Taking a breath, I said a silent goodbye to the gym, then headed into the darkness of the night.
The safehouse was on the other side of Portland. A condo amongst the rich that paid no attention to the likes of me.
My car was already stashed there since I had nowhere to keep it at the gym—Portland streets weren’t known for their plethora of parking spots—which meant I was best off heading back toward Crossroads. A few taxis were always waiting there for the drunks to take home, but most drivers rarely came back. I tried not to think too hard about why that was.
One block from my destination, the back of my neck tingled. My steps slowed as I listened for sounds behind me. There was nothing to be heard, but that didn’t mean something wasn’t there. I released my bag and turned around.
“I’m not in the mood for games tonight. Come on out.” I left the bow on my back for the moment, counting on the knives I kept in the side pockets of my leather pants to be my first line of defense.
A soda can rolled across the darkened street. Someone was definitely there. I took a deep inhale, mentally preparing myself for the putrid smell of blood and decaying flesh to hit me.
Three vampires. Damn, that was more than I usually took on without being on the offense, but I had some extra aggressions to take out, so that would work in my favor.
“We just want to talk,” a man’s voice said from somewhere higher up.
I chuckled. “That’s what they all say.”
Movement was on my right, and I threw one of my knives into the shadows. Hissing sounded soon after, letting me know I’d hit my mark. Vampires were fast, and while I was quicker on my feet than a normal human, I still couldn’t outrun a bloodsucker. Every move I made had to count.
“Now, that wasn’t nice,” another male voice sneered. The silver blade wouldn’t kill a vampire unless I took their head off with it, but the metal would still burn like a mother.
I pulled my crossbow from my back and loaded a stake. As soon as one of the bastards stepped into my sights, they’d be dead from the poisonous tip.
My stakes were all custom-made from cedar, soaked in holy water, and stamped with a crucifix just below the silver tips mixed with dead man’s blood. It was more than what was needed to make the stake, but one couldn’t be too careful.
The first male I’d heard before spoke up again. “You killed our friend tonight, and several more last week. That’s a problem we can’t ignore any longer, Hunter.”
“Yeah, I totally feel you there. I find it hard to ignore problems, too. You know, like when I catch one of you assholes sucking the life out of my kind.”
One of the vampires was breathing harder than the others. My dagger must have hit better than I thought. I trained my ears to the sound of the panting and focused my crossbow in the same direction.
Without hesitation, I pulled the trigger and readied another stake, waiting for more vampires to attack.
A body thudded to the ground, but I couldn’t pay him any mind as the other two came into view. Each of them had glowing red eyes, telling me they’d recently fed, which meant their strength would be up.
As if my night couldn’t get any worse.
2
Before either of the bloodsuckers moved, I pulled the trigger on my crossbow and grinned as the vampire’s eyes widened. Yeah, that asshole was going to be joining his friend in a matter of seconds. I had no time to watch his cold body shrivel up, though.
The nearest one disappeared and reappeared inches away from me, grabbing on to my neck and squeezing with his fangs elongated. I swallowed a gag while reaching for another blade. With one swift knee to his balls and a jab into his neck, the vampire released me, curling onto the ground.
I thought I was in good shape with two of the three already down before the fight had really even gotten started, but as I moved in to finish off the third, I heard more of them coming. Their hisses echoed off the brick walls within the alley.
I never could figure out why vampires thought sounding like a pissed-off cat was intimidating. The sound was more like nails on a chalkboard to me.
Before the others showed their faces, I channeled my enhanced senses and readied for a fight until I realized the one I’d just stabbed was missing.
Fangs sliced down my arm as I started to roll out of the way. The vampire behind me had nearly ripped my neck out, but I could ignore the gouges on my bicep for the time being thanks to adrenaline and my accelerated healing.
Two more vampires appeared in the shadows, stalking closer to me. I only had three more stakes in my crossbow and two more daggers stashed in my boots. That should have been more than enough, but with them working together, I had a feeling kill shots wouldn’t be as easy as I’d like.
