Dangerous Days

by C. L. Quinn

  “Will do. Off I go.”

  From her quiet corner absent of much light, Dani wondered two things. At first, watching the party, she didn’t understand why she had been abandoned here and ignored. Why hadn’t someone approached her? With all the vampires in the room, and at least some of them aware she was one of the hated hunters they’d captured, why hadn’t she been assaulted, fed on, or worse? Just the fact that they had abducted her meant they were hardly kind, upstanding members of society.

  After the strange sensation she experienced when Saul came to her, she’d been shocked when he lowered his big body down next to her and revealed who he was. She wasn’t alone down here anymore; her team had found her, bless the spirits of the universe! It made sense, that he would need to be cautious in springing her from so many vampires, but at least she had a chance of making it out of this alive.

  Alone again, her eyes followed him as he walked away unhurried.

  So that was Saul. Long dark-honey-colored hair pulled back, bound with a strip of leather, strands hanging low over glittering amber eyes. Evaleigh had mentioned him not long after Dani had joined the hunters.

  “He’s sexy as hell, but sort of tough to get to know. I’ll be forever grateful that he brought me into this group. He’s gone now, and I don’t know if he’ll be back. San said that he left to become a first blood, whatever that is. It’s too bad. I’ve never been with a vampire. My grandmother used to tell me that still waters run deep, and in Saul, I think they really do. With him, I wouldn’t have minded taking a swim to find out.”

  Still waters. Dani was certain of it. Empathic reads could be difficult, especially with supernaturals, and most certainly with first bloods, but this man had seen centuries of life, and she could feel a great deal of pain underlying a soft heart easily bruised. Here he was, though, risking himself to save someone he didn’t know.

  Needing to see him again, to connect to him, she searched through the moving bodies and finally found Saul across the expansive space. Her hero.

  “Let this go well,” she whispered.

  Saul considered his options. There were too many vampires in this basement, the rescue tricky enough even with their entire team involved. Odds were high enough that if they came in, guns a’blazing, so to speak, someone might get hurt. If he could just sneak her out without…

  “Hey, Saul!”

  His eyes shot to Barringer, who was making his way toward him.

  Fuck. That kind of attention wasn’t going to help at all.

  “Yeah?”

  When he reached Saul, Barringer snagged his bicep.

  “Fuck, you’re ripped. I don’t remember you being this big before. Huh. Anyway, come with me, I gotta show you something. You’ll like this.”

  Following, Saul wondered what the hell he meant, discouraged when he led him to the other side of the room toward Dani.

  “What is it?”

  Barringer laughed with a snort. “A vampire hunter. You know they’ve been killing our kind for decades. We finally caught one. Hot piece of ass, too. Which, by the way, I’m going to light up with my cock as soon as we finish second meal.”

  Nodding, Saul froze a smile on his lips. This was going to shit fast.

  Barringer stopped in front of Dani. “Step out into the light, hunter.”

  Heartsick, Saul watched Dani stand and walk forward, the shaft of light from a pointed crystal bulb striking her as she moved beneath it.

  He’d been right. She was stunning. Smooth milk chocolate skin peeked out from beneath a cloud of black hair, tousled from her rough treatment. A tight-fitting catsuit showed a full curved figure. And she was barefoot. Saul’s eyes stayed on her face as she lifted deep brown eyes to his.

  Their gazes locked as he tried to send reassurance to her, but, the armed guard waiting close, unable to defend herself, she was both pissed and afraid. He watched her wisely shift her gaze to Barringer, lest he become suspicious of her interest in Saul.

  “Fucking gorgeous, isn’t she?”

  “Yes, she is. What are you going to do with her?”

  “Not sure. I’m not letting her go, though. She’s a vampire killer, Saul. No way I’m letting her get the chance to do it again. Nope, she’s mine now. Hey, little hunter, let me see what I’ve got. Take off your clothes.”

  Immobile, Saul wanted to stop this, but with everyone watching her now, it would be a bloodbath.

