McKenzie, Cooper - Saving Chloe (Siren Publishing Classic) Read Online Free Page B

the hell are you doing?”

Chapter 4

    Declan looked over Chloe’s shoulder at the skinny blonde woman strutting her way across the neighbor’s lawn toward them. She looked like one of those Barbie dolls little girls loved to play with. She looked pissed and curious.
    This must be Jasmine, one of the humans sucking his woman dry in the name of friendship.
    He was glad she had waited until after he’d established the bond between them before showing up. He did not know if his marking Chloe’s breasts would keep these energy-sucking humans from harming his mate, but any other vampires in New Bern would now know that she was off-limits. She now carried his mark and his scent as a part of her being.
    “Chloe?” she called again, this time sounding worried.
    His mate took a deep breath and went rigid as she seemed to realize there was no way the other woman wouldn’t figure out what they’d just done. Was she preparing herself for something bad?
    “What do ye want?” he asked, his voice cold and uninviting.
    As he glared at the intruder, he rubbed a hand up and down Chloe’s spine to comfort her. She did not relax, but she didn’t pull away, either. Was she embarrassed at being caught? Or being caught with him?
    Jasmine ignored him. “Chloe, what are you doing out here? By the way you spoke earlier, I figured you’d be asleep by now, but I’m glad you’re not. I wondered if I could snag a soda on my way home. I can’t believe you’re making out in the front yard where anyone can see you.” The woman continued running her mouth, not embarrassed or even caring that she had walked into and ruined a clearly intimate moment.
    Chloe shifted in his arms, but he held her secure and still. No need to go flashing their bits and pieces to the human vampires. If she moved too much, she would either hurt him or he would be flashing his family jewels or her breasts, neither of which was appealing to him. As he held his woman, he could feel the sucking pull from the blonde woman and her demand for whatever Chloe would give her.
    Feeling Chloe grow even more tense, Declan decided to make his stand right here and now. If he didn’t throw up some barriers, the human vampires would win. And that could not be allowed to happen.
    They did not care about Chloe, her plans and dreams, or the fact that she worked two jobs to make ends meet. All they cared about was themselves and what she could give them in support of their having a good time. He made a silent vow that he would protect her from them. He would begin to cut away the sticky spiderweb they had wrapped around her as they sucked at her, draining her of everything she held dear.
    “Away with ye, woman. Can’t ye see we’re busy?”
    His growled words didn’t seem to make an impression on Jasmine. He didn’t know whether to be annoyed or amused when she stopped about ten feet away and planted her feet shoulder-width apart. Amusement won out when she canted her hips to the right and crossed her arms over her chest. That pushed her abundant, probably artificial breasts into even more prominence.
    “Excuuuuuuse me?”
    The woman’s face went ice cold, and she narrowed her eyes as she stared into his. One foot began to tap steadily in the grass. He had to bite the inside of his cheek when her head swiveled once on her neck in what had to be an often-used move.
    “I said, go away,” Declan repeated in a tone that matched hers for its chill.
    If it wasn’t against vampire as well as human law, he would drain the bitch in a minute for her badly timed intrusion. But then he would have to dispose of her body, and nowadays that was more difficult than even fifty years ago, when one could just take them out and dump them in the woods.
    “I don’t know who you think you are, but that”—she pointed toward Chloe, who shifted to look over her shoulder—“is my friend. I need to talk to her, and though you’re cute, you are being a pain in the ass. Now release her and go