Of Blood and Passion (29 page)

She met his gaze. “Thank you, Rinaldo.” Then she turned and opened the back door. “Let’s go.”

Chapter 31

“R
ippers,” Jason said, his voice low and even.

Zack felt a thrill of excitement go through him even as his body broke out in a cold sweat. He’d been building his strength like a mad man for days. Now it was finally time to see what he could do.

They’d ridden the long way to the forest, avoiding the downtown buildings that Jason said were more likely to hide vampires and other things they’d rather avoid. If they went that way, they’d have to go on foot, and Zack figured riding around the town would be faster than walking through the middle of it. And safer.

But there was nowhere safe in Vamp City, he ought to know that by now. A sentiment proved by the six vampires currently facing them on foot with glowing red eyes. Rippers. They were a different race of vampires than the Emoras. While Emoras supposedly kept their souls when they were changed, Rippers didn’t. They’d go after anything that moved, damn the consequences.

Jason pulled a handful of wooden stakes out of his satchel and tossed Zack two. He’d searched Quinn’s room for her gun before they left, but she’d apparently taken it with her. Hopefully, he wouldn’t need much more than his fists.

One of the vamps blurred, leaping vampire-fast. And suddenly Jason flew backwards off his horse.

Zack’s heart seized. But before he could dismount to try to help his friend, he was hit by what felt like a battering ram and the next thing he knew he, too, was sailing through the air and landing hard on his back. The wind was knocked out of him, and as he struggled to breathe, his confidence collapsed, his mind exploding with a barrage of doubts and recriminations.

Why the fuck had he thought he could take on vampires? God, he was such a moron. He was strong, now, sure. In a gym. Against weights, and humans, not fucking vampires!
What the hell was I thinking?
He was going to get himself killed out here, which maybe wasn’t such a bad thing. At least Quinn would stop sacrificing herself for him. But damn his sorry ass if he got Jason killed, too.

As the vampire who’d knocked him off his horse grinned down at him with those glowing red eyes, and bared his teeth, revealing long, sharp fangs, Zack reacted with instinct, and anger. Grabbing the vamp’s head in both hands, Zack twisted hard, spinning the bloodsucker off him and following, until suddenly he was the one on top. Beside his knee lay one of the stakes that had fallen out of his hand when he hit the ground. Without thinking, he reached for it and shoved it deep into the Ripper’s chest.

Red eyes opened wide with shock a moment before the red winked out.

Holy fuck.
He’d killed the bastard.

Before he could fully relish the moment, another hit him from behind. But Zack was in the zone, now. He grabbed the head that was already lowering to bite him and flipped this vampire onto his back, too, staking him in one swift, clean move.

The ease with which he was killing the suckers stunned him. He was a freaking vampire slayer!

“Jase?” he called. He tried to see where Jason was, but suddenly the Rippers were coming at him from all directions and it took all of his concentration to focus. Whenever one got near, he slammed his fist into its face or his stake through its heart. Over and over, the bloodsuckers slammed him to the ground. But, over and over, he got up again, ignoring the cuts in his flesh from the fangs that caught on his hands, his arm, and once, his neck.

Dammit, where was Jason?
Don’t be dead, Jase. Don’t be dead.

Finally, there were only two Rippers left, but they were a wily pair, circling him with grins on their faces. They didn’t seem to care that he’d killed their friends. But then he didn’t think Rippers cared about anything but the kill.

Without warning, a wave of strength-stealing lethargy rushed through him.
Oh, hell, no.
Not now, not now.

He stumbled. “Jase?”

Both Rippers hit him at once. He tried to throw them off, and managed to keep them from attaching to his neck, but his muscles were fast turning to putty. He was out of time! If he collapsed like he had before, he’d be dead before he snapped out of it. Killed by Rippers.

Two faces swam in front of his, both with glowing red eyes, both with sharp, lethal fangs. He tried to reach for them, to fight them, but his arms refused to cooperate.

