Vampire Charming (27 page)

Slade
cut her off.  “No, it’s true.”  He’d tried to deny it or pretend otherwise, but
he knew in his heart that he was a disappointment.  He’d always known.  “The
Vampire Isle exiled me, because they did not want me as their king.  My
grandmother practically disowned me.  Rather than battle Fang at my side, the
Infinia rebels fled at the first sign of danger.  My own Eternal-One says she
does not love me.”

“Slade…”

He
interrupted her again, not wishing to hear her pity.  “I am not blaming you.”  No
one had ever really loved Slade, so he wasn’t even surprised by her lack of
feelings.  Hurt but not surprised.  He’d hoped that it would be different. 
Maybe for a second he’d thought it could be, but Jane was so damn extraordinary
and he was never quite enough.  Not for anyone.  “My point is, when something
is
important
, I am guaranteed to screw it up.”

“Slade.” 
Jane lifted a palm to the side of his cheek, her eyes tracing over his face.  “How
could you
ever
feel insecure?  You’re brave, and smart, and handsome. 
Hell, you can even
fly
.  You’re as close to perfect as a guy can get.”

“Except,
you do not want me.”

And
Jane leaving him would be a defeat from which he’d never recover.  Usually,
he’d just sigh over his lack of success, pick himself up, and go on.  Despite
everything, Slade was a naturally optimistic person.  No matter how many times
he failed, he always looked on the bright side.  Not even losing his homeland
had quashed his positive outlook for long.  But, there’d be no “going on” without
Jane.  Without Jane, his life would just… stop.

Dark
Instincts stirred, hissing at him to do whatever it took to keep her.

Vampires
never
gave up their Eternal-Ones.

In
retrospect, he’d been idiot not realize how ridiculous his relationship with
Melessa truly was.  The woman had been as much his Eternal-One as a puddle was
the ocean.  When she left, all he’d felt was a bruised ego and a massive amount
of relief.  If Jane tried to divorce him, he’d end the universe.  She owned
everything inside of him and more.

Beautiful
gray eyes stared up at him.  “It’s not that I don’t want you.  It’s
me. 
I
can’t…”  She stopped mid-word, something catching her attention back towards
the tree-line.  “Okay, I hate to contribute to this movie’s dialogue thievery,
but… Infinia, we have a problem.”

Slade
turned and immediately saw the army.  Black banners flapped in the breeze. 
Armor glinted.  Hundreds of Goblins marched forward in relentless formation.  Fang’s
men had reached the edge of the Endless Woods and they were starting straight across
the field.  Clearly no one had warned them about staying on the road.

Jane
shook her head.  “It’s going to be a bloodbath once the Shadowmen see…”

She
didn’t even get to finish the sentence before the screaming started.  The
ghostly creatures swarmed the Goblins.  Black mist swirled around Fang’s
henchmen, dragging them downward.  Desperate Goblins tried to fight them off. 
Swords swung out, passing right through the thick fog of the Shadowmen.  Arrows
and axes were equally useless.  No matter what they tried, the Goblins couldn’t
stop the onslaught.

As
usual, Jane was right.  It was a bloodbath.

One
at a time, the Goblins vanished.  It was as if the grassland opened up and
swallowed them.  The survivors fled back to the Endless Woods, but most of them
didn’t make it.  The Shadowmen devoured them as they retreated.  The ground
turned to quicksand, pulling them under and slowing their steps.  Within two
minutes, half the force was gone.

Jane
shuddered.  “I am
so
glad you can fly right now.”

A
bloodcurdling howl cut through the night.  “Vammmmmpirrrrre!  Come and out
plaaa-aayyy!”

Slade’s
gave a low growl, his gaze unerringly finding the source of that idiocy.  Fang
was standing in the safety of the trees.  He didn’t give a shit about his
slaughtered men.  His lupine gold eyes were fixed on Slade.

No.

Fixed
on
Jane
.

The
Werewolf was staring at Jane with a mesmerized look on his face.  Even over the
distance separating them, Slade could see Fang’s wild hunger for her.  He was
too far away to pose a threat, but supernatural beings had excellent eyesight. 
Jane’s hair blew around her face, the curls dancing, and the Werewolf was
entranced.  Slade knew the feeling, but it still pissed him off.