  He could see her face, now more furious than terrified. Cheeks flaming, Dani’s eyes lazer-focused on Barringer, then shot to Saul.

  The catsuit had a long zipper in front. Dani’s fingers fluttered around the pull for several minutes before she curled them around the metal pull.

  Fury roiled inside Dani, her heart pumping blood twice its normal rate; so much so, she could feel her fingers pulse as she rested them on her zipper. She watched him finger a long bladed knife, the threat clear if she didn’t comply. Still she didn’t move, her head and eyes on him in defiance.

  Barringer laughed. “She can’t be compelled. I’m still trying to figure that out. So, Saul, why don’t you help her out? Undress her for me.”

  Saul’s eyes shot to Barringer, well aware what the asshole was doing. Barringer wanted Saul to prove he was on board with his agenda to assault the hunter he’d caught. He wanted Saul to show complicity and approval. Fuck.

  Bringing his gaze back to Dani, he realized she understood too, and saw permission in her eyes. She was smart enough to know that they skirted between their own principles and doing whatever they had to in order to survive.

  He had no choice. Saul would have to do it.

  Grinning suddenly, playing the part, Saul moved closer, his fingers curling around the zipper of Dani’s catsuit, and brushed where her fingers had stalled. Curving his hand around hers, he hoped to assure her that it was okay as he moved her fingers aside to tug the pull down, sliding it lower and lower until it met its end and stopped just above her crotch. He was grateful to see she wore underwear which would protect her dignity a little longer as he brought his fingers over the top of her shoulder line and, his eyes clamped on hers, slid the one-piece suit over smooth skin to watch it fall to her hips.

  Dani didn’t move, just froze as Saul’s warm fingers caressed her skin. Having him undress her in front of dozens of people didn’t upset her. Not having a weapon or the ability to defend herself did. At this point, she was trying to have faith in the new vampire in her life; that her team of friends would be able to pull off a rescue with no one lost in the fight. If any member of her team, her new family, were injured, none of these assholes could run fast or far enough to escape her.

  Right now, she just needed to make it through this alive and unmolested. It helped that the creep responsible for her abduction had chosen Saul to help strip her.

  He was being so careful, respectful, too respectful, she was afraid the vampires might suspect he wasn’t into abusing their “hunter” captive.

  Clamping her hand around his as it lingered near her hips, she caught his eyes and sent a message to him that she was okay that he needed to play up to their expectation.

  He got it.

  Stepping within a hairs breadth of her, Saul grabbed the catsuit at her hips and tore it straight down. He shoved his fingertips along the edge of her panties as his eyes went to her nipples, dark, erect, easily visible through the ultrathin fabric of her bra. Knowing how dangerous their situation was, how this could turn out deadly for both or either of them, Dani still couldn’t stop herself. Her body responding to Saul’s aggressive sexual touch, moisture wept between her legs. He was turning her on.

  That she felt something passionate in this awful situation was shameful.

  Saul’s breath hitched, his heart raced. Gods, she was erotic. Against all his own principles, he wanted to tear the strips of fabric from her and go down on her right here, right now, who gave a fuck who watched. Teeth to nipples and neck, tongue buried deep inside her. His cock swelled, reminding him that he was man and vamp
ire and that his control of his sexual response would be sorely tested as he continued this pretense.

  Only it wasn’t pretense anymore. If he could command these events, he wanted to carry her away and fuck her until neither of them could move and both were exhaustingly satiated. Shame burned at his uncontrolled reaction.

  Moist breath on his neck helped him refocus his attention.

  “You want a piece of her, Saul, that’s apparent.”

  Barringer leaned over Saul as he reached for Dani’s breast.

  Saul nodded, using all his strength not to tear Barringer’s hand off at the wrist. “Fuck, yeah, I do. Is there a room I can take her to?”

  “Ha! What, shy, Saul? You can take her right here where everyone can enjoy it, but only after I ride her. If she’s still intact by then.”

  Laughter trickled across the room as Barringer leaned close and nipped at her breast, forcing her to a gasp.

