I jumped up quickly and backed away, never taking my eyes away from them.
One pulled the dagger I’d thrown out from his chest and sneered. “Buffy, I hate to tell you but these won’t kill us vampires. Surely you know we’re all about the wooden stakes and crosses.”
The others sniggered.
I smiled and stepped into the shadows, using them to conceal myself. They ran at me and I threw my daggers, one after the other, at them. It didn’t kill them, or even hurt them, but it did stop them enough for me to utter the words to control light, brightening up the shadows I stood in. The vampires looked up, their confusion making me laugh. I threw the dagger and smiled when it split into five and sank into each of the vampire’s chest.
They convulsed, just as the other one had and then exploded, filling the air with their ashes.
I shook it out of my hair and sighed. I’d wanted to question them on Shane’s whereabouts, but they’d given me no choice but to kill them quickly. The night was quickly coming to an end, and my time was running out.
I grabbed all of my daggers and after a quick glance to show that no other vampires lurked about, I unfurled my wings and sighed with relief. Spanning at twice the length of my body, they were uncomfortable when inside my skin. I shook them and jumped into the night sky, letting the air carry me away.
Chapter Two
I flew to my home on top of a large snowy mountain. Humans couldn’t reach it because of the dangerous height, and any vampires that did happen to find me, I killed before they could even reached the top.
I landed on the rock ledge outside my home and waited, watching the sun rise from the distance. As soon as it peaked, the new light streamed across the dark shadows the night had cast.
Instantly, pain seared through my back, white hot and enough to make me stagger into the ledge as my wings slid back into my back. I felt like razor blades were running across my skin, splitting it open. I sank to my knees, nearly crushing the rock underneath my hand in pain.
And then it stopped, and I was left panting and shaking.
Bringing me back from death came with a price, along with my new strength and abilities. I had been allowed a second chance to seek the revenge that my heart held. When night fall came, I had to endure the pain of becoming one of the fallen—unseen by anything human. I could hunt the vampires without fear of losing my life and I could kill them easily with my new strength, speed and keen senses. But as soon as the sun rose and the new light hit, all abilities were gone, leaving me very much human, and powerless to do a damned thing about it.
I stood on shaking legs and let the breeze flow against me before I turned and walked into my home. It was spacious and cosy—a large living area filled with mismatched chairs and cushions, large bookshelves against the rocky wall, and hand-made rugs covering the cold floor. There was no electric here but the oil lanterns placed around the room lit the space up well, and the large fire pit warmed the room when necessary.
There were monitors in the room but they were all battery operated to make the sensors along the side of the mountain work.
There were four more rooms including a bathroom. The other three were bedrooms—my own, and two more for the humans sprawled around, relaxing without a care in the World.
“Get any?” Brandon asked, lifting himself from the upside down position he’d been laid in.
“Six,” I replied, heading to my bedroom. I was annoyed at the lack of kills and information I’d gotten today.
There were seven humans living with me. Humans who I’d saved from vampire attacks. I kept them safe from vampires who still had their marks on them, and I gave them the life the blood suckers had stolen from them. The life they stole from me.
I used the humans to my advantage. With the mark still on them, the vampires were keen to claim back their property, giving me the opportunity to wipe their sorry asses from existence. It made my job all the more fun.
I’d found Brandon first, a young man no older than I was, being seduced by a female vampire that told him she could make his dreams come true. Too mesmerised by her manipulation abilities, she’s bitten him and drank from him until the point of death. Unable to leave him to die, I took him home with me to take care of him. He reminded me of myself and how vulnerable I’d been when the vampires had attacked me.
Marie, Larissa and Jacquelyn followed—three girls who had been homeless due to their father being a bastard and driving them out. They lived in the same abandoned house when a vampire I’d been tracking for weeks, came across the girls and got distracted. Ricardo I found strapped to a chair while vampires drank from every vein they could reach and at the same time, I’d saved Richard and Joe when they went on a suicide mission to save their sister—unfortunately, it was too late for me to help her.
Each of the humans were gifted enough to see me for what I really was and I’d decided then, that fate was telling me to keep them safe from the vampires. In my heart, I knew they were valuable, and deadly in the wrong hands.
No one spoke as I walked into my bedroom and closed the door behind me. I was cranky when the sun came up, and when the fatigue hit me, I was dead to the world But first, I needed a shower to wash the blood from my back.
