Heart of a Warrior (20 page)

Holding the blood-covered sword in his hands, Nic looked down at Ivan, helpless at his feet. Seeing the indecision in Nic’s eyes, Ivan smiled. “Well, are you a man of your word?”

Nic’s grip on the sword tightened as the tip of the blade rose. Ivan's life hung on Nic’s word and honor.

“Don’t do it, Nic.”

Nic lowered the point of the sword toward the floor.

“The girls. Protect them,” Ivan gritted out from between his clenched teeth to Nic.

“You heard the man.”

Nic gave Ivan a quick nod and turned away.

•

Across the room, Annie sobbed as Amy struggled to support her, trying to keep both of them on their feet. Three vampires closed ranks on them, and Amy screamed.

“Nic, the girls need you over here. Now!”

“On my way.”

Nic slid into position in front of the girls just as the vampires attacked. His gaze flicked once to Fiona, across the room, as she fought against three vampires.

“Help Fiona, Cho.”

“I’m on it.”

•

A female vampire with flaming red hair foolishly stepped into Fiona’s reach and lost her head. Fiona turned her attention to the other two. They were very strong, and Fiona had to work hard to keep her swings fast enough to match their alternating blows.

“These two are real bitches, Cho.”

“You can take ’em.”

“Maybe.”

“No doubts, princess. They’ll get you killed.”

“Really? I thought it was the swords that did it.”

Fiona felt the wall with her heel as she took a step back. With almost no room to operate in, she needed to push forward, and these two weren’t going to oblige her. Fiona’s muscles corded as her adrenaline kicked up a notch, and her heart pounded even harder than before. She swung hard in the tight space, concentrating on the strongest one, who seemed the biggest threat. The weaker woman held back, probably trying to save her own skin.

“Cho, where’s Nic? I need some help.”

“Fiona needs help, Nic.”

“I can’t get to her right now.”

“Hang in there, Fiona. Nic’s tied up.”

“Just great. Where’s a man when you need him?”

•

Ivan watched as Fiona swung her sword for all she was worth, but the two vampires had her pinned against the wall. He could tell it could go either way.

Deciding he’d do what he could while he still had strength, Ivan wiped his bloody hands on his shirt for a better grip, picked up the crossbow on the floor beside him, cocked the bow, and loaded an arrow. Blood from his hands left dark red smears obscuring the gleaming metal of the crossbow.

Slowing his tortured breathing, he tried to stop his body’s shaking. He’d lost too much blood.

Damn, I’m so cold.

Taking aim with the crossbow at the powerful female going up against Fiona, Ivan held his breath to steady the bow. The bolt flew straight and hit the bitch square in the back, and she disappeared. The crossbow slipped from his hands, and, exhausted, he leaned back against the wall. He was healing, but it was very slow, and he was still losing blood.

•

“Ivan got one of Fiona’s vamps!”

“Great, now he’s saving my woman.”

“That’s what he swore, remember? Same as you’re doing right now.”

Nic held off the three remaining vampires from getting to Amy and Annie.

“Don’t take too long, Nic.”

“I’ll make it short ’n’ sweet.”

Nic blocked and then, with a quick reverse, caught one in the chest. The others paused, and he took advantage of it. He pulled back his elbows, freed his sword, and, with a quick forward thrust, impaled the other. Fear flickered in the last one’s eyes, but he held his ground. With a spin, Nic’s sword knocked the vampire’s sword free and cut off his head. Nic searched the room for possible stragglers.

“Just one left, and Fiona’s handling it.”

“Right.”

•

Freed from dealing with two female vampires, Fiona advanced on the one remaining as her sword cut the air in ever-tighter arcs. The vampire backed up, pressured into defensive mode as Fiona attacked. Stepping to the side to avoid a thrust of the female’s sword, Fiona lunged, sinking her blade into the vampire’s heart. The blade dropped to the ground.

“That’s my girl.”

“Did you doubt me?”

“You? Never, princess.”

•

Annie left her sister and ran to Ivan.

Nic turned to Amy to remove her manacles.

Amy held her shaking hands out for Nic to pry off the chains. “Get them off me,” she sobbed.

