by C. L. Quinn
“That was months ago.” Jack seemed skeptical.
“It was, yeah, but think about this. Saul has only just come back. What if they wanted to get all of us? I mean, I wasn’t there in Louisiana with you guys, but Saul was, and he just returned. It makes sense. If they were working with the vampire at that time, they might have waited to have all of you in the fight.”
“But he seems to have targeted you, Dani,” Saul weighed in.
“No, I said that I felt his presence. I think I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. Quattro has some kind of fascination for me, sure, I guess, but it doesn’t stem from the same reason he’s declared battle on you guys. I’m just a ringer.”
“When it came time to reveal himself, not only did he do that to you, not one of us, but it seemed to be very personal.”
Saul was pissing her off. Dani shrugged. “Whatever you say. I’ve made my point.”
“Stop.” Sanquinetta took control again, aware that what was going on between Dani and Saul right now was personal too. She commanded her team’s attention.
“One way or the other, they’re coming for us, I think we all know that. The question is, how do we prepare our defense? Kwano, you have the most experience within the first blood world. What might we expect from Quattro and Felix? Those two are the real threats, right? The other made vampires, they should be easy, yeah?”
Kwano shook his head. “Not necessarily. One thing we discovered decades ago is that with large infusions of blood from a first blood vampire, made vampires can pick up talents, magics that they would normally never have. It is possible to create a more powerful made vampire with a great deal of dedication. They may have done so. If they have, we face four very formidable enemies. We might want to bring in reinforcements.”
“Fuck. I really don’t want this to blow up into war.”
Silent for a few seconds, she looked back at Kwano, his arms folded, calm, waiting for instructions. “Really?”
“Really, San. This could be the most dangerous situation we’ll ever face.” He turned to Dani. “You felt some of his power. Dani, what is your take?”
“He’s strong. I think he’s got a lot of talents. More than that, he has conviction and a terrible desire to pit himself against someone of equal skill. All of those things are dangerous. I agree, Kwano, we need help.”
“There, San, from the two who know first bloods most, and the one person here who has had any close contact with our enemy.”
“Huh,” Jack’s amused voice interrupted. “The classic. Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.”
“That animal isn’t getting close to Dani again.” Saul was standing now, his eyes glowing.
Placing a hand on his shoulder, Kwano sent impression to calm Saul down. “Whoa, tiger. We’ll protect Dani. It’s also a classic to divide and conquer, so let’s not let them do that. We work this problem together and we win together. That is the first blood way.”
“I’m sorry. My anger is misplaced.” Saul caught Dani’s gaze, aware she was pissed. “I apologize. We protect and fight together. It isn’t my place to tell any of you what you will do.”
“I’m fine. No, Saul, you’re not my father, so don’t act like it. But you’re right. I have no more idea what to expect from Quattro than you guys do. In fact, I doubt he’ll contact me like that again. He’s made his point and announced his intentions. Now, it’s on to the big battle. Whenever that will be.”
“So nowhere in his message to you did he indicate any timeframe at all?”
“No, I’m sorry, he didn’t. Maybe that’s when he’s going to use the ever-brilliant element of surprise that he gave up by introducing himself and his intention to kill us.”
Eva pulled Quattro’s image back up, fullscreen, and studied his face. “Do you suppose he’s psychotic? Do first bloods have mental problems?”
Dani shook her head. “No. He’s not insane. He truly thinks he’s an angel of justice. Seriously, he thinks we’re the bad guys!”
Saul watched Dani closely. Was she defending their enemy? What the hell? Was she? “Maybe. Or maybe he’s an arrogant asshole with an agenda to call us out because he likes to fight and likes to win.”
Eyes locked on each other, Dani and Saul were still and silent. The other hunters were too as they watched the battle of wills swelling in front of them.
Facing Saul, Dani held her temper, arms folded, legs set in a defensive stance. “You know nothing about this vampire, Saul. For you to assume to know his motivation isn’t helpful.”
