Demonstorm: Heart of a Vampire #6

by Kallyn, Amber

  The man in front of Sean narrowed his eyes as he sniffed the air. Then he jerked back, growling, “Half-breed. I’ll kill you fast. Put you out of your misery.” He screamed in rage, and all four creatures sprung forward.

  “I got these bastards,” Mayah said at his back.

  He could do nothing but hope she knew how to fight. Sean lunged at the two in front of him. Blades flashed as he stopped both of their swords. With a sweeping motion, he slashed one blade across the leader’s chest. Blood welled. The demon glanced down as if surprised at his wound.

  The other ducked Sean’s next swing.

  Stepping back, Sean avoided a blade, then the leader’s claw-tipped punch. His foot caught on an exposed tree root.

  The leader found an opening. A fist slammed against Sean’s ribs. Bone cracked and pain flashed through his chest. His breathing became labored, but he ignored it. He’d suffered far worse.

  “You’ll have to try harder than that to hurt me,” he taunted, feeling the rush of adrenaline flush through him

  His demon essence sang with the need to fight. To conquer.

  To destroy and kill.

  Sean swung his deadly blades. His katanas sliced through skin, muscle, bone.

  With a scream, the leader clutched the remaining stump of his arm, backing away.

  Behind Sean, someone grunted. He risked a glance back, just in time to watch Mayah backhand a demon. The black shards on the top of the glove left deep furrows over the demon’s face. His wounds began to smoke, as if the crystals burned the creature.

  The demon in front of him leapt forward, angling his blade for Sean’s heart. He jerked one of his swords up, barely blocking the strike.

  The demon twisted, his blade slicing along Sean’s forearm.

  Sean ignored the burn and ducked beneath the creature’s outstretched arm. He slid his second katana into the demon’s unprotected chest. The creature screamed, sword dropping.

  Sean pulled back, then slashed through the man’s neck.

  The demon fell, his head separated from his body.

  The leader’s eyes widened. Holding the oozing stump of his arm to his chest, he turned and ran into the forest. Coward.

  Sean spun to face those near Mayah, only to find one motionless on the ground, most likely dead. The other dodged out of the way of her fist, then raised his sword.

  Racing between them, Sean met the man’s strike.

  Anticipation warred with the need for haste. It was only a matter of time before the rest of the horde returned. No way they’d miss the sounds of the fight, or the heady scent of blood filling the air.

  He had to end this quickly, before they became overwhelmed.

  Ducking under the demon’s thrusting blade, Sean spun and sliced across the back of the man’s ankles. Blood welled as he screamed, stumbling and falling to his knees.

  Mayah moved in so fast she seemed almost a blur. She kicked the demon in the chin. His head snapped back, teeth clacking, bones cracking. She punched him in the neck, three quick times.

  When she drew back, the man’s throat glistened red. Blood poured from numerous wounds created by the black crystal shards. Once more, smoke rose from them.

  The man gurgled something unintelligible as he swayed, then crumpled to the ground.

  “Come on.” Mayah grabbed Sean arm and pulled him away.

  They raced through the forest, keeping to shadow, staying as quiet as possible. Every time they heard movement, they froze. Twice more they hid high in the trees. Hours later, the sun had risen. They finally reached the edge of the woods.

  His black pickup was still hidden where he’d left it. He searched the area for any sign of demons or waiting ambush.

  It took an enormous amount of energy for his body to heal. He needed food, blood. Still, he waited ten long minutes. “Stay here until I signal.”

  Mayah sighed, but nodded in agreement.

  He reached his truck, circling it twice. No alarm rang, no one jumped from behind rocks or trees. Unlocking the doors, he called her over. As soon as she got in the passenger side, he drove away from the dark woods as fast as he could.

  She slowly slid off her spiked gloves, nestling them back in the golden box, then clenched her fists in her lap.

  He grabbed some sandwiches from a cooler, and after offering one to Mayah, wolfed his down. After two more, and a couple bags of chips, he felt a little better. He needed blood. A bigger meal. This would have to do for now.

