The vampire stiffened, biting down harder until one fang struck bone and snapped off. The pain was breath stealing.
Life slowly faded from the last twin’s eyes, darkening them to a muddy brown. Flesh withered, his hair thinned and fell out around them. The dead weight dragged on his arm, and Merrick landed on his knee to avoid losing a chunk of his flesh as the skeleton collapsed.
Merrick pulled back the stake and tucked it into the waistband of his pants. With a quick twist, he broke the vampire’s jaw and extracted his arm. Blood welled out of the puncture wounds, streaming down his fingers to splotch on the floor, the saliva slowing the clotting.
It hurt like a bitch, so he knew it would heal. He dug into the wound and withdrew the sheared-off tooth. He ripped off a portion of his shirt and wrapped his arm in a hasty bandaged then took off running to find Trina and bring her home where she belonged.
Chapter Thirty-five
Trina felt Beast’s nearness like a brush of fur against her mind. It helped her stay awake and stay focused on not falling back into the void. The arm restraints were loose enough to wiggle her fingers.
She lifted her hips and twisted her arm back to reach her atheme. The cold metal of the cuffs cut into skin, pulling her up short. Her fingertips brushed metal, but no matter how much she strained, she couldn’t grip the handle. She tilted her hips for a better angle.
The sound of the knob turning froze her. Trina dropped back to the table and slammed her eyes shut. The smell of moss clogged her nose. More than one vampire had entered the room.
“Get her ready to travel.”
The King again.
She concentrated on regulating her breathing. Cold fingers worked the cuffs, and her heart leapt at the chance of freedom. She fought to stay limp, repelled by the creepy touch on her body.
A hand slapped her face, and she nearly gasped, resorting to biting the inside of her lip to remain quiet. A cool finger brushed down the side of her temple, the drag of a fingernail skimmed along her skin. She felt it cut her cheek. Her toes curled, and she barely managed to keep still.
“Carry her.”
The curt command nearly jarred her into action, but she bided her time. She couldn’t take both of them at once. She felt her body being pulled toward the end of the table. Her legs slipped off the edge, her weight pulling her down. She plummeted, a strangled scream caught in her throat. Her body fought to brace itself for impact.
Instead of crashing to the floor, she found herself thrown over someone’s shoulder like a sack, her guts crushed to her spine. Breathing became labored and a wave of nausea made her glad she hadn’t eaten. Once they left the room, she cracked open her eyes and surveyed her surroundings.
A hallway.
Only two vampires.
No sign of Merrick.
Cold air whirled around her. An exit. Both excitement and dread filled her. She tipped her head to see the King launch straight up, disappearing through a hatch in the ceiling.
If they took her from the building, Merrick would never catch them again. She kneed the vampire in the chest, but it proved ineffective without enough momentum behind the blow. She bent her arm, using her elbow to nail him repeatedly in the head, temple and ear.
The bastard gave no reaction that he even felt her attack. It only served to annoy the shit out of her.
She wiggled until the vampire staggered like a drunk after a binge. When it didn’t slow him enough, she grabbed her knife, and shoved her blade into his back, angling for his heart.
But the logistics were off, so she only managed to nick it.
The vampire stumbled, and Trina took advantage of the distraction to shimmy free. Gravity took hold and she tightened her grip on the knife, bracing to take the brunt of the fall on her shoulder. She rolled, coming to her feet.
The vampire whirled with a frightening speed she had no hope of beating. She heard shifters fighting to rescue her, but they were much too far away to be of help.
It disconcerted her to see the face of a kid in front of her and not that of a hardened killer she’d expected. She knew his innocence was a lie, but it caused herself to hesitate when she would’ve struck.
Then he smiled. Fangs flashed, and whatever doubt held her back vanished. Any innocence this man once had was torn away when he was turned. She couldn’t allow her be taken again.
She called for magic, but nothing happened. She backed up a step, trying not to panic and pricked her finger. Blood well, but the expected rush of power never came. The drugs and blood loss had taken their toll.
