Damek's Redemption: Legacy, Book 6 (23 page)

A brush of air behind him had him spinning. A woman yelled and swung at him with a weapon of some kind. He ducked at the very last second and struck out with the stake, driving it deep into her belly. She froze, her mouth wide open. The weapon, a cast-iron frying pan, fell to the floor with a heavy thunk. Her hands went to her stomach as Luther withdrew the stake and pushed her away. She fell to the floor, her eyes wide open and her lips parted on a silent moan.

“That’s the bitch you had me watching.” John moved alongside him, keeping his eyes moving around the room.

“If she’s still alive when we’re finished, we’ll have a little chat with her.” Luther turned away and focused on the task at hand. “First, we have to kill us a vampire.”

Sonia was losing blood at a fast rate. Her stomach burned and the pain was almost overwhelming. Somehow the man had known she was behind him and had attacked before she’d been able to use the frying pan to bash his head. She recognized one of the men as the one who’d assaulted her in her hotel room.

But none of that mattered. She knew she was probably going to die. The wound was too deep and had to have hit something vital. Damek was alone in the bedroom. Helpless. In her mind, she sent a cry out to him.
Damek!

Damek’s eyes shot open and he flew out of bed, eyes burning and fangs flashing. Sonia was in trouble. Faster than the human eye could see, he sped down the hall into the living area of his home. Three men were there, all armed with stakes and knives. It was so medieval he almost laughed. The vampire hunters did like their traditions.

They would expect him to be helplessly lying in his resting place, waiting for them to stake him in the heart. It would never occur to them that while he might be relatively weak, he was far from helpless.

Then he saw Sonia lying on the floor in a pool of blood, her eyes wide and unfocused. Her heartbeat was faint and getting weaker.

With a roar, he threw out his hand and all three men went flying into the wall, stuck there like flies in a web. Plaster cracked. Glasses at the bar all shook and several toppled over, crashing to the floor, sending shards flying everywhere. He ignored the hunters’ struggles and slurs as he hurried to Sonia’s side.

“What have you done?” He eased her head into his lap while he examined the wound in her stomach.

“You can’t save her, bloodsucker.”

Damek raised his head and stared at the man pinned to his wall. He ruthlessly drove into his brain, searching for answers, but didn’t stay long. Holding them all captive at the height of the day was draining him and he needed all his remaining strength to save Sonia. “You had better pray she lives, Luther, or you’ll be begging for death before I’m through with you.”

“How can he be awake?” Barnes muttered as he struggled to move one of his arms. “This isn’t right. The fucker is supposed to be in a sleep coma.”

Damek ignored them and dragged another breath into his lungs. His hands were shaking as he ripped her sweater from her body and used it to try to staunch the wound in her belly. “You’re going to be all right. I’m going to call an ambulance.”

She shook her head. “Too late. Don’t risk yourself.”

“No.” He shook his head in denial. This couldn’t be happening. He’d brought her here to protect her, to keep her safe from the hunters. “You can’t die. I’m too close to the edge, too close to bloodlust. Only you can save me.” The scent of the blood was getting to him. His body craved it, needed it.

Sonia raised her hand to touch his face and he kissed her bloody palm. The taste of her went through him like a blast of power. “I can’t lose you.”

She coughed and a trickle of blood flowed from the corner of her mouth. “There’s nothing you can do.” Her breath was laboring and she was struggling to speak. Every time her heart beat, her blood was pumping from her body at an alarming rate.

“Don’t talk. Save your strength. Is there anything your family can do for you? They’re close. You said they were on their way to Chicago.”

She shook her head. “Lo—” She coughed and tried again. “Love you.”

Damek threw back his head and roared. The sound of glass shattering filled the apartment as every glass surface exploded. A dangerous thought flitted through his brain, but he could not ignore it.

