There was no way to hide the terror in his voice. Haden was so very aware of her frailty at that moment. Why had he waited? Why was she still mortal?
Black clouds billowed overhead, and lightning streaked across the sky. Earsplitting thunder rumbled between the buildings. Rain pelted down on her. She looked up at the stormy sky and smiled. It was Haden. Each element of the storm was a manifestation of his power. He was so extremely intense. He was mysterious and powerful beyond belief. One day she hoped to know each and every one of his secrets.
He was so close to her now, holding her. She knew in her heart she wouldn’t die. She couldn’t. He would never allow it. She could feel his arms lovingly, protectively wrapped around her, cocooning her in the midst of his great power.
Fangs lengthening, Paul leaned down, whispering, chanting in a strange language. She couldn’t understand his words, but she felt the great intensity of his hatred and rage. His teeth, searching for her pulse, scraped her throat.
Lightning tore across the sky, and deafening thunder rumbled in Haden’s wake. He dropped from the sky and landed in a crouch. Standing upright, his wings shimmered for a few seconds and then disappeared.
Paul jumped up and stood over Caylee. She tried to scoot away, but he was standing on her leg. The ground heaved and rolled as Haden stepped forward.
Hoping Paul was too distracted to notice, Caylee attempted to pull her leg out from under him. He looked down at her and snarled, fully baring his jagged teeth and razor-sharp fangs.
“You look terrible, Paul.” Haden’s voice was serene, nothing more than a whisper, but it held unimaginable power and unparalleled might. His lips parted in a callous smile. Appearing completely at ease, he shrugged. “You’ve made many mistakes, but I promise this will prove to be your worst.” He waved his hand.
Chucked by an unseen burst of power, Paul’s body flew several feet and crashed into a brick wall at the far end of the alley. He started to get up, but he was struck in the chest by a bolt of lightning. His body violently convulsed for few seconds and then stopped. He remained, stretched out on his back, completely still.
Haden was several feet away, but Caylee felt him take her arm and help her up.
She looked at him. Actually, she gawked at him. It was impossible not to stare at him. He was a captivating sight, surrounded in a black, glittery mist. A godlike warrior. He looked different than usual. She would’ve never thought it was possible, but he looked more merciless and dangerous than ever before. His eyes were unreadable, bottomless pools of something very dark and passionate.
Her thoughts wandered as flames raced through her body. He was a sinful specimen of masculine sensuality. He was a wonderful, delicious fantasy, the most scintillating of all. She could and would secretly dream of spending hot, steamy nights in his arms, touching him, feeling his touch. But that was it. She wasn’t the kind of woman to have a man like him.
Haden held her gaze. She was everything wonderful. Beautiful. Sensual. Innocent. Strong. And so much more. She was everything. He allowed his gaze to wander over her picture-perfect body. The right side of his mouth curved upward in a grin. “We’ve spent many hours together, little love, but I’ve never see so much of you. Your choice of clothing is causing my mind to conjure up a few naughty thoughts. I do believe I’ve gained a new appreciation for the rain. When it’s wet, your shirt leaves very little to be imagined.”
She felt his sinful gaze touching her, slowly spreading over her flesh like a smoldering fire. Before she could blush or scold him, Paul roared. It was a terrible, inhuman sound. He jumped up. Eyes filled with deadly, venomous rage, he rushed toward her. Haden moved so quickly she couldn’t possibly see it, but when he gently kissed her brow and wrapped his coat around her shoulders, time seemed to stand completely still. Though his kiss was only a brush of his lips, it sent electrical currents zipping through her veins and over her flesh.
In an instant, Haden turned and slammed into Paul. The impact of their bodies made a terrible, bone-breaking thud. They tumbled back and forth, hurling each other to the ground and against the buildings. Caylee watched in awe. Common sense told her to run and hide, but she couldn’t budge an inch. All she could think about was the hot sensation of Haden’s lips on her flesh. She wanted to kiss him. Taste him. She needed to feel his mouth on hers. Her stomach was fluttering, and her head was spinning. What was wrong with her? Danger surrounded her, and she was standing there fantasizing. She had been attacked by a … by a … oh, my God! He truly was a vampire!