The newcomers wasted no time taking their chance at claiming my life. Their bodies became a blur as they sped for me, and I did the same. I wasn’t as fast as the vampires, but fast enough for enclosed areas like the alley.
One of them slammed his fist against the wall I’d been near, and the other circled back, diving toward me. We tumbled to the grimy ground, rolling with the force of his impact until we hit a stack of crates and I lost hold of my crossbow. Damn it!
The crate at the top crashed onto the ground next to us, breaking into pieces. I grabbed one of the shattered pieces of wood and stabbed it into the bloodsucker’s neck. He wailed, releasing his hold on me, and I kicked him with as much force as I had in me.
I scrambled for my crossbow, but by the time my fingers wrapped around the stock, one of the vampires had a hold of my ankle. He picked me up like I was nothing until I was dangling in the air.
“Did you think you were going somewhere, Hunter?” he sneered.
“Nope. Just needed this.” I didn’t hesitate as I pulled the trigger, sending a stake into the asshole’s junk.
He dropped me onto the ground, my head hitting the asphalt with an audible thud, and a wave of nausea came over me. Yeah, that was going to leave a mark.
I wiped my forehead and found more blood. That was not good. There were very few times that a vampire had made me bleed. Getting this close and personal with the vamps wasn’t something I was fond of.
As I got up, I knew things weren’t looking good for me, but there wasn’t an ounce of give-up in my body. I still had two specific vampires to kill, and I wouldn’t let these low-level bloodsuckers get in the way of the vow I made seven years ago.
Blood dripped down my face from my head wound, and I was having a hard time breathing, which meant I probably had fractured or broken ribs. Regardless, I took a step forward and brought my crossbow up.
“Who’s next?” I asked with a twisted smile.
Before the vampires could decide what to do, we had two more guests. My sights moved from the ones in front of me to the new arrivals behind them.
I wanted to scream in frustration. The vamps I’d only managed to injure were also beginning to stir, and I didn’t know where the bigger threat lay—with those I was already fighting or the two remaining in the shadows.
Screw it. I acted without thinking too much. There was a decent possibility I was dying in this alley, and I at least wanted to turn as many of these assholes into ash as I could.
I shot one of the vampires in the back when he was distracted by the newcomers, hitting his heart. The other blurred and slammed into me, but I was prepared for that. I’d grabbed my second-to-last blade and jabbed the silver-coated metal into his neck as we landed on the ground, ten feet from where I’d been standing.
Damn, I was going to be covered in bruises after this fight. Thankfully, they wouldn’t last long.
The vampire slammed his head into mine before rolling off me to rip the metal out of his neck. He wasn’t as affected as the other had been, which meant he was older. I needed to aim only for his heart.
My crossbow was inches from my hand, but instead of grabbing the weapon, I took the next stake lined up between the risers and lifted the wooden object just in time for the v
ampire to land back on top of me.
His mouth formed into an O as the metal tip pierced his heart. The vamp’s dead weight pressed down on me, sending the stake further into his chest. His skin began to suck in on itself as the rapid decomposition began its process. I pushed him off me, a task that required more effort than usual, and moved back just far enough to avoid the burst of ash that shimmered under the moonlight.
The newcomers had split up and one of them was ripping the head off the remaining bloodsucker I hadn’t killed. Confusion pulsed through me, but I had no desire to stick around long enough to understand why they were killing their own kind.
I was still losing blood, not only from the head wound, but also the gouge on my arm from the fangs. Crossroads was only another hundred feet away. If I could get there and catch Dave before he left, I knew I could figure out my next move.
Footsteps moved toward me as I stayed crouched on the ground. I had one dagger left and no other stakes loaded into my crossbow.
The odds weren’t great, but I still had fight left in me. These monsters wouldn’t see me surrender.