He
bared his teeth and shifted Jane, so his body was between her and Fang.  He did
not want the other man even looking at her.  Slade’s Dark Instincts surged closer
to the surface, wanting to destroy any threat to his Eternal-One.  His mind
whirled for some way he could kill the bastard without endangering Jane.

“Not
until we have the Silver Sword.”  Jane told him.  “Don’t be reckless.”  It was
uncanny the way she could do predict what he was thinking.  Or maybe
not
so uncanny, considering that she was the other half of him.  Of course she
could read his intentions.  They were destined to be at each other’s side for
eternity.  “Please, Slade.  Let’s just get out of here.”

Slade’s
attention stayed fixed on Fang.  “You will not be safe until he is dead.”

The
Werewolf moved forward, so the toes of his boots were right on the edge on the
field.  It was as close as he could get to her without being attacked by the
Shadowmen and the barrier infuriated him.  “You can’t keep me from my woman,
Vampire!”  He bellowed.  “I’ll claim her, if I have to tear this whole kingdom
apart!”

Slade’s
fangs sharpened.  Goddamn it, no other man got to call Jane “his.”  “I will see
you
fucking dead
before I let you touch her!”  He roared back.

“That
sounds like the kind of dignified dialogue I’d use.”  Jane said quietly, but
Slade heard the tension in her voice beneath the dry words.  “Fang didn’t take
a hint from that note, did he?”

Slade’s
arms tightened around her.  “He cannot hurt you, my One.  I won’t allow it.” 
Jane’s personality made her a force of nature.  Strong and sure.  But, compared
to a Werewolf or Vampire, she was so damn vulnerable.  It would take no effort
at all for a supernatural being to break Jane’s small body and rob the universe
of her light.

Slade
abruptly realized that he’d been wrong to bring her to this land.  He’d
complained that she took no risks, but he’d
never
intended to place her
in harm’s way.  That was the last thing he wanted.  He’d been too arrogant in
thinking he could keep her safe.  Infinia was no place for such a delicate
creature.  Jane had been far safer in her own ummagickal world, surrounded by weak
humans, noisy technology, and ice cream cartons.

“This
really is all your fault, you know.”  Jane groused, as if reading his mind,
again.  “Fang thinks I’m your Eternal-One, so he’s planning to hurt
you
by hurting
me
.”

“No.” 
Judging from Fang’s face, this went far deeper than revenge.  “The Werewolf wants
you, because he wants
you
,
Jane.  And once his kind settles on a
mate, nothing dissuades them short of death.”  His jaw ticked.  “Luckily, I
intend to slaughter that son of a bitch, so the problem is easily solved.”

Lurching
movements in the forest suddenly caught Slade’s attention.  Wooden automatons
lumbered from behind Fang’s line.  Their arms outstretched, their stiff legs
unbending, they looked like a bizarre, mechanized mixture of trees and humans. 
At first Slade assumed they were some new monsters Fang had enslaved.  Then,
the Goblins started retreating from these creatures, too.  Shadowmen in front
and the wooden men behind, Fang’s army descended into chaos.  Soldiers ran
screaming in every direction.

“Remember
when you asked me what wooden robots are?”  Jane asked softly.  “I think
those
are wooden robots.”

“I
take it you are the one who activated them, when you detoured into Symon’s
workshop as we fled the village?”

“Seems
that way.”  She smiled at him.  “I didn’t really read the instructions, though. 
I just flip a switch to see what happened.”

Slade’s
mouth curved, adoring her.

“Kill
them all!”  Fang bellowed.

The
mass of his army fled, but his private guard remained.  His most trusted and
highly-trained soldiers shielded him, trying to drive the robots back.  This
was a staggering defeat for the Werewolf and Slade hadn’t even had to raise a
hand.  It was beautiful.

Fang
cursed violently.  He craned his neck, trying to spot her through Slade’s
protective grasp.  “Give me the human and I’ll give you Princess
What’s-Her-Name.”  He offered desperately, sensing that he was nearly out of
time.  “It’s an even trade, Vampire.”

