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Chapter One
The sound of the door swishing open filled the small space. Before Della Tsang heard the footsteps, the scent filled her nose. Another vampire. But not just any vampire …
Him.
Chase Tallman. The guy she was regrettably bonded with. The guy who’d given her his blood to ensure she’d survive a rare second turn into vampirism that had made her a Reborn—a stronger kick-ass vampire who attracted ghosts. Not that she’d asked for it, or would have wanted it—especially the ghost part.
His footsteps brought him into the closet-sized room. The door whooshed closed. Her heart thumped against her breastbone.
She’d been to hell and back looking for him. Had even gone to France to find him, with no luck.
And now he just shows up.
Here.
In the ladies’ bathroom at Whataburger.
The door in the stall next to hers opened and shut. Surely he wasn’t … He didn’t intend to … The sound of someone stepping on the toilet lid echoed.
He did.
She glared up. He peered down at her over the stall wall. His dark brown hair looked a little longer. His bright green eyes were glowing with humor.
“Fancy meeting you here.” He smiled, no doubt at her position—knees bent, locked, her tush hanging two inches above the pot, her jeans down to mid-thigh. Thank goodness her light blue top was long and flared and covered her lady business.
She jerked up and zipped. Never taking her eyes off him, but wishing she had her hands on him. Like her fingers around his throat. He wouldn’t be smiling then.
“No paperwork?” he teased.
He thought this was funny? Seriously? Did the guy want to die? Did he not have a clue how much his deceit had hurt her?
If she didn’t need information, she’d kill him. And she’d make it slow and painful.
But she needed information, needed to find her uncle, the man who’d killed her aunt and was letting her father go down for the murder. And Chase had that info. Had it from the start, and had lied about it.
She’d recently learned the truth. The man Chase referred to as Eddie, the man who had taken him in when he was fourteen and helped him through his first turn, and bonded with him on the second turn, was Della’s uncle.
Who sent you? She’d asked Chase that a thousand times. And a thousand times he’d lied.
As much as she hated admitting it, she understood Chase’s loyalty to the man. Not only was Eddie his father figure, but she knew better than anybody how a vampire blood bond could mess with your head and your emotions. But Chase’s loyalty to her uncle meant he’d been disloyal to her. He’d made that choice. And she’d be damned if she’d let her own father go to prison for her uncle’s sin.
Bolting out of the stall at the same time he did, she cornered all six feet of him. Her pulse raced with fury.
He held his palms up, shoulders tight, but his eyes exhibited no fear. Instead his pools of green still held a touch of tease. Oh, how she wanted to teach him a lesson. She leaned in, putting her face in his, letting him know she wasn’t intimidated by him.
A move she instantly regretted. This close, his masculine scent all around her, the lure, the attraction, all of which she blamed on the bond, chipped away at her sanity. She fought it. Didn’t want it.
“What are you so happy about?” she growled.
“You,” he said. “Being around you makes me happy.”
She flattened her palm on his chest, ready to give him a good thump into the wall.
“Wait,” he said.
“For what?” she seethed.
His lips twitched into a bigger smile. He pointed to the wall behind his shoulder. “The sign says you need to wash your hands.”
