Blood's Fury (Deadly Beauties 1)

"Shit!"

I grab my phone and dial Thad as quickly as I can, praying he's still close by.

"Mmm, I love a late night call."

"Good, because I'd love a late night hero."

"What's going on?" he asks more seriously, slightly panicked.

"Night stalkers - at least twenty. Please tell me you're close by."

"I'll be there as fast as I can. There's a weapons room in the master. Press the lever above the fireplace disguised as the head of a sparrow. Shoot anything that gets too close with the silver gun. The bullets have been blessed by your kind."

Thank fuck.

The phone goes dead, and I rush over to the mantle to press the button, praying it will hurry up and open. My phone starts ringing just as it does, and I look down to see Kane's name.

Too late to talk now.

I'm actually glad he took off in the middle of the night now. The last thing I need to do is drag him into a centuries-old war. I rip two guns from the secret compartment, and then I start firing through the window while using my magic and scattering the shards of glass away from the frame for me to leap through it without getting ripped to shreds.

Hollow, shrill squeals erupt from the death-seeking, bloodthirsty bastards, and I force the power from my body to blow them back, praying Thad hurries the hell up.

"What the hell do you want from me?" I scream while spinning a circle of power around my body, a force strong enough to keep them away from me… for now.

"Just you," one hisses, fangs out, bloodlust in his eyes as he lunges at me, but the protective circle I've spun deflects his attacks, throwing him back.

"It's going to hurt worse next time," I bluff, knowing I'm not strong enough to keep this shit up against so many.

"Stupid witch." He snarls while climbing to his feet, and the headlights in the distance make my stomach tense up.

Please don't be Kane.

The lights disappear, but my distracted mindset has left me vulnerable. The eager bloodsuckers quickly take advantage. The stinging pain in my side knocks the wind out of me as I go sailing backwards.

I fall to my face, splitting my lip and making blood taint my taste. I cringe, feeling the grit sliding down my throat as I cough up the remnants of the intrusive earth.

"Bastard," I growl, barely defending myself from the next attack in time.

Then I grunt and wheeze when I feel a hand around my throat from behind, lifting me high into the air and turning me to face the glowing blues on the pretty face. As long as he's touching me, I can't use my fucking power.

"Now, where the hell is it?" he demands, his tone dark, ominous, and scary as hell.

"I… don't… know… what-"

A shrill screech rings out as a hawk zooms down from the sky, growing in size as it nears us. I scream as the talons grip my arms and rip me away from the monster who can't hold back my powers anymore.

I sling my arms out as the hawk carries me off, and I deliver one last blow to the vicious bastards below. I struggle against the piercing, sharp claws, and I look up at the hawk intent on getting us out of here.

"Too tight!" I squeal just as slithers of blood drip free from my arms. "They'll find me if I'm bleeding every-damn-where."

He can't answer in changed form, but he swoops low, almost slapping the ground before releasing me. My feet run to fight the built up momentum, and the hawk changes into the white wolf, his head motioning for me to hurry up.

I run and leap into the air, and he grows under me after I land on top. I hang on for dear life as he charges ahead, deep into the desert. The wind slaps me in the face, along with desert bugs, and the chill of the night creeps down to my bones, fighting against the heat of my adrenaline.

Everything around me turns into a blur, and I push my face into his back to warm me with his fur and keep the flying insects away from my gaping mouth.

Within minutes, we've lost them, and a car pulls around just as we come to an abrupt halt. I fall forward, but foreign hands grab me when one of the "friendly" night stalkers catches me, leaving me with an eerie feeling.