“This creature calls himself after biblical legend. What makes you assess him as noble?”
“I didn’t say he was. Don’t put words in my mouth.”
“I wouldn’t if you…”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” Sanquinetta snapped, stepping between the two battling hunters. “So we can’t fight our enemy if we’re fighting each other. Neutral corners, guys. Dani, why don’t you help Kwano in the armory? We received our new weapons and they need to be unpacked and checked.”
For moments, Dani didn’t move. The team watched her eyes move over Saul, top to bottom, before she nodded and followed Kwano from the room.
Sanquinetta slapped Saul on the forearm. “You weren’t going to win with her, you know. Jeez-us! You and Jack, do a perimeter sweep.”
Without questioning her orders, Jack pushed Saul from the building.
Eva glanced up from her keyboard. “So. What was that?”
“Give you a moment to guess.”
“Sexual tension out the ass between Saul and Dani. Think they’re setting the sheets on fire?”
“I’m trying not to guess. This will only complicate things with our new situation.”
“Mother may I. Even though we don’t, oh, but to be a fly on the wall.”
Sanquinetta tipped her chin as she tried not to imagine Saul confronting Dani tonight, an argument that would surely end up in her bed. Without realizing it, she sighed and said aloud, “I gotta get laid.”
When she looked up at Eva a second later, Eva kept her eyes on the monitor with six divided camera feeds until she glanced at her friend with a wide grin.
“Mind your business, young woman.”
Sanquinetta hurried back into the abandoned break room.
As Dani’s shift ended, although still dark, the evening was warmer than it had been in recent days. Late autumn offered variable temperatures and tonight was a bonus of light breezes and warm air. With clear skies above the sea, the surf easy tonight, she bounced down a trail of narrow stairs that led to a long stretch of private beach. Jack had rescued the shoreline from a planned development of beachfront apartments when he bought the house and acres of land on both sides.
A single wood bench with legs buried in the sand sat next to four solar-powered tiki lamps with soft rose glows that didn’t destroy the ambience of natural solitude. Dropping onto the sand in front of the bench, she leaned back to rest against the seat, her eyes moving over the sea that at this moment, looked like it rolled in slow motion.
She wore only a lightweight satin robe and slide-on sandals because, since it was warmer, even though the sea would still be cool, she planned to take a brief invigorating swim. Needed to, to help calm the heat burning in her mind and belly.
Her libido had been lit up like a tower city since Saul had come into her life. She’d wanted him with a desperation she didn’t understand, and when she decided to fuck him to “get him out of her system,” it had only made her want him more. Now, she sat alone on cool sand wondering how she’d lost control.
It didn’t help at all that when Quattro’s hands slid down her back, sparking arousal, both her mind and body had remained in sexual hyperdrive. Two spectacular vampires seemed to be interested in her, and God help her, she apparently wanted them too. Both of them! It was impossible to make sense of it. Dani was hardly a sexual animal like so many of the vampires she’d worked with. For them, sex was normal, casual, necessary, but she had always been p
articular about who she wanted to share such an intimate act with. Hell, before Saul, it had been nearly a year since she’d been with someone.
Even now, just thinking about Saul, picturing his handsome face, that hard body, how it felt as he moved inside her, she let memory replay the orgasm they’d shared, the gentle loving touches, his smile. It would happen again, they both had known that as soon as they dropped beside each other, satiated, spent, aware that they had started something.
“Oh, girl, you need that dip in frigid water.” Laughing, Dani stood, ready to loosen the belt on her robe and run nude into the water, when the overwhelming sense of a vampire lifeforce pushed at her from behind. She should have known he’d show up tonight.
Closing her eyes, Dani shook her head. “Saul.”
“Hardly.”