Haden fought fiercely, his strength far greater than any man. Each move he made was perfect. He was elegance and power perfectly combined. Wings? Did she see wings on his back? She shook her head. It didn’t matter whether she saw wings or not. Biting her lower lip, she looked up. He’d dropped from the sky. Sure, she had witnessed him do many impossible things. But fly? That was just insane. She shook her head again. Why did she doubt his ability to fly when she’d seen him turn into a dragon?
Pinning Paul against the wall, Haden held him a foot off the ground. He squeezed his throat, his fingers digging deep gouges. He could’ve ended it right then and there. He could’ve easily ripped Paul’s head right off of his shoulders, but he didn’t. A quick death wasn’t good enough. Haden threw Paul across the alley. Twisting and turning in mid-air, Paul landed in a crouch and launched himself at Haden. In a wild frenzy, Paul attacked. Haden met the attack with greater force. Bricks and mortar crumbled and rained down on them, but they continued to fight.
Caylee realized car alarms were going off. And in the distance she heard police sirens. She heard people shouting and screaming. Blood was everywhere. What would happen when the police arrived? Or what if, God forbid, an innocent bystander walked into the alley? Her heart raced quickly. Too quickly. Painfully. She couldn’t quite catch her breath.
Caylee’s distress made it impossible for Haden to focus. He turned to her and forced her to meet his gaze. I’ve placed a hedge over the alley. No one will be able to enter it. No one will be able to see what is happening. I need you to be calm.
From out of nowhere, a knife appeared in Paul’s hand. He thrust it forward, burying it deep into Haden’s chest, a fraction of an inch above his heart. Caught off guard, Haden stumbled backward.
Caylee’s heart stopped. “Haden!” She ran toward him as he yanked the knife out of his chest. His blood spurted everywhere. She was distraught, nearly out of her mind with fear, pressing her hands to the wound, trying to stop it from bleeding.
“What are you doing? Stay back.” Pushing her behind the protection of his body, Haden threw the knife at Paul, aiming for his thigh, still wanting to prolong Paul’s suffering.
Paul fell to his knees, his eyes red and glowing. His hunger for blood burned. The agony was intolerable. It was a terrible, fiery pain deep in his gut. “You failed to protect your woman. You used her. You led me to her. It’s my right to take her blood.” He ripped the knife free, lifted to his mouth, and licked the blood from the cold metal blade. While black, greasy blood seeped from the wound on his leg, he thought of Caylee’s hot, sweet blood flowing into his mouth and down his throat, filling him, restoring his strength. He licked his lips. “Her blood is mine!” He threw the knife at Caylee.
Lightning streaks raced from the north, south, east, and west. At the same moment, each bolt struck the knife. The thunder was instant and earsplitting. The knife burst into flames, its ashes falling at Caylee’s feet.
Haden wasn’t human. She’d known it for some time now. He couldn’t be. But what was he? A dragon? Or was he some other mysterious being from a different universe or time? Eyes wide, she stumbled backward, staring at Haden. It was frightening to think about how easily he controlled the most powerful, destructive forces of nature.
Wind blasted through the alley. Caylee felt something terrible and uncontrollable well up in Haden, a horrifying beast, a living creature of rage. His image flashed from man to dragon and then to man again. He growled. It was a deep,
animalistic sound.
He’d hunted and destroyed many creatures of darkness to protect humans from distinction. Never once had it been personal. He’d never protected someone he loved. And he loved Caylee; with every ounce of his heart and soul, he loved and cherished her.
Trembling, Caylee slowly backed away. Haden knew she felt the shift in him. He knew she saw the truth. She saw the dragon. The demon. A killer with no equal. Ruthless. Merciless. Black flames radiated and leapt out from his body and swirled around him. He was far more than intimidating. He was powerful beyond any human understanding. He was more deadly and cunning than any predator that ever walked the earth.
