Page 90 of Wicked Bite
“First, I’m not that old—”
“In five years. We’re so old we round up, which doesn’t matter because right now I’m rounding on kicking your arse.” Piper was lost in London as a newly made vampire. “I knew I should’ve just gone. I knew it.”
“And yet you didn’t.”
I stopped on a dime and turned to face him. “Don’t put this one on me. You. Lost. Her.”
We were following her sweet honey scent through the back streets of London. She’d walked away from the beauty of the Christmas decorations in favor of traveling with Theon. Of all vampires, she picked him. Theon Bailen, the git, going about licking at the boots of those in power, all the while playing cool. He was a leech upon leeches and now he had my Piper. I debated in my mind what kind of pain I would inflict upon him. It was a toss-up between castration or evisceration. I’d let my mood decide. I growled and began walking once more.
“Would you have preferred I made a scene to get to her in front of humans? Because I’m sure alerting the Fallen or bringing the King down on us both would be a wiser course of action.” Sav walked beside me on the cold streets.
He had a point. “They’re of no consequence when she’s out alone.”
“Technically, she’s not alone.”
“Right, you’re looking for a thrashing, aren’t you?” My blood boiled. I was angry at Sav, but I was angrier at myself. Things with Piper were so messed up that I avoided her, and now she was gone.
“Not particularly. Wasn’t on my list of things to do today.” He was so untroubled by all of this, but I was in turmoil.
“Is there a reason you’d like me to punch you in the throat this evening? A little concern would be welcome, man.”
Sav chuckled. “Have you seen your woman. She’s formidable. I saw her take out an entire squad of my guys without a weapon. Not to mention throw Jester and me across the room. You think a little shit like Theon stands a chance . . . hell no. I’d be surprised if his bollocks are still intact, and if they are they won’t be for long.”
We turned down the alley that led to one of Theon’s frequented hangouts. Vampires lingered about chatting and laughing. But the second they saw me and Atlas, they gave a quick bow and scurried away. I motioned to the scurrying vampires. “I see you still have an effect.”
“They’re not running from me.” He stopped at a thick metal door and banged on it three times. “If only you could see your face.”
The peephole to the door slid open and two dark eyes peered out at us. They widened for a moment, then the peephole slid shut. I didn’t hear any movement on the other side. Savage sighed, and I had about two seconds before I lost my patience.
One . . .
Two . . .
I planted one foot and kicked out with my other. The door ripped off and flew into the opposite wall. A big dent sat in the middle of the door. A huge vampire lay sprawled out on the floor next to it. Sav stepped over his body. “Extreme but effective.”
“This coming from the moodiest sod around.”
I walked down the hall and into the bar area. Her honey scent was near. I would know it from miles away. Sav was silent as ever beside me. Vampires all around the bar stopped what they were doing to look at the two of us. A reluctant Prince and the right hand of the king both standing here searching for a baby vamp that might not want to be found.
“Touché.” He scanned the crowd, then pointed to a dark corner. “There.”
I was in that corner in a flash, standing right behind Piper. Rage, hot and heavy, flared through my entire body. My arms shook and every instinct in me screamed MINE. “What the fuck?”
Piper was up on her tiptoes with her cute little fangs buried in that asshole’s neck. She jumped and dislodged her mouth from him. “Grayson!” Her eyes widened but she leaned into him like she couldn’t stop herself from trying to go for more.
I grabbed her shoulder, pulling her back from him. At the last second, she turned to the side and gagged, spitting blood on the floor at his feet. Theon didn’t bother wiping the two little punctures in his neck. He just stood there wearing them like a badge of honor. He gave me a cocky smile and I was debating whether I should rip his fangs out with a sword or not. Violence or diplomacy, that was the question.
“Don’t be like that, Piper darling.” He smiled down at her. “It was good for me.”
Violence it is.
“Moron.” Atlas shook his head and stepped to the side just as I wrapped my hand in Theon’s shirt and jerked him out of the corner.
His legs dangled off the ground, and he clawed at my hand. I yanked his face close to mine. “You. Don’t. Touch. Her.”
“Other way around, mate. She touched me.”
Motherfu . . . I threw him. His body spun in midair and slammed down on a table across the room. It splintered under his weight, crashing to the ground. Vampires rushed for the door, clearing out from the bar in a stampede.
