Marked By The Vampire (Purgatory 2)

“My guess is…that new vamp is about to lose his head. That happens here, more than you would think.” David’s words had her focusing on him. That savage smile was back in place. “Survival of the fittest…”

The new vamp—that was Shane. It had to be him! Olivia jumped to her feet and ran toward the window.

Sure enough, she saw Shane standing in the middle of the courtyard. The other vampires had formed a circle around him, but no one was touching him, no one was attacking him, not yet. They all stood back, maybe a foot or two, as they shouted their insults and threats at him.

“Get the guards down there,” Olivia ordered. She’d brought the silver remote with her, and her sweat-slick hand held it easily.

The guard near her—Brett McKey—lifted his radio. “Courtyard. Got a 666 occurring.”

“What’s a 666?” She’d never heard that code on any police scanner before.

David laughed. “It’s a monster beatdown. But don’t worry, I’m sure the guards will all get down there in time for a nice, up-close view of the bloodbath.”

She didn’t see any guards closing in. She only saw—

The crowd attacked. A pack of big, powerful vampires lunged at Shane. They covered him completely as they took him down.

“No!” Olivia screamed. “The sun is up! They’re supposed to be weak!”

There was a faint rustle of sound behind her. “Funny thing about that…” David’s voice rasped. “Things here aren’t always how they’re supposed to be.”

“Sit back down, wolf,” Brett snapped. “Sit the hell back down, now.”

Olivia didn’t glance back at the men. Her gaze was on the battle below. She could hear the snarls and the growls and a splash of blood already stained the ground. “Stop!” Olivia yelled. “Stop!”

Then the first vampire flew back into the crowd. It was one of the men who’d attacked Shane. He was just—just thrown through the air like a rag doll.

A second vamp followed him.

So did a third…a man with blood gushing down his chest.

The crowd stopped screaming then.

She could see Shane once more. His left hand had locked around the neck of one of his attackers. His right hand had curled around the throat of another. He was holding the other vamps easily. Seeming to exert no effort at all. As she watched, stunned, Shane tossed one of the vamps straight into a stone wall. The last of his attackers squirmed in Shane’s hold, kicking and punching, and Shane just…he laughed.

“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.