Blonde & Blue (Alexa O'Brien, Huntress #4)(52)

Finding vampires had grown easier since blood bonding with Arys. If I concentrated, I could feel them like a blinking beacon in my mind. I couldn’t pinpoint the exact location of every vampire in the city, but I could get pretty close. The Wicked Kiss lit up like the Las Vegas Strip when I tuned into the energy that way. It was mentally blinding, crawling with vampires.

Did Claire know I could do that? Anyone who did would be smart enough to cloak their presence. I thought about Maxwell’s blast of power, hoping to feel it out there. Nothing. Their time was coming. Claire and Maxwell would make their next move, and Arys and I would be ready.

I parked in the seedy section of town. Typical, new vampires would come here for an easy kill. The place was littered with drug dealers, prostitutes and random homeless people. Easy pickings. When I considered what went on here, the activity at The Wicked Kiss didn’t seem quite so bad. At least there, the victims usually enjoyed it.

Striding down the street with the Dragon Claw clutched firmly in hand, I let all other thought blow away on the warm night air. Unfortunately, the dagger was far too big to safely secure it anywhere. The curved blade made it hard to fit to a sheath. I’d have to find a way to conceal it for future outings. A jacket could always help with that.

Two vampires lurked a few blocks ahead. I could sense their high-strung energy and hunger. They couldn’t be very old. Cloaking my presence, I clung to the shadows as I silently approached. They were following a prostitute.

I saw her before I saw them. She dragged on a cigarette while ambling along as if she had no real destination in mind. A car sped by, slowing long enough for the occupants to shout something derogatory at her as they passed. She gave them the finger and continued on. I tried to imagine living her life and couldn’t. Some would feel the same about my life. Funny how that worked. The grass really wasn’t always greener on the other side.

The vampires didn’t stalk her as I would have. Instead they callously leaped out at her from between two buildings as she passed. Like starving dogs, they were on her with little thought or tact. I was glad I’d decided to come out tonight.

I sprang into action, excitement thrilling through me. With a perfectly timed body check, I knocked one of them off his feet. Their victim shrieked and flailed wildly as she fought back. Everything happened so fast that it took a moment for the vampires to realize I’d crashed their party.

The one I’d knocked down was already on his feet, and I was ready for him. I swung the dagger, narrowly missing when he dodged the blow. He counter attacked, but I was ready for it and easily avoided contact. I could feel their lack of real power. All they had was inhuman strength.

Their victim was momentarily forgotten as they made the unspoken decision to tag team me. She’d already been bitten, but she was conscious and able to run as fast as her stiletto heels would carry her. My attention was on the vampire closest to me. He was circling me, trying to get me moving so my back would become unprotected at some point. I trapped his buddy in a circle, smirking at his sudden outrage.

“It’s you. Goddamn werewolf bitch.” My target snarled at me as I advanced on him. A newbie who’d heard of me? Interesting.

“Am I ruining your evening?” I smiled, revealing wolf fangs. “I get bored sometimes. This should give me a minute or two of excitement.”

He looked uncertain, his gaze darting from the dagger in my hand to his buddy trapped in my circle. I could see it in his eyes. He was thinking about running. What a damn coward. Every step I took toward him had him dancing backward like a boxer. He had no way out of this, and he knew it. I quickly grew frustrated and without a second thought, flung the dagger so it spun end over end as it sliced through the air.

It struck him in the chest. Pity. I’d been aiming for his neck. The blade plunged through his flesh, and no sooner had blood burst forth than he dropped into a pile of dust. The Dragon Claw clattered to the asphalt with a sharp, metallic sound. I quickly retrieved it before dropping the circle that held the other vampire.

“Look, I don’t want to tangle with you. Ok?” His hands were held up in surrender as he backed away slowly.

“Are you kidding me?” I stood in the middle of the quiet street, watching him flee. Disappointment filled me.

I was more than satisfied with the dagger. It did exactly what Lilah had promised. However, this was a failed attempt at working off some aggression and angst. Newborn vampires didn’t have what I wanted. My thoughts strayed to Shya. Working for him could be incredibly dangerous and maybe even stupid. But, it might be just what I needed.

I quickly lost interest in the lesser vampires creeping the night. The dagger test was a success. It had killed that vamp without piercing the heart. Uncanny. It would taste Veryl’s blood soon. I was eager for it.

After storing the dagger safely in the trunk of my car, I headed for a late night grocery store to buy a few things for Jez. She was a huge fan of chocolate, making it easy to find something she’d like. As an afterthought I grabbed a tub of cookie dough ice cream. It couldn’t hurt.

She was alone when I arrived at her swanky apartment on the south side of town. I wasn’t sure I’d ever seen Jez look so rough. She was beyond pale. Her skin was so white it appeared translucent. It caused her green eyes to stand out in startling contrast. Clad in soft flannel pajamas with hearts on them, she didn’t look anything like the bad-ass cat I was used to seeing.