Angel of Darkness (20 page)
She licked her lips. When he touched her, she didn’t hurt as much and his fingers were currently sliding down her side and curving over her hips. “He got me as soon as you left. One touch, and I couldn’t move.”
Helpless.
Helpless.
“Bastard.” His fingers were under the edge of her shirt. Pushing up and caressing her flesh.
In an alley.
For someone still new to the whole earthly temptation bit, he learned fast.
In an alley.
For someone still new to the whole earthly temptation bit, he learned fast.
“I ... don’t ... ah ... think we can count on him,” she managed, her heart thudding hard in her chest. Her growing lust merged with the blood hunger and she wanted to
bite.
But she kept her teeth up and away from him as she said, “N-no matter what he said, we can’t ... He wanted you to break.”
bite.
But she kept her teeth up and away from him as she said, “N-no matter what he said, we can’t ... He wanted you to break.”
Keenan’s gaze bored into hers. His lips parted, but before he could speak, the roar of motorcycles shook the night. Her head turned and bright headlights flashed out of the darkness and filled her sight.
“Well look what we have here ...” A booming voice called out.
A familiar voice.
That biker jerk from the bar.
Keenan didn’t move. He kept his hands on her, but his gaze was on the men closing in.
The biker.
Shit. Nicole recognized the big, burly, bald biker from the club. About thirty, muscled, both arms tattooed. And he was heading right for them.
Shit. Nicole recognized the big, burly, bald biker from the club. About thirty, muscled, both arms tattooed. And he was heading right for them.
“Knew our fire would smoke you out.” He smiled. “Vamps can never handle fire worth a shit.”
Did
everyone
but her know the paranormal score in this world?
everyone
but her know the paranormal score in this world?
He pointed one leather-clad hand at Keenan. “I don’t got a fight with you. Take my advice, buddy. Go find another screw tonight.”
Her eyes slit. She needed blood badly right then, and that ass was begging for a bite.
“
Watch
what you say,” Keenan ordered, voice flat.
Watch
what you say,” Keenan ordered, voice flat.
“Fuck you.”
Guess he wasn’t into watching his mouth.
Now the guy pointed at her. “I know what you are, bitch, and I know
who
you are.”
who
you are.”
The more she stared at him, the more familiar he appeared to her. Something about the line of his jaw, the bulge of his nose ...
“Knew as soon as you walked into that club ...” The biker’s hands dropped, only to rise up half a second later gripping a stake.
Definitely prepared.
“I been carrying this in my pack since I buried Jeff.”
Definitely prepared.
“I been carrying this in my pack since I buried Jeff.”
Oh, hell.
An image flashed in her mind. A big, burly guy with fists that had been thick and hard as he drove them into her face.
Then that body had fallen, sagged so quickly. When his head hit the cement, Jeff Quint’s eyes had been wide open, and so had his throat.
She grabbed Keenan’s arm and tried to shove him away. “I-I’ve got this. You go, I’ll meet you back at—”
Our place.
Had she really almost said that? She swallowed and forced a smile. “I’ll see you soon.”
Our place.
Had she really almost said that? She swallowed and forced a smile. “I’ll see you soon.”
But Keenan wasn’t moving. Not even an inch. “No way, sweet. I’m not leaving you alone to face—”
Laughter cut him off.
“You really think somebody like her needs protectin’?” That stake rose. “What she needs is a good killin’.” Mutters of agreement came from the men behind him. “Hell, even death’s too damn good for her. She needs to
suffer.
”
suffer.
”
“Tell the bitch, Mike!” One of his buddies called out, and, of course, the buddy had a stake, too.
Not my night
.
.
But then, she’d known this night would come for some time. A night of reckoning. They wanted her blood. It seemed only fair, considering she’d taken all of Jeff’s.
“I didn’t want to kill him.” She said the words without looking at Keenan. She couldn’t look at him then.
Time he found out the truth.
She stepped away from him and the alley wall and faced the vengeance that was coming.
Time he found out the truth.
She stepped away from him and the alley wall and faced the vengeance that was coming.
“Right. You just tripped ...” Mike closed in on her. “And your teeth landed in his throat.” A snarl burst from his fat lips. “Jeff was my brother, the only fuckin’ family I had. I knew vamps were after us, but I never expected a fresh-faced piece of ass like you ... guess he didn’t either.”
No.
She could feel Keenan’s stare on her. She glanced his way, just for an instant. “He doesn’t have anything to do with this.”