“We need the keys!” Nic shouted, as he struggled with the manacles.

Fiona searched the room and found a key ring near the overturned card table. “Try these.” She tossed them to Nic. There were about ten keys on the ring, and he tried several keys until one slipped into the lock, and with a turn, it clicked, freeing Amy.

“Nic. Fiona. I think Ivan’s in trouble.”

•

Annie knelt next to Ivan as he sat against the wall. She held his head between her hands as she stared into his face.

“I don’t think I’m going to make the trip to the beach, baby.” His eyes drank her in. God, she was so beautiful it hurt.

“Ivan, no, you can’t give up. I
need
you.”

“You’ll be fine.” He reached a bloodstained hand to her, and his fingers brushed her cheek, leaving a smear of his blood. “You don’t need me. You’re stronger than you think.”

“I
do
need you. You’ll heal,” Annie assured him. “Just hang on.”

“I’ve lost a lot of blood, and I’m bleeding faster than I’m healing. Ironic, huh? A vampire bleeding to death.” Resting against the wall, he stretched his legs out in front of him. His head felt as if it weighed too much for him to hold up. More than anything, he wanted to lie down and close his eyes. Slip away.

Amy approached, her eyes wide with horror at Ivan’s wound. She turned to Nic and Fiona. “You have to help him. He’s dying,” she cried out.

“I don’t know what to do.” Nic shook his head.

“Call an ambulance,” Amy suggested. “He needs to get to a hospital.”

Fiona stood next to her. “That won’t help him.”

“You need to eat, Ivan,” Annie told him.

“No, Annie, baby.” Taking her hands in his, he brought them to his lips. “Just let me go. It’s better this way. You’ll be fine.”

God, I’m so tired.

The only thing holding him back was Annie. In the clarity that comes only in moments like this, he knew he didn’t want to leave her, and that he should tell her before he died how much he loved her.

“You
have
to stay with me! What would I do without you? I don’t know how to be!” Annie clutched at his blood-covered hand.

“You’ll find someone else to help you.”

“I don’t want anyone else, you old fool. I love
you
. Now you’re going to shut up and feed and gain some strength so you can heal.” Her face was set. Determination shone in her eyes.

“You’ve got that look, Annie. The one I love.” He sighed.

“Feed. Now.” She positioned herself at his side, pulled off her black turtleneck sweater, and handed it to Fiona. Pulling him to her, Annie exposed her neck to him. Like a mother encouraging an infant, she cradled him in her arms. His lips touched the soft skin of her shoulder.

“What is she doing?” Amy’s bewilderment showed in her eyes.

Fiona pulled Amy to the side. “Ivan and your sister are vampires, Amy.” The girl looked confused as she turned to look at her sister and then back to Fiona.

“Feed, Ivan. Please. I can’t be without you,” Annie whispered into his ear.

“Let me go.”

“Never.”

Ivan’s lips rested on her shoulder. He could smell the scent of her hair, the way her body smelled. Closing his eyes, he knew what he should do. But he was too weak. Instead, his tongue searched for her pulse. Annie’s eyes closed, her head tilted, and she pushed her long hair aside. Waiting.

Ivan extended his canines and, with great tenderness, bit into Annie’s neck.

“Oh my God! Stop him!” Amy threw herself toward the couple, but Fiona caught her by the wrist, pulling her back.

“She’s all right, Amy. She isn’t being hurt,” Fiona reassured her.

Ivan fed. Each beat of Annie’s heart pumped the life-giving blood out of her wounds and down his throat. The more blood he drank, the stronger he felt, and his healing quickened.

Now he slipped his arms around her, and he pulled her body to his, taking everything she gave him, whether he deserved it or not. As he drank, her arms slipped from around his body as she gave herself to him. Ivan’s wounds stopped bleeding. The transfer had taken only a few minutes. Ivan lifted his head from Annie’s throat, and she collapsed into his arms.

“Annie?” He leaned her back against the wall.

Her eyelids fluttered and then opened. “Ivan, you’re alive.”

“Did I take too much?”

“No. I’m just a little tired.”

The marks on her neck were gone. Annie reached for her sweater. Fiona handed it to her, and she pulled it on. Ivan struggled to his feet and helped Annie to stand. Blood covered their clothes, and the cloying metallic scent hung in the air.

