Hunter's Edge

Chapter Eight

Vamp Bait

The crushing, oppressive weight of Rafe's will as the Master forced Kel's hunger back into submission and his attention away from Rafe's wife.

Fury glittered in the black depths of Rafe's eyes but when he spoke, his voice was soft. "You're feeding tonight if I have to drag you out of this house and find a woman for you, kid. You got me?"

Fear, the need to submit and do whatever the Master demanded, rode hard on Kel's shoulders, but his own will kept him from meekly agreeing. He dropped his gaze to Rafe's hand, still fisted in the front of his T-shirt, and then he looked back up at Rafe and gave him a mocking smile. "Gee, Dad, can I pick out what I eat or are you going to do it for me?"

Behind him, Sheila snorted. Rafe sent his wife a narrow look and then slowly loosened his grip on Kel. Common sense screamed that Kel should back away now, back away, get the hell away from Rafe and do what he'd been told. But Kel had stopped listening to common sense years ago. So instead of backing away and getting at least the pretense of safe distance between them, he remained where he was, not even an inch away from Rafe.

The two men settled into a staring contest and Kel's misery, his rage, even his hunger fueled him, letting him meet the older, stronger vampire's glare with his own. It was Rafe who ended it, falling back first one step, and then another. But not because Kel had backed him down. Kel wasn't delusional enough to see that happening any time soon. Ever. No, Rafe backed away because he felt like it, and for no other reason.

Knowing that pissed Kel off even more than the smirk on Rafe's face. "I don't know why in the hell I like you so much," the older vampire muttered, shaking his head.

Instead of responding, Kel turned away and headed out of the room. Behind him, Sheila gave Rafe a warning glance and he just rolled his eyes, but fell into step behind Kel silently.

Rafe might have been the local Master, but there was little question about who really ran things in the enclave. Soft, pretty, with a deceptively sweet face and that slow Southern drawl, Sheila was one of the weaker Hunters and she'd never be a Master.

But she had Rafe wrapped around her little finger.

She had him so wrapped, he'd never get untangled from it and Rafe knew it. He adored her with all his heart and soul and losing her would kill something inside of him.

"You plan on following me around all damn night?" Kel demanded, shooting Rafe a narrow glance as he mounted the stairs.

"No. Just until I see you feed."

Kel's eyes narrowed. But he kept whatever he wanted to say to himself as he moved through the house. The main level was mostly quiet. The other vampires living in the enclave were either out Hunting, feeding or doing whatever they preferred when they weren't on rotation.

Most of the shifters, by preference, preferred to sleep through the night. The only shifter awake now was Toronto, but that was nothing new. The shape-shifter tended to live a very nocturnal lifestyle.

But he didn't show his face as Rafe followed Kel through the library, the dining room, on through the kitchen to the back of the house. A huge garage had been added since Rafe had taken over this piece of land, housing the vehicles of the Hunters living here.

He didn't head for the garage, though, just slipped between the hodgepodge collection of buildings. A gym, a greenhouse, the grouping of smaller, recently built homes for those who didn't want to live in the main house. They weren't big, designed just to sleep one or two people. Sooner or later, when money allowed, Rafe planned on adding a few more.