DraculaVille - New York - Book One Read Online Free

weak.” Emphasizing his words, his legs started to buckle.
    She wrapped an arm around his waist to keep him upright. “Whoa, steady now. We need to make it to the street so my friend can find us.”
    She limped, bobbing on one heelless shoe and holding him tightly against her. The coldness of his body seeped through the material of his suit, and she shivered. Poor guy. He was nearly frozen to death.
    They didn’t have to wait long before a yellow taxi pulled to the curb. Gerri’s anxious face plastered the back passenger window. She jumped out as soon as the vehicle stopped, hurried to Talia, and threw her arms around her.
    “Are you all right? You look like a hellish mess.”
    “Yes, yes, but let’s get out of here.” Talia jerked her head to her companion.
    “He’s coming with us?” Her friend wrinkled her nose.
    “I’ll explain, but let’s go.” She reached for the car door.
    “So, who is this?” Gerri got in, squashing them together in the back seat.
    “I don’t know.” She glanced at her alley buddy. He sat hunkered, head on his chest and leaning against the door. Talia gave the driver her address then turned to her friend.
    Gerri elbowed her in the side. “What’s going on?”
    “I think he was attacked. He doesn’t remember anything. Maybe he has amnesia.”
    “He should go to the hospital.”
    “No,” said the man.
    “What are you going to do with him?” her friend asked.
    “I thought you could check him out. See what’s wrong. Then we’ll know what to do.” Talia took Gerri’s hand causing her friend to give her an odd stare. She couldn’t explain the strange sense of camaraderie she felt for this stranger who’d shared her garbage humiliation. Even here in the car, she experienced the undeniable tug to be next to him, to protect him. She could also catch a hint of his pain and weakness. What sort of strange connection ran between them?
    “You don’t know anything about him,” Gerri whispered in her ear. “He could be dangerous.”
    “I’m not going to harm you, or anyone.” The man’s voice snaked out, low and soothing, strangely inviting. He sat a bit straighter and faced them. The lights of the city at night flashed white, green and red across his angular, pale cheeks.
    “Sorry,” Gerri mumbled. “But it is a peculiar situation. You can't deny that.”
    He settled in his corner, head down.
    Talia squeezed Gerri’s hand, hoping she wouldn't ask more questions. She had no answers. It was unreasonable to bring home a strange man she’d met in a dark alley, but she couldn't explain her unusual attraction.
    They remained silent the rest of the trip to Talia’s apartment. It was a struggle to extract the nearly limp man from the backseat, but they managed. When they had his arms draped over their shoulders to support him, they headed into the building. She was thin but thankfully tall, so she held him mostly upright.
    Talia called to the doorman as they passed the reception desk, “Hi, Pete.”
    He stared at them, a look of alarm rising in his eyes. “Are you all right, Miss Quinton? You look like you’ve been in a fight.”
    She stood straighter under the weight of the man. “Sure, I, uh, slipped off a curb and fell. Broke my shoe. My, um, friend had a little too much to drink. We’re fine, though. Could you just, um, get the elevator?”
    Pete came from behind his desk, called the car and stepped inside to punch the five button. He continued a disapproving glare, and rubbed a finger under his nose while they hoisted their burden into the car.
    “Whew.” Talia and Gerri fell against the back of the elevator with the man between them. He groaned and lifted his head.
    “You can make it a few more steps,” Talia urged as the doors opened on her floor.
    He managed to move his legs enough to stagger to her door. She fumbled with her keys, found the one she wanted, and threw open the door. They lowered him into one of the chairs at her dining room table, which was the