She backed up again, circling when the vampire took a step toward her. Trina gathered the magic that lingered in the air as quickly as she could, the meager supply laughable.
Apparently, the vampire thought so as well and smirked. “What are you going to do? Give me a rash?” The vampire sauntered forward like a cocky teenager and the wound in his back had never happened. “Don’t make me hurt you. I might I like it.”
It was now or never.
Trina threw the magic at his face. Without her full strength, her blood didn’t erode the skin like last time.
But her toss hit true, striking the vampire directly in the eyes. He screamed, the pitch so piercing that her ears rang. He clawed at his eyes, but the damage had already been done.
The too-pale eyes grew dull, the red irritation resembling chemical burns. Tears of blood trailed down his face. The severe allergic reaction had blinded him. The bastards could heal fast, so she only had minutes before he would regain his vision.
She took a step back to escape when he spoke.
“I can hear your breathing, the beat of your heart.
Denial was immediate. She gave a couple of experimental moves, and he mimicked her with amazing accuracy.
Disappointment struck fast. If she ran, he would catch her. Though blinded, he was still stronger and faster. It would be futile.
Fear gathered around her like a coat, chilling her with the only option left. Eliminate the threat.
The vampire swung wildly, his sharp claws narrowly missing her face. Determination to survive and get back to Merrick kicked her training into high gear. Though the vampires didn’t want her dead, wounded would suit them perfectly fine. She’d use that to her advantage.
She took her cue from Merrick. Since most humans fled from a threat, she did the opposite.
She would not be prey.
She would not be hunted down as a helpless victim.
She darted forward, taking a blow to her arm. Nails raked deep and dragged down her arm, and he grabbed her wrist. His brutal grip ground the bones of her wrists together, and his nails pierced her skin. Bile rose in the back of her throat at the near crippling pain. She gritted her teeth, refusing to give him the satisfaction of screaming.
He smiled in triumph. “Got you.”
Trina took advantage of his overconfidence, allowing herself to be pulled closer. She tightened her grip on the knife. When his fetid breath brushed her face, she swung upward with all her strength. The blade sank true, slipping under his ribs to strike his heart.
A look of surprise crossed his face. It was a complete shock that a human had the audacity to kill him. “What did you do?”
In that instant, he looked like the child he appeared, no more than sixteen when he’d been changed. A twinge of guilt burned the back of her eyes at his complete bafflement.
That changed when he bared his fangs and lunged for her throat.
Trina jerked back, only to be pulled up short by his grip on her arm. Nails tore deeper. Unbalanced, they stumbled and fell in a tangle of arms and legs.
She hit the ground hard, smacking her head on the floor. The vampire tumbled with her, nearly smothering her when he landed. The blade between them slid to the hilt in his chest.
Though vampires didn’t need to breathe, she heard the hiss of air leave his lungs one last time as he died. The expression on his face grew lax as life vanished from his body for the final time.
The skin shriveled and turned leathery. Lips pulled back from his mouth. Decay swept across his face, blackening the skin.
Now that the fight was over, reaction set in with a vengeance, and she couldn’t stop trembling. It was all she could do to catch her breath with his weight crushing her. Only a small trickle of air reached her lungs. Blood dripped over her hands until she was coated in the room-temperature syrup. Injuries registered in aches and pains, and she tried to gather the strength to push the body off her and find Merrick.
* * *
Merrick ran full tilt down the hall toward the sounds of the fading fight. The sudden silence had his hackles rising, and he pushed himself harder. He swung around the corner to see two bodies tangled together on the floor. What arrested him, what nearly caused him to trip over his own feet, was the spill of Trina’s bright hair across the floor.
The site of it was so unexpected he froze. She lay so still that not even her chest moved. He listened for her heartbeat, but could pick up nothing over the roar of his own blood rushing to his head.