  As they reached the bottom of the mountain, and occasional signs of civilization, he glanced at Mayah. “Will he let you go? Give up chasing you?”

  He wasn’t surprised by her answer.

  “Never.”

  * * *

  Mayah tried to calm her rage, her worry. Her nerves continued to hum with tension, even as Sean sped away from the place that filled her nightmares.

  Brüs would never give up hunting her. He’d know he didn’t have to. She thought of the vision of her brother. Cyrus had told her not to come.

  Trap or no, she couldn’t leave him in Brüs’s clutches. The Abatu demon would kill Cyrus if he couldn’t be used as bait for the trap to bring her back.

  It was a double-edged sword, but not a hard decision to make. She must rescue her brother above all else.

  From the corner of her eye, she watched Sean. How easy it would be if she could just take this vehicle. Unfortunately, trying to learn to drive while on the run didn’t seem like the best plan. She didn’t know this realm very well, having only seen the insides of Brüs’s castles for most of her time here. Though she was familiar with much of the technology of the times, that didn’t mean she’d ever had the opportunity to learn how to work it.

  Sean obviously had no issues dealing with modern things.

  For a second, a thought flitted in her mind. Maybe she could keep using him? Bargain her helping his clan, if he’d take her to her brother?

  No. She shouldn’t even consider it. Such a thing would be too great a risk.

  Tiredness swept over her, the adrenaline of the fight washing away. She bit her tongue, the pain keeping her at least semi-alert.

  This man might have freed her but that didn’t make him safe. Or trusted. Yet, there was a part of her that, deep inside, did feel safe. He’d freed her, fought by her side.

  She reminded herself he was merely a stranger who wanted to use her like all the rest.

  And if his vampire clan wanted her enough to risk sending someone into Brüs’s castle to get her out, then this man wouldn’t just let her walk away. Which meant as soon as she made her second escape of the day, she’d have Brüs’s men and Sean on her ass.

  Though her eyes felt grainy, she kept them open, watching the miles roll beneath the truck. She dared not fall asleep, out of the fear she’d wake once more shackled and forced to serve.

  A while later, Sean finally spoke. “What’s the second condition you mentioned earlier?”

  Mayah glanced at him, then away. She didn’t dare mention her brother. Not to him. “Can we talk about it later? I’m exhausted.”

  He shot her a scowl, but nodded.

  Mayah forced herself to appear relaxed in the seat, but her mind continued to spin. Plans for escaping and figuring out a way to head north filled her thoughts.

  Chapter Five

  Hours later, a small town appeared on the horizon. Sean pulled his truck into the dirt lot in front of a rickety country motel on the side of the highway. Between the miles and multiple directions he’d driven after leaving the castle, this Brüs should have a hard time tracking them. He glanced over at the passenger seat.

  Mayah still stared out the window. The entire drive she’d remained silent and nearly unmoving.

  She looked exhausted. Maybe after a meal, and with a real bed, she’d be able to get some rest. The cramped cab wasn’t exactly comfortable.

  “We’ll stop here for a little while,” he said.

  When she didn’t respond, he reached over and shook her shoulder
gently.

  She came up swinging. Her fist grazed his cheek before he jerked back. She blinked, her face once more a mask, and slowly lowered her hands.

  “You all right?” he asked.

  “Fine.”

  “I thought you were awake.”

  “I was,” she stated shortly.

  He waved at the building. “I’ll get us a room. One is safer than two.”

  Her eyes narrowed but she didn’t reply.

  “Don’t worry,” he forced a grin. “If they don’t have a room with two beds, I’ll take the floor.”

  Something flashed in her dark eyes, but she remained silent, watching him as if he’d suddenly started speaking gibberish.

  He got out and headed to the office. Sure enough, they had a few rooms with two double beds. After getting directions to a couple of nearby restaurants, he walked back outside. And stopped short.