“I can try to convert you, make you a vampire like me.” He stroked her hair and ignored the tears rolling down his cheeks. “It is extremely dangerous but there is a slight chance. Sonia?” He had to do something. He couldn’t just let her die.

She stared at him, her eyes unfocused, her body still, and for a brief second he thought he was too late and she was gone. But no, he could hear her faint heartbeat, laboring with each beat. Time was running out.

“Sonia,” he yelled her name, shaking her slightly.

She gave the briefest nod and her eyes slowly closed. Damek didn’t hesitate. He lowered his head and sank his fangs into her neck.

“Let her go, you fucking bastard.” Luther shouted while he continued to struggle against the invisible force holding him. “She’s human. She deserves to die and stay that way.”

Damek blocked out everything but Sonia. Nothing else mattered. The sun was high in the sky, weakening him, but he put every ounce of power he had into saving the woman he loved. He knew he wouldn’t be able to hold the hunters for much longer. His strength was ebbing fast and he was conserving as much as possible for Sonia’s conversion. He prayed it would be enough.

As her blood flowed into his mouth and down his throat, he caught glimpses of her memories, working from the present and going back in time. He saw her leaping out of the closet to face three armed men with nothing more than a cast-iron skillet, her only thought to protect him.

Her thoughts and memories flew by so fast he could only grasp bits and pieces. Her love for her family came through loud and clear and he knew now that she hadn’t betrayed him, not intentionally. She’d only wanted to reassure her parents that she was safe.

Her breathing became labored until she was gasping for air. Her heart gave one final stutter and stopped. Damek withdrew his fangs and used them to tear open his wrist. He placed it against her lips. “Drink. Drink, Sonia. For me. For us.”

He threw every ounce of strength he had behind the compulsion to the exclusion of all else. Blood dripped onto her lips, but she didn’t drink. “Please. You must live.” He forced her mouth open and let his blood flow down her throat.

Damek caught a movement out of the corner of his eye. He’d put so much of his waning strength into saving Sonia that the vampire hunters had been able to free themselves from his mental hold and were now hurrying toward them.

He gathered what remained of his power, knowing he was dangerously weak. It might kill him to use it, but nothing mattered more than saving Sonia’s life.

The hunters stalked closer, stakes and knives in hand. Luther smiled, more confident now. “Don’t worry, vampire. We’ll make sure she gets a decent burial.” He reached behind his back and drew a compact crossbow with a silver tipped bolt. Luther aimed the weapon and fired.

Damek reached out and snatched the arrow from midair, turning it and flinging it back at Luther. It hit home and the hunter fell back, clutching his chest, an expression of absolute surprise etched on his face.

The other two swore and hurried toward them, weapons held high and ready to strike. Damek was torn with indecision, something he’d never experienced before. If he didn’t kill them, they would kill Sonia. If he didn’t give her everything he had, she would die.

An eerie howl echoed through the room just as Sonia gasped, her eyes flying open. Damek ducked, throwing his larger body over hers as a large, black wolf launched itself over them and attacked the hunters, fangs and claws flashing. The wolf ripped at Luther’s throat, sending blood spraying everywhere.

The room was suddenly filled with people he didn’t know. A tall male with a bushy beard let out a primal yell and took down the other hunter, his huge arms wrapping around his opponent’s neck. Damek heard the snap and watched the hunter slump to the ground. Two younger men stood to one side, both armed with guns they looked like they knew how to use. One of them was wearing blue jeans, the other a suit. Both of them resembled the rather large male who’d snapped the hunter’s neck.

Within seconds, silence reigned and the hunters were dead. Blood was sprayed all over the room and permeated the air. Damek licked his lips as he eyed the newcomers, keeping what little remained of his power reserves ready to protect Sonia. These creatures seemed to be on their side but he wasn’t taking any chances.

A woman cried out and he heard the brush of feet against the floor. He turned to watch a woman with long black hair rush toward them. She fell to her knees beside him, her face pale, her eyes wide with horror.