There wasn’t much in my room except for a bed, draws and a wall filled with my weapons. The bathroom was just as bare, containing only a toilet, sink, mirror and shower.
The water was lukewarm when I stepped under it, but it didn’t bother me. I didn’t feel the heat or the cold much anymore. I let the water ease my muscles before I washed and stepped in front of the six foot long mirror. I didn’t seem different than how I had a year ago when I’d been with Shane—my hair was longer and my skin paler, but otherwise I was the same build from the workouts I did—vampire and not. Vampire workouts were a lot more interesting and fun.
The only change was my eyes, which were a pale blue-violet colour now that the sun had risen. Once it sets, my eyes would turn bright purple.
I sighed and looked away from myself before I let my eyes stray to the twin scars on my neck and fell onto the bed. I passed out instantly.
My dreams were filled with that night again—vampires attacked me and Shane laughed as he willingly took the blood that would change him forever. When Shane closed in on me, his fangs bared, I woke shaking with my dagger clutched in my hand—my safety blanket.
It was darkening outside and the breeze was cool against my skin, keeping me awake when I wanted to sleep. I knew I couldn’t, not when the sun would set any second.
I dressed quickly, pulling on a long split leather maxi skirt, a black bustier over my black bra and studded ankle high-heeled boots. I plaited my hair over my shoulder and after strapping my daggers to my thighs, I walked to the living area to grab a snack to replenish my energy.
I planned to go out again to kill more vampires that lurked around at a club I’d heard others whispering about, but needed my abilities first. I walked outside onto the ledge just as the sun set, and the moons light shone down on me from above.
Pain tore through my back—more painful than before and I clutched the wall in front of me while my wings unfurled, and sighed with relief when the pain went instantly.
“I never get bored seeing that happening,” Brandon spoke from behind me.
I turned and shook my head, not speaking. Apart from brief conversations about vampires, we didn’t talk much. The humans were infatuated with my so-called beauty. It annoyed me to no end.
“I’m going out again. Want to be my backup? I could use you as bait.” I was joking, but Brandon didn’t think I was.
He grinned and nodded instantly. “Sure. I hate being cooped up here—you never know, you might catch my vamp.”
I snorted but it had no effort put behind it. He had no sense of danger when it came to vampires but he wanted so badly to find the bitch that ruined his life. I knew his dreams were filled with her every time he slept, and I knew he couldn’t shake away voice as she promised to find him.<
br />
No, I hadn’t killed her that night. She’d seen me coming and ran like a coward, and I’d been too distracted with Brandon bleeding to death to chase and kill her.
“Grab your stuff and get Ricardo on the line.”
“No problem.”
“I leave in five, whether you’re ready or not,” I called after him as he strode confidently away.
Chapter Three
The loud music flowed over me and my body began to move to the rhythm without me even thinking about it. My hips swung slowly from side to side and my heart beat in time with the drums.
The place was washed with perfume, sweat and heat from the bodies dancing so close to me. I raised my hands into the air and moved my body down as cold fingers slipped up my arms, to my own fingers. I closed my hands around his and moved against his body, not breaking the rhythm I had going.
The unknown man behind me tugged on my hands, turning me around slowly. I opened my eyes while I kept my body moving and checked him out. Tall, strong built with dark hair and dark eyes. His skin was pale, soft to the touch and his black shirt fit him perfectly, the top buttons undone to show the hard planes of his chest and his jeans fit his strong legs snugly.
I had to admit, he was a very attractive man.
He was also a vampire.
I saw his eyes travel leisurely down my body, taking in the curves of my breasts and hips. Caught up in the music, I moved closer to the vampire, moving my body against his. I was nearly as tall as him, so I rub in all the right places, getting him hungrier for my touch and taste.
The lights flashed fast, sending a kaleidoscope of colours onto the dance floor and onto the dancers.
The man steps closer, his hands splayed across my ass. “How about we take this outside?” He whispered in my ear, making me shiver.
Ew.
“I believe you read my mind,” I returned, and grabbed his hands, pulling him quickly through the dancing crowd and to the large double doors on the other side as though I badly wanted him.
As soon as the door snapped shut, the music was cut off instantly, leaving my ears thumping.
