Marked by the Vampire

by Cynthia Eden

  His head jerked toward her. “I will kill anyone who gets between me and what I want.” Said with absolute certainty. “And I will have a fucking blast while I do it.”

  Chill bumps rose on her arms.

  The voices rose outside of her window. Shouts filled the air.

  Her gaze jumped toward the streaming sunlight.

  “Just like they’re having a fucking blast now…” David murmured. “Vamp blood is gonna stain that yard.”

  The guard moved so that he could better stare out that window. Whatever he saw below made his body tense.

  “Wh-what’s happening?” Olivia asked as her heart beat faster.

  “My guess is…that new vamp is about to lose his head. That happens here, more than you would think.” David’s words had her focusing on him. That savage smile was back in place. “Survival of the fittest…”

  The new vamp—that was Shane. It had to be him! Olivia jumped to her feet and ran toward the window.

  Sure enough, she saw Shane standing in the middle of the courtyard. The other vampires had formed a circle around him, but no one was touching him, no one was attacking him, not yet. They all stood back, maybe a foot or two, as they shouted their insults and threats at him.

  “Get the guards down there,” Olivia ordered. She’d brought the silver remote with her, and her sweat-slick hand held it easily.

  The guard near her—Brett McKey—lifted his radio. “Courtyard. Got a 666 occurring.”

  “What’s a 666?” She’d never heard that code on any police scanner before.

  David laughed. “It’s a monster beatdown. But don’t worry, I’m sure the guards will all get down there in time for a nice, up-close view of the bloodbath.”

  She didn’t see any guards closing in. She only saw—

  The crowd attacked. A pack of big, powerful vampires lunged at Shane. They covered him completely as they took him down.

  “No!” Olivia screamed. “The sun is up! They’re supposed to be weak!”

  There was a faint rustle of sound behind her. “Funny thing about that…” David’s voice rasped. “Things here aren’t always how they’re supposed to be.”

  “Sit back down, wolf,” Brett snapped. “Sit the hell back down, now.”

  Olivia didn’t glance back at the men. Her gaze was on the battle below. She could hear the snarls and the growls and a splash of blood already stained the ground. “Stop!” Olivia yelled. “Stop!”

  Then the first vampire flew back into the crowd. It was one of the men who’d attacked Shane. He was just—just thrown through the air like a rag doll.

  A second vamp followed him.

  So did a third…a man with blood gushing down his chest.

  The crowd stopped screaming then.

  She could see Shane once more. His left hand had locked around the neck of one of his attackers. His right hand had curled around the throat of another. He was holding the other vamps easily. Seeming to exert no effort at all. As she watched, stunned, Shane tossed one of the vamps straight into a stone wall. The last of his attackers squirmed in Shane’s hold, kicking and punching, and Shane just…he laughed.

  “I’ll be damned,” David whispered.

  Olivia jumped at that whisper. David was right beside her. She hadn’t heard him close that distance at all. She’d been too focused on Shane and the fight below.

  She whirled toward the werewolf. Too late, Olivia saw Brett on the floor behind him, his body twisted. Oh, hell, no.

  “Boo,” David said, and then he grabbed for her remote.

  She hit the button on it even as his fingers locked around her wrist. The collar was supposed to send silver straight into his bloodstream as tiny needles shot from the collar and into his neck. He should have fallen back then. Should have stopped.

  He didn’t.

  He grabbed the remote from her. Smashed it in his fist.

  Then he yanked her toward him. “Now…I get to ask the questions…”

  ***

  The crowd was silent around him. Hell, yes, they were backing up. They should back up.

  Was that vamp pack attack supposed to have been scary? Was that supposed to have been a challenge for him? Even after twenty-four hours in solitary, kicking their asses had been too easy.

  He rolled back his shoulders and waited to see which fool would come at him next. Shane even started to smile—

  A scream ripped through the silence.

  His head jerked up. His eyes locked on the window in the west tower. The room she’d used to interview him, and he knew that scream was Olivia’s. He knew it.