And suddenly, the two were flying backwards, as if someone had stopped the film and played it in reverse.

Before Zack could figure out what happened, his legs gave way and he collapsed onto the ground, the gray sky spinning dizzily above his head.
Shit, shit, shit.
He didn’t pass all the way out this time, at least, but pushing himself up took every ounce of strength he had. When his vision finally cleared, he saw that three more people had joined the fray. Two males—vampires, but the speed of them—who were even now killing the final two Rippers. And, on horseback behind them, a woman with a dark braid, a rifle strapped across her back.

Zack struggled to sit up, needing to stand, to be ready to fight, because he had no idea if they were actually there to help him, or just to kill him themselves. But when they turned to him, their opponents dead, he realized that none of the three had the red eyes of Rippers. Which was a mark in their favor, as was the fact that none of them wore the black uniforms of Gonzaga guards. Both males wore jeans, one with long hair and a small hoop in one ear, the other a close-cropped beard. But they might still mean to kill him.

“Who are you?” Zack demanded, pushing to his feet, relieved to feel his strength rushing back in. But even as he asked the question, the bearded one turned and strode away. Not away, Zack realized. Toward something lying in the dirt. A body. But…vampires disintegrated.

Understanding hit him with the force of a sledgehammer.
Jason.

“Stay away from him!” Zack started running toward the vamp that was kneeling beside Jason’s prone form. God, there was blood everywhere, a huge pool of it. And then he saw why. His friend’s neck had been ripped wide open.

Zack almost stumbled again, almost sank to his knees because this was his fault. He shouldn’t have snuck away from Neo’s like a teenager breaking curfew. He should have asked for the help of the vamps. But he’d been so certain they’d pat him on the head and tell him to let them handle it. And, God, he should have. He should have!

The vamp barely gave him a glance. “He’s still alive, but barely.” His gaze turned to his companions. “He’s one of hers, too. We’ve got to get him to her. Fast.”

“Go,” said the other male. “We’ll be right behind you.”

A split second later, the bearded vamp and Jason were gone.

Zack turned on the other male, the shock reverberating through him. “Where’s he taking him?” He didn’t trust them, not at all. And yet…they sounded like they wanted to save Jason.

“Where he might survive.” The male tugged on his earring, eying him with interest. “You’re Zack. The sorceress’s brother. We’ve been looking for you.”

Fuck. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Your picture is all over Vamp City.”

Zack’s eyes widened. There was only one person who would be looking for him, and for only one reason. Cristoff Gonzaga, looking for bait to catch Quinn. Damn him for a stupid,
stupid
, fool! He’d wanted Quinn to quit treating him like a kid, yet he’d acted just like one, running off without the help and protection of the vampires, not only endangering Jason, but his sister.

Stupid, stupid, stupid.

“Are you bounty hunters or something?” he asked sourly.

“No. I am William de Montbray.” The vampire to the woman. “My wife, Ana Lucia. You are in no danger from us, Zack. As soon as your friend is delivered to the healer, we’ll take you where you’ll be safe.”

Zack wanted to tell him to take him back to Neo’s. But he knew Neo’s operation was a secret and he was through being stupid. He wouldn’t lead anyone there, or tell anyone who’d been helping him, unless he was positive they could be trusted.

“I want to see Jason.”

The male gave a brief nod, then whistled. Two horses came running, one of them the horse Zack had been riding before. Zack mounted one, William the other, and the three of them took off at a gallop.

Lily was out here somewhere. Or she had been. Between the Rippers and the wolves, she wouldn’t have stood a chance.

The knowledge sliced through his heart and mind, the pain almost more than he could bear. He was too late. He’d never had a chance to save her. All he could do now was stick with Jason and pray his friend didn’t die, too.

Chapter 32

A
s Quinn, Kassius, Lukas, and Rinaldo raced across the open ground of Vamp City, Quinn realized the sky was becoming lighter than usual. A
lot
lighter. Normally, she had a hard time distinguishing day from night in this place, though she could usually see
something
during the day and, unless there was a moon, almost nothing at night. But, at the moment, the sky resembled a mere stormy day. Not bright, by any means. But
light.

