"He and Gregori were joking back and forth. I didn't believe a word of it, and they knew it. I even asked Connor if the Loch Ness monster had been the one to transform him. And he said I shouldn't make fun of his dear Nessie. We were laughing and having a good time until I asked Jack to come over and record them. Then, they got very nervous."
"Jack's camera wasn't digital?"
"No. All of a sudden, I felt this icy cold in my head that said I would not record them. The voice told Jack and me to leave. The next thing I knew, Gregori and Connor were no longer at the table.
They were at the bar, drinking something red that looked like blood. I was so disgusted and confused, I grabbed my purse and headed for the nearest exit."
"To the back alley?" Austin whispered.
Darcy covered her face, but the horrid memories flooded her mind. "It was too awful."
Austin wrapped his arms around her. "Not if you share it with me. Tell me."
She lowered her hands. "I'll try."
CHAPTER 22
"I slipped into the alley with Jack," Darcy began.
"My nerves were on edge, and I remember jumping when the metal door banged shut. A nearby Dumpster stank. When I heard scuffling noises, I was afraid it might be rats." She snorted. "I wish."
"What happened?" Austin asked.
"I heard a woman scream, so I ran around the Dumpster. It was Taylor, the girl I'd met in the club. A man had shoved her against the wall, and his face was pressed against her neck. I thought it was her boyfriend Draco. His clothing looked similar. But the embrace wasn't consensual. Taylor was clearly terrified. I grabbed the guy's shoulder and yelled at him to stop."
"But he didn't," Austin guessed.
Darcy grimaced. "He made this awful, animal-like growl deep in his throat. It scared me, but he was hurting Taylor, so I tried to pull him back. That's when Jack turned on his camera lights, and I realized the attacker wasn't Draco. And he was biting Taylor on the neck. I was so furious then. I pounded on his back. Jack yelled at me to stop, but it was too late."
"He attacked you?"
"He shoved me back with so much force, I was airborne. I crashed into Jack, and we fell onto the cement. I was okay, but Jack was just laying there with this shocked look on his face. I grabbed the cell phone from my purse and called 911. I told them a woman was being murdered in the back alley." Darcy covered her face. "A woman was murdered. I didn't know it would be me."
"Shh, sweetheart." Austin held her close. "You're all right now."
She lowered her hands and took a shaky breath. "I looked around for some kind of weapon. And then, Jack whispered, 'Vampire. I thought he was in shock, but he shoved the camera at me and told me to look for myself. While I was getting to my feet, Jack jumped up and ran away."
"You're kidding." Austin's eyes glittered with anger. "That bastard. I should go back and kick his ass."
"No." Darcy touched Austin's face. "He was terrified. He already knew the truth. I picked up the camera and looked through it. I couldn't see the assailant, and Taylor was dangling against the wall like a rag doll with two punctures on the side of her neck. I was so stunned. He was right in front of me—a real vampire."
"What did you do?"
Darcy snorted. "I reacted like a journalist. I pressed the record button. And then, he turned and looked at me. Blood was dripping from his fangs. I knew I had to do something, or he would kill Taylor and me both."
Darcy's eyes filled with tears. "I told him I had proof of his existence, and I would broadcast it all over the news. He would be hunted down like an animal. He dropped Taylor, and she collapsed onto the ground. I asked her if she could move. I told her to run. But she just sat there and cried."
Austin kissed Darcy's brow. "My brave sweetheart."
"I threw the camera at him, but he knocked it aside. And then, he moved so fast, all I saw was a blur. He caught me from behind and pulled me back against him. He stank of blood. I could feel his breath on my neck and the scrape of his teeth."
Austin tightened his hold on her. "The monster bit you?"
"No. The back door banged shut, and Connor came toward us, yelling at the vampire to let me go.
He called the vampire a Malcontent and demanded that they stop preying on the innocent. The vampire replied that he liked his meals fresh."
"Then, it's true," Austin said. "There are two factions—the Vamps and the Malcontents."
"Yes. The Malcontents enjoy terrorizing mortals, and they hate the Vamps for trying to stop them."
Darcy sighed. "Gregori said he would take Taylor home and erase her memory. He took the tape from the camera with him."
"And what happened to you?" Austin asked.
Darcy shivered. "The Malcontent backed away from Connor, dragging me with him. Connor told him I was going to slow him down, that he should let me go. Connor kept moving toward us, and the Malcontent was scared. I could feel him breathing hard on my neck. And then he said he needed a distraction."
She touched Austin's face and looked into his eyes. "In that tiny moment of time, I knew real terror.
Everything seemed to slow down. I opened my mouth to scream, but the vampire was faster. He pulled out a knife and thrust it into my chest."
Austin gathered her into his lap. "I'll kill him. I'll track him down and kill him."
"It's all a blur after that," Darcy whispered. "I remember Connor shouting with rage. I remember so much pain. And shock. I realized I was going to die. The Malcontent disappeared. And Connor knelt beside me. He kept saying he was sorry, that he should have stopped it. I remember his eyes were blue. I was staring at him. I didn't want to die alone. Then, Connor said I was not to worry. He would take care of me."
Darcy slipped out of Austin's lap and curled up on the bed. Shivers coursed through her body.
"Darcy." Austin lay beside her and wrapped his arms around her. Still, the shaking wouldn't stop. Darcy. He flooded her mind with his strong, warm presence. You're safe. You're with me, now. She exhaled a long breath. She'd made it through the story. She could shove the horrid memories back into a dark corner of her brain. "I didn't want to become a vampire."
"Of course not."
"I was barely conscious when they transformed me."
"Who did it?" Austin whispered. "Who bit you?"
She swallowed hard. "Connor."
Austin's breath hissed between clenched teeth.
"That bastard. I should hate him, but he saved your life."
She snorted. "He could have teleported me to Romatech or to a hospital, but he was more worried about keeping the big secret than keeping me alive. I lost my family, my home, my job, my savings, my ability to have children. I lost the daylight and any hope of a normal life."
"But you're here now. That's a hell of a lot better than being dead."
"I'm dead during the day," she whispered.
"But alive at night. Let's say the cup is half full instead of half empty. And I'm willing to share that cup with you."
She turned toward him with sad eyes. "You'll lose your job if they find out you're involved with a vampire."
He shrugged. "Maybe. We'll just take it one day— rather, one night at a time. We'll make it work."
"I hope so." She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. A scent tickled her nose. It smelled rich and delicious. Austin.
"If Shanna and Roman can make it work, so can we."
"Yes, but they still have problems." Darcy felt an odd throbbing as if her heartbeat was amplified throughout her body. She struggled to concentrate on the conversation. "Shanna wants to have children, but it may never be possible."
"No, I wouldn't think that could work."
The throbbing grew louder. Darcy wondered if there was something wrong with her heart. "Roman wanted to become mortal again, but that didn't work either."