“And how do we get this on air?” Gregori asked.
Stone showed them which switches to use. He handed Carlos the earphones and took a small one for himself.
“I’ll let you know when we’re ready.” Gregori headed out the door. “Let’s go, Stone.”
Phineas and Howard stood guard while Carlos studied the control panel. Toni watched the monitors, wondering how Ian was faring. She couldn’t see him at the moment because the cameraman was still focused on Corky. The Vamp world was waiting to see if Corky was going to die from poison.
“How do you feel?” Jedrek asked her.
“I—I’m fine.”
“You don’t feel anything at all?”
Corky glared at him. “I feel great, actually. Full of energy like I could kick your ass all the way to China.”
“Gag her.” Jedrek said, and Yuri stuck the tape across Corky’s mouth.
Jedrek paced across the room and stopped in front of Ian. “Full of energy? That sounds about right.” He lifted the vial to his mouth and drank the entire contents.
He sneered in Ian’s face. “You realize what will happen, MacPhie? The sun will rise, and you’ll fall into your death-sleep while I remain awake. You’ll be the first one I’ll kill.”
Ian remained silent.
“Master?” Yuri asked hesitantly. “What if he’s taken the drug, too?”
Jedrek turned sharply to look at Ian, who simply stared back. “It won’t matter. We’ll just keep him tied up. He won’t be able to defend himself.”
“Master!” another male voice called, and the camera swerved to the door where Stanislav was entering. “Master, the Vamps have invaded the building.”
Jedrek gritted his teeth. “Do I have to tell you what to do? Just kill them.”
Stanislav paled. “They were too fast. I—I can’t find any of our men.”
“What?” Jedrek shouted.
“Look!” Toni pointed at the bottom monitor. Gregori and Stone were in the parking lot. “They’re ready.”
Carlos flipped the switches and spoke into the headphone. “You’re on.”
Stone’s face filled almost all the monitors now, while Jedrek was relegated to one monitor on the bottom row.
“This is Stone Cauffyn, reporting live from the parking lot of DVN,” the newscaster shouted. “As you can see, this is definitely not boring! Over fifty Vamp women and a few men have gathered here in support of Ian MacPhie, who is being held prisoner inside. In fact, more Vamps are teleporting here as I speak.”
Gregori panned the camera along the angry mob. They shook their fists and baseball bats in the air. “Set Ian free! Set Ian free!”
“I have their ringleader here,” Stone continued, and Gregori aimed the camera back on him. “Vanda Barkowski, do you have anything to say?”
Vanda lifted a fist, holding her whip. “You’re going down, Jedrek! Nobody hurts our Ian MacPhie. We love Ian!”
The crowd took up her shout. “We love Ian! We love Ian!”
“Oh please,” Toni muttered inside the control room.
“Look at this.” Carlos turned up the volume on the monitor showing the studio where Jedrek was waving his hands in the air.
“What the hell is going on?” Jedrek glared at the monitor in the studio. “What is Vanda Barkowski doing on national television? How did she steal my place?”
“The Vamps must have taken over the control room,” Stanislav said.
Jedrek whirled around to glower at the Malcontent. “They cut me off? This is my show!” He pulled his pistol from his belt, zoomed to Ian, and pressed the barrel of the gun against Ian’s forehead. “Put me back on now!”
Toni gasped. “Carlos, quickly.”
“I got it.” He put Jedrek back on air.
Jedrek glanced at the monitor and saw himself. “That’s more like it. Stanislav, Yuri, go take back the control room now!”
“Yes, Master!” They ran from the recording studio.
Toni gulped and tightened her grip on her dagger. “They’re coming.”
Carlos jumped to his feet and drew his dagger. Howard took up a position by the door with his dagger in hand.
Phineas raised his sword. “I’ll take one. The three of you take the other.”
The door burst open. Stanislav zoomed toward Phineas, and their swords clashed.
Yuri halted when he spotted Carlos and Toni. “Mortals,” he sneered. He pointed his sword at them. “This will be too easy.”
With a bearlike growl, Howard leaped on Yuri’s back and plunged a dagger into his side. Yuri screamed and threw Howard off his back with so much force that Howard flew across the room and crashed into the wall of shelves. Contents from the shelves spilled down on Howard. He didn’t move.
