Bloodstorm (Heart of a Vampire) (20 page)

The girl smiled. “I knew you could do it.”

Shane closed his eyes, drawing in the earth magic now whispering to him.

“
He passed out,” the boy said.

“
No,” the girl chided. “He’s getting ready.”

Power and strength flowed into his body. He opened his eyes, then stood.

“
There are guards everywhere,” the girl whispered. “Be careful.”

“
I’ll be back for you,” Shane told her.

She nodded, but the boy turned to face the back wall, his shoulders slumped.

The pitiful sight of the kids, one with no hope remaining, the other, eyes shining with her belief Shane would rescue them, hit him hard.

He wouldn’t let them down.

But first, he had to get to Niki.

Shane continued building his power as he moved out of the prison into a long, dark tunnel.

***

Niki dug in her boot harder, and finally managed to get the dagger out. She palmed it, pressing the blade against the tape around her wrists.

Her bones howled in pain at the strange angle, but she sawed back and forth, feeling her bonds loosen.

The door behind her opened and the little girl came in, carrying the woman with pink hair.

“
Ah,” Thomas said, hands on his rounded stomach. “Dinner.”

Niki drew back as much as she could as the child draped the woman on Thomas’ lap. His gaze struck Niki. He stared at her as he sank his teeth into the woman’s unprotected throat. Pink-hair jerked, moaning. Her hands fluttered up, slapping at Thomas’ head, but she was weak and he paid her struggles no heed.

The woman’s green-blue eyes opened and she met Niki’s gaze. Niki stared into endless depths, caught in something she didn’t understand. Outside in the receiving room, a man screamed. Niki broke from the woman’s captivating gaze and ripped the blade through the tape. Free, she crawled forward, getting closer to Thomas.

She glanced at Pink-hair, then quickly away as the woman’s strange magic tried to suck her under again.

Outside, more shouts and screams rose. Something crashed against the door and the sounds of fighting grew closer.

Thomas rose, letting the woman fall to the floor. He started for the door.

Niki pushed to her feet and stumbled toward him. She wrapped her arms around Thomas’ throat, letting her blade lay on his unprotected neck.

“
Ah, my dear. How trite.”

“
You’re going to die for what you did to my family,” she rasped hoarsely.

He laughed, the sound a rumble beneath her hands. “And what did I do to them? Hmm? Ended their pitiful short mortal lives a few years early? So what?”

She dug the blade against his skin.

Thomas hissed, flinging her against a rocky wall. Pain exploded in her body, singing down her arms and legs. She crumpled to the ground like a rag doll, urging herself to move. Her body wouldn’t respond.

Behind Thomas, the door crashed open.

Shane stood in the broken doorway, his golden eyes ablaze as he took in everything. “Thomas Montgomery. You are under arrest by power of the Keeper.”

Thomas threw his head back and croaked out a laugh. “Of course.”

He raised his hands, and Shane flew backwards out of the room.

In front of Niki, wisps rose from the floor. She stared at her family, feeling their pain, drawing strength from their presence. “I will kill him for you.”

The woman with pink hair crawled into Niki’s sight. “Take what you need.” She pressed her throat to Niki’s mouth.

Instinct took over and Niki bit down, strength flowing into her on the woman’s warm blood. Seconds or hours passed, she wasn’t sure. The woman’s blood was sweet and powerful, not quite like Shane’s, but not ordinary human.

Power filled Niki with each deep drink. Tiredness was shoved away, leaving her fury burning hot. The woman cried out. Niki pulled back, staring at the pulsing beat at Pink-hair’s throat. It enticed, called her to take more.

The woman moaned, rolling onto her back. “Kill him.”

Niki dug deep, finding the will to pull away from this addictive, intoxicating woman. She pushed to her feet, then swayed, feeling drunk.

Somewhere, seemingly far away, Shane yelled. Thomas laughed.

Niki’s gaze locked on Thomas. He fought Shane in the outer chamber, sparks lighting the air as magic crashed. The fire roared, flames shooting through the air at Shane.

Energy continued to build inside her, but not fast enough. Had to get to him.

Would be too late.

Her heart beat heavy, her breath came in gasps as the sight froze in her mind. She refused to let Shane die.

Niki grabbed the special dagger he’d given her from the floor near her feet and raced from the bedroom, staring at the pulse on Thomas’ throat.

Cut him. Stop him from harming anyone else she... cared for.

Shane brought up his hands and the flames stopped as if hitting a shield. He shouted from the effort, and Niki heard pain in the sound.

Red washed through her vision. She narrowed in on Thomas, launching through the room and jumping at his back.

She drove the tip of the knife into the side of his throat.

Blood gushed from the wound as he bucked, trying to get her off. Niki pulled back, then plunged the knife into his neck once more.

Already, the first wound was healing in front of her eyes.

“
No!” she screamed, trying to cut deeper.

Shane barreled into them. Hands grabbed Niki’s aching wrists and pulled her away.

She stared blankly at Shane as he pried the dagger from her fist. “Why?” she whispered, unable to comprehend anything through the fog of fury in her mind.

He shook her. “I will not allow you to die.”

Before she could move, he faced Thomas.

“
Do you yield?” Shane demanded.

Thomas raised his hands to use his magic. Niki blinked as power blasted into the room. Shane grasped Thomas’ dark hair and swung the blade at his neck.

The vampire let out one short cry as the boundless power exploded and the dagger slid through his throat, decapitating him.

Shane dropped the knife and pulled Niki to his side as Thomas’ body disintegrated to ash.

“
He’s dead.” She couldn’t quite believe it.

