Halfway to the Grave Read Online Free Page A

out on my brow, my legs clenched with effort, and I channeled every muscle toward that singular goal.
    There was a creak of metal in stone, a rasp of chains clanging together, and then the only light was suddenly switched off. Laughter from the darkness made me sag in defeat.
    “Oh, sorry about that. Those won’t budge. They’re not going anywhere—and neither are you. Good of you to try, though. Hate to think your spirit’s broken already. Not much fun in that.”
    “I hate you.” To avoid sobbing, I turned my face away from his direction and closed my eyes. Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name …
    “Time’s up, luv.”
    Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done …
    My eyes were closed, but I felt him move closer until he pressed lengthwise next to me. Unable to help it, my breath came in short hard pants. His hands moved to my hair, and he smoothed it back from my neck.
    … on earth as it is in Heaven …
    His mouth sealed on my throat, tongue circling my thundering pulse in a deliberate manner. My back cut into the wall as I tried to disappear into the rock, but the cold hard limestone offered no escape. I felt the pressure ofpointed, sharp teeth at my exposed and vulnerable artery. He was nuzzling my neck the way a hungry lion nuzzled a gazelle.
    “Last chance, Kitten. Who do you work for? Tell me the truth and I’ll let you live.”
    “I told you the truth.” That high-pitched whisper couldn’t be mine. The roaring of blood in my ears was deafening. Were my eyes still closed? No, I could see a faint green glow in the darkness. Vampire eyes.
    “I don’t believe you….” Softly spoken, yet falling with the weight of an ax.
    Amen….
    “Bloody hell, look at your eyes.”
    So deeply had I fallen into the fervent prayer, I hadn’t felt him pull back. He stared at me with fanged mouth open in disbelief, his face illuminated in the new green glow of my eyes. His brown ones were now that penetrating shade as well, and matching rays of emerald connected one shocked gaze to another.
    “Look at your bloody eyes!”
    He gripped either side of my head as though it would spin off. Still in a fog from teetering on the brink of mortality, I mumbled my response.
    “Don’t need to look at them, I’ve seen them. They change from gray to green when I’m upset. Happy now? Going to enjoy your meal more?”
    As if my head were scalding, he released me. I sagged in my chains, the adrenaline abandoning me and leaving dizzying lethargy in its wake.
    The sound of his pacing bounced off the stone walls.
    “Bugger, you’re telling the truth. You have to be. You have a pulse, but only vampires have eyes that glow green. This is unbelievable!”
    “Glad you’re excited.” I peeked at him through my hair, which had tumbled back onto my shoulders. In thenear-complete darkness I saw he was definitely worked up, his steps brisk and full of energy, eyes fading from feeding green to snapping brown.
    “Oh, this is perfect! In fact, it could come in right handy.”
    “What could come in handy? Either kill me or let me go already. I’m tired.”
    He spun around, beaming, and clicked the lamp back on. It cast the same harsh light it had previously, flowing over his features like water. He looked ghostly beautiful under its blanket, like a fallen angel.
    “How would you like to put your money where your mouth is?”
    “What?” To say I was baffled didn’t begin to describe it. Seconds ago I was a nick away from eternity, now he wanted to play guessing games.
    “I can kill you or let you live, but living comes with conditions. Your choice, your pick. Can’t let you go without conditions, you’d just try to stake me.”
    “Aren’t you the smart one?” Frankly, I didn’t believe he’d let me go. This had to be a trick.
    “You see,” he continued as if I hadn’t spoken, “we’re in the same boat, luv. You hunt vampires. I hunt vampires. Both of us have our reasons, and we both have our problems. Another