Aurora Sky: Vampire Hunter (33 page)

“I think we should drain her,” James said eagerly.

“I meant what do you think about the scarf?”

“It makes me hungry. It’s such a waste that we can’t drink
her.”

“She sort of reminds me of a fish flopping around inside a
boat,” Greg said.

“Maybe a splash of water would help her.” James disappeared
into the kitchen and returned with a bucket of water. He dumped it over my
face.

I sputtered in addition to twitching.

The vampires erupted into laughter. James looked down at my
face. He moved to my side, pulled back his leg, and kicked me with all his
strength.

“Don’t bother!” Renard snapped. “She can’t feel a thing
right now.”

James shrugged and moved away. It was only voices again
somewhere by the window.

Renard was wrong. I could feel pain. I felt pain shooting at
my side like a stick of dynamite thrust through my ribcage erupting into
hundreds of agonizing sparks.

“Is she still twitching?” I heard sometime later.

Greg got in my face moments later. “How long does this
last?”

“She can’t speak, moron.”

Why hadn’t Renard left yet and taken one of his sidekicks
with him? I had a much better chance of taking down one vampire than three. It
would come down to combat this time. Suddenly I wished I’d put more effort into
kickboxing class.

Renard snapped his fingers. “Time to hunt down the boy.”

“Double or nothing?” Greg said and the three vampires
laughed.

“Sure you can handle the assassin?” Renard said. “She looks
pretty scary shaking on the floor.”

“I think I can manage,” James said. If only he hadn’t
grabbed Renard’s knife.

Now I had to take on an assailant with a weapon.

Renard and Greg clomped out of the house. An engine revved
inside the garage. Tires screeched onto the street.

The moment we were alone, James circled me with the knife as
though he were a vulture preparing to swoop in at any moment and pick my bones
clean.

I reached slowly down my leg, sliding my fingers under my
pants and closing my fist around the hilt of the dagger.

The shaking stopped. I jumped to my feet, done playing the
victim.

James’s eyes widened. His surprise didn’t stop him from
lunging. I jumped back, but not before the tip of his blade slid into my
abdomen.

I screamed.

Getting bit hurt. Stabbing was a different kind of pain.
Quicker. Colder. Deadly.

I put a hand over my stomach and looked at James.

When he smiled I realized,
this is real; he’s going to
try and kill me
.

I could lead him in a circle around the room like I had with
the rabies vampire, or I could get this over with once and for all.

I let out a battle cry and charged. My shoulder rammed James
in the chest as I twisted sideways upon impact. He stumbled back several steps.

Before I could lunge in for the stab, James rushed me. I
crouched at the last second.
Wham!
James tripped over me, hit the ground,
and dropped his knife. I grabbed his leg with my free hand as he scrambled
after the blade.

He kicked backwards landing a blow over my windpipe. I
dropped my dagger.

My stomach stung. My tailbone ached. I couldn’t breathe.

James snatched his knife and scrambled back. I clutched my
neck with both hands until James grabbed my arm and sliced open my wrist. I
didn’t feel it at first. I was still trying to breathe.

James grabbed my other wrist and made his third cut.

A cry gurgled in my throat.

If only I could pull the same maneuver as Renard and thrust
my wrist inside James’s mouth.

It was worth a try.

I held my wrist out and rasped, “You know you want it.”

James looked from my bleeding wrist to my eyes. “I might not
be able to drink your blood, but I can still drain you dry.”

He stabbed me in the thigh. I cried out.

I reached around frantically for my knife. My fingers
grasped the hilt. Black dots floated over my vision. I dragged my body over the
floor, smearing a red trail across the hardwood. The dagger scraped against the
ground with every push.

I was going to die in a pool of my own blood, wasn’t I?

If I died, Fane would never know why I broke up with him. I
didn’t care if he was a vampire. I did it to protect him.

Fane.

I called out to him in my head. Desperation made me hope for
the impossible. Fane was the last person who’d be out looking for me.

James inched his way over, a sadistic smile over his face.

When I’d backed myself against the wall he crouched beside
me. James touched my neck with the tip of the knife. “Is this where he bit you?
Is this where Ivo took his last drink?”

His breath reeked. If I hadn’t been kicked in the throat I
could have breathed through my mouth rather than my nose.

James leaned forward with the knife, pushing the blade into
my neck.

The scream that came from my throat, ripped my air ways back
open.

James flinched at the shrill noise and dropped his knife in
surprise. There was no time to think. I pitched myself forward and plunged my
dagger into his chest. James’s body crashed to the ground beside me.

I relaxed my hold on the dagger. My eyes fluttered shut. I
slumped against the wall, listening to the sound of my own breathing.

So this was the end? I would die in a shack after all.
Hopefully death claimed me before Renard returned.

The front door burst open. It was thrown so hard it crashed
against the inner wall.

Noel spoke first.

“Aurora, oh my God!” She crouched by my side.

At first I thought I imagined the second voice.

 “Aurora?”

My heart fluttered. Fane. I got to see him one last time
after all. I tried to smile.

“She’s been stabbed,” Noel said.

Fane’s face appeared over me. “Jesus Christ!”

He disappeared quickly. Fabric ripped through the room. Fane
returned with blue strips of cloth and held one at my neck.

“Tighten these around her wounds,” he instructed Noel. “If
you need more, check the duffel bag on the kitchen floor.”

Fane pressed the fabric tightly to the wound on my throat. “We
need to get her to a hospital.”

