Halfway to the Grave Read Online Free

on my blood, you jerk.”
    That drew more laughter. “Good form, Kitten! But enough stalling. How did you know what to use if no vampire told you?”
    Another modified shrug. “I didn’t. Oh, I’d read a hundred books or more about our…your kind after hearing about my father. They all varied. Some said crosses, sunlight, wood, or silver. It was pure luck, really. One night a vampire approached me at a club and then took me for a drive. Of course, he couldn’t have been nicer, right up until he tried to eat me alive. I made up my mind that I was going to kill him or die trying, and the big cross dagger was all I had on me. It worked, though it took a bit of doing. So, presto, I knew about silver. Later I found that wood didn’t work at all. Got myself a nice scar on the thigh to prove it. That vamp laughed when he saw my stake. Clearly, he wasn’t afraid of wood. Then when I was making caramel apples it occurred to me to hide the silver in something a vampire would think was harmless. It didn’t seem like such a stretch. Most of you are so busy eyeing my neck, you don’t see me pull out my pointy friend. There you have it.”
    He shook his head slowly back and forth as if uncomprehending. Finally, he fixed piercing eyes on me and burst out, “Are you telling me bloody caramel apples and books taught you how to kill vampires? Is that what you’re saying?”
    He started to pace in short, rapid lengths. “It’s a damn good thing most of the recent generations are nearly illiterate or we’d all be in serious trouble. Blimey!” Throwingback his head, he laughed in rich, deep peals of mirth. “That’s the funniest bleedin’ bit I’ve heard in decades!” Still chuckling, he returned until he was next to me again.
    “How did you know he was a vampire when you saw him? Did you know, or did you not find out until he tried to have an artery party?”
    Artery party? Well, that was one way to put it. “Honestly, I don’t know how I knew. I just did. For starters, your kind looks different. All of you do. Your skin looks…ethereal, almost. You move different, more purposefully. And when I’m near you, I feel it in the air, like static electricity. Happy now? Heard what you wanted?” Desperately I tried to hang on to my courage, but this chattering was eating away at it. Being flippant was all I had left.
    “Almost. How many vampires have you killed? Don’t lie to me, or I’ll know it.”
    Pursing my lips, I considered lying despite the warning. Would it be better if he thought I’d only killed a couple? Maybe it wouldn’t make any difference. If he could tell I was lying, perhaps he’d do more than just kill me. There were so many things worse than death….
    “Sixteen, including your friend from last night.” Honesty won out.
    “Sixteen?” he repeated in disbelief, looking me over thoroughly again. “Sixteen vampires you took out yourself with nothing but a stake and your cleavage? Makes me ashamed of my kind, it does.”
    “And I would have killed more if I hadn’t been too young to get into bars, since they’re vampire trolling ground, not to mention all the time I had to take off when my grandfather got sick,” I flared. So much for trying not to make him angrier.
    In a flash he was gone, leaving me staring at the spot where he’d just been. He certainly moved fast. Faster than any vampire I’d seen. I cursed my earlier impatience. Ifonly I’d waited until the next weekend to hunt again. If only.
    Left alone, I craned my neck to see where I was. With a start, I realized I must be in a cave. There was the sound of dripping water in the background, and it was dark even for my eyes. The single bald lamp only shone light in the immediate vicinity. The rest was blackness as complete as my nightmares. I heard slight echoes of him in the distance, how far away I had no idea. Seizing my chance, I wrapped my fingers around the braces holding me and pulled downward with all of my strength. Sweat popped