She’d lost feeling in the tips of her fingers. He wasn’t hurting her—there was just no feeling. “Who are you?”

His left hand rose and brushed back the hair from her cheek. “You can call me Sam.”

That told her nothing.

He eased back and gazed down at her. “He should have been with you.” There actually seemed to be some sadness in his voice. “I thought he was going to protect you.”

“Why would he?” She fired, refusing to cower. For all she knew, this guy was a low-level demon, just bullshitting his way around and trying to screw with her head. “He has no link to me.” Even though she could still feel his hands on her body. Still taste him. Bastard. “We’re not—”

His laughter cut through her words. “Don’t bother lying to me.”

“I’m not.”

Faint lines appeared around his eyes, then his brows shot up. “You don’t know.”

She snapped her lips closed.

Once more, his fingers brushed down her cheek. “I bet he likes to touch you, doesn’t he?”

Two giggling teenage girls passed them.

“Everything’s so new when you fall. Touch … it can bring so much pleasure.” To be so bright, those eyes of his were so cold. “Or so much pain.”

“Let go of my hand,” she gritted. A cop was walking down the sidewalk now. The last thing she needed was to get caught between this jerk and a cop.

He didn’t let go. “The emotions hit next. Anger. Hate. Fury.” His gaze dropped to her mouth. “Lust. I bet he knows all about that, thanks to you.”

She jumped back, and was surprised to see that she actually broke his hold. “I don’t mean anything to Keenan. So if you’re trying to get back at him by taking hits at me …”

“Stop lying.”

The real fury in his voice had her heart slamming into her chest.

“He fell for you. Of course, he’s damn well linked to you.”

He fell—

“And because of that link …” He sighed. “I’m afraid you’re gonna have to suffer.”

She really didn’t like the sound of that.

“Don’t say I didn’t warn you,” he told her.

That was when the punch hit her—not a punch, an electric shock. Her head whipped to the right, and she saw the cop who’d been approaching—and the bastard had a Taser out. The volts were hitting her, hard, jolting her body, and the cop was screaming something.

If she’d been at full strength, the shock wouldn’t have even slowed her down. She would have laughed at him. Jerked out the electrodes and laughed.

But the sun was out. She was weak. And she went down.

The motel room door was ajar. Keenan frowned as unease slipped over him. This wasn’t right. He didn’t knock. He just pushed the door open with his knuckles.

Empty.

Of course, she’d left him again. Figured. Especially after his big reveal. Not like she’d want to stick around with the man who’d been responsible for her undead transformation.

You just stood there and watched.

Story of his existence.

He turned away from the room. The place smelled of her. His gaze swept the street. The sun was up. She shouldn’t have gone out during the day.

Easy prey.

Maybe he should just walk away. The obsession he had with her … no way could that be a good thing.

He stalked back toward the motorcycle with his hands shoved deep into the pockets of his jeans. He’d bought new clothes. Even gotten some for her. Nicole’s were tucked into the saddlebags of the bike.

He kicked up the stand on the motorcycle. Where would she have gone?

I should have stayed with her.

“Lose something?” A voice drawled.

His hands tightened around the handlebars. Slowly, he glanced up and to the left.

A man stood there. He was tall and dressed all in black. His eyes were covered by a pair of sunglasses.

“Maybe it’s not something you’ve lost …” The guy said, sauntering forward as if he didn’t have a care in the world. “Maybe it’s someone.”

“Sam.”

Sammael flashed a crooked grin. “Good to see you haven’t forgotten your old friends.”

Keenan jumped off the bike. “We were never friends.” No one would be dumb enough to be Sam’s friend. Sam’s friends had a way of ending up in hell.

Sam shrugged. “My mistake. I forgot … you always thought you were better than me. Just like all the others.”