Yuri sucked in a hissing breath as he looked at his bleeding wound. “You’ll pay for this.” He lifted his sword and charged.
Carlos dunked, and Toni leaped to the side. She heard Phineas cry out and glanced his way. Oh no! Stanislav had managed to stab Phineas in the shoulder.
A blur shot past her, and she whirled, lifting her dagger.
“No!” Carlos shouted.
Yuri caught her from behind. He pressed the edge of his sword against her neck. “Drop your weapon.” The sword pinched her skin. “Drop it!”
She let her dagger tumble to the floor.
“Stand back!” Yuri shouted.
With a stricken look, Carlos stepped back. The clash of swords echoed in her ears as Phineas continued to fight Stanislav. A low growl emanated from Carlos as he ripped his shirt off. She realized he was going to shift.
Yuri cursed, then Toni gasped as everything went black.
Chapter Twenty-six
Toni materialized right into a shootout. Yuri jerked them both down to the floor as bullets sprayed overhead. She looked quickly about. Corky and Tiffany had dropped to the floor and were squirming out of the way.
Jedrek was shooting at Jack and Zoltan. They must have just charged into the studio. Jack jumped behind Stone Cauffyn’s desk while Zoltan rushed in the opposite direction, taking shelter behind an unmanned camera. The cameraman was huddled on the floor behind his camera.
Jedrek’s pistol made some empty clicking noises. With a curse, he threw it aside and drew his sword. Zoltan rushed forward to engage him, while Jack dashed toward Ian to press a dagger into his hands.
“Stop!” Nadia ran at Jack, her sword raised.
Jack lunged at Nadia, forcing her to retreat.
“No!” Yuri lurched forward to help Nadia.
With a quick slash, Jack nearly sliced off Yuri’s arm. Blood splattered. With a screech, Yuri fell to the floor. Jack turned him to dust, then went after Nadia.
Toni swallowed hard. She couldn’t let this violence freak her out. Yuri’s sword was lying on the floor, and she needed to grab it. She stumbled to her feet, but an icy cold assault knocked her flat on the floor. The familiar icy wave swept through her, freezing her body.
You cannot move. Jedrek’s command rang in her head.
He zoomed toward her. “You will drop your swords!” He pointed his sword at Toni’s heart.
She stared at the sharp point, poised to kill her. Her body couldn’t budge. She couldn’t even turn her head. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Ian’s stricken face.
Swords clattered on the floor. Jack and Zoltan had surrendered.
Oh God, what if Jedrek killed them? What if he killed Ian? And all because she was unable to function on their level. An old, familiar shame swept through her. Always unworthy. Never quite good enough.
“Tie them up,” Jedrek ordered.
Nadia looped silver rope around Jack’s wrists.
Jedrek strolled over to them. “What shall I do with you two? Shall I kill you now? Giacomo, the famous son of Casanova.” He stopped in front of Zoltan. “And the mighty Coven Master of Eastern Europe. I should tie you both to a lamppost and let the sunrise burn you to death.”
Toni noticed from the corner of he
r eye that Ian had cut the silver ropes looped around his chest and wrists. He stuffed some rope into his sporran. Nadia was too busy tying the new prisoners, and Jedrek was too busy taunting them to notice.
She had to help Ian. His poor chest and hands were covered with red welts. God help her, she couldn’t lie here helpless while he tried to save everyone. And how could he save anyone if Jedrek kept control of the situation by threatening to kill her? She had to fight this. Somehow, she had to break through Jedrek’s mind control.
Toni concentrated hard on Ian. On how much she loved him. On how strongly she wanted to help him. Her fingers twitched. She glanced at Jedrek and Nadia. Their backs were turned to her as they tormented Jack and Zoltan. Her hand jerked awkwardly to the wooden stake in her belt. Slowly she closed her fist around it.
She turned her head and saw Ian watching her. He nodded slightly.
He was counting on her. She focused hard. Her love for Ian had to be stronger than Jedrek’s power.
“Jedrek, have ye figured out yet that ye’ve been tricked?” Ian asked, and Jedrek whirled to face him. “Do ye really think I would give you the Stay-Awake drug? That vial was naught but an energy drink.”
