Huntress (Alexa O'Brien, Huntress #0.5)(4)

I laughed bitterly and stuck my tongue out at him. “Right. Magic. Sure. Here I go. Don’t you dare let him kill me.”

“Cross my heart,” Kale replied with a wink.

I shoved the car door open and got out without a look back. I stared straight ahead at the old, long abandoned building that had once housed a law office. Now it was home to a vampire unworthy of being either supernatural or human.

There was no point knocking politely and waiting for an invite. Taking a deep breath, I strode up to the front of the building and kicked the door open. The sound of wood splitting was music to my ears. Adrenaline rushed through me and my trepidation slipped away. I was ready to tangle with this guy.

What I wasn’t ready for were the four vampires awaiting me. Each of them wore an expectant expression. The one that I was after looked absolutely delighted. He reached for me and I reacted, instinct driving me to throw my hands up and blast him with a hot shot of pure energy.

It wasn’t the greatest reaction. It resulted in every other vampire lunging at me, the one closest took me down hard and fast. The breath was forced from my lungs as I hit the floor with his weight on top of me. I sure hoped Kale had seen this from the car or I was f**ked.

“Fucking stupid werewolf,” the vampire pinning me down sneered. “You might have power but it’s never going to be enough.”

“I can’t believe you thought you could take me.” The one I’d come for laughed as he moved into my line of vision. He motioned to the one holding me, indicating he wanted me up.

They jerked me to my feet and pain shot down each of my arms. I bit back the urge to make a pained noise. My power wasn’t nearly as strong as theirs but it was all I had. I waited though, wanting to plan any attack carefully. Once I used up my strength, I’d be screwed.

Kale’s sudden appearance in the doorway was no surprise to any of them. They turned to him eagerly. Nobody wasted time talking. Kale lashed out with both power and physical assault.

“Get your f**king hands off her.” The vehemence in Kale’s tone sent a chill through me.

It was so dark, so evil. I was much more used to his calm, quiet side.

Two of the four vampires returned his attack with their own. Their metaphysical ability wasn’t as strong as his. That was reassuring. They resorted to tag teaming him, the sound of fists flying and making contact was painfully loud.

The one that we had come to destroy was on me with fangs bared. I slammed the palm of my hand into his nose, the resulting crunch was both sickening and satisfying. Blood poured from his shattered nose and I moved to follow up with another blow.

He made a sound that was a strange combination of a shriek and a snarl. The power he hit me with burned and I went down hard on my ass gasping for breath.

Kale had his hands full with the other three vamps. They had all forgotten me, something that happened often as I was never seen as the threat that I truly was. It never ceased to piss me off.

I scrambled to my feet, ready to blast him but he was faster. By the time I realized what happened, his fangs were already buried deep in my neck. My blood poured out. I was disgusted and shocked as he greedily drank it in. I struggled against him but he held tight.

The sound of anguish and pain reached me as Kale dispatched one of the vampires. He was a blur out of the corner of my eye, spinning to slam a stake into another that rushed him from behind. The remaining vampire tried to run for the open door. He didn’t get very far.

The power that Kale threw at him was massive. It caused my skin to prickle with its intensity. The vampire exploded in a cloud of ash and dust. Kale whirled to find me in the clutches of our target, fighting uselessly to free myself.

He jerked my attacker off me so fast that I stumbled and fell forward, onto my knees. My hands instantly went to my bleeding throat. Fury drove Kale and he literally tore the head from the other vampire with one amazing twist. The sound of flesh tearing and bone splitting turned my stomach.

Kale was on his knees before me, pulling my hand away so he could get a look at my wound. My fingers were stained with blood but it didn’t drip as steadily as it would had it been life threatening.

“Let me see it, Alexa.” Kale forced my head to the side to get a better look. I had a moment of fear when I sensed the sudden rise of his hunger.

“No, Kale. Don’t. It’s ok. I’m ok.”

“I’m not going to hurt you.” He easily overpowered me, holding me so that I couldn’t have escaped him if I tried. “It doesn’t look too bad. You heal fast. The bleeding is already slowing. Come on, let’s get out of here.”

Hooking his arms under mine, he pulled me to my feet. I was shaky but managed to steady myself. I wasn’t afraid of Kale, not truly. Yet, I did have reason to be cautious around him. His past contained more horror and brutality than I could clearly imagine. I couldn’t be sure how much it would take to push him over the edge.

I knew for damn sure I wasn’t imagining it when Kale’s energy grew thick with bloodlust. I could feel it like the itchy prick of a thousand mosquitoes biting me all at once. I had to resist the urge to scratch.

“Kale?” Was the anxious tone in my voice as obvious to him as it was to me?

“I’m fine,” he spoke through clenched teeth. “And so are you, now let’s go.”

I let him drag me along to the car. The blood flow from my neck had already slowed considerably. Kale was right. It wasn’t as bad as it could have been. The wound ached, a throb that wouldn’t let up. I cursed myself for letting it happen at all. I knew better. If I’d just been more aggressive.