I let the vampire’s hand go, and swung my hips teasingly as I strode away, taking him down the back alley and into the dark, deserted car park. As soon as we reached the black SUV hidden within the shadows, I struck, swinging him around and slamming him into the side of the vehicle before I brought my knee up to his crotch, kneed him in the face when he doubled over and then spun. My heel sank into his chest and into his heart and he stiffened.
The side doors on the SUV slid open and Brandon stepped out, shaking his hair from his face. His black leather coat flapped around him as his light blue eyes flicked from me, to the vampire pinned by my heel.
The vampire moved slightly and my heel slipped further into his chest, making him groan and clench his fists at his side.
“Where’s Shane?” I asked instantly.
“Who are you?” He gasped the words, unable to speak properly from the pain.
My heel had been infused with light to keep vampires paralysed. I smiled. “I, my good dancing friend, am your worst nightmare. Now answer my question.”
“Fuck you!”
I pushed my heel in further and he cried out. “Pathetic. Now, one more time and if I have to ask again, it’ll be the last I do. Where. Is. Shane?”
“Fuck—”
I pulled my heel out and used my Light Dagger to silence his words. He shook violently and Brandon and I backed away before he exploded.
Brandon rubbed his jaw, his eyebrows raised when he met my eyes.
“What?” I asked innocently.
“Remind me to never get on your bad side.”
“I don’t have a bad side,” I replied.
“You don’t have a good side either.”
I smiled and kissed his cheek. “Maybe. You have nothing to fear, you’re a mere mortal. I’m after the bloodsuckers.”
He rolled his eyes. “That makes me feel better,” he replied sarcastically.
I unfurled my wigs and sighed with the relief that came with them. “Come on, that’s the fifteenth vampire tonight and no news on Shane. I’m beginning to tire of his games.”
“You’ll find him, don’t worry.”
I hoped so because I had a stinking feeling that he would find me first and if he did, I was in trouble.
Chapter Four
We made it back in time for the sun to rise and once more, I was human again. I couldn’t sleep, however, as Shane filled my mind. Where was he? What was he doing? Why hadn’t he hunted me down yet?
His predatory gaze made me so sure he would hunt me down. I doubted his sire had told him that he’d gone behind his back and killed me anyway.
So where was he?
I’d been in my room for only twenty minutes, but when I walked back into the living area, none of the others were about, and the monitors around the room flashed red, indicating that someone, or something, was climbing up the side of the mountain. I walked over to the monitors to raise the alarm and let the others know, when a hand closed over my mouth. I struggled instantly but when I was pushed against the wall and pinned with his entire body, I couldn’t even struggle.
“They know you’re here.”
Shane? My heart thundered in my chest.
He pulled me back into the corner of the room with his hand over my mouth and one splayed across my stomach. Figures moved from outside, blurring before disappearing within seconds, making me still instantly. My daggers were almost burning against my thighs and my fingers itched to pull them out and drive them into Shane’s chest.
“Tell me you have a backup for getting out of this place,” Shane murmured.
“Yeah, man. It’s right over here,” Brandon replied in a whisper, coming in my line of vision and walking over to where the secret panel was that would lead through the mountain and safely outside. Marie, Larissa, Jacquelyn, Ricardo, Richard and Joe followed close behind, dressed warmly and alert.
I struggled against Shane, screaming from behind his hand. Didn’t they know who he was? What he was? He’d kill them before they even realised what was happening if I didn’t stop him.
Brandon, ignoring me, put in the secret code and the thick metal door released air and opened. He looked at me expectantly, as though I knew what the Hell was happening.
“Are you all ready?” Shane asked, never once loosening his hold on me.
“Come on, guys. Let’s get out of here before the vampires get to us.” Brandon led the way down the stairs with the others following.
Shane put his lips to my ears. “Will you walk willingly? Or am I going to have to carry you through there struggling?”
Like Hell I was going to let Shane near my humans. I struggled, tried biting him, but he just sighed, lifted me easily and walked past the doors. Brandon was waiting and as soon as Shane carried me across the line, he pushed the button that sealed us all in, and locked everything out.
Shane let me go and I pushed him angrily into the door and pressed my dagger to his neck. He was as tall as I remembered him being, with the top of my head touching his nose. His hair was longer, strays falling across his face. He was as handsome as ever, and I couldn’t kill him.
Sinful Desires (Hunting Darkness Series) Page 2
