Marked By The Vampire (Purgatory #2)(10)
Author: Cynthia Eden

“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 f**king 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 f**k 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.