanket she’d put under him. “Where are we?”

When she turned back toward him, her eyes were no longer green, but tinged with red. Memory came flooding back. The alley. The attack. He touched his neck, but the skin wasn’t torn or scarred, it was smooth.

“What have you done?” he whispered. Shit, this was bad. This was very bad.

She flinched and moved away from him. “I’m sorry.” She wrapped her arms around her torso and began to pace. She wasn’t very big, maybe five-two or five-

three with a petite build. She didn’t look strong enough to have carried him here, but Craig knew she had. She was a vampire and that made her incredibly strong.

“I didn’t mean for that to happen. I took too much blood. You were dying. I had to do something.” She faced him and he could see the anguish in her face and his budding anger died. This wasn’t her fault any more than it was his for going down that alley.

“Come here.” He was weak but he needed answers. There was no telling how long he’d been here. Could be hours or days. He patted the spot next to him on the rough blanket. “Talk to me.”

She crept over cautiously but stopped a few feet away as though she didn’t trust herself. Or maybe it was him she didn’t trust. After all, she didn’t know if he might suddenly attack her.

Vampire. If the situation wasn’t so dire, he might find it funny. Historically speaking, vampires and werewolves were enemies. Considering his siblings were half-breed werewolves, he wasn’t quite sure how they were going to take this latest development.

“How long have I been here?”

She nibbled on her bottom lip. “Two days.”

Crap. That wasn’t good. By now someone would have missed him. He only hoped they hadn’t sent for Quinn and Chrissten. He needed time to come to grips with his new reality before facing his family.

“I’m sorry.” Her whispered words sounded like a shout. Suddenly, the world was alive with sound—the pigeons roosting on the roof, the blare of the traffic, the sound of a hundred voices. He slapped his hands over his ears but the sound didn’t abate.

“Block it.” Smaller hands covered his and her voice pitched above the rising din. “You were doing it instinctually until now. Just block out all the other sounds. It’s nothing but white noise.”

Craig concentrated on her voice and pushed the other sounds to the background. It was like turning down a radio. Using that image, he built a picture of an old-fashioned radio in his head and slowly turned the volume button down and then off.

Blessed silence surrounded him.

She slowly removed her hands. “It will take you a while to adjust. I’m still working on it myself.”

“How long have you been a vampire?” he asked.

She flinched at the word vampire.

“I’m not sure. A week, maybe a little more. I’m having a hard time keeping track.” She raked her fingers through her already tangled hair. “I haven’t killed anyone. At least I don’t think I have. Do you think I have?”

Her horror was palpable and, for some unknown reason, he automatically wanted to soothe her. “I’m sure you’d remember. What happened in the alley?”

She swallowed hard and nodded. “I didn’t mean to drink from you, but I hadn’t eaten in days and days and then you were there.” She leaned back against the wall next to him. “When I realized what I’d done…”

“You gave me your blood.” He could see how it happened, imagine how she felt when she realized how far she’d gone.

She swiveled around to face him. “I couldn’t let you die. I couldn’t. But you have to believe me. I didn’t know that would turn you into a monster like me.

I’m so very sorry.”

A tear trickled down her cheek. He reached out and wiped it away. “Hey, it’s okay.” It was anything but okay, but there was no going back. Maybe he’d yell and scream about the situation later, but right now, he quite frankly was too damn tired.

“Come here.” He put his hand on her shoulder and tugged her closer. She resisted at first but then gave a small cry and launched herself into his lap. She twined her arms around his neck and hugged him almost to the point of strangling him.

“I’m so sorry.”

Craig rubbed her head and her back.

She really was a tiny thing. “I’m Craig.

Craig Lawton. What’s your name?”

She gave a small laugh. “I’m Evie Pelowski.”

Craig took her hand and shook it, making her laugh again. The sound made him feel good and warmed him. He had a feeling she hadn’t had a lot to laugh about lately. “Pleased to meet you, Evie.” He hated to broach the subject but knew he had to. “How did this happen to you? How did you become a vampire?”

Evie wanted to burrow as close as she could get to Craig and never leave.

