Damon (The Protectors Series) Book #1 (22 page)

senses together he threw these damn silver chains on me.” Silver didn't burn through clothes, but any

skin it hit kept them immobile. Damon didn't know why or how the hell it worked, but he hated the

stuff with a passion.

Jared pulled the chain from around Damon's neck. “That's gonna leave a mark.”

“Hurry the hell up.” Damon growled. “I don't know how long I've laid here. He could have Nicole and

Pam by now.”

“Who do you think changed him?” Jared pulled the last of the chains away and watched Damon jump

up, wobbling slightly, then pull himself together. “Don't know and don't care at the moment.” Damon

took off running in the direction the women headed. Anyone driving by wouldn't have even seen them

their speed too fast to track.

Duncan met up with them as soon as they found the wreckage. Jared ran to Pam. Testing for a pulse

he looked over at Duncan. “She's alive.” He tried to wake her, but she wouldn't wake up which was

probably for the best. She had some major injuries and needed emergency treatment. “Call 911.”

Damon checked the other side of the car, but knew he wouldn't find her. Opening his senses he closed

his eyes feeling with his mind. He could smell her fear and helplessness. He had to get his rage under

control in order to help her. One thing for sure he was going to kill the son of a bitch. Turning his

head toward the wooded area, he walked that way seeing a trail as if someone had been dragged

breaking through the grass and weeds.

Duncan came down the hill. “Go with him.” He told Jared. “I'll stay with Pam.”

Jared nodded, then headed in the direction Damon had taken. Not going far they stopped just inside a

wooded area. A small shed type structure sagged in a small clearing. A light glowed from a window

outlining the shadow of a man. Damon made a move toward the structure, but Jared stopped him.

“Hold on there friend. He isn't strong enough to sense us, but you go in there with him standing right at

the window he can get to her before you get to him.”

Damon knew he was right so he stopped. “As soon as he moves I'm in.” His eyes never left the

window. “You go around and see if there's another way in. As soon as you hear all hell break loose get

in there.”

“On it.” Jared slapped him on the back.

Damon took a quick glance his way. “Can you get a read on her?”

Jared sometimes forgot Damon couldn't. “Yeah.” He nodded. “She's hurt, but okay. She's scared and is

praying that you find her.”

Damon nodded, looking back at the window, the gleam in his eye more determined. He heard Jared

take off and waited, giving him enough time to search around to find another way in. The window

Damon planned to go through wasn't large, but he'd take out the whole side of the building to get to

Nicole. He could break through the door, but the bastard would be expecting that and Damon always

did the unexpected, which was probably why he has been around for hundreds of years. Nothing was

going to stop him. He could hear the river lapping the banks downhill from where he stood. The place

looked like a good wind would knock it over. Yeah, nothing would keep him from her....nothing.

Nicole shivered, her fear overtaking everything she felt at the moment. The adrenalin pumping through

her body helped her pain. She wanted Damon to find her so badly, but she was afraid for him. She

didn't want him hurt because of her. Too many people's lives had been disrupted. Looking around

again for something other than the piece of metal in her pocket Nicole noticed something. A rope was

tied to the door that stretched to the ceiling where the end of the rope tied onto a curved hook.

Understanding shifted the floor beneath her feet. If Damon came through that door he would be

impaled.

“I see you noticed my handiwork.” Chad laugh was evil. “Took me a while, but it works like a charm.

Suddenly angry Nicole took a stumbling step toward him. “Damon is too smart to fall for that. If it

does hit him it will just piss him off.”

“Well, that's where you're wrong. I had it coated in silver. Cost me a pretty penny, but every cent was

worth it just to see that bastard die as the silver spreads through his body.” Chad slobbered more as a

wide smile spread across his grotesque mouth. “Oh yeah, worth every last cent.”

She was not going to let him kill Damon. “You know Chad you really are stupid.” Nicole spat, then

chuckled, hoping to make him mad enough to come closer to her. Just close enough she could use the

piece of metal in her back pocket. She wasn't sure how to kill a vampire, but she was sure a piece of

metal, silver or not, through the heart would be a good start. “Damon is way smarter than you. He is

going to kill you, do you know that? You don't stand a chance against him or any of the warriors for

that matter. Damon is more man than you could ever hope to be.”

Chad's eyes glowed more red as he turned away from the window taking a step toward her. “We'll see

about that bitch.” Chad snarled, spittle shooting out of his mouth.

“Yeah, whatever Chad.” Nicole snorted, knowing her 'whatever attitude' would piss him off, it always

had before. “All I know is that when Damon and the warriors show up, and they will show up, you're

dead.”

“Shut up!” Chad roared his eyes going wild. “Just shut the fuck up.”

Nicole's fake giggle worked like a charm. Seeing him move in her direction her hand moved to her

pocket, but before she could reach it the window Chad had been standing in front of exploded with

glass, wood and one huge vampire. Damon blasted into the room his arm hooked Chad taking him to

the ground rolling away from Nicole.

Screaming, Nicole shielded her face and head from flying glass and watched in horror as the two

fought. Damon grabbed Chad throwing him against one wall and then another, stalking after him

pounding him in the face, so full of rage he could barely contain it. Never had Nicole seen him so

angry. He again threw Chad against the wall before looking at her. His eyes calming slightly as they

stared at each other. A click of a gun broke the silence as well as their eye contact.

Chad stood against the wall pointing a gun at Damon with one hand while the other felt for his fangs.

“You bastard.” He probed at one broken fang. “You're going to die.”

“Now that's just gonna piss him off.” Jared sighed shaking his head then thumbed over his shoulder.

“And your crude looking torture thing didn't work.”

“God, I hate you warriors. You think you're so fucking great, but I got you assholes now.” Chad

grinned, his broken fang dangling.

