How to Kiss a Vampire novel · Chapter 4 of 24

Chapter 4: Eleven Days

"Say that again," I said. "The part about owed."

Torsten pulled the shades down over the shop windows one by one.

He moved quickly, careful not to look hurried.

"There are thirty-one of us in Duluth," he said. "We call ourselves the Lakehouse. Ragnar Krantz is the master of it."

"Is he the man in the coat?"

"He's the man who sent the man in the coat. He's three hundred and forty years old and he owns half of Skyline Parkway."

"And he's your boss."

"He's my maker," Torsten said. "It's worse."

I sat down on the stool by the counter, because my legs had decided for me.

"Tell me what he wants."

"The House has one law that matters. A human who learns what we are dies, or forgets."

He said it flat.

"I know what you are," I said.

"Yes. Now."

I stared at him.

"Now," I said. "Not four years ago."

He closed his eyes.

"Hanne, the fall was not meant to kill you."

"I noticed. I'm very much alive."

"It was meant to bring me out." He opened his eyes.

"Ragnar has watched me watch you for four years."

"He wanted to see if I would break cover to save you. I did."

I put my hands flat on the counter.

"So I was bait."

"You were bait."

"For you."

"Yes."

"Because you have a rule about humans and you broke it."

"Because I could not stand there and let you hit the alley."

His voice cracked.

"I'd do it again. I will do it every time."

The ticking filled up all the quiet.

"You said eleven days," I said.

"Samhain. October thirty-first. It will be four years since the House took the memory from you."

"Took."

"Yes."

"Somebody took something out of my head."

Keep reading free with an account. Start How to Kiss a Vampire from Chapter 1, then sign up free to read the rest of this chapter.