When the vampire was standing over me, he reached down and grabbed under my shoulders. The gesture was gentle, but I wasn’t buying that they’d helped me for any other reason than to get their own snack.
Using every ounce of energy I could muster, I pushed up from the ground and slammed a blade into the dark-skinned vampire’s upper chest near his shoulder, not at all where I’d intended to hit him. Muddy red eyes widened at me in shock, and there was something about him that made me second-guess what I’d just done. He wasn’t trying to fight back.
My head shook. No, that couldn’t be right. Vampires didn’t help anyone other than themselves. Vile effing creatures.
The second one hadn’t moved, but I doubted whatever held him captive would last long. I got to my feet, grabbed my crossbow, and went for my bag. The other vamp was still staring at me. His eyes were the same dark red as the guy I’d stabbed. He wore black military-style clothes that were in pristine condition. Dark hair fell over his ears, and his square jaw was covered in a light layer of stubble. I couldn’t tell if it was the start of a beard or laziness in shaving. Either way, it was working for him.
I mentally smacked some sense into myself. None of that mattered. He was a vampire. Attraction meant nothing. I had a window of opportunity I couldn’t miss.
With my belongings in hand, I backed out of the alley. Well, more like hobbled. I was fueled only by adrenaline at that point.
When I got to the corner, I took one last peek to see if the two vampires were attempting to follow me. The tall, mysterious one had finally moved and was kneeling over his friend. He looked up and met my stare.
His eyes were hard and darkening, which shouldn’t have been possible for a vampire. Not that I knew of anyway. The shock of whatever had gotten to him earlier was wearing off. I took that as my cue to get the hell out of there. I was in no condition to kill them.
I staggered my weary ass to Crossroads just in time to see Dave getting into his boyfriend’s car. “Hey,” I called out pathetically.
Dave turned, half inside the car already. “What the hell, Am?”
He came running toward me and took the bag I was barely managing to carry as my adrenaline waned. “Dirty bloodsuckers,” I muttered.
Dave’s boyfriend joined us. “And this is why I pick you up whenever possible,” Steve muttered to Dave. He was just as good-looking as my bartender. Steve had blond hair and hazel eyes that held heaps of compassion within them. He always wore polo shirts with at least two buttons popped open. Tonight’s was a black number I hoped I wouldn’t be getting blood on.
They both loved the gym and fitness, so it was no hardship for Steve to wrap his arms around me and help me to his car while Dave tossed my bag into the trunk.
Once we were all settled into the vehicle, I looked out the window and didn’t see either of the two vampires from the alley. They had confused the hell out of me. They’d had every chance to kill me. I’d been moving at a snail’s pace when I left that alley and yet…they’d let me live. Something I’d have to think harder on after some rest.
“To the hospital where you should go, or somewhere else?” Dave asked. Nobody I knew was aware of where I lived. I made a point to keep that as secret as I could so the fact that I didn’t point Steve in the direction of the gym wasn’t a red flag.
“Is it too far out of the way to head toward Ross Island Bridge?” I asked. There was a park only a few blocks from my condo near there. I’d walk the rest of the way and hope nobody called the cops on my torn-up ass.
Steve winked at me. “Nothing is too far for the woman who helps keep my man safe.”
I narrowed my eyes at Dave. He wasn’t supposed to share what he knew about the patrons of Crossroads with anyone—a condition I knew was part of his employment with Chester. Dave merely shrugged. He was lucky I liked him.
Steve drove away from the bar. He was headed in the direction that would take us right past the alley where I’d been attacked. My gaze focused on the darkened street, but there was nothing left to see. The dead vampires had all become nothing more than ash taken away by the wind, and the two others were nowhere to be seen.
I shoved the worry that they were following us aside and closed my eyes. I hadn’t been this banged up in a while. My head had finally stopped bleeding, but my arm was throbbing. I glanced down to find black ooze crusting around the scrapes from the vampire’s teeth. The bastard had gotten venom into my system, but without forcing his tainted blood down my throat, the venom was nothing more than an annoyance. And it explained why I’d tired out faster than usual.
