Misty by M. Garnet Page B

questions if I can.”
    She tried to keep her attention on the TV but she kept finding she was watching him out of the corner of her eyes. She reached up and slipped the scarf from her hair and shook her head to fan her hair. She cleared her throat. “So how did they find out about me?”
    He took a long moment to answer. He was absorbing the smell that had floated on the air when she had shook her head. Finally he closed his eyes and willed himself to remember the ruling. “You donated blood at a blood bank.”
    She looked over at him. That damn stupid blood donation. “What? Did it get reported? Do you guys monitor blood banks, or what?”
    He put a muscular arm behind his head and pulled one leg up. “There are some Vampires who try not to feed on mortals. Actually, most of us stock blood for emergency. Anyways, they buy blood or steal. They had a deal with one of the techs at the bank where you donated. They went in at the end of the day and some of what they got was yours.” He seemed to hesitate, then looked over at her. “They sampled it and fought over it. Several Vamps got killed and a mortal was killed. There was a team sent in to clean up the mess and find out what happened. They needed to make sure no one traced it to Vampires. But they did trace it to a scent of blood that there was almost not even a drop left of, but in going through the records, they followed each person who had given blood that day. Then a reliable enforcer found you, except you pushed him down an escalator.”
    She sat still, staring at the TV, but she didn’t see it. She was trying to understand what he had told her. She was trying to hold herself together. “So, people have died over my blood?”
    He rolled his head over to look at her. “What are you thinking in that brilliant little head of yours?”
    She took a deep breath before answering him. “That you and your so called Council aren’t going to be happy with just a sample of my blood. That I am earmarked as a lab rat.”
    Now she looked really angry. He could feel the anger vibrating from her. The problem was, she was probably right. Unless she bonded with a really strong protector, they would keep her somewhere and on a regular basis they would draw blood from her that would either be processed for reproduction and testing or just given to the highest bidder or as a reward for some special reason. Sure, she would be kept in a palace and she would be given the very best of everything, jewels, food, companionship, everything except freedom. For some women the perks would be enough. But he already knew, with the short time he had been with this woman, that no matter what they offered her, it wouldn’t be enough.
    She jumped up and ran to the balcony. He was right behind her. He couldn’t let her commit suicide. The sun was behind the building, so the balcony was in shadows. In his bare feet she did not hear him and he stayed a step behind to see what she was going to do. She gripped the railing until her knuckles turned white but it didn’t look like she was going to throw herself over. He stepped back and leaned against the glass, his arms crossed, just watching her.
    “I’m not going to jump. You are not going to lose your precious blood treasure chest.” Her voice shook with anger. She knew when he was near. He wondered how close he had to be when she became aware of him. He had seen her tense up in the restaurant when Bathromo entered. It had happened when the three Vampires were about ten or fifteen feet from her.
    She turned around to face him. She was fighting all kinds of emotions and she immediately realized it was a mistake to face a tall muscular, half dressed man with his looks. “Can you give me some privacy?”
    “Not out here.” He did not move.
    She moved away from the railing and tried to pass him to go back into the room. He put his arm out and stopped her. “I can take you somewhere. Is there someplace that will help you to take all of this