  The scream cut off abruptly.

  Hell, no.

  More vampires swarmed toward him. They must have thought it was time for round two.

  He stared up at that window…

  And felt hands grab hold of him.

  ***

  David had yanked Olivia with him and toward the door. She thought he was going to try and escape, but instead, he shoved the table and a filing cabinet in front of the door, sealing them inside.

  “That’ll buy us some privacy,” David said.

  No, this wasn’t happening.

  The silver collar should have worked. It hadn’t.

  The guards who’d been monitoring the video feed should have been rushing to her rescue.

  Were they coming? Hurry!

  His grip was so tight on her wrist that Olivia feared he’d shatter the bones any moment.

  “What are you?” David demanded as he yanked her closer and then he—he smelled her. Sniffed her.

  Her free hand shoved against his chest, but he didn’t let her go. His mouth hovered over her throat and he seemed to be drinking in her scent.

  At least he’s not ripping my throat out, not yet. “I’m a psychologist. I’m here to try and profile—”

  “What are you?”

  Olivia’s gaze flew frantically around the room. Brett was on the floor, his eyes closed. He was breathing, but that was about all she could say for him in that instant. “I-I’m a human…”

  “Liar.” He said the word as if it were a caress. “I wonder…are you what I’ve been waiting for?”

  She screamed again. Loud and long even as she kicked at him. Punched.

  He just smiled.

  He likes the fight. He told me…he likes it.

  Olivia stilled.

  His smile slipped.

  “I’m human,” she said, struggling to keep her voice calm. Panic and fear had overwhelmed her for a moment, but she had to stay in control. Help would come. She just had to stay alive long enough for it to arrive.

  “Let’s see about that…” And, before she could even draw another breath, his fingers—his claws—cut into her wrist.

  Don’t let him bite me. Don’t.

  Blood slid down her wrist. Dropped to the floor.

  “I bet the vamps down there can smell your blood,” he said. “Wonder if you smell like a human to them?”

  The vamps were still shouting. She was staring into David’s eyes and seeing his beast.

  Where are the guards?

  He let her go. Just…let her go.

  Olivia stumbled back. She sank down to her knees, as if she were too terrified to stand.

  “Let’s have a taste…” David lifted his hand. His fingers were covered with her blood.

  Her fingers slid inside her boot.

  He—he licked up a drop of her blood from his claw. Closed his eyes. Seemed to savor her taste. “What. Are. You?”

  Olivia leapt up, the small silver knife held tightly in her hand. Olivia always, always, kept that knife hidden in her boot. The guards at Purgatory had never searched her, so they hadn’t known about her weapon. She drove that knife right toward David.

  Just before the blade would have sunk into his chest, David’s eyes flew open. He grabbed for her hand, and the blade missed his heart. It sank into his side, and he roared his fury and pain. His claws came at her—

  “Don’t fucking try it.�
� A low, lethal voice. One that was coming from…the window?

  David froze. Then his head turned toward the window.

  Olivia was already gazing at the vamp there with wild shock, and desperate hope.

  Shane. Shane was in the window. She didn’t even know how the hell he’d gotten up there. Had he scaled the stone wall? But she was just so glad to see him that—

  He’s a killer, too! He’s not a hero here to help you.

  Her hope crashed as the voice of reality screamed in her head.

  “Smelled the blood, did you, vamp?” David taunted. “Don’t worry, I’m sure there will be plenty to go around.”

  Shane jumped down. His feet hit the stone floor and he started stalking toward David. “Come to me, Olivia.”

  Her blood trickled down her inner wrist.

  “If you do, he’ll make a meal of you,” David promised her. “The vamp will gulp you all down. The last thing you’ll ever feel on this earth will be his teeth tearing into you.”

  Yeah, well, she’d already felt the werewolf’s claws slicing into her. Unlike the werewolf, Shane hadn’t hurt her. Yet. She inched toward him.

  David grabbed her. “My prize, vamp.”