Jared rolled his eyes shaking his head. “I know you're new to this vampire stuff, but what you learn in

becoming a vampire 101 is that bullets won't kill us.”

“But silver ones will.” Chad sneered with an evil grin that caused his broken fang to fall off. The ping

of it hitting the floor the only sound in the room.

Nicole saw the look of surprise on Jared's face then she looked at Damon who was staring at her with

such sadness and loss it took her breath away. “No!” Nicole started forward dragging her injured foot

behind her.

“I'm sorry Nicole.” Damon gave a small sad smile. “Once he takes me out kill the bastard.” He ordered

Jared, his eyes turning cold as he focused on Chad.

Frantic, Nicole felt the metal piece cutting into her hand, her grip white knuckle tight. Looking down

she saw a small thin stream of blood coming from her fist. Remembering Damon talking to them

during one of their training sessions she turned her other wrist over staring at it. A new vampire could

not resist the scent and sight of fresh blood being spilled. It drove them into a frenzy so it was very

important not to get cut or have an injury near a newborn vamp. Looking up at Chad whose eyes were

wild, his breathing panting she knew he was on edge now and spilled blood may give Damon and

Jared a chance to stop him.

Everything from there seemed to happen in slow motion. Always one to hate pain and blood Nicole

didn't even hesitate putting the sharp metal against her wrist. With a small prayer she took a step

forward.

“Chad.” Nicole was surprised her voice was strong and clear. Lifting her arm toward him Nicole sliced

her wrist open to the bone hoping it would spill enough blood fast enough to make Chad lose control.

“You lose.”

The last thing she remembered was seeing Chad rush her, but before she was hit he was taken down.

She was caught before hitting the floor. Damon's face wavered in front of hers his eyes worried. “I got

you.” Damon laid her gently on the floor. “God Nicole, what were you thinking?” Damon whipped his

shirt off, wrapped it around her wrist and applied pressure.

“Saving you.” She wanted so bad to reach up and touch his face, but weakness so heavy settled over

her body.

Damon looked away from her for a second. When he looked back at her a lone tear of blood streaked

from the corner of his eye down his cheek. “Stay with me Nicole.” His voice sounded so far away.

Nicole choked, then struggled for breath. Oh, God she really didn't want to die. “I'm scared.”

“You're going to be fine Nicole. Just hold on for me darlin.” Damon put more pressure on her wrist

trying to stop the flow of blood, but it just kept flowing. His fangs had grown large and long at the

sweet scent of her life spilling on the dirty floor. “Fuck.” Damon hissed under his breath.

“No, I'm not.” Nicole whispered. She felt so tired and cold. Her eyes closed slowly then opened, her

vision blurry. She wanted so bad to ask him to save her, to turn her, but she wouldn't. She loved him

enough not to beg him to do something he was so against. “Damon, please stop and listen to me.”

“Nicole...” Damon pressed harder.

“Please Damon.” Her voice cracked, growing weaker by the second. Knotting his shirt tightly around

her wrist he picked her up in his arms cradling her head softly. “Promise me something.” She finally

said after licking her dry lips.

“Anything darlin.” Damon's voice also cracked with emotion.

“I like when you call me that.” Nicole gave him a small grin, her eyes closing. Clearing her throat she

leaned closer to him. “Promise me you won't give up until you've caught whoever is behind Crimson

Rush. Take care of the kids for me.”

Damon stayed silent as he rocked her back and forth kissing her forehead. He felt Jared at his back and

knew Chad had been taken care of. He wondered if Jared had kept him alive so they could get names

from him, but his only concern right now lay in his arms dying and he knew time was running out. He

had never met anyone like her ever. Instead of begging to be changed so she could live she wanted a

promise from him to take care of others. He knew she wouldn't ask for herself because it wasn't in her

to do so and also she knew his feelings on it and respected them. “I promise darlin.” He whispered

lowering her to ground gently. “I promise.” But Nicole was beyond hearing.

Nicole didn't know how long she had fought her way out of the darkness and pain that had devoured

her mind and body, if this was the way to heaven then a lot of people were gonna be so disappointed

cause it sure wasn't fun or peaceful. Her heavy eyes fluttered open to slits. Afraid to open them fully

she moved her eyeballs only to see darkness. Wasn't there suppose to be a bright light to greet her. At

least the pain was gone. Feeling a little more brave because of that fact she opened her eyes more and

was shocked to find she was in a room obviously laying on a soft bed. Nicole sat straight up looking

down at her wrist which was free of any scar. My God, how long had she been out or was she really

dead and this really was heaven.

Whipping the covers back she jumped out of bed amazed at how great she felt. “Hello?” She called

out, her voice strong and deep. Okay...she was starting to freak a little. God she was thirsty. Licking

her lips she felt a prick of pain on her tongue. “Ouch.” Reaching up she touched her lip, bringing her

hand back she saw blood and her stomach clinched tight with hunger.

Eyes wide she ran to a mirror hanging on the wall between two windows and bared her teeth. Short

fangs hung slightly lower than her other teeth, sharp and pointy. Slapping her hand across her mouth

she turned away from the mirror. “Oh. My. God.” She murmured behind her hand. “He did it.”

Turning back around she removed her hand slowly baring her teeth again. So many emotions sent her

body into overdrive she felt ill.

After flashing her fangs this way and that, trying them on for size so to speak, Nicole walked back to

the edge of the bed and plopped down, stunned. She was a vampire, a freaking vamp and she had no

clue how to feel about that. A little scared.....yeah. A little freaked....hell yeah. What did this mean?

Where was Damon and where was she, whose room was she in? As if summoned by her questions

and thoughts the door opened and in walked Damon looking handsome and strong. She wanted to run

to him, but his expression stopped her.