IT'S TIME FOR ANOTHER THURSDAY PICK ME UP! WHAT ON EARTH HAS GIDEON GOTTEN HIMSELF INTO?

"Gideon's Heart" is the third book in my "Bound By Blood, the Legends" series.

 

When a vampire from Katheryne's past comes back to steal her away from Gideon, the fangs fly and the southern gentlemen/ detective is out for blood, but will it be the evil Marcel's or Gideon's that soak the ground?

Gideon raised his glass for the fourth or fifth time, he’d lost count, as his friends toasted their good wishes. His hand still held onto Kat’s. He didn’t want to let her go. If he was dreaming, then he’d like to keep dreaming a bit longer.

Yes, she’d said yes, but her eyes didn’t smolder with the happiness he felt deep within his heart. Something was bothering Kat, and he just prayed she hadn’t changed her mind about marrying him. Of course he’d sorta, even though he’d hinted at it before, thrown it at Kat pretty fast.

He downed the champagne and set his glass down. Maybe he just needed to talk to her somewhere quiet. His house maybe.

“You about ready to go?” He took Kat’s almost full glass from her and placed it next to his.

“Yes. I think I am.” She smiled at him but it still didn’t light up her face like he loved.

“Okay then, we’re out of here.” He caught Kat’s hand and then spoke to his only family. “I’ll catch you guys later. I’ll send the limo back to pick ya’ll up. Thank you for your well wishes.”

“Night, you two!” Those words followed him from various sets of lips as he and Kat made their way out of the ballroom and the hotel. Once seated in the limousine he turned to her.

“Look, I may have rushed things tonight.” His words sounded flat just like the night seemed to have become.

“No—Gideon I’m thrilled, I mean I love—It’s just I think we need to talk about things.” Kat’s eyes glistened but her words were gentle.

Great, she had changed her mind.

“Okay, let’s go back to my place and we’ll hash everything out. Is that all right with you?” He prayed she’d say yes, that somehow he could convince her things weren’t moving too quickly. That they were right where they should be.

“Yes, that’s fine with me.”

The ride to his new home, and hopefully Kat’s in the near future continued in silence. Gideon tried to plug the hole in his heart that was getting bigger all the time. Why wouldn’t she smile at him? Why did she look like her heart was the one breaking?

Once there they entered through the front door. Gideon moved through the house to the kitchen. Moonlight shone through the large bay window ingrained in the kitchen facing the back of the property.

“Here have a seat. I want a beer. Drinking Champagne is like drinking water. You want anything?” Gideon tried to smile but felt like his face would crack.

“Uh, yes, if there’s any wine left, I’d like to have a glass.” Kat’s sultry voice was the opposite of the dread he spotted in her gaze. Did she want to change her mind?

He pulled the wine from the refrigerator and poured her a glass. Kat took several sips and when it looked as if she was going to take another he couldn’t stop himself.

“Okay, Kat, out with it. Why are you so upset? Do you regret saying you would marry me? Is that it? Do you want to back out?” His words sounded as desperate as he felt.

“No, not at all. I just need to clarify some things about myself.” The look she gave him was hopeful but definite in the implication that she meant what she said.

“I can accept that. We probably don’t know everything about one another. Lord, I snore.” He tried to smile.

She did manage a slight smile. “I already know that much.” Then her smile faded, “Gideon it’s something that could change how you feel about me.” Kat’s hand clenched around the stem of her glass.

“Nothing you could ever tell me would change the fact I love you. Nothing, Kat.” Gideon moved from the counter to stand with his back to the window. His stance was relaxed but his muscles jumped within his skin. Kat sounded so serious.

“What is it, baby? You can tell me anything.”

Katheryne opened her mouth to release the words that would grant her heart’s desire or seal her hopes of love forever. But before she could the bay window shattered, and the front of Gideon’s shirt blossomed red. She could smell the metallic scent of blood. Someone had shot him.

Oh God above. She jumped up and caught him in her arms before he could pitch forward.

“Kat, I…” His voice trailed off as his eyes closed. She lowered him gently to the floor. Another pinging sound echoed around the kitchen. Whoever had shot Gideon was still shooting. Was she the quarry now? It didn’t matter, if they hit her she’d survive, but she had to help Gideon or he might not.

Blood poured from his chest in copious amounts. She needed to stop the blood. Ah the blood, the scent called to her like nothing else could. She dragged her mind from the temptation before her, and her gaze lit on the cummerbund around his waist, it could help stop the blood. She yanked it off and pressed it against the wound. Crimson bled into the material turning it into a sodden mass.

It wasn’t working. She needed to call someone… Miranda, she could save Gideon. The phone! Where was his phone? Her search for the phone reminded her of another time he’d been injured. She prayed tonight’s outcome would be as good.

She dropped the phone twice, her hands slippery with his blood, but finally managed to get it open. She looked for, found Zack’s number, and punched it. Her fingertip left a bloodstain on the faceplate.

“Hello.” Zacke’s greeting registered above several background sounds. They must still be at the hotel.

“Zacke, it’s Kat. We’re at Gideon's house. Someone shot him. He’s bleeding badly.”

“Kat?” His tone turned into an authoritive rumble.

“Yes, it’s me. Gideon’s hurt.” She looked down at his washed out features, the blood staining the floor, and the wash of crimson covering the front of his body. “I think he’s dying. You have to do something.”

“Did you call for an ambulance?”

“No, I don’t know how, and besides he’ll die before they get here. You have to come now. We have to save him. Please.” Kat swallowed against the bubble of tears in the back of her throat. She knew death up close and personal. She’d seen men die before. Gideon would not last if something wasn’t done soon.

“Kat, call 9-1-1. We’re on our way.”

She didn’t bother to reply but tossed the phone down. Even if they drove like mad, Gideon would be dead before they reached him. She didn’t have to have a doctor’s degree to know this—she could feel the life leeching from her heart. His eyes remained closed, and his chest rose slower than before.

No, she had to do something and the only thing to do was turn him. Yet, if she did he would hate her, and wasn’t there a code about turning mortals? "Damn," the curse rolled off her tongue as she tried to think. The one thing she was sure of was she would not lose Gideon to death. She might have to give him up after he realized what she’d done, if he survived, but at least he’d be alive to make the choice.

I hope you enjoyed the teaser.  Leave me a reply and stay tune for other choice tidbits from my books on "Pick Me Up Thursday."