  Shane’s gaze dropped to Olivia. “He hurt you.”

  “The collar isn’t working.” That was obvious. She hated the tremble of her voice.

  “It’s all right,” Shane told her softly. “He won’t hurt you again.”

  David’s rough laughter rang out. “I’ve got plans you don’t even—”

  Shane lunged across the room. Moved so fast she barely saw him. One instant, David was holding her tightly, his claws far too close to her throat, and in the next moment, she was behind Shane as he faced off against the werewolf.

  “She’s not yours,” Shane snarled. “So don’t ever touch her again.”

  The two men stood with their bodies tense, muscles locked in a battle-ready post. Both tall, strong, powerful in different ways.

  But…the sun was up. David should’ve been stronger right then.

  She crept toward Brett. Her hands slid over the downed guard. There was blood matting his hair, and the remote that he’d had was still secured at his waist. Fumbling, she pulled out that remote.

  “You trying to claim her?” David demanded, his voice rising. “You think you know what she is? I tasted her, I tasted the power, and it’s going to be mine!”

  Her head whipped back toward him. His claws were out and he was—transforming. Right then, right there, starting to shift into the deadly form of a wolf. This shouldn’t happen! Not when he’s wearing a collar! But his jaw was elongating, his bones snapping and—

  She pressed the buttons on Brett’s remote. Frantically, she pushed every single button.

  David screamed, an unholy cry of pain as he fell to the floor. His claws scraped over the stone even as his body arched in agony.

  She hit the buttons again.

  He slammed, face-first, into the stone, as his body went limp.

  Shane whirled toward her. His breath heaved out and his hands were clenched into fists.

  His fangs were showing.

  And she didn’t have a stake handy. The sound of her ragged breathing filled the air.

  He stepped toward her.

  “Stop!” Olivia ordered. Right. Because that was supposed to do some kind of good. Her order to him. Shane kept coming toward her and then he—

  Offered her his hand?

  “Love, I told you this place was too dangerous.”

  She blinked at him.

  He pulled her to her feet. Held her injured wrist in his hand.

  “Do not bite me,” she told him, and her voice only shook a little. Okay, a lot.

  “Tempting…” His fingers held her carefully. His gaze was on the wound.

  Footsteps thundered outside of the door. “Dr. Maddox!” A desperate shout.

  She recognized Case’s voice. The cavalry had come.

  “Your rescue party is a bit late.” Shane’s jaw locked. “That werewolf could have killed you long before that idiot and his men got inside.”

  “How did you get inside? I mean, how did you get up to the window?”

  His head lowered toward her. “It’s not the first time I’ve scaled a tower.”

  She shook her head. That feat should have been impossible, even for a vamp. To get up that wall, so fast…

  “I have to do this,” he told her then, just confusing her more. “I’m sorry, but I have to know why…” He started to raise her wrist to his mouth.

  “No!” Olivia shouted as she tried to pull against him. He was even stronger than David. “Don’t!”

  His eyes glinted at her. “He didn’t kill you.”

  The guards were shoving at the door. She could hear their desperate efforts to get past the makeshift barricade that David had put in place.

  “He tasted you…a werewolf’s senses are the most acute of any paranormal.” His eyes raked over her. “What the fuck has Pate done now?”

  Her jaw nearly hit the floor. “P-Pate?”

  He put his mouth on his wrist.

  “Don’t!”

  His lips pressed to her skin and he…he licked her. Tasted the drops of her blood there. And while his tongue slid against her skin, his eyes held hers.

  The guards broke through the door.

  “Get away from her!” Case yelled. “Now!” But he and the others were already running toward Shane.

  “Interesting,” Shane murmured. “Very, very interesting…” He kissed her wrist. Then he let her go. He swung to face the armed guards. “It’s about time you all joined the party.”

  She could practically feel the fear filling that room. The guards must have witnessed Shane’s display of power in the courtyard, and now they were afraid of him. Olivia knew they were right to fear him.