Whirling, Dani froze, still processing that Quattro stood on this beach with her, on Jack’s private beach that he shouldn’t even know about. Inches from her, casually leaning against the side of Jack’s bench, wearing low-riding jeans that looked like they could slide lower any second, and an unbuttoned cotton shirt, she admitted he couldn’t have looked more sexy and forbidden. When she could tear her eyes away from the fullness beneath the jeans zipper, his pleased, genuine smile, was an even greater turn on. Sexier yet, his waist length hair that had been contained in a braid when she met him now swung loose.
“How, how in the hell…”
No, that wasn’t the important question.
“Why are you here? What do you want from me?”
Lifting his right hand, Quattro tugged on loose strands of Dani’s hair. “To talk, that’s all. More, if you want. Less, if you don’t. Just to talk with you.”
“Why? You announced that we’re enemies and that we’ll meet in battle. Why the hell would you come here to talk?”
“Because I’m obsessed with you.”
“What? You don’t know me.”
“Ah, little huntress. I know you. And in spite of yourself, you are fascinated by me. You want to know all about me as well. From that first night you arrived at the hunter’s office, you felt me.”
Her eyes widened and Dani backed away, kept backing, needing to put some distance between them, until she felt water beneath her feet and stopped.
“I thought it was you. Something touched me that night, waves of sensations I did not understand.”
“It was me. My magic. You feel the earth magic that we share. It reached for you as yours reaches for me.”
“I don’t reach for you.”
“Liar. Feel this.”
Quattro’s boots gone, he stepped into the water with her, inches from her, a hand moved up to caress her cheek.”
“Like seeks like.”
His fingers moving along her throat fired up already heated skin. “You feel it.”
She did. His scent invaded her, erotic, and her body responded. “I don’t want to.”
Lifting her hand to his lips, Quattro kissed the palm, which she allowed, then nipped and licked the tiny drops of blood that welled, which made her try to pull away.
“Don’t…”
He lowered his hand, hers still trapped in it, his dark hair cascading over them like a curtain. “Don’t what?” he whispered.
“Don’t touch you? Taste you? Make you wet? We’re inevitable, my earth angel.”
He did make her wet, his raw sexuality overcoming her normally controlled libido, breath ragged as she tried to stop this bizarre train wreck. He was the enemy!
Her eyes moved over what had to be a man made for pure sex; he looked like an ancient Viking come to life. Handsome, sexy, brutal…
She wanted to feel those big hands on her body, and even…her eyes dropped to the zipper that started just above where his cock lay, hard and ready.
Dani did the only sensible thing she could do. She yanked her hand from him and at the same time, shoved Quattro away from her as hard as she could. He was vampire, giant, heavy, and didn’t move much, even with her superior strength. Her fingers curled into his furred chest, and she realized her mistake.
She should never have touched him.
His earth magic, much like hers, weaved around her, entered her, and the connection was complete. Sexual energy sparked off Quattro’s aura, and for a moment, time stopped.
Dani was afraid she was going to give in, well aware Quattro expected they would fuck right here, right now.
Instead of backing away, Dani moved closer yet, moaning as she let the magic flow between them.
“Perhaps I do want you to touch me, taste me. But that isn’t going to happen. Ever.”
“You want me,” he pushed.
“No.”
“Yes.”
Silence. Dani watched the sky before her eyes returned to Quattro, her fingers still sliding along his chest.
“Maybe. But I don’t understand why. I don’t want to.”
“We were destined to merge our magics. The universe designed us to be so.”
“No. We may carry earth magic, but it doesn’t bond us. No matter how much my body wants you, my mind has other plans.”
“That’s achingly cryptic.”
Dani laughed. “It is, isn’t it? It’s true, though, as much as I know we would be good together, my heart lies elsewhere.”
Proving that her instinct was right, that he was no uncontrolled beast, Quattro squeezed his big fingers into her hair. “Maybe I’ll take you into that bedroom up there and fuck you until you admit that no other cock would ever satisfy you.”