For the first time since this nightmare had begun, she felt safe. She’d basically killed the man and brought him back to life as a creature of darkness, and instead of yelling at her and condemning her for her actions, he was comforting her.

Surely he was one of a kind.

She didn’t want to lose this moment, the tenuous connection between them, but he deserved answers. She also didn’t know how long her good period would last. She vacillated between moments of complete lucidity and rationality and times where animalistic bloodlust ruled.

Whether she’d ever have any kind of control over the craving for blood that continually gnawed at her was something she didn’t know.

But maybe Craig did. He’d known what she was before she attacked him.

“Evie?”

She eased out of his arms, wanting to be able to get away if she needed to. He was calm now, but that could change in a heartbeat. She knew that all too well as it had happened to her.

“I’m an artist. I was an artist.” She didn’t know what she was any longer.

“What kind of artist? Sculpture, painting, mixed-media?”

She was impressed he knew there were differences. “Mostly oils and acrylics, but I dabble with watercolor as well. I’ve sold at a few local galleries and some of the local coffee shops hang my work for sale. I’m not famous, but I make enough to support myself.” And she’d never needed much, not as long as she had enough to buy paints and canvas.

Now her dreams of having an art career were gone.

“Go on,” Craig encouraged. She studied him, trying not to notice how handsome he looked leaning against the wall in his ripped T-shirt and jeans. His shoulders were broad and his abs taut.

Her stomach fluttered.

Evie glanced away, shocked she could feel attraction toward a man she barely knew. Considering what she’d done to him, she didn’t think Craig would appreciate her interest. Heck, he’d probably run in the opposite direction if he had any idea. That thought depressed her and she went back to her story.

“This mysterious patron started buying up my work. It was flattering at first, you know. The idea that someone loved my work enough to buy so many pieces, to spend so much money.” She gave a wry laugh. “Should have known it was too good to be true.” Evie pulled her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around them, suddenly cold. She could mostly regulate her body temperature, but she still had problems doing so from time to time.

“Your leather jacket is right there if you need it.” She pointed off to his left.

“I cleaned it up the best I could. You were very sick.”

“I’m fine, Evie.”

She liked the way he said her name.

Liked it way more than she should.

“So anyway, it started with a phone call. After that, I came back to my studio apartment one day after being out and found a rose on my daybed. It happened again and freaked me out. Then there were notes saying he was watching me or that he liked a particular painting I’d done.”

“Did you contact the police?”

She nodded, remembering how alone she’d felt and how frightened. “They took a report, but there was nothing they could do. I didn’t know who this guy was or why he was stalking me. And the woman who’d sold him my paintings could only describe him in the most generic terms. He’d paid for my work in cash so there was no way for the police to trace him.”

Craig scooted across the floor until he was sitting right in front of her and caught her chin in his hand. “It’s not your fault. The vampire targeted you. It was nothing you did, but something about you captured his attention.”

His kindness and understanding almost reduced her to tears, but she couldn’t allow that to happen. She had to be tough. Had to learn how to fight if she was going to defeat the monster who’d done this to her.

“That went on for a few weeks. Then I went home one night, it wasn’t late, but it was dark.” Evie swallowed hard as her remembered fear turned her blood cold.

“I hurried even though I couldn’t sense anyone watching me.” Her boot heels had made a fast clicking sound on the sidewalk as she’d practically run home. “I had three deadbolts on my door and locked them all.”

Craig rubbed his warm hands over her arms and shoulders, but she ignored the comfort. She had to finish. “I was standing in my tiny kitchen when he just seemed to appear out of my bathroom.”

Fear made her sweat and terror almost closed her throat. “He talked to me at first and I thought maybe I could fight him and escape.” She gave a bitter laugh. “I had no idea what I was up against. I don’t remember much. I fought him, but he laughed. He bit my neck and drank my blood. Just when I thought I was going to die, he told me I was his for all eternity. I have a vague memory of him forcing me to drink his blood.”

“It’s okay, Evie. You don’t have to do this now.”