Fiona cleared her throat. “Are you both all right?”

Ivan leaned against the wall for support and responded with a curt nod as Annie smiled, clutching his hand. He didn’t trust himself to speak.

Amy stared at her sister. The stare morphed from astonishment to horror to disgust. “You’re one of
them
.” Her soft voice was filled with recrimination.

“Amy, please. Let me explain. Can’t we talk?” Annie tried to go to her.

Amy stepped back, the disgust in her eyes turning to fear. “Keep away from me.” She held her hands out to ward off her sister.

“No, Amy, don’t say that.” Tears welled in Annie’s blue eyes, so similar to her sister’s.

“Did
he
make you like this?” Amy pointed to Ivan. “That, that monster!”

Annie held very still. “He didn’t make me like this. He took me in and helped me. I’m in love with him, Amy. He ... we are
not
monsters! Maybe not human anymore, but we’re not monsters. I know it’s hard to accept because I don’t think I’ve accepted it myself, but…”

“Just shut up!” Amy placed her hands over her ears and turned away from her sister and Ivan. “Why couldn’t you have just stayed dead?”

Amy threw open the door and ran up the steps.

During the ride back to the park, the silence was so loud it blocked out the noise of the van. The tension arcing between the sisters was a live thing, growing, ebbing, and then taking on a steady, angry pulse.

Fiona watched Amy, sitting across from her in the back of the van, refuse even to look at her sister, her shoulders hunched up tight around her ears. Good grief, Fiona wanted to shout, cut Annie some slack.

Annie, sitting next to Fiona, kept her eyes down, her body slack and lifeless, as if all the fight had gone out of her. The trembling of her chin and the rapid blinking of her eyes told Fiona she was trying to keep a hold on her fragile emotions.

Amy alternated between glaring at the floor and glaring at the back of Ivan’s head.

“It’s a good thing Amy doesn’t have a weapon, Cho.”

“Yeah, I can feel the hostility from back there.”

“Amy’s had a nasty shock and what she saw in that lair must have been horrific.”

“I hope you never see that, princess.”

“Pretty bad, huh?”

“Well, it isn’t good.”

“How’s it going up in front?”

“Not bad, considering these two are sworn enemies. At least the truce is holding.”

“I think Nic sort of respects and likes Ivan.”

“Yeah, but he’ll never admit it.”

“Got it.”

The van pulled in next to the Jag, and everyone got out. Fiona and Nic went to the car and began cleaning and putting the weapons away, giving Amy and Annie some room. Glancing over at Ivan leaning against the van, Fiona gave him a small shrug as if to say, “What now?”

The sisters stood several yards apart. Amy seemed unwilling to come any closer, whether out of fear or anger, Fiona couldn’t tell.

“Amy, please, just talk to me.” Annie reached out her hands to her sister.

Amy shook her head and stormed off. Spinning on her heels, Annie ran to Ivan, burying her head against his chest. As he held her, his pleading gaze met Fiona’s over Annie’s head. Giving Fiona a small jerk of his head, he indicated she should talk to Amy.

Fiona sighed and approached Amy.

“Amy, listen, about your sister…”

Amy turned on Fiona. “I don’t want to talk about it. I saw what they are! I watched them feed on some poor man, heard his screaming as they tore him apart right in front of me. They were animals! Inhuman monsters!” Amy wrapped her arms around her body and shivered. “Now she’s joined them!”

Fiona had reached the end of her patience. She did something that, before tonight, she would have sworn she’d never do. Then again, she’d done a lot of things tonight she thought she’d never do. Never was a tough word to live up to, she’d discovered.

She reached out, took Amy’s arm, and jerked her around. “How dare you judge your sister? She didn’t
join
up with them. They attacked her, and made her into some sort of slave.”

“A slave?” Amy’s eyes flicked to her sister.

“That’s right. But you know your sister better than I do, I suppose. So if you say she’s some monster, who am I to argue? But in the short time I’ve known her, describing her as a monster is about as wrong as you can get.”

“She was the best sister ever.” Amy’s eyes welled with tears. “When she was alive.”