The ground was shaking violently, heaving and rolling deep below the surface of the earth, so the buildings swayed back and forth. Huge hailstones fell from the sky, shattering windows all around. Several building alarms joined the car alarms. Lightning was striking the ground in several places all at once. Caylee covered her ears to muffle the sounds, but it didn’t help.
Haden glanced at her. His eyes glowed but were as black as the darkest night. She met his gaze for a moment and then closed her eyes and prayed it was all a terrible dream.
Part of him wanted to wrap her in his arms and take her away. He could easily do it. There was no reason to force her to witness Paul’s destruction, but he was too enraged, too frustrated to stop. He fully embraced the cunning, ferocious nature of his kind, allowing the dragon to totally consume all thought. In an instant, he was on Paul, mercilessly attacking.
The sound of flesh being ripped, muscles torn, and bones breaking was so very shocking. Caylee opened her eyes and stared in absolute horror. Breaking apart bricks and mortar, Haden brutally smashed Paul against the building over and over again. It was a terrible sight. Frightening. Heart stopping. It couldn’t be real. It had to be a bad dream. A nightmare. She couldn’t possibly be witnessing such horrendous brutality.
Suddenly, Caylee was surrounded by ghouls. She opened her mouth to scream but only managed to release a muffled whimper. Her throat closed so she couldn’t take a breath. Snapping their jaws, they snarled, baring their teeth. They were the most hideous dog-like creatures with patches of fur and flesh torn from their bodies. Infection oozed from their flesh. In some places the wounds were so deep bare bones showed.
Haden had placed an impenetrable hedge of protection around her, so he didn’t worry about the ghouls. With a closed fist, he hit Paul hard. The impact created a terrible boom and hurled Paul several feet away, his body slamming against a dumpster. At once, Haden was in front of Caylee.
Whining and whimpering, the creatures turned to face Paul, seeking permission to flee. They would be destroyed if they attempted to attack Haden, but Paul commanded them to do it; they couldn’t disobey.
They surrounded Haden. Hesitating, they circled him, whining and shrieking. Then all at once, they attacked. Haden could’ve destroyed them without ever touching them, but as if they were rag dolls, he ripped each of them apart with his bare hands.
Paul knew he would die if he failed to escape. He watched for a few seconds, and then, using the last bit of his strength, he dissolved into a putrid mist and disappeared.
~ Five ~
STANDING IN THE middle of the alley, Haden studied Paul’s path. Even after Zack’s warning, he’d underestimated the vampire. The situation was so much more dangerous than he thought. He’d never encountered a vampire brazen enough to challenge a fully matured male demon. Not like this. Not using a demon’s mate. He should’ve killed the vampire before taking her home. Why hadn’t he? Normally he would’ve done it. There wouldn’t have been any hesitation. Why was it so important to make Paul suffer? Now the vampire was free to strike again. He’d killed numerous vampires, too many to count, but he’d never fought with anger clouding his judgment.
He heard Caylee stumbling over bricks, splinters of wood, and shattered glass to get to him. He turned toward her. “Stay there.”
He made his way to her in an instant. “He stabbed you.” She tried to unbutton his shirt, but her hands were trembling too much. “I can’t believe he stabbed you.”
He took a breath and held it. She was in a state of shock. He needed to comfort her, to say something, anything, but at that moment he couldn’t speak. He just stared down at her hands. He didn’t move. He couldn’t move. He didn’t want to do anything that might cause her to stop touching him. Compared to his, her hands were so tiny and delicate, but they wielded such great power over him. In all honesty, he was fascinated by her ability to possess absolute control over his body.
Apparently frustrated, Caylee ripped his shirt open. Haden’s heart skipped a beat, and then it raced. Her assertiveness was unexpected, but it was pure erotic pleasure. His flesh burned beneath her fingertips. His fierce need for her detonated. Enormous waves of lust slammed into him so hard his body shuddered, and every muscle tensed as he struggled to remain in control as she examined the knife wound on his chest.
He’d dreamt of her touching him like this for so long. Her fingers caressed his flesh ever so lightly, mercilessly teasing him, driving him mad. He knew she meant to soothe his pain, but her touch was the furthest thing from soothing. It was causing him to experience a delicious form of agony. His heart was going to burst. Her touch was pure torture. She’d never once, in all the time they’d known each other, touched his body so boldly.