  “Get the vamp in a cell! Get that damn werewolf out of here!” Case barked orders. His gaze landed on Brett. “And get a medic!”

  Shane didn’t fight against the hands that grabbed for him. He did look back at Olivia, though. His gaze held hers. “Love, I like the way you taste.”

  She put her bleeding wrist behind her back. Lifted her chin. “That’s the only taste you’ll ever be getting.” She could still feel his mouth against her flesh. Like a brand. Hot. No, scorching.

  His laughter drifted back to her as the guards led him from the room.

  Other guards dragged David out of there even as two of the medics rushed inside. Olivia backed up, trying to make room for them. She backed right into Case because he’d closed in on her.

  “The vampire bit you?” His eyes were narrowed with fury.

  “No.” She shook her head. Glanced toward the window. The courtyard must have been at least forty feet below them. “He saved me.”

  “Bullshit.”

  Brett let out a low groan.

  “It’s true. David—David is the one who attacked me.” What are you? His words seemed to echo in her head. “He attacked Brett and…” Her breath rushed out. “My remote didn’t work on him.”

  Case’s eyelids flickered.

  “Why didn’t the guards come in immediately?” Brett was being carried out on a stretcher. “They were watching. Why didn’t they come in as soon as he attacked?”

  “Because your vampire hero was causing a near riot downstairs. All hands were needed. You had a guard in here,” he gritted out as fury darkened his gaze. “We thought you were safe.”

  And she’d thought her remote would work. “What happened to the remote? Why didn’t it work?”

  His gaze slid over the floor. He bent then and picked up the shattered remains of her remote. “Because it’s smashed to hell and back? It’s hard to work when it’s in pieces.”

  He was a jerk. “David smashed it after—”

  A medic tapped her shoulder. “Miss, do you need stitching up?”

  Her wrist was still throbbing. She could still feel Shane’s mouth on her skin. “Yes.” The medic carefully
pulled her toward the door.

  “Where did the knife come from?” Case asked quietly.

  She looked down and saw the bloody, silver knife near her feet. “I had to protect myself.” When the damn remote stopped working.

  “You smuggled a silver knife into my prison?”

  “I had to protect myself,” she said again. The medic was still pulling her toward the door.

  “Why didn’t they kill you?”

  At that question from Case, Olivia tensed. But she had an answer. The only answer that made sense. “Because David likes to play with his prey. He wasn’t done playing with me.”

  “What about Shane?”

  She glanced back at him. “You got here in time.” Lie. There was so much more to Shane than she’d realized. The vampire wasn’t at all what he appeared to be.

  That was fine. She wasn’t exactly what she appeared to be, either.

  ***

  The cell door slammed shut behind Shane. They hadn’t thrown him back in solitary. Probably because they realized solitary wasn’t doing a damn thing to him.

  He closed his eyes as he stood in the middle of that cell. He could still taste Olivia on his tongue. A taste that was far too sweet, like candy. A taste that had sent a surge of power flooding right through him.

  He knew the taste of humans. He’d sampled too many of them over the years not to know their taste.

  Olivia looked human. She smelled human. She sounded human.

  But she tasted…like something different. Like something special. Something I need to have.

  Olivia wasn’t human.

  He knew it, and now…so would the werewolf.

  ***

  David slowly opened his eyes. The collar on his neck burned because the damn thing was still pumping silver into him.

  They’d caged him again. Put him in the solitary confinement area designed just for werewolves—a small, two by five box with silver walls.

  He laughed as he sat in his hell.

  The guards had no clue. No fucking clue.

  The instrument he’d needed had just been delivered right into his hands. Finally, finally, he could start his attack.

  And the humans could die.

  Chapter Three

  Olivia opened the door to her temporary quarters—and found a guard standing on the other side. Her heart jumped in surprise because she sure hadn’t been expecting the guy. “I, um, didn’t realize I’d have an escort this morning.” The night had been hell. Every time she closed her eyes, she’d seen not David—not his claws.