“Then
he
can damn well leave.” Mike grabbed her shoulder, his fingers digging deep. “But you’re only gettin’ out of this alley in pieces.”
he
can damn well leave.” Mike grabbed her shoulder, his fingers digging deep. “But you’re only gettin’ out of this alley in pieces.”
The alley seemed to tremble. “
Get your hand off her.
” Keenan’s too-lethal voice.
Get your hand off her.
” Keenan’s too-lethal voice.
But Mike only had eyes and bloodlust for her. “Jeff and me ... you know how many vamps we killed?”
No, but all the vamp slaying would explain why she’d been sent after Jeff Quint.
He preys on us. Now we prey on him. Rip out his throat. Make him bleed. Make him beg.
How long had those words played through her mind? Over and over, until her will was gone and all she could do when Jeff came at her that night was ...
attack.
He preys on us. Now we prey on him. Rip out his throat. Make him bleed. Make him beg.
How long had those words played through her mind? Over and over, until her will was gone and all she could do when Jeff came at her that night was ...
attack.
He hadn’t even had the chance to get out his stake.
Not like his big brother.
Mike didn’t take his hand off her. Those thick fingers just dug deeper as they seemed to squeeze right to the bone. Behind him, the guys—five of them, all big, leather-clad and with go-to-hell grins—began to close in.
“I gave you a chance to run,” Mike snapped at Keenan. “Last call, dumbass. You stand with the vamp bitch or you save your own ass and get the hell out of here.”
“Get out of here, Keenan,” she whispered. She was going to fight, but this wasn’t
his
fight. In case things didn’t go her way—the odds were a bit heavy in old Mike’s favor—she didn’t want Keenan paying for her crimes.
his
fight. In case things didn’t go her way—the odds were a bit heavy in old Mike’s favor—she didn’t want Keenan paying for her crimes.
“I’m not going anywhere.” His gaze burned into Mike. “Get the hand off her, human, or
lose it.
”
lose it.
”
She had the feeling he really, really meant those words. “Keenan ...”
But Mike didn’t drop his hold. He did bring up his stake, getting it too close to her heart for comfort.
Then Keenan shoved
his
hand against Mike’s chest. Mike flew back into the air and slammed into two of his biker buddies.
his
hand against Mike’s chest. Mike flew back into the air and slammed into two of his biker buddies.
“You had your chance,” Keenan said. “
Dumbass,
you should have backed off while you could.”
Dumbass,
you should have backed off while you could.”
Mike sprang back to his feet and attacked, with all his men running right behind him. Six against two. Not bad odds. Actually kind of good considering the bikers were human and—
Keenan jumped in front of her, swinging out with his fist and sending two guys flying back. The men hit the walls of the alley and didn’t get up.
Okay, four against two. Even better.
Keenan grabbed the next guy around the throat. The stake dropped from the blond’s hand as he clawed at Keenan’s hold, struggling to get free. His pale face began to purple.
She grabbed for Keenan’s arm, afraid the guy was about to die right there. “Keenan,
no.
”
no.
”
“Callin’ back your dog?” Mike was there, charging by Keenan and coming for her. “Nothin’ can save you, bitch, nothin’!”
He ran at her with the stake up. His buddies took Keenan, swarming him. Her teeth burned, her claws lengthened, and when Mike lunged at her with that stake—
She just ripped it out of his hands, broke it, and tossed the pieces behind her.
That didn’t stop Mike. No, he swung at her and slammed his fist right into her face.
Definitely remember that.
The bloodlust rose but she stumbled back.
“That’s right, run, get ready to
bleed.
”
bleed.
”
Um, no. She wouldn’t be bleeding for him. His fist came at her again. She caught it in her left hand. Then
her
fist went at him, plowing into his cheek. Not the light hit of her pre-vamp days. Nicole swung with a blow strong enough to break Mike’s jaw. When the bones crunched, she knew the punch
had
broken his jaw.
her
fist went at him, plowing into his cheek. Not the light hit of her pre-vamp days. Nicole swung with a blow strong enough to break Mike’s jaw. When the bones crunched, she knew the punch
had
broken his jaw.
He kicked out, his booted heel aiming for her stomach, but she twisted and he missed her, and he fell to the ground.
“I’m sorry about your brother,” she said the words between pants. “If I had it all to do again ...” But there’d been no choice at the end. He’d fought her and if she hadn’t killed him, he would have taken her head.
