A spitting wildcat was Drake’s only thought as he held the tall, thin redhead at arm’s length. Once again, he was glad for his height and long reach. A hurricane brewed in the depths of Sapphire’s sea-green eyes, and with each toss of her head a sinister hiss slid through her gleaming fangs. She kicked out at him with her long legs and managed to land a few blows dangerously close to his balls.

He didn’t want to risk her disabling him, so he tossed her into the middle of the bed.

“Damn it woman, I’m here to rescue you.”

He braced himself for impact when she pulled up into a crouch. She stared at him, her breath coming in harsh gasps. That’s when he saw blood and a fast-coloring bruise on the side of her beautiful face. Instinctively, he reached out to push her long curly hair aside and take a closer look at her injuries.

She flinched, as if she expected him to hit her.

“What happened?” he whispered. “You’re hurt.”

“As if you don’t know. You broke in and attacked me.”

“No, I didn’t.” Drake shook his head. “Your apartment security had already been breached when I arrived. You can ask Chester; he’ll back me up.” Drake hoped so, anyway.

“Chester? Management fired him six months ago.”

“What? But—I –” Caught off guard, Drake motioned behind him, as if he could miraculously conjure up the doorman to substantiate his story. When he looked back at Sapphire, she was smiling. “What?”

“Nothing.”

It might have been nothing, but her smile changed her entire demeanor. To his relief, he realized she was no longer afraid of him.

“Well, if you didn’t break in, who did?”

“You didn’t see who attacked you?”

“Nope.” Sapphire shook her head, and then grimaced with pain. “I only heard the whoosh of air right before something hit me. I take it you didn’t see anyone, either?”

“I wasted the opportunity. When I first came in, I thought there might be someone in the kitchen, but I came to the bedroom instead. As soon as my back was turned, I heard someone running. Then the front door slammed.”

“You didn’t go after them?” Sapphire’s voice sounded odd, and Drake shot a sharp look in her direction.

“Are you okay?”

She raised her hand to her forehead, and before Drake could cross the room, she fell, hitting her head on the footboard of the bed.

He lifted her off the floor and placed her in the center of her bed. Then he ran a hand across the back of his neck. He recognized her symptoms and knew what she needed. Blood. She’d obviously lost just enough to make her weak. She’d need to feed…and soon.