Soulless (Book #2 of Hunted)

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"I suppose he probably hasn't told you what you're capable of," he said nonchalantly. I glanced at him questioningly.

"What do you mean? Like my Hunter powers or whatever 'cuz they don't help me much unless I can control them and I can't really so—"

"I'm not talking about your strength or your speed I'm talking about your blood," he said cutting me off. I stared at him and finally his eyes focused on my face.

"What about my blood?" I asked. He sighed and came to stand in front of me. The smell of smoke made my head spin.

"Hunters think of themselves as the ultimate paragon of good and a long time ago they were given abilities that helped them protect the human race from all the things that would want to make them suffer. One of those abilities was the healing properties of their blood," he said. I felt a confused crease form in the middle of my eyebrows.

"Healing properties?" I inquired. He blew smoke into my face and I had to fight the urge to snatch the cigarette out of his hand, throw it on the ground and stomp on it.

"Uh huh. Feed it to a human and they're healed of all injuries internal and external. Unfortunately for you, the same goes for vamps. Then again any blood will heal an injured vampire to a certain degree but Hunter blood is supercharged like fucking heroin and PCP mixed together...basically it's some damn good shit," he said with a laugh. I was getting the suspicion that Keegan really liked to hear himself talk and that he was a little off-kilter. I looked down at the girls on the floor and noticed that they were really pale.

"So if I gave them my blood they would be fine for sure?" I asked without taking my eyes off of them.

"Mm hmm," he replied with a slight nod. I considered it and my fingers came to rest on the scars on my right arm.

"It wouldn't be wise, would it? I mean he's chained up so he can't hurt me but what's to stop you?" I asked him. He grinned deviously.

"What indeed? But Scarlett will probably die if you don't cut yourself and-"

"And what? Bleed into her mouth?" I asked turning on him. He shrugged and the smile on his face unnerved me. Then I got it! He was testing me! He wanted to know if I would risk my life for these strangers. I crossed my arms over my chest and glared at him.

"Why should I? Why should I care if these skanks bite it? They're complete idiots and in my opinion they deserve to die," I said plain and simple. If I cut my arm and if I bled, Keegan knew he wouldn't be able to resist. His smile grew and a charmed giggle escaped him.

"I knew there must've been some reason Anton hadn't killed you yet besides your being a Blood Siren," he said. Those words again? What did they mean?

"What the hell is a Blood Siren?" I asked abruptly. Suddenly a peal of hysterical laughter bounced around the basement.

"Finally! Do you have any idea how long I've been holding that back? She's a fucking...Blood Siren! As if she wasn't tempting enough being a Hunter," Zane's voice was so loud I had to fight the urge to cover my ears. I turned around to look at him. He was standing now as close to us as the chains would allow and I could see the rage in his eyes, hear the blood in his voice.

"Y'know I had the sneaking suspicion for a while but I never thought they were real," his voice was saturated and drunken. I stared at him and his eyes looked back at me without really seeing me. A wide grin was plastered across his face and he seemed almost giddy. Is this the effect too much blood had on him? Oh dear me, I am so confused.

"Of course they're real," Keegan said. Zane's eyes indolently moved to Keegan's face and his smile degraded into a grimace.

"I've never come across one," Zane replied brazenly. Keegan crossed his arms over his chest and smirked.

"They're extremely rare creatures, I feel like I've explained this before," Keegan muttered before sticking his half smoked cigarette in his mouth and stooping to pick up Scarlett. He slung her a bit roughly over his shoulder and then gathered Kitty into his arms. She moaned quietly and her eyes fluttered open.

"Easy, Kitten. I'll take you back to the car and you can rest in there, okay?" he whispered and I swear I heard a touch of affection in his voice like he was talking to a beloved pet. She sighed softly and closed her eyes. 

"Hey Lor, you think you could get Jamie up the stairs?" he asked me. Hearing this almost perfect stranger address me with such familiarity sounded strange in my ears. I felt myself nod and he disappeared up the stairs in a blur.