Jane
Squire would never duck behind anybody.  No way.  In her mind, death by
Werewolf was no doubt preferable to admitting weakness.  But, she instinctively
moved her head so Fang couldn’t see her face through Slade’s shoulder.  Her
fingers twisted in the fabric of his shirt, hanging on like she wanted to be as
close to him as possible.

Slade’s
breath caught in wonder.

She
trusted him to protect her.

It
was the first time Jane had ever believed in him as a man.  Probably, it was the
first time she’d ever believed in
anyone
.  His optimism about their
connection returned in a rush.  If his independent Eternal-One could rely on
him, then anything was possible.  In that second, he knew he could win her over
completely. …Assuming they survived this.

“It’s
alright.”  Slade murmured and turned his back to the enemy.  Strategically, it
was a stupid move, but it made Jane feel safer and that was all that mattered. 
“I have you, my One.”

“I
want to get out of here.”  She whispered, again.

“The
woman
you
want, for the woman
I
want.”  Fang persisted, still
trying to get a good look at Jane.  Goblins and robots battled around him, but
he didn’t even glance in their direction.  “You take the princess and I will
take Jane Squire.  Your honor will be assuaged.  I’m not going to harm the
human.  You know that’s not what I want from her.”

Oh,
Slade knew full well what the bastard wanted from Jane.  Fang could sense she
was the greatest treasure in this universe.  His animal instincts were trained
on claiming her as his own.  Slade would die first.  He started flying towards
the opposite side of the field, frustrated that he had to leave Fang alive, but
not willing to subject Jane to this any longer.

“Maybe
this Werewolf talisman thing-y is busted.”  Jane muttered.  “He doesn’t seem
repelled.”

“That
is not how the bracelet works…”

Fang
cut him off, frantic that Jane was leaving his sight.  “The princess is a
centerfold, you know.”  He tried.  “Quite the supernatural beauty.  And she’ll
legitimize your quest for the kingdom.  You need her, if you’re going to claim
Infinia, Vampire.  And I need Jane Squire.  She’s destined to be my mate.  I
can
feel
it.”  He sweetened the pot.  “I’ll even throw in my favorite
pegasus.  I recall your fondness for horses, Slade.  Be smart and we’ll both
leave here winners.  Make the pragmatic choice, for once in your life.”

Jane
glanced up at Slade, her expression concerned.  “Don’t believe him.  He’s doing
all this to trick you into going over there.  I can’t
possibly
be what
this is about.  Guys do
not
get obsessed with me.”

“I
am.”

Jane
blinked at him in surprise.

How
could she still not understand?  “I am beyond obsessed with you, Jane.  You are
every thought in my head and every beat of my heart.  My best friend.  My
Eternal-One.  My
partner
.  Do you honestly believe I would
ever
give
you to Fang?  Do you think so little of me?”

“No.” 
She looked hypnotized.  “No, of
course
not.”

Slade
wasn’t appeased by her quick answer.  “You
are
what this about.  I told
you that.  Fang wants you, because he knows you are extraordinary.  He is not a
fool.”  Slade shook his head.  “But, there is no prize that I would
ever
trade you for, Jane.  Not Infinia.  Not a pegasus.  Not my own life.  I will
kill and die to keep you at my side.  No matter the cost, I will always see you
safe.  You should
know
that.”

“I
do
know it.  I’m sorry.  Really.  I didn’t mean…”  She trailed off and
gave a strange smile.  “I’m just not used to someone caring about me.  I’m used
to being nonessential to the plot.”  Her hands came up to cradle his face.  “Or
maybe I’m used to hanging out with pragmatists instead of heroes.”

“You
do not believe in heroes, so…”

She
lifted her lips to his and Slade forgot to be irritated.  She was kissing him! 
Jane had never instigated anything between them before.  She’d never thought he
was worth the risk.  Shock and delight flickered through Slade, but they were quickly
overshadowed by desire.  He would never get enough of the woman’s taste.

“
Jane.
” 
His mouth opened over hers, hungry for more.  “You are the most essential part
of my life.  I would not…”