  Mayah was gone.

  Alert for Brüs’s men, he hurried to the truck, double-checking the empty cab.

  There was no stench of those from the castle. And unless the demons had been right behind him the entire way—which wasn’t possible—there was no way they could have caught up.

  He turned in a circle, studying the few abandoned buildings nearby.

  It didn’t seem likely that she’d been recaptured. Which left what?

  She’d run.

  But why?

  Inhaling deeply, he caught her lingering scent coming from the direction of the buildings. He took off after her. He didn’t know what kind of game she was playing, but it wasn’t safe.

  Besides, he had to get her back to Arizona, to his clan. Show them all he could be depended on.

  He couldn’t let this flighty woman put herself in danger for any reason. Something inside told him to try to figure out her reasoning, but anger pushed him faster. At the first building, he climbed to the top, then raced from roof to roof, following her scent.

  It steadily grew stronger.

  He jumped onto another building and raced along the edge, spying her running down a long, deserted street.

  With a huge leap, he landed in front of her.

  She crashed into him, sending them both stumbling. Then, with a scream, she backhanded him.

  Pain slashed through his jaw. “Damn hell cat.” Grabbing her arms, he jerked them behind her back.

  She kicked and snapped, leaving a few bruises and too many teeth marks.

  “Damn it. I don’t know what your problem is, but I don’t want to hurt you.”

  She went limp, but he didn’t fall for it this time.

  He kept his hold tight on her wrists and arms. “You want to talk about it, or should I just tie you up and haul you home?” He let his voice descend into a full growl.

  “I will not be a prisoner again,” she stated, keeping her head bowed, her braids falling forward to hide her face. “Especially not for some half-breed.”

  He winced at the disgust in her voice. “I sure as hell don’t want to have to treat you like a prisoner. You agreed you would help my clan if I freed you.”

  She growled. “Blackmailed agreements mean nothing.”

  Shock coursed through him as her mask slipped and he caught a glimpse of desperate fear mixed with hatred.

  “I’m going to let you go. But I expect you to talk to me like an adult, rather than trying to run away again.”

  Her lips remained pressed together in a tight, thin line.

  “I need your spoken agreement.”

  “Fine.”

  “And your acknowledgement this isn’t blackmail.”

  She craned her neck to pointedly look at his hands clutching her wrists.

  “I don’t consider self protection to be a form of blackmail. Would you like to see the bite marks you left?”

  She sighed. “Fine. I will talk with you, if that is what you wish.”

  He let her go, watching carefully in case she decided to run again anyway. As she patted the bag tied to her belt, the one containing her precious gold box, Sean smiled. Before she could stop him, he grabbed her bag and tucked it under his arm. “Just in case. I figure you won’t take off without this.”

  Her eyes flashed with fire. She opened her mouth, snapped it shut. Keeping her arms crossed over her chest, she turned and began to trudge back toward the motel.

  After a long moment, he asked, “We should eat while we talk. We both need to keep up our strength.”

  “Whatever you wish,” she replied, her jaw clenched tight.

  They reached the motel. He grabbed the cooler from the truck, then headed to their room. From the chest, he pulled out a couple of bags of blood.

  When she saw them, she stilled, her face blanking once more.

  He slowly raised the first bag, popping off the cap, then drank the cool, coppery liquid. As it hit his stomach, energy coursed through him.

  She watched him finish two more bags, her face carved from unmoving marble.

  As he finished, she frowned and said, “I don’t drink blood. I’m not a vampire.”

  “I do. Got a problem with it?”

  “I…” She shook her head. “It doesn’t matter.”

  She leaned against the wall next to the door, but didn’t yet make a run for it. Her gaze kept straying to the bag he held tight.

  He closed the cooler. “The motel owner gave me directions to a couple of nearby restaurants. You in the mood for pizza or burgers?”

  “Whatever you wish,” she stated tightly.