Her companions eyed the sky worriedly.

“Are you going to be okay?” she asked them.

“We can survive this much light,” Lukas said. “But not much more.”

“If you start smoking, I’ll pull a bubble over us.”

The big Swede nodded. “Thank you, sorceress. The magic’s breaking down.”

“Look at the sky,” Rinaldo said.

Quinn followed his gaze to the eastern sky where bright cracks were beginning to appear. Thin, sky-blue lines across the gray sky. A fine panic had begun to spread through her, a desperation tearing at her, pulling her in three different directions—toward Zack, back to Arturo, and to the Focus to save this world and all within it before it tumbled down around their ears.

Her insides had become a quivering mass, her head pounding. The only thing that kept her from splintering completely was the knowledge that she’d sent ten of Sakamoto’s soldiers to help Arturo. He’d be fine…assuming they’d reached him in time. And if they hadn’t, it was already far too late.

Arturo, if you can hear me, if you can feel me, let me know you’re alive. Please? I need to know you’re alive.
But her mind remained silent but for her own spiraling thoughts.

As she glanced again at the crackling sky, she knew she couldn’t wait much longer to return to the Focus. If they didn’t come upon Zack soon…

No, fate couldn’t be so cruel as to demand that choice from her, that sacrifice. Her brother for the rest of this world, for the vampires and others who’d inexplicably become the best friends she’d ever had.

She’d find him soon, she had to believe that. And she’d find him alive, because the alternative was more than she could deal with.

Kassius pulled up suddenly.

Quinn did the same. “What’s the matter, Kass?”

He pointed to the ground, then swung off his horse. “Something happened here. Very recently.”

She wasn’t sure what he meant until she saw the torn-up earth and the splatters of vampire goo and blood. Then she knew. “A battle.” Her hands tightened on the reins until her fingernails dug into her palms. “We’re too late.”

“It might not be them,” Lukas said kindly. “And there are no bodies.”

Which meant they might have been captured instead of killed. There might still be hope.

Her head pounded as Lukas and Rinaldo both dismounted, scouring the ground around them.

Rinaldo squatted in front of a dark puddle, reached out and pressed his finger to it, then lifted his finger to his mouth.

Sudden understanding had her going light-headed. The dark puddle was blood. Gripping the reins with nerveless fingers, she urged her mount forward until she could see for herself the huge amount. Dear God.

“It is Zack’s?” She barely managed to get the words through the constriction in her throat.

Rinaldo rose, his eyes sad. “No, Quinn. It’s not. It’s Jason’s.”

“Heads up!” Lukas called with a quiet urgency that had all of them whirling.

Vampires surrounded them, suddenly, nearly two dozen Gonzaga vamps. By the cruel expressions on their faces, she was pretty sure none of these males were going to suddenly decide to help them.

As if reading her mind, Kassius confirmed, “Cristoff’s mercenaries. Several never had souls. The rest are new to Gonzaga, drawn by the depravity. This lot will go for the kill and the sorceress.”

“We’ll see about that,” Quinn muttered. Adrenaline surged through her, and with it, a feeling of power unlike anything she’d ever felt. Always before, pulling up her magic had taken concentration and effort, but thanks to whatever the Black Wizard had done to her…
for
her…my God, it was just
there
in her palms, as if it lived there, now.

She thought of the power, imagined it as a fireball in her hand, and saw it glowing there. Holy cow. She’d played softball in high school for a while and had always had a good arm. And while vampires were fast, she’d developed a sixth sense for which direction they were going to move.

But before she could send her fireball flying, the vampires disappeared in one massive blur. Her heart seized because she knew they were flying at her and her friends from every direction. And without her glamour, they knew exactly who she was. They would try to snatch her and deliver her to Cristoff.