Jedrek’s face turned red with rage. “I’ll kill you now!” He ran at Ian, raising his sword in the air.
Ian lunged to the floor to grab Jack’s sword, then jumped to his feet to deflect Jedrek’s first swing.
With Jedrek’s mind fully engaged, Toni was better able to defy his mind control. She eased to her feet.
Ian’s sword flashed so quickly, it was clear Jedrek was out-matched. With a flick of his wrist, Ian sent Jedrek’s sword flying through the air.
Jedrek backed up.
With his free hand, Ian pulled a length of silver rope from his sporran. “Nay, this time ye willna teleport away.” He dropped his sword and leaped forward, looping the silver cord around Jedrek. He pulled the Malcontent against his chest.
Jedrek struggled and kicked, but Ian held him tight. “Now, Toni!”
As she ran forward, she noted the shocked look on Jedrek’s face. A mere mortal was about to kill him.
He attacked her with a wave of psychic power. You are under my control. Drop that stake now!
Her hand shook. Icy power streamed through her, threatening to freeze her in place. She forced her feet to move forward. One step. Two.
Jedrek’s eyes widened. “No! You will fear me! You will feel the power of fear!”
“I’ll show you fear, you bastard!” She stabbed the stake through his heart.
His cry faded as his body disintegrated.
Her mind was free. She dropped the stake, and it fell onto a pile of dust.
Ian tossed the silver rope aside. “Toni.” He pulled her into his arms. “Ye were amazing.”
She leaned on him, closing her eyes in relief. Jedrek was dead.
“To please the master, I will kill the blonde,” a voice whispered behind her.
“No!” Ian yanked Toni to the side.
She jolted when a dagger plunged into her side. Stunned, she saw Ian grab at Nadia, but the female Malcontent teleported away. She looked down at the dagger in her side. How strange. Then a burning pain ripped through her and dragged her into oblivion.
Panic gripped Ian. He swept Toni up in his arms, and the dagger clattered to the floor. It must not have been in very deep. A good sign. But she was losing so much blood.
He shot a pleading look at the camera. “Roman, Connor, if ye hear me, come to Romatech. Please.”
The door burst open, and Phineas, Dougal, Howard, and Carlos rushed in. Ian knew they could take care of the hostages, so he teleported straight to Romatech.
“Laszlo!” He zoomed to the operating room.
“I’m here!” Laszlo opened the door for him. “I saw what happened on the television. Put her on the table.” He rushed to the sink to wash his hands.
Ian laid Toni on the operating table. Forms wavered in front of him. Roman materialized, holding Shanna, while Connor appeared with Constantine in his arms.
“Oh, thank God,” Ian breathed. “She—she’s losing so much blood.” Already the sheet beneath her was stained red.
Roman and Shanna ran to the sinks to wash their hands. Connor disappeared, then returned with Radinka.
Laszlo snapped on a pair of surgical gloves. “You realize she may have to go to a hospital?”
“Yes, of course.” Ian didn’t know how to help. He pulled off Toni’s shoes and socks.
Laszlo grabbed a pair of scissors and began cutting away her polo shirt. Ian unbuckled her belt and pulled it out from underneath her.
“Ian, stand back.” Roman snapped on gloves.
“I canna lose her.” Ian flinched when Connor grabbed his arm to pull him back.
“Get out of their way, lad. Let them do their job.”
“Is Toni hurt bad?” Constantine asked, his bottom lip trembling.
“She’ll be fine,” Connor said.
“How is she?” Radinka asked.
“She’ll be fine,” Connor repeated as he handed Tino to her.
Radinka forced a smile. “Of course she’ll be fine.” She hurried from the room with the little boy. “Let’s wait outside.”
Ian watched helplessly as Toni lay on the table bleeding. “By all the saints, I canna lose her.”
“She’ll be fine, lad,” Connor murmured.
Ian turned to him. “I love her, and I willna let ye fire her. I doona care what the rules say.”
“Calm down, lad. No one wants to fire her. We saw what she did on the telly. She overcame vampire mind control and staked a vicious Malcontent assassin. It was truly an amazing feat for a mortal.”
“She is amazing.” Ian looked at Roman. “Ye have to heal her!”