She jerked away from Craig and stood. “Yes, I do. I don’t know how long I was a prisoner in my apartment. Hours.

Days. It’s all a blur. I was sick, so sick.

I thought I would die.”

“I know.”

And she realized he did. Craig was one of the few people in the world who did understand what she’d been through.

“Maybe he thought I was still too weak to do anything. Whatever the reason, he went out one night. I pretended to be passed out so he didn’t tie me up or anything. I figured he didn’t plan on being away for long. As soon as I was sure he was gone, I dragged myself out of there. I’ve been running ever since.”

“Do you remember what he looks like?”

Evie rubbed her brow. “Yes. I’ll never forget his face.” It was etched on her memory for all times and starred in her nightmares every night.

“Okay, here’s what we’re going to do. I have a friend. His name is Damek.”

“You mentioned him when you were dying. Told me to call him.” Evie was getting a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach. “Who is he?”

“Someone who can help us.”

She shook her head. “No, I don’t want anyone else involved.” She couldn’t live with herself if another person got hurt because of her. As it was, she’d have to live with what she’d done to Craig for the rest of her life.

Granted, she didn’t expect that to be much longer than it took to kill the bastard who’d done this to her. No way did she want to exist for centuries as a monster attacking innocent people. She’d rather die.

“Evie.” Craig stood slowly, and when he wavered on his feet she went to his side to steady him.

“You need to rest some more.” She was worried about him, knew he’d need blood and soon. “You might not remember it right now, but you’ve been really sick.”

“I need to get help from someone who knows how.”

Maybe he did know someone who could help. “And this Damek can do that?” She nibbled on her bottom lip and thought about it. “He knows what vampires are?”

Craig offered her a reassuring smile that did nothing to quell her anxiety. “I’d say he knows more about vampires than anyone else in the world.”

“And you just happen to know him?”

It made her suspicious and she took a few steps away.

“Yeah. We’re actually friends.”

Craig held out his hand to her. “Don’t be afraid. Not all vampires are monsters.”

Could she dare to even believe him?

How could she not? Craig needed help she couldn’t give him. And if there was a chance this Damek could give her the knowledge she needed to avenge her death, she really had no choice but to take it.

“Call him.”

Craig slipped his hand into his back pocket, pulled out his phone and hit the second number on his contact list. It was answered on the first ring.

“Where have you been?” The imperious voice, so deep and commanding made him smile.

“I’ve got a bit of a problem.”

“What do you need?” Damek demanded. “Where are you?”

Craig knew Evie was listening to every word of the conversation and could easily hear both sides, so he kept the exchange as neutral as possible. The last thing he wanted to do was frighten her away. He wasn’t up to chasing her.

“I need to meet you somewhere private.

Somewhere safe.”

“I will come to you.”

Craig eased the phone away and stared at her. “Where are we?”

“Who are you with,” Damek demanded.

Evie hesitated and Craig patiently waited, knowing she had to do this at her own pace. “Give me a second,” he told his friend. “Evie?”

He could almost hear her mulling over her options and knew the second she decided to trust him. A huge weight fell from his shoulders when she gave him the address.

“I heard it,” Damek told him. “I’ll be there as fast as I can.”

The line went dead and Craig turned off his phone. “You did the right thing,” he told her.

“Did I?” He could tell Evie was unsure.

“Damek will help us,” Craig promised. He knew a lot of folks who would laugh at his assessment, knew they feared Damek, what he was and the power he wielded. But Craig knew better than most that, at his core, Damek was fiercely loyal to his mate, her family and his small circle of friends. While it was a very good thing to be Damek’s friend, it was a very bad thing to be his enemy. Thankfully, Craig fell into the friend category.

“He’ll be here soon.” Fatigue swept over him and he sat down heavily.

“Damn, I’m tired.”

“You’re doing too much, too soon.”

Evie hurried to his side, practically picked him up and dragged him back to the blanket. She covered him with his leather jacket. “Rest. I’ll watch for your friend.”

Craig closed his eyes, promising himself he’d rest for a minute. That was the last thing he remembered until an unearthly roar jolted him from his slumber.