Damek pulled Sonia closer, cradling her in his arms, while willing her to keep drinking. His eyes blazed as he growled. “Mine.”

“She was mine first, vampire,” the woman said, and it was then he took a good look at her. Her black hair was longer, but it was just like Sonia’s. And while the woman’s features were more delicate, there was no denying the similarities. She confirmed his suspicions. “I’m her mother.”

“They hurt her. She was trying to protect me and they hurt her.”

“You are strong, vampire.” An older woman with streaks of gray through her hair walked toward him. Now that he’d had some time to study the people around him, he recognized her from Sonia’s memories. This was her grandmother. “To be awake during the day, to have such power as I feel filling this room. You are very, very old.” Her black gaze drilled into him. “Save her.”

Damek nodded and turned all his attention back to Sonia. She was drinking, but he wasn’t certain it was enough. He’d never attempted to convert anyone before as it was dangerous and he’d never wanted to put someone he cared about through such a thing. Then there was the chance that the creature he created would be unstable, be filled with bloodlust and have to be destroyed. He couldn’t have borne having to kill someone he cared for. Because of that, he wasn’t quite sure what he was doing. It was all instinct.

He pulled his wrist away and licked the gash with his tongue to close the wound. “Sonia.” He clasped her face between her hands and willed her to open her eyes. Damek could sense the rest of her family gathering around them—her father and grandfather, her brothers. His strength was waning and he felt as weak and puny as a human. He wasn’t sure he had enough in him to bring her back.

“Here.” A thick wrist was shoved in front of his face and Damek glanced up to find a large naked man kneeling beside him. This was the half-breed werewolf. Damek could smell him this close and sense his power. “You need to replenish yourself. I still don’t know how you are even awake, but you are and my Sonia’s life depends on your strength. Drink.”

Damek inclined his head and opened his mouth. His fangs pierced the man’s skin and blood filled his mouth, powerful blood, paranormal blood. Every cell in his body expanded as fresh energy flowed into them. It had been centuries since he’d had paranormal blood anywhere near this pure. He withdrew his fangs and closed the wound as the blood flooded his cells, replenishing them.

It felt as though his entire body was glowing brighter than the sun. He reached into her mind, into her very soul, searching for the spark that was Sonia.
Come back to me
, he commanded.
I need you. I love you
.

Long moments passed until he felt the lightest brush against his mind.
Damek? I hurt all over.

I know, my sweet. But you must open your eyes and come back to me. You’re safe now and your family is here.

Damek brushed his hand over her hair, willing her to look at him. “I know you can hear me. Open your eyes.” He glanced down at the wound on her stomach and eased her wadded sweater away. The hole was closed and an ugly puckered red scar remained. Damek wasn’t sure if it would fade over time or not, and he didn’t care. Sonia was alive and that was all that mattered.

He was gambling with her life. With both their lives. For Damek knew if she did not survive he would no longer wish to live in this world. He would not let her face the afterlife alone.

He only hoped she’d meant it when she told him he could try to convert her. Neither of them knew what would come of this. He could only hope his blood was strong enough to bring her fully over without the accompanying out-of-control bloodlust that most new vampires usually experienced. Then there was the matter of her werewolf heritage. Who knew how werewolf and vampire blood would mix.

No matter. He would take care of her no matter how many years it took for her to learn to control her urges. They had all the time in the world.

“Sonia Maria Agostino.” Her mother spoke to her, lifting Sonia’s hand to her lips. “Wake up and look at me.”

Sonia stirred, drawing Damek’s attention back to her. Her eyes fluttered open. “How do you feel?” he asked.

She licked her lips, wincing slightly. “Like…like I was staked in the stomach.”

He flinched and guilt filled him. If he’d let her go or protected her better this would never have happened. Now she was stuck with him, at least until she learned to control the bloodlust and discovered her powers. That could take years. He would use that time to make her so happy and would love her so well she would never want to leave him.