Charlie Richards The Vampire's Geek

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Damn.
Tullion took a few seconds, more because his
head needed to stop spinning than because he had
the time, to catch his breath. Rising to his feet, he
limped to the door and checked out the lock.
Pulling out a couple of tools, he crouched before it,
ready to pick it.
Before Tullion could even begin, the door was
yanked open. He would have tumbled onto his
ass, except a strong hand grabbed his shoulder
and pulled him to his feet.
Get in here, Tu, Petre ordered gruffly. What
the fuck took you so long? Where have you been?
Tullion lurched forward, fatigue, pain, and
hunger sapping what was left of his strength. If
Petre hadn t held him up, he knew he would have
fallen flat on his face. He gripped his brother s
shoulders and managed to get his balance.
Damn it, Tu! Petre gripped Tullion s neck
and used his hold to tip his head up. You re dead
on your feet. He released Tullion s neck and
repositioned his arm around Tullion s waist.
Let s get you to my rooms, he muttered.
Tired and dizzy, Tullion didn t fight Petre.
Gratefulness flooded him that his brother seemed
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The Vampire s Geek
pleased to see him. That boded well for getting
aide from the vampire. Tullion found himself led
through a number of corridors, but he didn t pay
attention since it took all his attention to focus on
his brother s words.
We ve been trying to find you, little brother,
Petre murmured. I don t know why the hell you
didn t come to us sooner, but you re here now.
He scoffed. Good thing you came on a night
where I was watching the monitors. Good job
getting between the guards. I ll have to remedy
that flaw.
Thanks, Tullion mumbled. And I didn t
want to implicate you.
Did you really kill your coven leader?
Tullion grimaced. He should have anticipated
that question. Still, it hurt. Nyet! he snarled. I
didn t murder Boris.
That s what Viktor said, Petre commented.
He grinned at Tullion. It s always nice to know I
was right. We never doubted you.
We?
Petre scoffed as he opened a door. Your
family. He adjusted his grip on Tullion s waist,
taking more of his weight. But we re all pissed
you didn t come to us sooner, little bro.
Once inside the room, a woman Tullion
recognized as Elizabette rushed toward them.
Petre, what? Upon reaching them, she cupped
Tullion s jaw. Tullion! She immediately stepped
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Charlie Richards
back and pointed at a chaise lounge and said, Lay
him down and I ll get him a donor. He needs to
feed.
As Petre eased Tullion down onto the cushion,
he waved his hand. No. No donor. Bagged
blood. Eating from a bag wasn t nearly as
enjoyable, but that way he didn t have to smell the
donor and only had to contend with the bitter
taste of blood that wasn t from his beloved.
Petre glanced at Elizabette, then knelt before
him. You re weak, Tullion, he said softly. Why
are you refusing a donor?
None but my beloved will do, Tullion
mumbled. Resting his head on the pillow, he
couldn t help but allow his eyelids to fall to half-
mast. He smiled absently as his thoughts turned to
Toby. His heart ached with longing. Miss Toby so
much.
Petre s eyes widened. He turned to Elizabette
and started talking in French. Get the doctor.
Have him bring several bagged pints.
Elizabette nodded, then hurried from the room.
Taking his hand, Petre squeezed it lightly.
You re safe. I ll ask for sanctuary for you. We ll
figure this out.
Merci beaucoup. Tullion managed to whisper
his thanks before darkness took him.
Tullion awoke with a start, jerking forward.
Instantly, a pair of strong hands gripped his
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The Vampire s Geek
shoulders, pressing him back down. Tullion began
to struggle until he heard the deep voice of his
eldest brother speaking to him soothingly in
Russian.
Calm down, Tullion. You are safe, Borscht
murmured.
Prying open gummy eyelids, Tullion squinted
up at his brother. Borscht. What are you doing
here?
Borscht snorted. My brother, who has been
accused of murder and has been on the run for
nearly three months, shows up half dead on
Petre s doorstep. Of course, he s going to call me,
he snapped. We ve been looking for you. What
the fuck is going on?
Sighing, Tullion decided to take stock of
himself while buying a few seconds on how to
answer. While his body ached, he no longer felt
starved. There was, however, an odd stinging in
his arm. He looked down and noted an IV in his
arm an IV he d probably jostled in his bid for
freedom which was hooked up to a bag of blood.
That explained why he no longer felt ravenous.
Tullion returned his focus to Borscht. How
long have I been here?
His eyes narrowing, Borscht told him, Two
and a half days.
I didn t want to drag my family into my
problems, Tullion admitted. And I came here
because Petre is under the French Council Elders,
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Charlie Richards
not the Russian ones. I thought I could buy some
time.
Borscht glared at him. That is the stupidest
thing I ve ever heard. Any problem with one of us
is a problem with all of us.
And there are a lot of us, Aleksei snarled,
drawing attention to himself as he stalked into the
room. You should have come to us first. He
glared at Tullion, curling his lip and showing off
his fang.
Where Borscht, the oldest of Tullion s brothers,
had a steady, levelheaded personality, which
belied his massive, six-foot-five stature, Aleksei
the fourth-born son, who sported a lean, wiry, six [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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