Moonlight Calls (Demon's Call Series Book 1) (37 page)

“I thought you
wanted to be found,” I said, stalling.

He stopped
pacing toward me and cocked his head to the side, considering.  “Who are you? 
A little off duty cop, perhaps?”

I stood my
ground, though my knees were shaking.  “I’m not a cop, you son of a bitch. 
Where are the other children?”

He laughed
aloud.  “Oh, not a cop… a Good Samaritan, even better.”  He started pacing
toward me again.  “The children are downstairs.  You’ll join them soon, I
think.”

He broke into
vampire speed, reaching my side in a blur before I had even finished turning
toward the door.  He grabbed my arm roughly and I lashed out at him with my
hands, trying to claw his eyes out.

“I think killing
the young woman who tried to save the children will make the headlines even
better,” he rasped in my ear.

I felt his
breath on my neck as he prepared to strike and I turned quickly, smashing
upward with the heel of my hand.  I caught him off guard, missing his nose but
surprising him enough that he let go of my arm.  He hadn’t expected me to fight
back.  I spun and kicked him dead in the ribs.  It had all the effect of
hitting a brick wall.  I hopped backward, wondering if I had just broken my
foot. 
Son of a bitch that hurt!

He glared at me
and I felt his power rise as he attempted to put me under sway.  I thrust him
from my mind with an almost audible snap.  I had been up against Dominic.  This
guy was nothing.  He might be able to get me under if he kept it up for an hour
or so- maybe.  He glared at me in surprise and anger.

“What are you?”
he snapped.  Pausing, he scented the air.  “You smell like wolves and
vampires…” he canted his head to the side eerily, “…and… power.”

I shrugged and
stepped away, picking up a large candelabra that had been overturned when the
pews were removed.  It wasn’t much, but it was solid and had a nice heft to
it.  “I’m a good Samaritan, just like you said.”  I shifted from foot to foot,
adrenaline zinging through my veins.  “Let the children go.  I know you didn’t
want this, but torturing them won’t change what you are.”

He let loose an
insane cackle.  I had to admit, a human threatening a vampire with a
candlestick wasn’t an image to instill fear.

“What would you
know of what I am?”  His voice was tight with anger and pain.  “I never asked
for this curse.  My veins itch to take the blood I can feel rushing thorough
your veins.  The sun burns my skin like fire.  I could hear you breathing
across a football field.”  He pressed the heels of his hands into his temples
in a perfect imitation of someone who had come unhinged.  “My mind races
constantly.  There is never any rest from this hell.”

His voice broke
and he began to shout what I realized was a long rehearsed mantra that he used
to ease his conscience.  “I am taking all of the other abominations down with
me.  It will make the world safer for the humans in the long run.  If I have to
make sacrifices along the way, it is a small price.”

I tightened my
grip on my makeshift weapon and stepped forward, taking a vicious swipe at his
head.  He stepped aside like lightning and struck me across the back of the
hand, making me drop the heavy brass.  He was on me in an instant, and we
crashed to the ground.

I squirmed and
got onto my hands and knees, crawling away, but my feet were savagely yanked
backwards and I landed hard on my stomach.  The vampire lay full atop me now,
with one arm locked across my throat.  He bent my head backward painfully,
making me arch my back to avoid breaking my neck.  He held my arms pinned
behind my back with the other hand, rendering me completely helpless.

He leaned in and
I felt saliva drip on my neck as he readied himself to feed.  I closed my eyes
and thought of the little girl.  I was supposed to have some sort of powers,
God damn it!  What good was it if I couldn’t actually use them when I needed
to?  I imagined a red glow coating my entire body, flowing around me like fire.

The vampire
hissed in pain and leapt away.  I slowly pulled myself to my knees,
disregarding the pain in my neck and back.  I looked down at my glowing hands
and a tremor of pure rage shook me.  This man was unhinged and pathetic.  He
was foul, but my anger wasn’t for him.  The rage that coated my soul came from
what I knew I had to do.  He hadn’t asked for this, but his mind just wasn’t
strong enough to deal with it.  He had to die.  I hadn’t asked for this, and I
would be the one to kill him.  I would be the one to clean up Argenou’s mess. 
Otherwise this man would continue to take the lives of the innocent, and if the
vampires were exposed it would mean death or worse for my species.

