Vampires Among Us [Vampires Among Us 1] (Siren Publishing Classic)

up against a wall for support, finding herself too weak to hold herself upright. She began trembling violently, and she wondered how in the world she had managed to walk out of one vampire house and straight into another? Did she have a neon sign on her forehead that read, open to abuse from vampires, apply here?
    Something had made Kevin glance upward, and over to the house. His eyes immediately found Erica standing in front of the large bay window, and he knew in that instant that his secret was out. The reflection of him coming off the glass was proof enough. Damn Jennifer, why didn’t she take Erica back to his suite, where she wouldn’t see any of this? Shawn used Kevin’s momentary distraction to his benefit. He kicked Charles backwards into a nearby tree, taking advantage of the second that it would take Charles to shake off the effects, to make his exit. Kevin, still stunned by the realization that his secret was out, allowed a second of distraction to throw him off. That second of distraction was the downfall of the fight. In the second that he realized Erica had seen him for what he truly was, it felt like the breath had been yanked out of him.
    Rosetta came across Erica slumped against the wall, arms wrapped around her middle, crying hysterically. A quick glance out the window confirmed her suspicions. She walked up to Erica slowly, clearly wanting to comfort her, and looking very distressed at the same time. “I am sorry, Erica. He should have told you sooner. He was trying to hold off until you were strong enough to handle it.”
    “Why?” Erica started to ask of Rosetta, but didn’t get any further. She stopped there, incapable of articulating anything else at this point. She really wasn’t expecting an answer out of Rosetta. It was just as well, considering Rosetta currently looked speechless. Why hadn’t anyone told her, and more importantly, what exactly did they plan to do with her?
    Rosetta started to put a comforting hand on Erica’s shoulder, but she was much too upset to let anyone near. She took off running for her bedroom. Okay, the vampire guest bedroom. Erica knew that since Shawn was outside, her only halfway safe choice, for the moment, was to lock herself in the bedroom. She needed time to think. She had left one vampire house that was positively horrid and gone to what? Sure, everyone in this house had certainly been nice and kind, but how long was that going to last? Would she become their next meal when they became hungry? And now where was she supposed to go? Who could she trust?
    Erica ran into her bedroom and immediately locked the door, then put a chair up against the handle for good measure. Not that a chair would stop a vampire, but it made her feel a bit better.
    By the time Charles and Kevin regrouped, Shawn was long gone. However, both men knew there would be a next time. Kevin glanced back over to the window that had stolen his breath away earlier. “Damn, Erica knows about us,” he stated heavily to Charles. He knew he had a mess of explaining to do to one pretty little lady inside right now, but that didn’t change the fact that he was going to make sure she stayed safe.
    “I thought I caught a glimpse of her in the window,” Charles replied with a sigh, as he took a handkerchief out of his back pocket and wiped at a long scratch going across his cheek. “Whatever you do son, don’t let her leave. Shawn is probably out there waiting for that very thing.”
    “She isn’t going anywhere if I can help it,” Kevin replied. “I’ve got a mess of explaining to do, though.”
    “How much are you going to tell her?” Charles inquired as the two started toward the house.
    Kevin glanced over to the man he had considered his father for over forty years. “Everything. She’s my mate, Charles. I’m not holding anything back. Besides, after everything she has been through, she deserves the complete truth.”
    Charles smiled proudly as he placed his hand on Kevin’s shoulder. “Congratulations, son. If there is anything I can help with, let me know.”
    Kevin used Jennifer’s suite to clean up and get some blood in his system. He wanted to be certain that he was back to himself before confronting the situation he knew lay ahead of him. He was sure Erica was frightened by her discovery, and hoped that in giving her space, it would help to serve in calming her. It was close to an hour later when he lightly tapped on her bedroom door.
    Erica was sobbing in her