  His stomach churned. “Look, lady, I’m not planning on chaining you up in my dungeon and using you like Brüs did, all right? I said we wanted your help, and we do. We need it badly. But you won’t be forced, or mistreated.”

  She just stared at him, face blank, eyes dark, never-ending pools.

  He sighed. “Let’s get some food.”

  “As you wish,” was her snarky reply.

  He followed her out the door, muttering, “Just don’t start calling me Wesley.”

  * * *

  The drive was thick with tension. Mayah kept an eye on her bag, but it looked like he wasn’t going to dare let it go until they had their “talk”.

  She couldn’t believe he’d caught her. She chalked it up to being in an unfamiliar place, and taking too long to figure out which direction to go.

  When he stopped in front of a small restaurant, she got out and followed him inside. The smell of cooking meat filled the air and made her stomach growl.

  “Where would you like to sit?” he asked.

  She opened her mouth, but snapped it shut when he added, “And don’t give me that ‘whatever I wish’ line. I’m happy to stand here all day until you choose.”

  She glanced around the nearly empty place, ready to force him to do just that, but her stomach growled again. With a sigh, she gave in and headed for the nearest booth.

  Let him feed her. She’d talk. The bare minimum necessary. Then she’d take her bag and figure out how to get away.

  The waitress took their orders, eyes widening in surprise at the amount of food they each requested. After she walked away, Sean pulled out her bag and set it onto the table. He pushed it to the side, but kept it near his hands.

  “If you don’t trust me, why did you come with me?” he asked.

  She barely contained a snort of ironic amusement. “I’m not stupid. I don’t make a habit of passing up once in a blue moon opportunities, irregardless of who’s doing the offering.”

  “Okay, so let’s start there. I got you out, didn’t I?”

  Grudgingly, she nodded.

  “I didn’t reshackle you, or try to force you to do anything… until you tried running away. Which, I might add, isn’t exactly the safest thing to do right now.”

  She stiffened. “I can take care of myself.”

  “I don’t doubt that. But you can only fight so many men at a time without being overrun.”

  As if she didn’t know that well enough. It had taken most of Brüs’s army to decimate her home a
nd defeat her father’s men—fewer in number, but greater in strength even so.

  Twelve demons had descended on her. She’d managed to take out five of them before faltering. Then, it had been easy for Brüs to snap on the hated collar, preventing her from using her magic to get out of his clutches. After he’d brought Cyrus to her, beaten and bloody, and wearing his own set of chains… Well, her choices had jumped from limited to non-existent.

  Of their father and other brother, Brüs had refused to comment. And her visions, even after all this time, had never shown her anything about either of them. She had to believe it was only because they were still in the demon realm, rather than this one. She couldn’t stand to think anything else.

  “What is it you’re not telling me?” Sean asked, his voice full of sympathetic kindness. “No one in my clan will harm you, or force you to do anything you don’t want. I know words are useless, but they’re the only thing I have right now.”

  She met his strange gaze, his eyes ringed with both vampire red and demon black.

  A half-breed. One who could turn crazed at any moment.

  Those creatures usually went insane amidst a bloodbath of destruction and death by their hundredth year. This man was a hell of a lot older than that, by the bite of power she could feel from him.

  If he’d lasted this long without going nuts…

  The waitress shoved a plate in front of Sean, another in front of Mayah. “The rest are coming,” she stated, spinning and heading back to the kitchen.

  Mayah lifted her burger and took a bite. It was delicious, and sorely needed. While they ate, she turned the problem over in her mind, relentlessly poking at her worries.

  And she thought about the note that had been written on Sean’s map. He’d said Jezamine had given it to him, and Mayah believed it, for she’d recognized the old witch’s handwriting.

  Written in a looping scrawl, and protected by magic only a demon could see through, the woman’s words were clear in a way, confusing in another.

  “If you allow it, Sean can save you. You can save him. Trust is a necessary part of life.” Jezamine was one of the few she knew she could count on for support. For truth. Always.

  Mayah took another large bite.