  Saul already knew Dani well enough to know she would never have given Barringer the satisfaction of a reaction as he bit her unless she couldn’t stop herself. His bite must have been brutal.

  That was it. The last straw. His team would already be heading in after hearing Barringer’s statement, but for Saul, the idea of this pig touching her, hurting her, humiliating her, blew him from worried and pissed into blinding rage.

  Going quiet and still, Saul closed his eyes as his new magic took over, welled up inside him, surging from his core, fueled by fury. When his eyes sprang open seconds later, his hands lifted from his sides and he felt a wave of magic push from him explosively, bulleting in all directions to fill the entire basement. Once the magic released, flowed from within, he felt okay. Normal again. Still quiet, shocked, Saul searched the room to see what had happened with his unrestricted outburst.

  He had frozen everyone.

  Barringer posed, unmoving, a finger pointing toward Dani, his hand stopped midair.

  Turning to Dani to check on her, he verified that she was captured in his magic too. He walked over to her, shoving Barringer’s fingers out of his way. Lifting a hand to her, he touched her lips.

  “Dani? Are you okay in there?”

  Like a beautiful statue, a goddess unmoving, he couldn’t help himself, his eyes grazed over her almost naked body. The catsuit was still around her ankles, both of her full perfect breasts exposed. A battle between lowering his lips to kiss each erect nipple and doing the right thing by covering her back up finally lost to the gentleman he was.

  Smiling wanly, he lifted the leather one piece and pulled it over her shoulders, slowly bringing the zipper back up, not unhappy when a finger flicked along one of her nipples. The zipper closed now, he touched her cheek.

  “It’s okay now, Dani. I’m not sure how to unfreeze you, but…”

  As he spoke, Saul felt a hand on his lower arm.

  “I’m awake.”

  Relieved, Saul stepped back and caught her eyes, which sparkled.

  “Thank the Gods.”

  Dani moved past him to Barringer, tamping down the need to shove the knife he held into his gut.

  “Motherfucker.” She spoke the word so quietly, Saul barely heard it.

  He turned away. “Team, I’ve frozen the room. You can come in safely now. Especially Kwano. I need help.”

  Shifting his attention to Dani again, Saul watched her expression of relief when she spied her weapons in the corner of the room. Hurrying to them, she lifted each almost lovingly and fitted them back where they belonged in pockets custom designed in the suit. Once she was finished, she lifted her head and smiled, releasing a satisfied sigh. “I felt naked without them. Truly naked.”

  Snapping a strap back into place, Dani ran her hand along her recovered shock gun, back at her side within easy reach, comfortable now that she could handle anything that might come.

  Her gaze moved to Saul, who’d watched her the entire time, and she’d known it, as she retrieved her weapons. Now, rejoining him, standing just a little more than a foot away, she openly surveyed him while he continued to watch her silently.

  “My hero. Thank you. It wasn’t going to go well for me tonight.”

  “No, I don’t think there was a chance in hell it was. I wouldn’t have let them, though.”

  “You might not have had any choice. I’m grateful, Saul. I was told that you are an indomitable fighter and highly candid and honorable. It seems my intel was right. Either way, I owe you my life.”

  “You owe me nothing. It’s my job to protect my crew.”

  “Huh. Okay, then, so you’re back. You’re…”

  “Dani!”

  Evaleigh bounded across the room, slamming into her, pulling her close. “I’m so glad we found you!”

  Behind her, Sanquinetta shook her head with a smile, sauntering toward the two women. She looked over Dani’s dishabille and missing shoes. “You okay? They didn’t, uh, hurt you?”

  “No. Your cavalry arrived in time. If he hadn’t, yes, I was going to go down a long bad road. They were going to take turns with me.”

  Evaleigh hugged Dani again. “Let’s kill them all.”

  With raised eyebrows, Sanquinetta had been watching the unmoving people. “That’s my knee-jerk reaction too, but it’s up to the vampires to vet them and decide their fates. Xavier’s rules.”

