CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

A nna closed her eyes and let her body sway to the music. Her slim, toned arms rose above her head as she took in the deep beats.

It was so good to be back in Rome, home, after the scare they had all had recently.

Humans knew about them.

Or they had; now they believed it was all a scam, another conspiracy theory by some crazies. She was grateful to the vampire king for saving their bacon. Being discovered had been a fear among their species for as long as she had been alive, which wasn’t long. She was a new vampire—only eighty years old. In human years, that was like being a teenager, which is why she guessed she loved this thumpy music, as her father called it, and the human night life. She even had human friends. They weren’t super close, but regularly invited her out for drinks.

When the song ended, her friend slung an arm around her shoulders. “God, look at the time, Anna. I know you are on the night shift, but I have an early start.”

“Okay, let’s head out.” She laughed. “I’m going to head to the ladies’ room first. Meet you outside?”

“ Sì ,” her friend said and wandered toward the entrance.

Anna went in the other direction, toward the back of the club. She ignored the interest from men who were leaning against the wall with glasses of beer in their hands. How human females ever got turned on by their leers and terrible lines, she had no idea. She was looking forward to one day meeting her mate, but it could be now or in five hundred years. She hoped it was sooner. She couldn’t wait to be in love like her parents were.

She pushed past a few girls gathered in the doorway and turned the corner. Ahead of her, a light at the top of a door which lead outside flashed EXIT. To the left was the ladies’. Damn, she’d left it too long, and it was now urgent...

She felt the body before the heat.

Her arm suddenly burned. She looked down and saw her flesh turn to ash and float away.

Her mouth fell open in horror, and she began to scream when a hand covered her mouth, the pain freezing her before she could react. Then she felt something hot against her neck. The same thing, she had no doubt, which had burned her arm.

“Do as I say, and you will live,” a male voice said.

The pain was weakening her as she slumped. There were only two ways to kill a vampire. Remove their head, which this device could clearly do if the hole in her arm was anything to go by, or a stab in the heart.

Anna felt her arm begin to heal, which left her two choices. She could attempt to use her strength to overpower him, but it was a risk. Her head could be half off before she got far enough away. Or she could go with him and look to overpower him at a different time.

It was also risky, however...

The decision was taken from her. A needle pierced her skin, and the world turned fuzzy.

What the hell?

What kind of substance could do such a thing to a vampire?

Anna felt herself fall into the man’s arm, and from there she felt like she was floating through thick jelly. Her body landed on something hard, and she felt the movement of a vehicle.

Anna tried to connect with her family telepathically, but she knew she was too far away.

Help .