The stranger looked down at the black water. “I suppose we’ll have to jump.”

I raised my eyebrows and clung to him as the hunters grabbed at my legs. “Wasn’t that your original plan? And wasn’t your original plan to kill yourself?”

“With my luck tonight, the fall won’t kill me,” he replied, bringing an arm around my waist. “But you just might.”

He pushed off from the bridge and we fell for what felt like a very long time before disappearing into the cold black water.

Chapter 2

I struggled to keep up with the stranger after we scrambled like drowned rats out of the freezing-cold Don River and up a steep grassy hill. He walked so fast it was as if he didn’t want me to follow him. But what else was I supposed to do? He’d just saved my life. The least he could do was make sure I was still in one piece. One scared, shaking, drippy piece. So far there hadn’t been any sign of the creeps who’d tried to kill me. Maybe we’d lost them. I guess they didn’t want to jump into the water after us. Can’t say I blamed them for that. That was one hell of a fall. How we’d survived was another story, but it didn’t really matter. I was okay. Now I was in need of a phone, a taxi, a police report, and a long, hot shower. Not necessarily in that order.

“Hey, wait up!” I called after “Mr. Tall-Dark-and-Dripping-Wet.”

All I’d seen of him after our impromptu swim was the back of his head moving swiftly away from me, so I was surprised when he actually stopped in his tracks. His broad shoulders went up and down as if he’d just let out a long sigh.

He turned to face me. “What now?”

“Where are you going?”

“Home. I suggest you do the same. Go find your sire and be on your way.”

“My what?”

“Your sire.”

“What’s that?”

He nodded toward my neck. “Whoever gave you that hickey there. You’ll need your sire to show you the ropes.”