She didn’t know she was enticing him, tormenting him, rewarding him, and punishing him all at the same time. In fact, at that moment, she would be horrified if she knew how much he enjoyed her touch. But he did. More than he ever thought possible. He’d lived alone for hundreds and hundreds of years, surrounded by people but purposely set apart from everyone, until he met her. He craved her companionship. He needed it. He’d spent a great deal of time gently seducing her, coaxing her a little bit at a time, waiting for the moment she would, without fear, embrace her body’s need for his.
He knew that, to her eyes, the stab wound would look very bad; his flesh was ripped wide open. Splaying her hand over it, she looked up at him, and he could tell she wished she could take the pain from his body. So much anguish flowed from her heart and soul. It was for him. Every bit of it. It touched him so deeply, so thoroughly. It hurt like nothing ever had before, but at the same time it filled his heart and soul with boundless joy.
“It’s okay, little love.” He placed his hand over hers. “I’m okay.”
He’d endured several wounds in battles, too many to count. Never once, in all of his existence, had his health and well-being mattered to anyone. The people he protected had never shed a tear for his sake. It had never mattered to him. He was a powerful immortal. A guardian. A protector of the innocent and helpless. And yes, the ignorant. His supernatural gifts and great strength were blessings and curses. Mankind, though they were protected by his kind, either feared or hated his kind.
“It looks bad, but it’s nothing. It’s already healing.”
Just then, she felt a burning sensation on her legs. She stepped back and looked down. Even soaked with rain her clothing was smoldering. Confused, she looked up at him. “What’s happening?”
“I’m sorry. It’s his blood. I should’ve known it was on you. It burns like acid.” Black flames surrounded her and swirled over her, caressing her flesh, touching her everywhere at once. Within seconds the strange flames removed the vampire’s blood from her body. “It’s gone now. All of it. You’ll be fine.”
“He’s a v-vampire.”
“I know.” He cradled her against his chest, near his heart where she belonged, safe and protected, shielded from the horrors of the dark world she lived in. He filled her with his healing energy, his strength, and his love.
“How can it be real?” She shook her head in denial. “I don’t understand any of it. How can anything that happened tonight be real?”
“Why didn’t you reach for me?” He wanted to comfort her. He was shocked when his voice sounded harsher than he intended, but he was frustrat
ed and a little bit angry. She should’ve believed in him. She should’ve immediately rejected the thought of him raping a woman. She could’ve been killed. The vampire should’ve never been able to deceive her and draw her out into the night.
“I did, but I … oh, God.” How could she believe he was raping a woman? “He was in my mind … my body.”
He pushed his frustration and anger aside, making sure she would only hear compassion and understanding in his voice. “It’s not your fault, little love—it’s mine. I underestimated him. He’s a very strong telepath and an expert hunter. He confused and deceived you, wanting you to believe you were alone and helpless. But you can always reach me, Caylee.” He set her down on her feet, and then, forcing her to make eye contact with him, he held her face between his hands. “Always.” Embedding the information in her mind, he added, “Be persistent. No matter what is happening, don’t give up. Nothing can ever stop you from reaching me at any time.”
Massaging her throat, she stared up at him.
“You’re my life.” Suddenly, as he watched her massage her throat, he feared he was too late. His heart actually stopped.
He growled. It was a deep, menacing sound. He didn’t try to hide the dark, deadly power radiating from his eyes as he reached up to move her hand from her throat. He examined her throat and neck.
Haden felt her fear, but he ignored it. He wouldn’t allow it to stop him. She had every right to fear him—he would kill her if Paul had turned her. He would have no other choice. He would never allow her to suffer the existence of the undead. He couldn’t. He loved her too much. He would find a way to do the impossible: he would end his existence to be with her, but he would most certainly kill her. “Did he give you his blood?”
“Huh? What do you mean?” Eyes wide, she stared up at him.
“Did he force you to take his blood into your body?”
Eternal Breath of Darkness Page 6