Before I knew it, Dave was gently shaking me awake. “We’re at the park. Where to next?”
I sat up with a groan. “Here is good. A friend is picking me up.”
He raised a pointed brow. “I thought Amersyn Holt didn’t have friends?”
I said nothing in return. I didn’t have the energy to keep making up lies. Instead, I got out of the car and headed to the trunk. It popped open, and I waved my thanks to Steve who was still in the driver’s seat. Dave followed me and was suddenly shirtless.
Sculpted and tan muscles reflected under the moon’s light. “Take this.” He handed me his long-sleeved Henley.
“Uhh, why?” I asked.
“Because you look like a serial killer.”
Well, he wasn’t wrong about that.
I set my crossbow down and put the grey shirt on. The hem fell to my mid-thigh, and the sleeves covered the injury on my arm.
Dave reached into the trunk next, pulling out a ball cap. “Take this, too. And don’t worry about returning any of it.”
“Thanks, Dave.” I said the words as sincerely as I could while I folded the front of my crossbow in on itself and shoved the weapon into my bag.
“I’m happy to help. You know I won’t push you for more than you’re willing to share, but I hope you know I’m here for you anytime, Amersyn,” he said sincerely.
“I know and I appreciate that even if I’m bad at showing it,” I said with a grimace.
“I’ll see you soon.” Dave smiled at me before getting back into the passenger seat.
What I loved about the bartender was that I knew I could believe his words. Dave was always willing to help or be there to complain to about shitty nights, but he never pried. He understood my need for privacy and wasn’t offended by my lack of trust. It was just part of a hunter’s life.
After their taillights disappeared, I opened my bag and fished out the card that would allow me entrance into my condo. The building had million-dollar views of Portland and came with the same figure price tag.
With the money I’d inherited from my parents, I splurged on real estate in the Pacific Northwest where the highest population of vampires were. Some of the places I invested in were worse than slumlord rentals and others not so much. This condo was a treat after I killed the first vampire responsible f
or the deaths of my family. I had zero regrets.
It took twice as long as it should have to get to the building made mostly of glass and steel, and once I did, I nearly cried tears of joy, but then the doorman tried to stop me.
“You’re in the wrong part of Portland, miss. We don’t want any trouble from your kind,” he said, looking down on me like I was some homeless chick trying to rob them.
I sneered and showed him my access card. “Move.”
He stuttered, addressing me by one of my many aliases. “Oh, Ms. Smith. I’m sorry. We haven’t seen you in some time, and I—”
“And I don’t care. Move. Now.”
My patience had run out, and I was taking it out on the poor guy. I’d apologize tomorrow or the next day. Whenever I surfaced again.
The doorman moved out of my way, and I continued toward the elevators. I pressed my bloodied finger against the metal button, uncaring when some of my dried blood smeared against it.
A ding sounded just as the doors opened. I tossed my bag inside before lifting my card to the screen. I had to adjust it twice before the stupid scanner accepted it.
“Welcome home, Ms. Smith,” an automated voice sounded in the elevator as the doors closed.
Yeah, home. That was a subjective word.
3
My bed was made in heaven. I was certain of it. Sleep was never better than when I crashed in this condo. I should have bought another safehouse and made this one my regular home, but it wasn’t conveniently located to where I hunted most, and that was an issue.
The hunter struggle was real.
When I woke up, I had no idea what time it was, thanks to my blackout shades and lack of clock in my room, but as awareness came back to me, an uneasiness took over.
I wasn’t alone.
It was a good thing I never slept unarmed. My hand reached for the stake I kept under my pillow, but it wasn’t there.
“Looking for this?” a masculine, yet sultry voice said.
Vampire Heir (Scorned by Blood Book 1) Page 2