The stake he held dropped from nerveless fingers as the pool of blood welled beneath her. Even from a distance, he could smell that a lot of it was hers. Beast clawed at the inside of his chest, wanting out to seek vengeance, but there was no one to fight, no demons to slay.
He clenched and unclenched his fists, taking a slow step forward as the world around him slowly crumbled to ash. His chest burned, and he couldn’t catch his breathe.
She couldn’t be dead. He wouldn’t believe it, but the growing darkness in his mind belied the frail hope. Beast growled low in his throat, wanting freedom, and Merrick had no will to deny him. Without Trina there at his side, nothing else mattered.
When the vampire twitched, his unbearable rage found an outlet. Merrick picked up speed down the hall, his long strides eating the distance until he was at a near run. He couldn’t stand the thought of that monster touching his Trina.
Then the body slumped to the side.
He skidded to a stop when he saw Trina struggling to pull herself free from the weight pinning her.
She was alive.
His brain didn’t seem to comprehend what he was seeing. The strength dropped out of him, and he couldn’t move. He wanted her to be alive so badly, he was afraid he was imagining it. Trina was strong, but she didn’t have the brute force to kill a vampire in hand-to-hand combat.
Despite all logic, Trina was on her knees, battling to stand. Blood soaked her clothes, marred her too-pale skin. Fresh wounds continued to bleed as his fierce warrior rose to her feet, a bloody knife clutched in her hands.
“Merrick.”
His hear leapt at Trina’s welcoming smile and the relief in her voice. He couldn’t smile, couldn’t make his face work after the fear of losing her had nearly destroyed him.
He wanted to kiss her then shake her until she realized she couldn’t take such chances with his heart. He wouldn’t survive it. He growled, a deep rumble as if Beast agreed, and rushed toward her. He opened his mouth to give her hell when a shape dropped down and loomed behind her.
The King.
Determined to protect Trina, Merrick picked up speed and pushed himself harder.
And knew he would never make it in time.
The vampire’s eyes glowed an eerie light blue in the hallway. Spittle laced with rotted blood dribbled down his chin as he reached for Trina. “She’s mine.”
Giving into his beast’s urging, Merrick yanked off what remained of his shirt. Beast rose under his skin, not retreating at the bright burn of the pain from the coming change.
They pushed past the agony. Bones cracked, muscles pulled. Fur exploded over his flesh, pushing through his pores. When he dropped to all fours, he landed on familiar paws.
Joy rippled through him along with the vicious need to protect what was his. Baring his fangs, he charged, keeping his body low to the ground. Merrick forced himself between Trina and the vampire, knocking Trina out of the way and to safety.
Not giving the vampire time to attack, Merrick sank his teeth deep into flesh. It tasted wrong, but he resisted the urge to release his hold. Instead, he tossed his head, ripping a chunk of flesh from the vampire’s thigh.
A high scream of rage bellowed in the narrow hallway. Almost immediately, the vampire struck back, and his nails raked at Merrick. His mane protected his neck, but blood dribbled down his shoulders, matting his fur.
He retreated and spit out the chunk of rotted flesh.
The vampire glared at him then smiled and stared past him. “Kill her.”
Merrick turned to see Glenda and Trina locked in battle.
When he took a step forward, Trina snapped at him. “He’s using me as a distraction.” She slammed her elbow to Glenda’s cheekbone. “Mind your own fight.”
Glenda’s swing was clumsy compared to Trina’s smooth grace. She was right. She could handle Glenda on her own. If he let the King go, Trina would never be safe again.
He turned to see the vampire preparing to leap. Merrick tackled him, aiming his claw at the King’s throat. Only to have the vampire wiggle away, Beasts talons raking down the bastards back instead.
* * *
“I don’t want to hurt you.” Trina dodged Glenda’s inept attempt at a punch. “We just have to wait until the vampire dies, and you’ll be free.”
Tears ran down Glenda’s face, and she sobbed. “I’ll never be free, not after what I’ve done.”