  Jack gave Dani a look that let her know he would catch up with her later to let her know he was appreciative that they had rescued her before she’d been traumatized. He lifted a chin to Saul. “So you were able to do the first blood freezing thing after all.”

  “I have no idea how.”

  Kwano had come in last, double-checking for any stragglers that the spell might not have caught.

  “It’s emotion driven. My guess is you had a big one, since you stopped an entire room full of vampires and that isn’t easy, even for a skilled first blood. Good job, Saul.”

  “Yeah, well, since I have no idea how I did it, I have no idea how to un-do it.”

  “I’ll show you. It’s pretty simple, but we need to decide how we’re going to manage this. This is a large number of vampires to handle at once. I’m thinking compulsion, sit them all down, then begin interrogation to decide their fates.”

  “I’m here however you need me.”

  “It will take more than one first blood to do this efficiently. As it is, we’ll likely be here at least a few days.”

  Kwano turned to Jack. “Why don’t you take my lift-car and get the ladies home. Saul and I will sort this out and come back in his vehicle.”

  “You’re sure you’ll be okay?”

  “Completely. The humans, we’ll purge and send away at once. That will leave perhaps eighteen or twenty vampires to deal with. Piece of cake for two of us.”

  Evaleigh shrugged. “Purge. Ignorance is bliss.”

  “When it comes to knowing that vampires exist, that statement couldn’t be more true.” San looked at the three male vampires they worked with. “Sorry boys.”

  Jack lifted a hand in dismissal. “We get it. I think all of us would agree as it pertains to the public. Until vampire violence touches a human’s life, ignorance truly is bliss. That’s why we purge memories so often; to give them back their sense of normalcy and safety.”

  “Ain’t we just got the most awesome job? Okay, guys, let’s wrap this up and get home. Jack only has about an hour of daylight before he needs to be safely inside. Kwano, you and Saul will be safe here?”

  “Snug and secure. Saul, come with me and we’ll get started.”

  He didn’t have a reason to linger. Saul let his eyes stay on Dani, surprised that she’d kept hers on his; he thought she’d be too humiliated by his behavior with her to want to see him at all. He turned to join Kwano at the back of the room where they would compel vampires to stay put and humans to go home.

  There was no doubt that he’d see her again, and yet, it felt wrong to let her go so quickly after protecting her from vampire assault.

  Kwano took his arm. “She isn’t yo
ur job now, Saul. Come with me.”

  With a single curt nod, Saul did as asked. They did have a lot of tough work ahead of them which would require all their attention, but still watched as Dani disappeared on the steps leading from the basement.

  “We’re grateful you found her. It would have gone very differently if it hadn’t have been for your recognition of this vampire.”

  “I am grateful too. She’s an impressive woman.”

  “She is. By the scope of your ability to freeze the entire basement filled with people, I know that you had an incredible emotional reaction when that vampire threatened Dani.”

  Saul didn’t answer right away. He still wondered how he’d done it. Strong emotion? Yes, he had that in abundance. An incredible emotional reaction to Dani endangered? Yeah, that was true. For whatever reason, he’d felt an odd attachment to her from the first second he saw her. And he couldn’t explain that either.

  “I’m a pussy.”

  “Hardly. So, let’s get this done, shall we? I know I don’t want to get stuck here any longer than we have to be. It isn’t much different than what you used to do when working with human purges. In this instance, you’ll use compulsion just as before, but this time, it will be on vampires. Using your own instincts, which I believe are good ones, you’ll compel a vampire, ask questions to determine if he or she belongs in our world. Do they accept that their powers come with responsibility and respect? If not, if you believe that once we let them go, they will harm someone, then we hold them to let Xavier make the decision on whether that life is over.”

  Kwano watched Saul closely. “This isn’t an easy job for someone with a delicate nature.”

  Shaking his head, Saul answered Kwano’s unspoken question. “No, it wouldn’t be. Kwano, look, I suspect you’ve surmised that your description actually fits me, but it’s only one facet of my personality. I happen to think that someone with a sensitive nature and deep convictions is exactly the type of person who should assess someone else to determine if they are worthy to live.”