Blood Flame (Flame 1)

Connor tried to move but couldn’t.

Iris, he called to her from his mind. He didn’t expect anything to return, but he made the effort anyway. The blows began to feel soft, which meant he was sliding into unconsciousness.

He had to do something or Iris would die. And Evan would probably torture her first.

The vampire sitting on him was breathing hard and had stopped punching. It took work to beat the shit out of someone and druggies by nature of their addiction usually weren’t in the best shape.

The silver streaks in Iris’s spell came to mind. He and Iris had connected in a way he suspected was very similar to Evan and his witch. He focused on Iris, on her witchness, on how much he could sense what she was feeling.

Her voice entered his mind. Try my killing power, Connor.

How? Was he really communicating with her telepathically?

He heard Evan’s voice. “Your boyfriend is dying. But, look. His vampire opponent is using his smarts. He’s picked up a rock.”

Connor knew the time had come or this would be his last breath. He thought back to how he’d felt when he’d fed from Iris and he let that sensation flow through him once more.

Power began to race down his right arm, vibrating with what had to be a witch’s killing energy.

The drunk vampire lifted the rock and at the same time, Connor rose up, surrounded his neck with his hand and pressed two fingers into the base of the vampire’s skull. The killing energy flowed.

The vampire froze, eyes wide. The rock fell to the ground beside Connor and the vampire slumped over, dead.

Connor jumped to his feet, ready to take on the last of the drugged-out crew. But the vampire was so wasted, he sat and stared at the fire, oblivious.

That left Evan. But when he turned in Iris’s direction, she lay on the ground. Alone. Had Evan killed her?

He looked around, waiting for Evan or his witch to strike, but both were gone, including the inky cloud that had surrounded the bridge and the ditch. He thought he understood. The witch had been forced to use her energy to save Evan and couldn’t engage in battling either of them. She’d no doubt hauled Evan away to heal him.

In the distance, he saw another vampire heading toward him, but it was Vaughn. Connor could finally breathe.

He turned all his attention to Iris. He knelt beside her and checked to see if she was still breathing. She was, thank God.

He gently felt along each arm and leg to see if anything was broken, but she was okay.

He picked her up, cradling her with her head against his chest then turned to face his brother in arms. “Did Lily send you?”

Vaughn nodded. “But only after your witch called her.”

He was taller than Connor, at least six-six. He had steel-gray eyes, straight brows and wore his short black hair shaved at the sides to reveal tattoos on his scalp. Like Connor, he wore a black tank and leathers.

Vaughn scowled as he dipped his chin in Iris’s direction. “So what’s going on here?”

Connor saw Vaughn’s mistrust. He told him everything, start to finish, including the fact he’d slept with Iris, and if he survived whatever this was, he planned to continue being with her.

Vaughn looked appalled then confused. “I sort of get it. I mean, it sounds like she’s saved your ass a couple of times.”

“She has, but it’s more than that.” He glanced down at her. She was still unconscious. “I’m in love with her. And we share some kind of bond I can’t explain. The weird thing is, I think Evan and his witch are connected in the same way.”

Vaughn shook his head and waved both his hands in front of Connor. “I’m sorry. This is too fucking much. Her kind has taken out how many of our friends with that killing power they have?”

“I know.” It was a lot to process and he didn’t expect Vaughn to come around based on Connor’s sudden professed love for a witch.

Vaughn pivoted to take in the scene. “So, where is Evan? You said you gutted him? The vampire should be dead.”

“I know, but I think his woman took him away.”

“Did you see her?”