The Immortal Hunter(69)

Dani frowned at the announcement and asked with confusion, "But you have the nanos?"

"Oh yes. We have the nanos and need the blood."

"Then how do you..." She paused as she recalled the women in the ravine with their cuts and wondered if his blow hadn't done some brain damage that she would be so slow.

"Like this."

Dani glanced down as the hand that she'd used to grab his was suddenly being held by him in turn, and then he produced a short, sharp knife and flashed it across her wrist. It all happened so fast that it took a moment for her to realize what he'd done, and then the pain set in and she drew in a hissing breath as she watched blood rise, rich and red, to spill out of the wound.

Leo immediately lifted her wrist to his mouth to catch the liquid and began to suck greedily.

Dani stared with revulsion and tried to pull her hand away, but he merely tightened his hold painfully and continued with his meal, sucking at the wound until it stopped bleeding. She ground her teeth together to keep from crying out when he then used his tongue and teeth to dig at it to encourage it to bleed more.

When he couldn't seem to extract another drop, Leonius raised his head and sighed with pleasure before glancing at her to announce, "There's just nothing as sweet as fear in the blood. All that adrenaline and noradrenaline and the extra oxygen just make it perfect." He tilted his head and gestured to the bleeding cut, asking politely, "You didn't mind, did you? It seems only fair since I'm going to give you some of mine."

"You're insane," she said weakly.

"Yes, isn't it marvelous? It's in the blood, you know," Leo announced, and then his smile took on a cruel edge and he used the knife to slice his own wrist, adding, "And now I'm going to share that blood with you."

Dani jerked back, trying to avoid him when he reached for her, but there was no escape. Leonius was fast, strong, and determined. Before she knew it, his hand was at the back of her head, grabbing a handful of her hair. He yanked viciously so that she cried out in startled pain, and then his wrist was immediately against her open mouth.

"Swallow," he ordered.

Dani pushed desperately at his wrist, feeling the blood pouring in, but refusing to swallow it as she fought to get out of the chair and get away, but she was held in place by the hand at the back of her head. When her mouth was full and blood began to leak out around his arm, he suddenly released her hair and pinched her nose closed with thumb and finger. Dani gasped in panic, swallowing convulsively as she tried to get air, and then again, choking on the thick liquid that poured down her throat. But no air followed, just more blood.

Dani was sure she was going to drown or suffocate, and then she was suddenly free. Choking loudly and spitting up what was left in her mouth, she gasped for air and peered around to see that the farmer had tried to help. Bending as far forward as he could, tied up as he was, he'd launched himself at Leo, chair and all, ramming him in the stomach and forcing him back from Dani. As she realized this, Leo roared with fury and swung out at the man.

Standing bent over, and panting, the chair still tied to his back, the farmer was helpless to avoid the strike. Dani screamed in horror, hardly noticing the wife's muffled shrieks as the blow picked up the farmer and sent him flying into the wall. A loud crack filled the basement as he struck the stone wall chair-first, and then man and what were now chair pieces tumbled to the cement floor.

Dani slid weakly from her seat and onto her knees on the cold concrete, still trying to catch her breath, and then glanced worriedly to the woman when Leo's angry gaze turned to her. She was making frantic little sounds through her muffle and scraping her chair across the floor, trying to get to her husband.

"No," Dani gasped desperately as he moved to the woman, his arm rising again.

Leonius paused and turned to peer at her, one eyebrow arched. "No is a word I dislike very much."

Dani bit her lip and then winced when he turned back and hit the farmer's wife. The blow had much less anger and strength behind it, however. While it sent the woman's face jerking to the side, and blood began to pour from a cut on her mouth above her gag, she at least stayed in her chair and remained conscious.

Dani bit her tongue, afraid to say anything in case it just angered him and caused him to inflict more pain on the woman, but had to dig her nails into her palms to keep her mouth shut when he bent to lick away the blood trail from the shrinking woman.

"Mmmm." He straightened slowly, eyes closed as he savored the flavor, and then he smiled at Dani. "Afraid and diabetic, an unbeatable combination. You're going to love me for leaving you such a treat."

"Never." The word-full of disgust-slid from her lips before she could stop it.

Fortunately, in his usual unpredictable manner, Leo was amused rather than angered further. Laughing loudly, he shook his head. "You say that now, but trust me, when the hunger hits, you'll tear these two to pieces to suck out every last drop of blood."

Dani stared back with silent horror at the very possibility, and shook her head.

"Yes," he assured her as he moved back to catch her by the arms and lift her up into her chair. He paused then, bent over and face-to-face with her as he added with delight, "It will take less than an hour for the need to get so bad they start looking like a couple of big juicy steaks on legs." He straightened and then continued, "Not long after that you won't be able to control yourself. The pain and hunger will be so strong you'll start gnawing on them."