“No!” Noel cried.

Fane scowled.

“The hospital can’t help her,” Noel said. “I need to get her
on base.”

“Too far,” Fane said. “I’m less than a mile away. Go buy
bandages and disinfectant and meet me there: 880 Alder Circle. Here, take my
wallet. Go!”

Fane looked down at me after Noel left and scooped me into
his arms. I rested my head on his shoulder. The temperature outside was only
slightly colder than inside the house. Fane reached for his car door handle
while holding me against him. He laid me gently on the back bench in his car.

He didn’t say anything during the drive. It was as though he
believed I couldn’t hear. Or maybe he didn’t want to talk to me. Noel must have
enlisted his help out of desperation, which meant he knew what I was. If he was
upset with me before, he had to downright hate me now.

“Come on,” he said, urging his car along as he drove, but
the tank moved at its slow, smooth pace.

I drifted out of consciousness until the car choked to a
stop in Fane’s driveway. Fane jumped out, came round to the back, and gathered
me into his arms.

He kicked at his front door. Joss opened up and was nearly
knocked over as Fane entered with me.

Joss hurried after us. “What’s going on?”

“She’s been cut in five places.”

“What happened?”

“Vampires got her.”

“What the deuce? Did they drink from her thigh as well?”

Fane laid me on the couch gently. “They didn’t drink her.
They found out she’s a vampire hunter.”

Joss’s eyes doubled in size. “And you brought her here?” He
stormed to Fane’s side. “Francesco, she has to go.”

“She’s not going anywhere until I see to her wounds.”

“But why?”

“Don’t ask me that,” Fane said somberly.

He crouched by my side, checked the wound at my neck, and
reapplied pressure. His hands shook as he unzipped my jeans. Fane pulled my top
up halfway. Our eyes met.

There was a knock at the door.

“Who’s this now?” Joss asked.

“Come in,” Fane called.

Noel hurried in with a plastic shopping sack.

“Who’s this?” Joss repeated.

No one answered.

“I have gauze and Hydrogen Peroxide,” Noel said.

“Good. Clean out the wounds on her stomach and thigh. I’ll
take care of her wrists and neck.”

Noel paused to look at Fane.

His eyes narrowed. “Noel, I’ve got it.”

They pulled the rags off. Noel swabbed at my stomach. My
eyes fluttered.

Fane stopped wrapping one of my wrists and placed a hand on
my cheek. “Stay with me, Aurora.”

He held my gaze for several beats before returning to my
wrists.

Once the blood was cleaned up, Fane wrapped my wounds in
gauze.

He peeled back a large square bandage for my neck, pressing
firmly as he smoothed it over my raw skin.

Noel looked me over. “Aurora, are you okay?”

“No,” Fane said. “She shouldn’t talk. Tell me who else was
behind this and where I can find them.”

Noel wrung her hands. “It was a vampire going around calling
himself William at Marcus’s place. He came alone, but I saw him leave with two
others in a tan Buick. I called Marcus when I got the bandages, and he
confirmed that they had just returned to the party. He said that the guy
calling himself William is wearing the red scarf Aurora had on earlier.”

Joss huffed. “Marcus.”

Fane tensed his jaw. “Does Marcus know Aurora’s an
assassin?”

“No.”

“Good. What does this William look like?”

“I believe his name’s really Renard. He came after Aurora
after she…” Noel glanced from me to Fane. “Offed an acquaintance of his in
Fairbanks.”

“Bloody hell,” Joss said.

Fane stood. “I’ll be back.”

Joss stepped in his way. “Don’t do this, Francesco.”

Fane glanced back at me. “As long as this guy’s breathing,
Aurora’s not safe.”

Joss moved in step with Fane as he tried to sidestep him. “I
won’t let you do this.”

Fane slipped around him. “Take care of her.”

I reached a hand out to stop him, but no one saw. Fane
slammed the door behind him.

“Hell! Bloody hell! Bloody hell!” Joss bellowed. “He’s going
to get himself bloody killed. And for what purpose? To save a bloody vampire
hunter.” He turned and looked at me. “Is she truly one of those newfangled
vampire hunters?”

Joss looked at Noel suddenly. “Are
you
?”

“No,” Noel said. “I’m an informant.”

“Bloody brilliant. Francesco leaves me behind with an
assassin and a spy.”

Noel shrugged.

“Can’t you get her out of here?”

Noel’s forehead wrinkled. “I need to get her to one of our
doctors. Could you help me move her to my car?”

“You want me to touch her?”

“Her skin can’t infect you.”

“I’m still not getting anywhere near her.”

“Come on,” Noel said, losing patience. “I need help.”

Finally I managed to sit upright. “No,” I croaked.

Noel and Joss looked at me.

“I have to help Fane.”

Noel’s face loosened up. She came to my side. “Aurora, we
have to get you on base. You’ve lost a lot of blood. You may need another
transfusion.”

“Oh, great,” Joss said. “Fill her up with more of your
toxins.”

“No,” I said.

“Can you get up?” Noel asked.

“Blood.”

“What?”

If I shared the same blood type as vampires, wouldn’t it
stand to reason that consuming human blood would rejuvenate me?

“Bring me blood.”

Noel looked at Joss as though he might be able to decipher
my request. “I don’t understand.”

Joss studied my face a moment. “I believe your friend is
requesting blood.”

“You mean she wants to…” Noel’s eyes widened.

Joss looked at us both darkly. “Drink blood.”

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