“I don’t believe you will. You may be impulsive and lived a life of unaccountable madness, but I’m getting a feel for who you are. I feel your magic too, and I’m going to say something that will piss you off.”
Dani hesitated, then finished. “You’re a good man, Quattro.”
A force she’d never experienced hit them suddenly, offset, so that the brunt of the force missed Dani and struck Quattro. He flew up and crashed into the water, followed by the dark shadow that came out of nowhere.
It took a second before Dani’s rattled senses calmed and she knew what had happened. “Saul!”
Now, the two powerful vampires stood, both in the shallow surf, facing each other, fists tight, ready to battle.
“Saul, no!”
She watched his head turn to her, and saw, felt, the pain in him. He’d worried that she might have been attacked, assaulted by Quattro, but realized now that he had interrupted something else. She read him well. In spite of understanding that she hadn’t been in danger, more than anything, he wanted to beat the life out of Quattro.
He thought she had accepted Quattro’s sexual advances. Saul’s pain broke her heart. Quattro’s fury and jealousy scared her.
“Stop! Saul! Quattro! Stop fighting. Come talk to me!”
Two massive first blood vampires flew into the water as they smashed into each other with great force, Saul’s fist striking Quattro in the jaw as Quattro’s found Saul’s gut.
“Motherfucker!”
“You’re dying here tonight!”
“Someone is!”
“Oh, I’m going to kill you. But I’m going to hurt you a whole lot first!”
Able to understand only parts of what they were screaming to each other, Dani tried to move in closer, hoping her presence would get their attention long enough to stop them, but before she had any clue what had happened, she was sitting on the bench a good hundred feet away.
“Damn you, Saul!”
He’d stopped trying to kill Quattro long enough to move her out of harm’s way.
She surged off the bench, so pissed that neither man would listen to her, and back to the water’s edge where Quattro now had Saul down, whaling away on him with vicious strikes.
“Quattro! Stop it now! Both of you assholes, step back or I will make you step back!”
Quattro didn’t stop, but Saul was finally able to get free long enough to grab Quattro by the throat and begin choking him out.
While Dani
knew that what they were doing wouldn’t permanently kill either vampire, she wouldn’t let them continue this vicious attack.
Calming her spirit, Dani reached inward to her earth magic, fed it to the living planet, felt her own magic merge below the ground and touch what lay beneath. She was an earth warrior and Mother Earth gave freely of her magic to her child, so the magics swirled and rose, pulled from under the shore, from under the sea, drawing upward, power normally never wielded, certainly not by humans, but Dani was special.
Squatting, her hands to the sands, fingers splayed, they began to lift, air-charged, whirling around in growing vortexes, four columns on each side of Dani, who finally stood and faced the warring vampires.
Saul had Quattro on the ground now, kicking him so hard in the side, even Quattro’s arrogance couldn’t halt his low growls of pain.
“Stop!”
This time Saul looked at Dani and saw the wild shapes spinning on each side of her. Shaking his head, he stepped back, which allowed Quattro the time to drag his injured body up, and he too watched the manifestation of Dani’s magic.
She faced them, her hair wild, her arms still out to her side.
“No more! You’re done. I won’t have you fighting, certainly not over me. I belong to neither of you, so you are just two dogs pissing on each other. Are you finished?”
Saul nodded at once, his eyes shooting to Quattro to see if the fight was still on, because if Quattro didn’t agree, he’d have to continue to protect himself and Dani.
While he studied the columns that now rotated over twenty feet high, Quattro, holding his side, coughed out blood with a coarse laugh. “Yeah, it looks like we’re done.”
Several more minutes passed before Dani sighed and let her hands drop. Once she did, the impressive columns of sand slowly dissipated and fell in sparkles back to the beach.
At first, no one spoke. Then Quattro, still holding his side, limped towards Dani, noticing that Saul stayed, footfall to footfall, beside him. He surveyed Saul, whose face was bloodied and swollen, and then looked at Dani.
