Chapter 52

Lucinda advanced on him, her long stride crossing the space between them like it was only three footsteps instead of seven. Before Philip could say anything, she cranked her arm back and slapped him across the face. The hit was hard and genuine, and the vampire's head snapped to the right from the force of the impact. "You bastard! How dare you?"

"Ow, Luci!" The vampire protested, rubbing at his face as he took a sudden step back from the unstable woman, whose left arm was raised instinctively to ward off a second blow and touched his lips with the edge of his tunic.

Lucinda didn't even pretend to humor him. "You sanctimonious ape! What did you think you were trying to accomplish, leaving me like that? You told me that the sanctuary would be safe from your kind and my family would be safe for three days of isolation. Are you out of your mind? I lost everyone there!"

"Hey! Wait, let me explain. "

"Explain? For what? For your betrayal? "

"Hey, Luci, come on. You