“You aren’t
human,” he hissed, beginning to fear.  “What the hell are you?”

I pushed myself
to my feet, feeling my power ripple as the blood rushed to my head.  I caught a
glimpse of the small, lifeless body crumpled on the floor like so much trash
and I stepped toward the vampire.  A small part of me cried out in pain as it died. 
What had I become?

*****

When I became
aware of my surroundings, I was on my knees, in front of the remains of one
very dead vampire psycho.  I pushed myself shakily to my feet and wiped my gory
hands on my jeans.  I slipped in a puddle of blood, and nearly tripped over an
arm as I backed away.  Other than a throbbing headache, I felt nothing.  I felt
numb and unreal.  I was amazed at my detachment.  I thought of the little girl
and my rage rose up again.

I froze when I
glanced at the chaise lounge and realized that she was gone.  I dimly
registered that there was a cool breeze rippling my hair.  It came from the
door, which was standing slightly ajar.  Dominic and Christian stood just
inside, and I caught a glimpse of Ailis vanishing into the chill outside with
the little girl cradled in her arms.

For some reason
I was having a hard time letting go of my power.  It was still rippling in my
stomach, mixing with the sudden waves of pleasure lapping over my skin.  I was
euphoric, high on my own power, and the two delicious auras that filled the
room.  I felt distant, and it wasn’t surprising that I had not even seen
Dominic and Christian move.  Suddenly they were both just…there, flanking me.

Neither of the
men in the room were even remotely human at the moment.  They had been tipped
over the edge by the power that flowed over me.  Christian’s eyes glowed with
fire, and Dominic’s were completely lost in silver.  The dark beauty of
Dominic’s aura washed over me, even as I thrilled at the red heat of Christian’s. 
My own power coursed through my veins, begging to be freed.

Dominic stepped
forward and slipped his arm around my waist, holding me close to his body as he
nuzzled my neck.  I leaned into him in acceptance and Christian growled and
circled behind me.  I felt the massive heat of him at my back and his touch
burned as he traced his fingers down my arm, grasping my wrist and bringing it
to his mouth.

The wash of
sensation doubled as the power around me and within me rose.  Dominic trailed
kisses from my jaw to the pulsing spot just above my collarbone as Christian
pressed against me from behind, kissing the soft flesh of my wrist and the
vulnerable crease of my elbow.  Apparently watching a woman rip a man to shreds
is a massive turn-on if you are a supernatural male.

I closed my eyes
and leaned my head back against Christian’s chest, exposing my throat.  I was
more aroused than I had ever been in my life, but it was more than that.  I
felt powerful- like a goddess.  I knew the men worshiping me were powerful-
feared among their kind.  But I was stronger.  I could kill them in an
instant.  And they knew it.  I trembled at the sudden knowledge of my power as
my blood sang in my veins, calling out to them.  Dominic pulled back and I saw
the glint of sharp teeth.  They were both going to bite me, and anticipation
spiked through my veins.

“Yes,” I
whispered when they hesitated.  I wanted to fill them both with the power in my
veins.

Just then, the
church door banged open and Ailis rushed in on the night wind.  Her silver eyes
flashed.  “No!”  She leapt to my side and grasped my free arm, painfully
wrenching me away from Christian and Dominic.  Turning her back on me, she fell
into a defensive posture as she shouted curses at the two men.

“What the hell
do you think you’re doing?”  I had never seen her so angry.  She took a deep
breath and got hold of herself.  Whirling, she grabbed my arm and stalked out
of the church.  “Come on,” she said coldly, “the little girl needs us.”

Glancing at me,
she registered my flushed cheeks and glazed expression and her scowl deepened. 
“And you need some fresh air.”

My body was
physically aching with unfulfilled need.  I glanced over my shoulder to see
Dominic and Christian standing on opposite ends of the church straining for
control.  What the hell had just happened?

