Braced to Bite (Book 1: Half-blood vampire series)

Chapter Fifteen

     “Where are my manners? What in the hell are you doing here?”

     He kept coming closer until we stood a couple feet apart. I was thankful Piper hadn’t heard the pebbles. The last thing I needed was to worry about her safety with Chuck around.

     “So, you’re still here.” He made this observation somewhat dryly.

     “Not much gets past you,” I retorted snottily.

     “Colby, Colby, Colby. It has come to this now? You are demanding that vampire society acknowledge the half-bloods? Why would you do that? It can’t happen, you know.”

     To say I was surprised that he knew what I did at the hearing would be a shock to say the least. There hadn’t been many people there and I knew Carl and Thomas wouldn’t squeal. Did Chuck have someone on the inside? Was that how he evaded capture?

     “You shouldn’t believe everything you read in the ‘Undead Enquirer ’.”

     He threw his head back and laughed. “Ah, Colby. That’s what I love about you. Our eternity together will never be dull.”

     I shook my head at him. “There won’t be an eternity together, Chuck. I’m not going with you. I’m taking my chances with the Tribunal.”

     His lips straightened into a cold, hard line. “Why are you fighting me on this? I offer you salvation but you’d rather run into the arms of certain death. Why? Why?”

     I jumped at his hard voice and how quickly he could change demeanor. Something was just not right about ol’ Chuck; being ostracized could do that to a vampire.

     “Because I can change things. I can make them better for all Undead like me.”

     “They will never grant you vampire status. You will be executed and forgotten.”

He sounded so sure of himself, so cocky.

     “What makes you so smart? You’re just a lowly rogue on the run. You’re living on borrowed time as it is.”

     “I’m no lowly rogue! I am free to do what I want, when I want. They can’t catch me, ever.”

     “What makes you so sure? I don’t want to live my life one step ahead of the Investigators!” I still had no intention of going anywhere with him, but I needed to know how he’d found out what had transpired at my hearing.

     “Is that what keeps you from coming with me? Fear? My dear, sweet Colby, we can do what no one else can do.” He seemed to relax when he thought he was getting past my reservations.

     “What’s that? Dodge stakes?”

     “I will protect you, Colby.”

     “How? Do you have powerful friends who will keep us safe? No one is going to risk his neck for a rogue,” I scoffed, scorning his assurance. Please, please get mad enough to get careless.

     “Family looks out for each other, Colby. It’s like I told you the first time we met.” He reached a hand out to mine, his other hand in the shadows. My vampire senses were practically screaming in alarm.

     I put my hand out, as though to clasp his and said, “The first time we met, you threw me in a ditch.” And I yanked him forward, kneeing him in the groin … again. I caught him off guard, to say the least. I took my briefcase and swung it at his face with all my might. It made contact but, due to its nylon exterior, did little damage.