“We’ll do our best,” Roman said calmly. “The wound is shallow. No major organs were affected.” He gazed at the monitor that Shanna had hooked up to show Toni’s vital signs. “Her blood pressure’s very low, but that’s to be expected.” He tossed a bloody pad into a metal pan.
Laszlo passed him another pad. “We could give her a transfusion. She’s AB positive.”
“Do whatever ye have to do!” Ian demanded. “I’m no’ going to lose her!”
“Calm down.” Shanna walked toward him, carrying a tray of gauze pads and a bottle of something nasty, no doubt. “You’ve been burned. Let’s get you cleaned up.”
Ian waved a dismissive hand. “I doona care. I’ll heal during my death-sleep.”
“Ian,” Shanna spoke sharply. “Those wounds need to heal cleanly.”
He groaned. “Fine.” He endured the stinging medicine she applied to his burns. It served him right for failing to protect Toni. He’d been so relieved to hold her in his arms, he hadn’t seen Nadia sneak up on them.
“It’s all my fault.” He watched Toni on the operating table. She looked so pale. “I dinna get her out of the way fast enough.”
“We saw it on TV,” Shanna said. “It was terrifying. Everything was happening so fast.”
“Aye,” Connor agreed. “Ye did well, lad. The Malcontents lost about ten men, and we dinna lose a single one.”
But he’d failed to keep Toni safe. Ian gazed sadly at her. “Can ye fix her?”
“We’re trying,” Roman said. “But we’re not surgeons.”
Laszlo nodded. “We’ve never had to repair internal injuries. Vamps always heal naturally from within.”
“Because of our vampire blood.” Roman looked at Laszlo. “I’ve always been curious about how well our blood can heal. What if we give her a transfusion of vampire blood instead of regular synthetic blood?”
Laszlo fiddled with a button on his lab coat. “We could give her a sedative to keep her unconscious. That might simulate death-sleep enough that the vampire blood would start to heal her internally.”
“Are you planning on turning her?” Shanna asked. “We should have her permission.”
“This won’t transform her,” Roman said. �
��She would have to be drained completely and in a vampire coma. And then she would have to drink from a vampire and ingest the blood in order to change. This would keep her mortal, but we could see if the vampire blood heals her.”
Laszlo nodded. “It would be very interesting to see if it works.”
Shanna gave the two men a dubious look. “You want to experiment on her. Wouldn’t it be safer to take her to a hospital?”
“She would have to undergo surgery in a hospital,” Roman argued. “If our theory works, she’ll heal naturally and quickly.”
“Indeed.” Laszlo twisted a button. “We’ll be able to tell fairly quickly if it’s working or not. If it doesn’t, then we can take her to a hospital.”
“Then let’s get on with it.” Ian strode toward the operating table. “I’ll give her my blood.”
“We’ll need to make sure your blood is compatible.” Laszlo swabbed Ian’s arm with antiseptic.
“It should be. I drink AB positive all the time.”
“So I see.” Roman glanced at the bite marks on Toni’s neck and frowned at Ian.
“I—I dinna force myself on her.”
“How recent?” Laszlo cleaned Toni’s arm and inserted a needle.
“About nine hours ago.” When Ian received some confused looks, he explained. “I took the Stay-Awake drug, so we could have some time alone.”
Connor muttered a curse under his breath.
Roman exchanged an amused look with his wife. “Well, since your blood came from Toni, it should be a perfect match.”
Lazlo rolled a second gurney up to the operating table. “Get on.”
Ian lay on top, and soon his blood was being pumped directly into Toni. Roman and Laszlo kept a close watch on Toni’s wound, while Shanna watched her vital signs.
“The bleeding stopped,” Roman whispered.
Laszlo fiddled with a button. “That’s a good sign.”
“Blood pressure’s still too low,” Shanna murmured.
“Sir, I believe that tissue is closing,” Laszlo exclaimed.
“Yes, it’s working,” Roman announced. “Let’s sew her up.”
Thirty minutes later, Toni’s wound was continuing to heal but her vital signs were still problematic. The transfusion had left Ian weak and hungry, so he rested on the gurney while he drank several pints of synthetic blood. AB positive, just in case Toni needed some more.
All I Want for Christmas is a Vampire Page 32