Christine Feehan - Dark Demon 16

Vikirnoff exchanged a long, knowing look with Falcon as he forced Gabrielle to consume his blood.

I do not detect the vampire near us.

Vikirnoff could see Falcon was worried, his gaze moving restlessly to the balcony and the hall. They are here.

Mikhail took a cautious look around. «That is enough blood for a first exchange. We must do this slowly. If you are certain there are vampires here, we have no choice but to move her. We can't risk the innocent people here at the inn.» A flicker of a smile appeared briefly at the looks on their faces. «I am the prince, not a child. I do not put others in danger in order to feed my ego. We must transport Gabrielle now. We can take her to my home where we can better protect her.»

«She isn't strong enough,» Raven objected. «We can't keep her alive. All of you are already overseeing the functions of her body. How can you possibly do that while we transport her and fend off vampires at the same time?» She stroked back Gabrielle's hair, tears in her eyes. «This will kill Gary. And Jubal and Joie.»

My love. Mikhail reached out to his lifemate to comfort her.

«Sara, I need you to take over Gabrielle's heart. Natalya is downstairs alone and I feel the danger to her. I must go to her at once.» Vikirnoff indicated his spot. «If we can give the vampires the illusion that Mikhail is downstairs, we can buy more time for all of you to make an escape. I will take Mikhail's form and he can take mine.»

Mikhail looked up sharply. «I do not allow others to place themselves in danger for me. I know what you think to do and I say no.»

«You do not have the luxury of saying no to me,» Vikirnoff replied. «Our people cannot afford to lose you. I cannot provide proper protection. Vampires surround us. We are trying to save this woman's life and keep the humans in this inn safe. It makes sense to exchange forms and you know it. There is nothing more to discuss.»

Mikhail's eyes flashed with anger, but Raven put a restraining hand on his arm. «He is right, my love. We have no time to argue. Go Vikirnoff. Sara and I will keep Gabrielle alive while you hunt.»

«You will need blood,» Falcon said, tearing at his wrist with his teeth. «Take mine, I offer freely.»

Vikirnoff took the rich ancient blood without protest, his gaze meeting that of the hunter. Falcon knew what he planned, because the hunter would have done the same thing. He closed the wound respectfully and stood up, shifting shape as he did so, assuming the form of their prince. He strode out into the hall, rather than shifting to vapor, wanting all eyes to see him as Mikhail. I am coming to you, Natalya. I will look like the prince, so do not stick a sword through my heart.

Why does everyone think I'm going to kill them? Sheesh!

Vikirnoff could hear the determined lightness masking her growing concern and fear. Pride swept over him. Respect. She had such an indomitable spirit and he couldn't help but admire her. Perhaps because you take after Xena, warrior woman.

Don't bring that up. And stay there. I've got this under control. Natalya fought down the sudden surge of fear. If the vampires thought Mikhail was in their grasp, they would go into a fighting frenzy, doing anything and everything they could to kill him. Vikirnoff never seemed to think of himself in battle. She touched his mind and found concern uppermost for her. For the prince. For Gabrielle. Raven and Sara. The humans and finally the other hunters, but most of all for her. She could not find concern for his own well-being. She had no intentions of sacrificing him, even if he did. Someone had to watch out for him.

Natalya was certain only one or two of the vampires masquerading as wolves were real, the others had to be clones. She couldn't tell the difference, but the tigress could. She leapt into their midst, shifting as she did so, the predatory cat instinctively going for the nearest vampire hiding deep in the wolf's body. The flexible, much heavier muscles of the cat allowed her to use her weight to knock the wolf off its feet and the tigress went for the exposed throat. She sank her teeth deep, damped down and held on, shaking with tremendous force, claws ripping at the other wolves as they leapt on her.

The tigress refused to let go, would not be dragged down. Natalya was determined that at least this one vampire would not rise to fight Vikirnoff if she could help it. She ignored the wolves tearing at her and went for the chest, exposing the heart.

«Step back, Natalya,» Mirko's voice came out of nowhere. «I've got that one now.»

She turned her head and saw the innkeeper had crept up behind the wolves and held a can of hairspray and a lighter in his hand. Jubal was shoulder to shoulder with him. She instantly scented a second vampire and, shaking off the wolves, leapt at the undead, slamming the tigress's shoulder hard into the wolf's body to drive it to the floor. At once she went for the kill, teeth clamping onto the throat.

Twin columns of fire sent the wolves scattering in all directions, fur smoldering and the smell of burnt flesh filled the air. As the tigress clamped down hard on the vampire's throat, Natalya spotted a third vampire shifting, leaving the wolf's body to leap at the humans. Horrified, she roared a warning, praying she was understood.

«Catch, bat breath!» Jubal calmly tossed a can of hair-spray at him so that the undead automatically caught it.

Mirko sent a column of concentrated flames straight at the can and Jubal added a second intense streak as well. As the vampire rushed them, the can exploded like a small bomb.

A wolf leapt on Natalya's back, powerful jaws clamping on the nape of the tigress's neck and ripping. The tigress whirled around, the flexible muscles and spine allowing her to reach back and rip at the attacker.

«The heart, Mirko!» Jubal shouted, pointed to the exposed heart of the vampire as it tried to burrow deeper into the safety of the burned chest. «We didn't destroy the heart.»

Mirko caught up another can of hairspray and directed the flames at the heart. Immediately several of the wolves rushed him. He stood his ground holding the incinerating flame steady until the heart turned to ashes. One wolf drove into his chest, back feet tearing at his ' skin, jaws open and teeth boring straight for his throat just as the can of hairspray ran out. Mirko dropped the useless can and caught the wolf with his two hands, holding him off as they toppled to the floor.

Jubal threw his empty can and lunged for another one, kicking one of the wolves as he did so. «Natalya!»

She rose up with three wolves biting at her sides and back. She shook them off and rushed the wolf attacking Mirko. It was far worse than she'd first thought. She had been unable to detect all of the hiding vampires even through the tigress. They had come in full force, determined to kill the prince.

The door to the residence slammed open and a tall, wide-shouldered man filled the doorway. Everyone froze. Natalya could hear the pounding hearts, the rushing of blood through veins. She growled in annoyance as two more vampires shifted into their natural forms. The remaining wolves lifted their heads and howled, breaking the sudden silence.

«Mikhail Dubrinsky. Welcome.» One of the vampires inclined his head. «Maxim will be so pleased that we have accomplished our task.»

Natalya, bleeding from half a dozen wounds, turned her head, her opaque eyes glittering as she met Mikhail's gaze.

«Behind you!» Jubal warned.

The beat of wings, the thunder of feet, the brush of paws sounded overly loud on the wooden floor as the vampires and their clones attacked. Mikhail dissolved into vapor and streamed over the heads of the creatures. He slipped through the main entryway door, beneath the crack and streamed out into the night toward the forest with bats, birds and wolves rushing after him.