“
Fuckin’ bitch
...” Mike shoved up and yanked a knife out of his boot. “He should’ve killed
you.
” He shot off the ground and sliced with his knife.
Fuckin’ bitch
...” Mike shoved up and yanked a knife out of his boot. “He should’ve killed
you.
” He shot off the ground and sliced with his knife.
The blade never touched her skin. Keenan grabbed Mike’s hand, twisted, broke the guy’s wrist, and the knife clattered to the ground.
“I said you’d lose this hand,” Keenan reminded him.
Veins bulged along Mike’s neck.
Behind them, she saw the scattered remains of Mike’s crew. Still alive—she could see their chests moving—but out of commission. No backup for Mike.
Nicole stalked to the biker. She didn’t touch him. Wouldn’t.
“Gonna bite me now?” Blood dripped from his lips.
Oh, she wanted to. Even more, she needed that blood.
Keenan’s shove had the guy sinking to his knees and staring up at her with his throat bared.
“Gonna kill me like you did Jeff?”
Her gaze swept to the unconscious men once more, and she held onto her control with all the strength she possessed. “Do you always hunt in a pack?” Wolves weren’t the only ones smart enough to do that. Mike hunted vampires, but he was human. Humans against vamps—that equaled a serious disadvantage. One he’d tried to make up for with the numbers tonight.
“Not tellin’ you a damn thing about how I hunt.” Deep lines bracketed his mouth. Keenan still had a grip on Mike’s hand and she could see the sweat that beaded Mike’s upper lip. “Not talkin’ so you might as well rip me open.”
She shook her head. “I’m sorry about your brother.” She could understand Mike wanting her blood. The other vamps he’d killed—maybe they’d deserved to be put down. But maybe they hadn’t.
We’re not all evil. Not when we have a choice.
We’re not all evil. Not when we have a choice.
“Bull ... shit ... just a ... damn ... bloodsucker.”
Right. She was. And he could see her fangs. But ...
But she wasn’t under the control of the Born Master anymore. Her gaze slipped to Keenan because what she had to say was for him as much as Mike. “You know—you know when vampires are
Taken
...”
Taken,
the term for vampires who were made through the blood exchange. Made, not
Born.
Only a very few were actually born as vampires. The Born Masters were the strongest, baddest, and hardest to kill vamps out there.
Taken
...”
Taken,
the term for vampires who were made through the blood exchange. Made, not
Born.
Only a very few were actually born as vampires. The Born Masters were the strongest, baddest, and hardest to kill vamps out there.
She took a breath and glanced back at Mike. “When they’re Taken, they’re linked to the vamps that changed them.” Only the vamp who changed her had been dead. So she hadn’t been told anything about vamp rules and powers. She’d had to find everything out the hard way.
“
I don’t give a shit about
—”
I don’t give a shit about
—”
“Vamps are linked, through the blood, back to the Born Master that started their line.” She’d talk, he’d listen. Not like Mike had much of a choice. “We’re linked, and the Born Master—he can control us, he can force his thoughts into our minds and—”
“
No fuckin’ Born killed my brother! It was you!
”
No fuckin’ Born killed my brother! It was you!
”
Her shoulders sagged. He was right. The Born had been in her head, whispering, ordering, breaking her will, but in the end,
she’d
been the one to make the kill. Her teeth. His throat.
she’d
been the one to make the kill. Her teeth. His throat.
“
Kill me, kill me and get this damn mess over!
”
Kill me, kill me and get this damn mess over!
”
Nicole shook her head. “I’m not killing you.” The voice in her head was long gone. The Born, Grim, was dead, courtesy of a female bounty hunter named Dee Daniels. There were no more whispers in her mind these days. No more hell.
Control.
“I’m not a killer.” Anymore. She drank to survive, that was all. Not to kill.
“I’m not a killer.” Anymore. She drank to survive, that was all. Not to kill.
Because if she crossed the line and started killing, she knew that Dee would come after her, too. Dee had warned all those Taken by Grim ...
kill and I’ll come.
kill and I’ll come.
Nicole wasn’t particularly in the mood to face off against Dee or the Night Watch Bounty Hunting Agency.
“Let him go, Keenan,” she said quietly.
Keenan dropped his hold.
Mike fell forward. His hands slapped against the concrete.
“Don’t cross my path, I won’t cross yours.” They’d both just keep living. She eased back and her shoulder brushed Keenan’s. “Let’s get out of here.”
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