Cynthia Eden - Marked by the Vampire

“I’ll be damned,” David whispered.

Olivia jumped at that whisper. David was right beside her. She hadn’t heard him close that distance at all. She’d been too focused on Shane and the fight below.

She whirled toward the werewolf. Too late, Olivia saw Brett on the floor behind him, his body twisted. Oh, hell, no.

“Boo,” David said, and then he grabbed for her remote.

She hit the button on it even as his fingers locked around her wrist. The collar was supposed to send silver straight into his bloodstream as tiny needles shot from the collar and into his neck. He should have fallen back then. Should have stopped.

He didn’t.

He grabbed the remote from her. Smashed it in his fist.

Then he yanked her toward him. “Now… I get to ask the questions…”

The crowd was silent around him. Hell, yes, they were backing up. They should back up.

Was that vamp pack attack supposed to have been scary? Was that supposed to have been a challenge for him? Even after twenty-four hours in solitary, kicking their asses had been too easy.

He rolled back his shoulders and waited to see which fool would come at him next. Shane even started to smile—

A scream ripped through the silence.

His head jerked up. His eyes locked on the window in the west tower. The room she’d used to interview him, and he knew that scream was Olivia’s. He knew it.

The scream cut off abruptly.

Hell, no.

More vampires swarmed toward him. They must have thought it was time for round two.

He stared up at that window…

And felt hands grab hold of him.

David had yanked Olivia with him and toward the door. She thought he was going to try and escape, but instead, he shoved the table and a filing cabinet in front of the door, sealing them inside.

“That’ll buy us some privacy,” David said.

No, this wasn’t happening.

The silver collar should have worked. It hadn’t.

The guards who’d been monitoring the video feed should have been rushing to her rescue.

Were they coming? Hurry!

His grip was so tight on her wrist that Olivia feared he’d shatter the bones any moment.

“What are you?” David demanded as he yanked her closer and then he—he smelled her. Sniffed her.

Her free hand shoved against his chest, but he didn’t let her go. His mouth hovered over her throat and he seemed to be drinking in her scent.

At least he’s not ripping my throat out, not yet. “I’m a psychologist. I’m here to try and profile—”

“ What are you ?”

Olivia’s gaze flew frantically around the room. Brett was on the floor, his eyes closed. He was breathing, but that was about all she could say for him in that instant. “I-I’m a human…”

“Liar.” He said the word as if it were a caress. “I wonder…are you what I’ve been waiting for?”

She screamed again. Loud and long even as she kicked at him. Punched.

He just smiled.

He likes the fight. He told me…he likes it.

Olivia stilled.

His smile slipped.

“I’m human,” she said, struggling to keep her voice calm. Panic and fear had overwhelmed her for a moment, but she had to stay in control. Help would come. She just had to stay alive long enough for it to arrive.

“Let’s see about that…” And, before she could even draw another breath, his fingers—his claws—cut into her wrist.

Don’t let him bite me. Don’t.

Blood slid down her wrist. Dropped to the floor.

“I bet the vamps down there can smell your blood,” he said. “Wonder if you smell like a human to them?”

The vamps were still shouting. She was staring into David’s eyes and seeing his beast.

Where are the guards?

He let her go. Just…let her go.

Olivia stumbled back. She sank down to her knees, as if she were too terrified to stand.

“Let’s have a taste…” David lifted his hand. His fingers were covered with her blood.

Her fingers slid inside her boot.

He—he licked up a drop of her blood from his claw. Closed his eyes. Seemed to savor her taste. “ What. Are. You?”

Olivia leapt up, the small silver knife held tightly in her hand. Olivia always, always, kept that knife hidden in her boot. The guards at Purgatory had never searched her, so they hadn’t known about her weapon. She drove that knife right toward David.

Just before the blade would have sunk into his chest, David’s eyes flew open. He grabbed for her hand, and the blade missed his heart. It sank into his side, and he roared his fury and pain. His claws came at her—

“ Don’t fucking try it.” A low, lethal voice. One that was coming from…the window?

David froze. Then his head turned toward the window.

Olivia was already gazing at the vamp there with wild shock, and desperate hope.

Shane. Shane was in the window. She didn’t even know how the hell he’d gotten up there. Had he scaled the stone wall? But she was just so glad to see him that—

He’s a killer, too! He’s not a hero here to help you.

Her hope crashed as the voice of reality screamed in her head.

“Smelled the blood, did you, vamp?” David taunted. “Don’t worry, I’m sure there will be plenty to go around.”

Shane jumped down. His feet hit the stone floor and he started stalking toward David. “Come to me, Olivia.”

Her blood trickled down her inner wrist.

“If you do, he’ll make a meal of you,” David promised her. “The vamp will gulp you all down. The last thing you’ll ever feel on this earth will be his teeth tearing into you.”

Yeah, well, she’d already felt the werewolf’s claws slicing into her. Unlike the werewolf, Shane hadn’t hurt her. Yet. She inched toward him.

David grabbed her. “ My prize, vamp.”

Shane’s gaze dropped to Olivia. “He hurt you.”

“The collar isn’t working.” That was obvious. She hated the tremble of her voice.

“It’s all right,” Shane told her softly. “He won’t hurt you again.”

David’s rough laughter rang out. “I’ve got plans you don’t even—”

Shane lunged across the room. Moved so fast she barely saw him. One instant, David was holding her tightly, his claws far too close to her throat, and in the next moment, she was behind Shane as he faced off against the werewolf.

“She’s not yours,” Shane snarled. “So don’t ever touch her again.”

The two men stood with their bodies tense, muscles locked in a battle-ready post. Both tall, strong, powerful in different ways.

But…the sun was up. David should’ve been stronger right then.

She crept toward Brett. Her hands slid over the downed guard. There was blood matting his hair, and the remote that he’d had was still secured at his waist. Fumbling, she pulled out that remote.

“You trying to claim her?” David demanded, his voice rising. “You think you know what she is? I tasted her, I tasted the power, and it’s going to be mine! ”

Her head whipped back toward him. His claws were out and he was—transforming. Right then, right there, starting to shift into the deadly form of a wolf. This shouldn’t happen! Not when he’s wearing a collar! But his jaw was elongating, his bones snapping and—

She pressed the buttons on Brett’s remote. Frantically, she pushed every single button.

David screamed, an unholy cry of pain as he fell to the floor. His claws scraped over the stone even as his body arched in agony.

She hit the buttons again.