Ailis had placed
the little girl in the back of the car and I slid in with her, cradling her
little body across my lap.  Her eyes fluttered weakly, and tears began to leak
from my eyes, falling on the floral pattern of her smudged dress.  She was
still alive, barely.  But I didn’t know if she would survive.  Her pale skin
was vivid against her dark hair.  The futility of this whole pointless, bloody
night washed over me.

I held the
little girl to me and a blue glow spread gently over her body.  I began to feel
drained, but I couldn’t stop.  I didn’t know what I was doing, but it appeared
to be helping.  The girl’s pale cheeks and blue lips began to flush with
delicate color.  I glanced up to see if Ailis had noticed, but she had
retreated to the church where I could hear her voice raised in anger.

I was still
sitting in the car, gently rocking the child, and wondering what I was going to
do now when the three amigos burst out of the church.  Ailis came to me and knelt
by my side, her slender hands skimming over me as she looked for damage.  I
shrugged her off and leaned over the little girl, holding her close.  I was
starting to shake, and things were becoming foggy around the edges.  Christian
glanced at me to ensure that I was okay before going back to inspect the rest
of the church.

Dominic came to
us and crouched down by the open door.  His crystalline eyes met mine.  He held
out his hands for the girl.  “Don’t worry Mya,” he said sadly.  “I will make it
right.”

I saw the silver
glint in his eyes and fear shot through me.  That sounded rather final.  It
would be easier for the vampires to just get her out of the way.  She had seen
too much.  He worked for Argenou.  What was one more human life?  I clutched
the girl to me harder and she moaned lightly, her eyes fluttering open again.

“I won’t harm
her,” Dominic said softly, his eyes still silvery.  I looked at Ailis warily
and she nodded.  Sitting up straighter, I loosened my hold but I wouldn’t let
her go.  Dominic knelt in front of us and leaned in to meet the girl’s eyes. 
His expression was soft and friendly, and the rising sun kissed his golden
curls.

The little
girl’s blue eyes widened and she looked at him in awe.  “Are you an angel?” 
Her voice was tiny and full of wonder.

Dominic smiled. 
“Yes August, I’m an angel.”  He took her little hand and looked at her
intently.  “Can you tell me what happened to you tonight honey?”

She frowned and
fear entered her eyes.  “A bad man took me.  He killed the other little kids. 
He was killing me too, but this lady made him explode.”  She glanced at me and
her lip trembled.  My heart broke.  I was a monster.  I hadn't realized that
she had seen it.  She would be scarred for life.  And the other children…were
they really dead?  Had she witnessed that too?

Dominic held out
his arms again and I let the little girl go to him.  She was obviously
terrified by my presence.  He stared into her eyes intently while his aura
swelled, floating around us in a soft caress as he put her under sway.  He
spoke again, his silky voice so low I could barely hear him.

“August, you
were taken by a bad man, but you got away.  You didn’t see any other kids.” 
She nodded, rapt, and he continued.  “The bad man is gone.  I took care of
him.  He will never hurt you again, and as long as you live.  I will be
watching over you, even though you can’t see me.  You are safe now.”

The little girl
let out a breath and smiled in relief, all traces of fear wiped from her eyes. 
Dominic had just erased all her bad memories, and taken away her terror in an
instant.  He kissed her on the top of her head and rocked her gently in his
arms.

”Sleep now
August,” he said, voice laced with compulsion.  “When you wake up you will be
safe.”  She closed her eyes and relaxed into his chest with a sigh, one little
thumb finding its way to her mouth before she drifted off.

Tears were
trailing down my cheeks as I saw Dominic for who he was- this twisted, scary
vampire that other vampires feared.  Maybe he really
was
an angel.  He
looked up, caught me staring, and frowned. 
Okay, maybe not.  
Christian
approached the car and I laughed until my eyes watered while they all looked at
me as if I had come unhinged.  Maybe I had.  I was still feeling blurry around
the edges, and I felt dizzy and cold.