Page 91 of Stalk the Dark
“Stop!” I slashed with my blade. “Enough. Stop! You’re acting like scavengers.”
Several vampires backed off at that, and it was all it took for the others to reconsider their attack. Tradition and appearance were everything to these fuckers, and although they were dressed in the modern fashions to fit into New Town, most of them were still probably a hundred years old.
Most of them…except the fledglings…
I stood with my back pressed to the bar, chest heaving as the vampires surrounded me, and slowly held up my free hand.
“If you kill me, you’ll bring the vampire king’s wrath on your heads.” Yes, I was totally using Ezekiel, but fuck it, self-preservation was key here, and although my scavenger remark had jolted some of them to their noble senses, they didn’t give a shit about the Order.
Murmurs filled the room, and Tristin stepped forward. “I’m sorry for your loss, Dominic, but we can’t allow you to kill her, not here. Not like this.”
In other words, take your murder elsewhere. Nice.
Dominic’s jaw worked, dark eyes burning across my face. “A blood price, then.”
“No!” Padma stepped forward. “You can’t do that. We’re with the Order.”
Blood price? What was that? Nothing good if Padma’s reaction was anything to go by.
“Fuck the Order!” sandy hair spat. “And fuck all of you.” He moved so fast I barely had time to raise my blade before he was on me, crimson-rimmed eyes brimming with bloodlust and rage, fangs bared.
I sank my blade into his side, sliding between his ribs and straight into his heart.
He let out a soft groan, eyes popping wide before they drifted closed and he slumped against me.
I shoved him off my blade, and he fell to the floor.
Dead.
Heart and head were the two weak spots on a vamp. Decapitation or staking. Both worked on fledglings and younger vampires, but the older ones…You’d be lucky to get close enough.
The thoughts rushed through my mind in the beat of silence that followed my kill, then one of the other fledglings let out a roar and leapt at me.
I was ready, blade arching through the air, when his head popped off his body and flew across the room.
Jets of blood spurted from his neck hole for a couple of seconds before his body dropped to the ground to reveal a disgruntled-looking Ezekiel.
He was dressed in black, his usual color, but not in Old Town clothes. Today he wore black pants and a fitted black turtleneck, sleeves rolled up. His hair was pulled back in a half pony so that his beautifully feral features wereon clear display.
His mouth turned down as he drew a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped at his bloody hands, the motion causing the muscles up his forearms to ripple enticingly.
“Well, that was distasteful.” He gave me a long-suffering look. “Can’t I trust you to go anywhere alone, Miss Lighthart?”
“What are you doing here?” Fuck, was that all I could come up with?
“I was planning on having a little…what do you young bloods call it…fun? Laudon is showing me how much the world has changed, but I’m beginning to wonder if it’s changed at all.” His sharp gaze razored over the gathered vampires. “What were you planning to do,hmmm? Kill her? Feed on her? Watch?” The corner of his mouth lifted wryly. “I blame myself. I obviously haven’t made myself clear.” He blur-moved to one of the three remaining fledglings and punched a hole in his chest. The vampire grunted and looked down at Ezekiel’s arm, buried in his torso, his face contorted in shock.
Ezekiel yanked out the vampire’s heart and held it up. “But I’m not heartless. I’ll give you all a second chance.”
The vampire dropped like a stone.
Dominic stared in shock.
His companion began to hyperventilate. “Please…” He held up his hands. “I didn’t want to do anything. I didn’t even like Eloise and?—”
Ezekiel was behind him in an instant.Crack.
The vampire hit the ground with a broken neck.
