Kerrelyn Sparks - All I Want for Christmas is a Vampire

You cannot move . Jedrek's command rang in her head.

He zoomed toward her. "You will drop your swords!" He pointed his sword at Toni's heart.

She stared at the sharp point, poised to kill her. Her body couldn't budge. She couldn't even turn her head. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Ian's stricken face.

Swords clattered on the floor. Jack and Zoltan had surrendered.

Oh God, what if Jedrek killed them? What if he killed Ian? And all because she was unable to function on their level. An old, familiar shame swept through her. Always unworthy. Never quite good enough.

"Tie them up," Jedrek ordered.

Nadia looped silver rope around Jack's wrists.

Jedrek strolled over to them. "What shall I do with you two? Shall I kill you now? Giacomo, the famous son of Casanova." He stopped in front of Zoltan. "And the mighty Coven Master of Eastern Europe. I should tie you both to a lamppost and let the sunrise burn you to death."

Toni noticed from the corner of her eye that Ian had cut the silver ropes looped around his chest and wrists. He stuffed some rope into his sporran. Nadia was too busy tying the new prisoners, and Jedrek was too busy taunting them to notice.

She had to help Ian. His poor chest and hands were covered with red welts. God help her, she couldn't lie here helpless while he tried to save everyone. And how could he save anyone if Jedrek kept control of the situation by threatening to kill her? She had to fight this. Somehow, she had to break through Jedrek's mind control.

Toni concentrated hard on Ian. On how much she loved him. On how strongly she wanted to help him. Her fingers twitched. She glanced at Jedrek and Nadia. Their backs were turned to her as they tormented Jack and Zoltan. Her hand jerked awkwardly to the wooden stake in her belt. Slowly she closed her fist around it.

She turned her head and saw Ian watching her. He nodded slightly.

He was counting on her. She focused hard. Her love for Ian had to be stronger than Jedrek's power.

"Jedrek, have ye figured out yet that ye've been tricked?" Ian asked, and Jedrek whirled to face him. "Do ye really think I would give you the Stay-Awake drug? That vial was naught but an energy drink."

Jedrek's face turned red with rage. "I'll kill you now!" He ran at Ian, raising his sword in the air.

Ian lunged to the floor to grab Jack's sword, then jumped to his feet to deflect Jedrek's first swing.

With Jedrek's mind fully engaged, Toni was better able to defy his mind control. She eased to her feet.

Ian's sword flashed so quickly, it was clear Jedrek was out-matched. With a flick of his wrist, Ian sent Jedrek's sword flying through the air.

Jedrek backed up.

With his free hand, Ian pulled a length of silver rope from his sporran. "Nay, this time ye willna teleport away." He dropped his sword and leaped forward, looping the silver cord around Jedrek. He pulled the Malcontent against his chest.

Jedrek struggled and kicked, but Ian held him tight. "Now, Toni!"

As she ran forward, she noted the shocked look on Jedrek's face. A mere mortal was about to kill him.

He attacked her with a wave of psychic power. You are under my control. Drop that stake now!

Her hand shook. Icy power streamed through her, threatening to freeze her in place. She forced her feet to move forward. One step. Two.

Jedrek's eyes widened. "No! You will fear me! You will feel the power of fear!"

"I'll show you fear, you bastard!" She stabbed the stake through his heart.

His cry faded as his body disintegrated.

Her mind was free. She dropped the stake, and it fell onto a pile of dust.

Ian tossed the silver rope aside. "Toni." He pulled her into his arms. "Ye were amazing."

She leaned on him, closing her eyes in relief. Jedrek was dead.

"To please the master, I will kill the blonde," a voice whispered behind her.

"No!" Ian yanked Toni to the side.

She jolted when a dagger plunged into her side. Stunned, she saw Ian grab at Nadia, but the female Malcontent teleported away. She looked down at the dagger in her side. How strange. Then a burning pain ripped through her and dragged her into oblivion.

Panic gripped Ian. He swept Toni up in his arms, and the dagger clattered to the floor. It must not have been in very deep. A good sign. But she was losing so much blood.

He shot a pleading look at the camera. "Roman, Connor, if ye hear me, come to Romatech. Please."

The door burst open, and Phineas, Dougal, Howard, and Carlos rushed in. Ian knew they could take care of the hostages, so he teleported straight to Romatech.

"Laszlo!" He zoomed to the operating room.

"I'm here!" Laszlo opened the door for him. "I saw what happened on the television. Put her on the table." He rushed to the sink to wash his hands.

Ian laid Toni on the operating table. Forms wavered in front of him. Roman materialized, holding Shanna, while Connor appeared with Constantine in his arms.

"Oh, thank God," Ian breathed. "She—she's losing so much blood." Already the sheet beneath her was stained red.

Roman and Shanna ran to the sinks to wash their hands. Connor disappeared, then returned with Radinka.

Laszlo snapped on a pair of surgical gloves. "You realize she may have to go to a hospital?"

"Yes, of course." Ian didn't know how to help. He pulled off Toni's shoes and socks.

Laszlo grabbed a pair of scissors and began cutting away her polo shirt. Ian unbuckled her belt and pulled it out from underneath her.

"Ian, stand back." Roman snapped on gloves.

"I canna lose her." Ian flinched when Connor grabbed his arm to pull him back.

"Get out of their way, lad. Let them do their job."

"Is Toni hurt bad?" Constantine asked, his bottom lip trembling.

"She'll be fine," Connor said.

"How is she?" Radinka asked.

"She'll be fine," Connor repeated as he handed Tino to her.

Radinka forced a smile. "Of course she'll be fine." She hurried from the room with the little boy. "Let's wait outside."

Ian watched helplessly as Toni lay on the table bleeding. "By all the saints, I canna lose her."

"She'll be fine, lad," Connor murmured.

Ian turned to him. "I love her, and I willna let ye fire her. I doona care what the rules say."

"Calm down, lad. No one wants to fire her. We saw what she did on the telly. She overcame vampire mind control and staked a vicious Malcontent assassin. It was truly an amazing feat for a mortal."

"She is amazing." Ian looked at Roman. "Ye have to heal her!"

"We'll do our best," Roman said calmly. "The wound is shallow. No major organs were affected." He gazed at the monitor that Shanna had hooked up to show Toni's vital signs. "Her blood pressure's very low, but that's to be expected." He tossed a bloody pad into a metal pan.

Laszlo passed him another pad. "We could give her a transfusion. She's AB positive."

"Do whatever ye have to do!" Ian demanded. "I'm no' going to lose her!"

"Calm down." Shanna walked toward him, carrying a tray of gauze pads and a bottle of something nasty, no doubt. "You've been burned. Let's get you cleaned up."

Ian waved a dismissive hand. "I doona care. I'll heal during my death-sleep."

"Ian," Shanna spoke sharply. "Those wounds need to heal cleanly."

He groaned. "Fine." He endured the stinging medicine she applied to his burns. It served him right for failing to protect Toni. He'd been so relieved to hold her in his arms, he hadn't seen Nadia sneak up on them.

"It's all my fault." He watched Toni on the operating table. She looked so pale. "I dinna get her out of the way fast enough."

"We saw it on TV," Shanna said. "It was terrifying. Everything was happening so fast."

"Aye," Connor agreed. "Ye did well, lad. The Malcontents lost about ten men, and we dinna lose a single one."