To Honor: Vampire Assassin League #22
Page 9
“Is that a no?” she asked.
Then, damn everything. Her cell started announcing a wrong number from her pocket. A split second of surprise happened when nobody moved, and then the leader lifted his crossbow at her, aimed, and fired. Directly at her!
Christine didn’t get any reaction time, yet somehow managed to pivot. Her newly-acquired speed and reflex saved her. The arrow sliced her jacket open, skimming flesh before continuing on. A shadow shot past. She knew who it was. She didn’t have to ask. Everything on her body fired into awareness and excitement and relief. A flash of light caught the movement of Takeshi’s blade. The speaker’s head went flying, hitting the light pole with a splat that ruptured it. Somebody else lost his arms. Screams accompanied it, muffled by the snow. Another man got split right down the center, the remainder of him sagged to the ground, gushing a fountain of red fluid. Blood started dousing the area, coating her truck. Staining snow.
So many things happened within microseconds of each other, she couldn’t follow it. Somebody shot a net thing into the air. The snow slowed it enough that Christine had time to dive under the truck. She scooted toward the tailgate, snagged a Hunter’s ankles and yanked him onto his back. Takeshi’s sword finished the job, impaling the man to the asphalt, where he continued to jerk for some time before finally stilling.
She heard the sliding sound of chain through the melee, accompanied by the flash of the mini-scythe things. They whipped into her view, stirring snow while severing body parts. She didn’t see the severing part. She saw the results. Limbs fell about the truck. Another head hit the snow, lifting red-coated flakes. The glow gun went flying into the darkness, still attached to a shoulder. Screams rent the air, muted by snow. And then a sword came shooting into the space under the truck, missing her by a fraction of space. Christine gasped. Pushed backwards. A moment later the sword was on the ground, sinking into a pile of flesh that wasn’t recognizable as human body parts. Her heart was a stifling force within her chest. Her breath quick and rapid, sending fog that obscured and blurred. And then everything stopped. Went deathly still. Except the snowflakes.
“Watashi no ai?”
It wasn’t voiced, but her heart heard it. Christine scrambled from beneath the truck with alacrity. Gained her feet. He wasn’t easy to see. He was standing in the shadow-land between light sources. The scythe things were hanging from his shoulders. He’d retrieved his sword. Blood dripped from it onto the snow. As she watched, he slid his fingers along it, wiping it, and adding more dark red fluid to the pool beside him. He moved, sheathing the weapon onto his back. He appeared to be looking at anything other than her.
She’d never seen anything so wondrous. Beloved. Necessary. Her heart reacted, replacing the painful ache with something else. Something solid. Joy-filled. Rejuvenating.
She heard a siren start up somewhere in the distance.
“I must go,” Takeshi said.
“Wait!”
He’d faded into the night as she said it. Tears instantly stabbed her eyes. And then he reappeared. Exactly where he’d just been. That’s when the tears started flowing. She couldn’t prevent it.
“What is it, Christine?”
Damn snow. She couldn’t get to him quickly. She tried. Slid. He was instantly there, an arm about her middle as he caught her. But the moment she had her footing, he released her. Stepped back. Looked away. And everything was blurred with stupid tears.
“You...saved me.”
“Hai.”
“I needed you and you were there.”
“I will always be there.”
“Takeshi? Look at me.”
He shook his head. “You are safe now. I must go.”
“Where?”
“It does not matter. Forgive me. It is...too painful to be near you.”
Christine stepped as close as she could, taking up every spare inch of personal space. Then she wrapped her arms about him and forced him to look at her. He had beautiful eyes. Black. Mysterious.
“You are not going anywhere without me,” she said.
“Watashi no ai?”
“Okay. Plain English. I love you. I want to be with you. I don’t care who you are. Or what you are—and damn! You really move fast!”
They went up. The parking lot disappeared in the distance. Reality did the same thing. And she didn’t even miss it.
-o0o-
About the Author
Jackie Ivie lives in the enormous state of Alaska with her husband and three very spoiled pets. She started her writing career writing hot highland historical romances for Kensington Publishing. There are now ten “Clans series” books, available in seven languages. Keeping her head in the clouds most of the time, Jackie now spends her time researching, developing, and writing her paranormal series – the Vampire Assassin League, as well as her other historical line – the Brocade Collection.
Jackie loves hearing from fans, who can contact her at www.jackieivie.com or www.VampireAssassinLeague.com
Want to keep up with the assassins of the Vampire Assassin League? Consider joining the Assassin Street Team at http://www.facebook.com/groups/379151425455048/
TO HONOR is the 22nd installment of the Vampire Assassin League. Check out all the assassins in the VAL, available singly, in 4-book bundles, 10-story mega packs, and in print as 2-packs.
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