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

request came at barely the slightest of whispers. Kevin felt a sharp pain in his chest as he watched her eyes well up with tears.
    “You know you are in a situation that will only get worse over time. Why in the world don’t you leave him?” Kevin asked her pointedly.
    “If only it was that easy,” she stated dejectedly with a faraway look in her eyes. She had been trying to figure out a way out of things almost since she said those fated words, “I do.” Locking eyes with Kevin, she felt compelled to pour her heart out to him. He was the only person in the world that she felt comfortable enough to tell any of her problems to. Since Kevin knew Shawn was an alcoholic, she felt free to tell him about the flashbacks that occurred when he was drunk. The bruises were proof that Erica was on the wrong end of the deal most of the time. However, there was only so much that she did feel comfortable in telling him. Kevin had no idea just how far Shawn would go on his really bad nights. She just couldn’t bring herself to tell anyone how she allowed her husband to treat her like a whore, forcing himself on her no matter how much she pleaded or begged him not to. And then there was the feeding thing…
    “Erica, if you will only give me a chance, I can help you. I can protect you from him.” Kevin’s voice broke into her train of thoughts.
    There was the problem in a nutshell. Erica knew Kevin meant every word he stated. She knew deep down inside Kevin felt he could handle her husband, should Shawn come looking for her. But how in the world was she supposed to tell him that she was married to a monster?
    And then there was the other problem. Erica had the distinct feeling Kevin would love nothing more than for this relationship to be more than friends. No, she couldn’t bring herself to think about that now. Not when she was living a life of pure hell, just praying she would wake up alive every morning. Thank goodness Kevin had never done anything to try to push the issue. He had merely been a friend, her rock to cling to when the tide was high. Of course, she giggled to herself, if she told him her current husband was a vampire, he would probably think she was nuts, and lose interest quickly!
    Kevin took out a piece of paper and quickly jotted down his address, home phone and cell phone number. “If you ever need help, I’m only a phone call away,” he stated for the umpteenth time, as he placed the slip of paper in her hand. His fingers gently brushed over her skin before pulling back. He had steadily been trying to convince her to leave Shawn for several months now.
    Heat infused her face, and he knew she was affected by his touch as much as he was. Clearing her throat, she looked up at him. “Thanks, Kevin. You are truly a good friend. I know I’ve got to figure a way out of this, I’m just not sure how. My biggest fear is Shawn chasing me. I truly believe he would kill me if he found me after I left him.”
    “Just know that you are not alone. It is your decision, Erica.” He reached over and gave her hand a reassuring gentle squeeze. “Just please don’t wait until it is too late.”
    As Erica stared down at the piece of paper in her hand, she contemplated her situation. God, how she wished there was someone she could just confide in, tell them every horrible detail of her life. But she didn’t dare. Sure, Kevin wanted to help her, but at what cost? If Shawn found Kevin with her after she left, or found out Kevin helped her escape in any way, she was sure Kevin’s life would be in just as much danger as hers. She had her hands full enough just trying to keep her own life out of peril. Was she willing to risk another’s? Could she live with herself if Shawn killed Kevin for trying to help her? He had family that he was close to. He was constantly talking about his parents and three sisters. Erica had no family and had been raised in the foster care system. In hindsight, she realized this was probably one of the reasons Shawn singled her out to begin with. With no family or friends, there was no one to care if she was around or not.
    So, the question remained, was there anyone out there she could trust to help her? The prospect of going to the local police and informing them she needed their protection from her deranged vampire husband didn’t seem all that appealing. She glanced up and caught Kevin watching her. If only she didn’t have a conscience reminding her that if Kevin were hurt, it would