Before Daybreak (Love Bitten)

“Who’s the smart-mouthed little twit, Marcus?” she asked in a low voice meant for seduction.

I looked at Marcus sharply, ready to tear his head off if he gave even the tiniest indication of having been turned. But I should have known better.

Marcus’s face twisted with disgust. “None of your fucking business, Mariah. The only thing you need to know about her is that I will happily watch her set you on fire.”

Mariah threw her head back and laughed. “You couldn’t catch me, so what makes you think this pathetic little girl has a chance?”

I grinned right along with Marcus and waited for her to get her answer. “I’ll let her explain,” he drawled.

Mariah’s eyes went to the empty spot beside me where Callie had been standing. She whipped around but wasn’t fast enough for my mate, who had her in a headlock seconds later. One of Mariah’s minions ran up, and I threw a stake at him, hitting right through the heart. Marcus knocked another, then hurled a vial made of thin glass that contained holy water at two more. The vial shattered before it even hit one of them, and the droplets burned four vamps, taking them to their knees but not killing them because of the small concentration. It gave Parris the perfect opening to put a stake in one as I took down another.

“Braeden!” Marcus shouted. “On your left!”

I spun around just in time to see two stakes whistle by me, each one hitting their mark, causing the nightwalkers to burst into flames before falling to the ground in a pile of ashes. I turned, knowing what I’d see, but I was still in awe at the sight of my consort as she winked and held out her hand.

I grabbed both stakes and tossed them to her. She caught them and spun around to stab another approaching vamp. Curious, I glanced around and couldn’t help but chuckle when I spotted Mariah on the ground, writhing in pain from a broken neck and blisters all over her from drops of holy water.

“I guess female daywalkers can be a little catty, too,” I said to Callie as I darted around to grab a leech who sprang at her.

“Where’s the fun in killing her fast and easy? She wouldn’t be around to witness how awesome I am.”

“Magnificent, baby,” I corrected, my tone filled with awe. I’d trained Callie for the past three months. I knew how fucking good she was. But seeing her in action...it was something else. Instead of being afraid, I was excited to work with her. Privileged to be her partner.

I tossed my stake to Parris, who had just stabbed two other vamps and had a third coming at him. He caught it and swiftly plunged the wood into the chest of his attacker.

Looking around, I grunted with satisfaction. The only one left was the bitch on the ground, most certainly regretting her underestimation of Callie.

My consort and I walked over to Mariah. Callie jerked her chin at the master’s head, and I immediately fulfilled her silent request. I locked Mariah’s arms behind her back with one hand while the other wrapped around her throat, keeping the broken bones in her neck from healing.

“If you tell me where the nest is, perhaps my consort will take pity on you and convince me not to let out my inner mean girl who will torture you endlessly. For fun.”

Mariah whimpered but pressed her lips into a thin line.

“Don’t be petty,” I growled. “You have no loyalty to the minions in your nest, and you’re going to die either way. You might as well tell my mate what she wants to know.”

Callie pulled a cross from her belt, and Mariah jerked, then spewed, “The big house on Spring Street. With the green shutters.”

“Thank you,” Callie said sweetly as she replaced her cross. Then she picked up a nearby stake and plunged it into the master’s chest.

“If you were going for badass, I’d say you more than accomplished your goal,” Marcus said with a laugh as he walked up to us. He held out a hand to help Callie stand, and I growled as I jumped to my feet, furious that another male had dared to touch my consort.

He let go of her as if he’d been burned and backed up a few steps, holding his hands up in surrender. “Sorry, man. I haven’t been around many mated pairs. I forgot.”

“Remember next time, asshole,” I snarled as I tucked Callie into my side. She giggled, and it brought a tiny smile to my face, causing some of my anger to fade. “How did you know that chick?” I asked Marcus, gesturing to a pile of ash on the ground.

“I went to high school with her. She was just as big of a bitch back then. She was beautiful, so some master offered her immortality if she’d join his nest. She was too vain to turn down the opportunity to live forever. The idiot underestimated her greediness, and she made a power play less than a month after she fully turned. She killed him and half his minions, then went on a reign of terror, collecting minions and draining them, assuming that one day she'd be powerful enough to attract anyone, including daywalkers. She came to the States two years ago, and I’ve been chasing her ass all over the fucking country.” He bowed to Callie. “I thank you for taking out the biggest pain in the ass that ever walked this earth.”