The floor vibrated under their feet, and Trina glanced up in time to see Merrick struggle to rise. She tightened her grip on the knife, wanting desperately to go to him.
A sound behind her caused her to whirl.
Glenda threw herself at Trina, much too close for her to leap out of the way. She fell backward to lessen the impact, and Glenda’s weight slammed into hers.
The blade slid into Glenda’s body. Her eyes widened, and she sucked in a startled breath.
“What did you do?” Trina quickly caught Glenda’s weight.
“What needed to be done.” Glenda tried to smile, and her legs folded under her. Trina eased her to the floor, cradling her body in her arms, desperate to stop the flow of blood. She put pressure around the knife, knowing not to remove it or Glenda would bleed out all the faster.
Glenda had no such qualms. Trina grabbed for her wrist, but too late. Glenda had already yanked out the blade.
“Go help your Merrick win.” Breathing hiccupped in her chest and then she stopped moving. Her pupils dilated and grew fixed.
Trina dropped her arms, staring at her stained hands. Then her gaze landed on the knife.
She scrambled for it then snapped her head up.
Merrick and the King circled each other. Blood stained Merrick’s beautiful hide, but the King was in much worse condition. He must have known it as well, growing reckless.
The vampire lunged past Merrick, striking out with his nails. They never reached past Beast’s thick mane. Merrick clamped his teeth down on the vampire’s hip and shook his head, stripping away a layer of flesh.
The vampire bellowed in pain, but he got what he wanted. Instead of turning to face Merrick and finishing the fight he had no hope of winning in his condition, he launched himself at Trina.
“You bitch. You’ve ruined everything. I’ll be damned if I die and don’t take you with me.”
Trina heard Merrick roar, but all she saw was the King’s outstretched hand fly toward her throat. She felt the nick of his nails brushing against her neck and down her shoulder when Merrick’s body barreled into both of them.
She went flying, smacking the floor hard enough to lose her breath. She reached up with shaky hands, trying to assess the damage.
Her hand came away with sticky with blood.
She applied pressure. When she turned, she found the vampire King lying next to her, the blueness of his eyes already fading as he stared at her. Even with death hovering near, he reached out, clawing himself closer to finish her off.
; The six hundred pound beast reared up and landed, crushing the King’s chest. Two-inch claws disappeared into his ribcage before tearing down the length of his body, efficiently eviscerating him. The cat’s fangs lay threateningly against the King’s neck.
Then the large cat gazed at her and lifted his head, tearing out the King’s throat in a river of blood.
Bloody and injured, the lion growled and slowly stalked toward her, leaving behind a gutted corpse. Trina saw no recognition in his gaze and struggled to sit.
As the lion drew near, she reached out for the one man who had never abandoned her. “Merrick.”
Chapter Thirty-six
At her touch, Beast eased back in his mind. He brushed against her, nearly knocking her over before he changed back to his human form.
“You have your beast back.” Her voice was an awed whisper.
Merrick shook his head. “You gave him back to me. You’re touch healed us.” In seconds, he had her in his arms, scolding her. “Don’t you ever scare me like that again. Do I need to chip you in order to track you when you get into trouble?”
Trina laughed but quickly sobered. “They’ll keep coming.”
Merrick nodded, his hold tightening, feeling her slipping away from him. He angled her chin up, pulling away her hand and studied the wound on her throat, unable to face her as she plotted to leave him again.
This time, he feared she would succeed.
The wound was three inches long and just missed any serious damage. The bleeding had already stopped. Had he been a second too late or she even an inch closer, she would’ve died with him standing there.
She glanced at him, her eyes bright with a look that didn’t bode well for him. “Not if I’m dead.”
Merrick stilled, and then his hands swept over her body, searching for injuries. He wouldn’t let her die on him. She wouldn’t get away from him that easy.
She caught his frantic hands. “I lost enough blood to be convincing. If I were dead, nobody would search for me anymore.”
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