The ghosts of her family wavered. Niki stepped towards them, hands out. Her mother smiled, and Niki’s eyes burned at the bright, joyous sight. Then, as one, they all floated up, disappearing into the rock ceiling.

She wobbled, about to fall, but Shane grabbed her and pulled her to his chest. He buried his head in her neck.

***

Niki woke once again in the white room. Shane’s grandmother bustled in with a tray and held a cup to her lips. She drank the blood and herbs, feeling stronger with each swallow.

“
How long?” Niki whispered through her sore throat.

“
Three days,” Morning Dove replied, brushing hair from Niki’s forehead.

Impossible. “What?”

“
Yes. Days.”

“
How?”

“
You needed much healing.”

Niki looked down at the nightgown, but even as she moved, she realized the pain wasn’t horrible. “I didn’t... hurt anyone, did I?”

“
No.” Morning Dove’s black eyes flashed. “The young man Jordan brought what you needed.”

Niki grinned at the King being called a young man. Then she realized the repercussions. “Is he still here?”

From the door, Shane spoke. “Jordan told me to assure you there is no obligation.”

She drank in the sight of him standing there, alive and unharmed. “Thomas is dead, right?”

“
Yes.”

Morning Dove rose and quietly left the room, patting Shane’s shoulder as she walked by. Shane stayed in the doorway.

Niki tried to swallow past her dry throat. “And the others in the cave?”

“
Free. Between the Council and Jordan, we’re getting them the help they need.”

Niki nodded, trying to figure things out. Shane hadn’t let her kill Thomas, he’d done it himself. Which meant the Council would not be coming for her.

She didn’t have a clue what to think of that.

Niki glanced at Shane. His eyes were dark, full of emotion she couldn’t name. Circles lay heavy beneath them and he seemed drawn, as if he hadn’t been sleeping.

“
Why...” She swallowed, then grabbed the courage to push on. “Why did you kill Thomas rather than letting me do it?”

His lips thinned and he shrugged.

Ignoring the pain, she pushed up, leaning against the headboard. “Why?”

“
I told you, I wouldn’t let you die.”

And now she wouldn’t. She almost felt giddy at the knowledge she didn’t need to run. She was free, but Niki didn’t know what that meant.

Maybe... maybe she could think about the future now. Warmth blossomed in her chest for this man. She looked back at Shane, but he was gone. Niki thought about what he’d said to his sister and realized how stupid she was to hope. He didn’t want her, would never trust her. There was nothing for her here.

Chapter Eighteen

S
hane couldn’t stop thinking of Niki, lying in that wide bed, seeming so fragile even though her strength rivaled his own. But, before he could claim her as his heart desired, he had something to do.

He pounded on Glory’s front door, waiting for his little sister to answer. The slide of the peep-hole seemed to drag on forever, as did the time it took for the door to creak open.

His sister scowled at him. “Go away.”

He shook his head. Not until he finished what he’d come to do. “I was an... idiot.”

“
More like an asshole,” his baby sister replied.

He cringed at her words, but didn’t deny them as an image Niki filled his head. “Yes,” was his simple reply. “Love happens where it happens.”

His sister raised a brow, her dark eyes blazing. “Change of heart ‘cause you fell in love with a vampire?”

“
Perhaps.”

Glory grasped his hand, and led him into the living room. Blake, her boyfriend shifter, sat on the long purple couch, trembling at the sight of Shane. Glory smiled at him, and in her face, Shane read the emotions he himself felt so deeply for Niki.

“
My brother is here to apologize.” She gave Shane a sharp glance. “Aren’t you?”

“
Yes.” He rubbed his hands together, staring from his sister to the werewolf on the couch. “I will no longer deny what the two of you have together. I cannot.”

Glory patted his cheek. “I love you, brother. Though I would have never wished such a tumultuous relationship as with the Arcaine on you, I’m happy you can finally see how I love this man.”

Though misgivings for their relationship roiled in his soul, Shane knew his feelings for Niki were pure. He didn’t care she was vampire. Niki was his fate. And he wasn’t about to fight fate. It had given him the only woman on this earth who was perfect for him. Now he just had to convince her of that.

Shane stood straighter, glaring at Blake, daring him to do anything that would hurt Glory. He kissed his sister and left her home, his thoughts consumed by the woman he was going to make his.

***

Niki slipped out of Shane’s grandmother’s house without running into anyone. She headed through the forest and toward town. Outside Shane’s home, Niki used the protective cover of the trees to sit and watch.

After thirty minutes or so, she felt certain no one was home. Inside, Niki headed upstairs to the guest room to grab her things. She walked in and jerked to a stop.

Jordan MacDougal sat in the rocking chair in the far corner, still and silent as a hunting cat. “Took you long enough. You should have needed only seconds to verify Shane wasn’t home.”

Niki shrugged. So what if it had? She’d wanted to be very, very sure.

Jordan rocked the chair, staring at her with a watchful gaze. “Skipping out of town are you?”

“
I’ve done what I came to do. Besides, you told me I only had a week. I’m over that.” Inside, she shivered at what he could do to her, but somehow, she was sure he wasn’t here as King or a Master.

With that thought, Niki headed to the bed and shoved the stray items in one of the suitcases. “How’s Robby?”

Jordan stopped rocking. “The boy is fine. Learning and growing used to his new life. Do you wish to take him with you?”

She stilled. “I told you before, it will be his choice.”

“
And if I tell you he wants to stay with me?”

Niki met his gaze, assessing him silently for long moments. “If I asked to hear it from him, would you let me?”

His eyes shone with amusement at her pushing. “Of course.”

“
I’ll take your word.”