Page 102 of The Vampire's Thirst
“We’re bound to run into Firebrands again. Like at Bozeman.”
Lort’s forehead creased. “Possible, but the odds are with us. Too many portals for them to cover. If we keep the sorties small and quick, our successes increase. Besides, they are being removed from the action.”
“What do you mean?” asked Roark.
“They’ve been ordered to cease and desist. Those assholes are being straight-jacketed.”
A vampire lashed out at a policewoman, taking her to the ground, his fangs sinking into her neck, his throat bobbling with each draw. When he was done, he shook her like a rag doll, tossing her aside, blood dripping down his chin onto a once-white shirt. His irises streaked with red, he grabbed another victim.
A female wolf shifter jumped over the body of a dead Aeternal to catch an ambulance driver between her jaws. She shook him until he was limp. Plonking him onto the ground, she tore the flesh from his bones. A passing hedon demon, known as an eater when the rage took him, saw the fresh kill and moved in, snarling at the shifter. The female growled but backed away from her victim, leaving her prey for the larger, more dangerous demon.
The eater consumed what was left of the driver, picking his bones clean before he charged down the street, drunk on fresh meat and looking for more. The hedon demon wasn’t picky. He stopped to feast on a vampire who had been shot by a policewoman.
Roark shrugged. Oh well.The vamp might have recovered. Not now.
A satyr rushed a policeman who had stepped away from the open door of his squad car to take a firing stance.Bang. Bang. Bang.Three to the chest. While the Arisen Dawn attacker was down, the officer approached to fire a couple rounds point blank to the head. The bullets shredded the Aeternal’s skull. No coming back from that. Score another for the humans.
Roark angled his head toward Lort. “We still don’t have an army. These Aeternals are in it just for the fill and kill. The short-term. Not the long-term victory.”
Lort eyed the butchery taking place, gleeful satisfaction pasted on his face. “I know that, but Cerberus wants the humans terrified. Bone-deep scared. Once we have them tenderized with fear, we come in with our armies. They won’t stand a chance. They’ll be cowering in their homes, subjugating themselves to us for protection.”
Roark wondered if Lort wasn’t mistaken about the Earthers’ reaction.
The vampire general reached out to grab the arm of a passing human. Her legs left the ground as he pulled her against his chest. When the female’s fists pounded his shoulders, he bent his head, burying his fangs in her jugular. Finished, he released her, running a forearm along his lips to wipe off the blood. His eyes were streaked with crimson, a sure sign he was fighting bludfrenzy.
She staggered, clasped her throat, and stumbled toward the street. A satyr stepped from the shadows, tearing off her clothes, green-eyeing her, feeding from her arousal as he fucked her. She was dead by the time he searched for another victim.
“I think we’re done here, Roark. Let them have some fun.”
The raven shifter pushed off from the wall. “What’s next?”
They passed the news van. The camera was on the ground, a coyote shifter dragging its operator down the sidewalk. The mic was shoved to the curb along with one navy blue high heel.Where’s the other shoe?Tatters of a blue suit blew into a sewage drain.
“Sacramento. First another small incursion of Gold Dusters tonight. Want to join me?”
“Nah. I’m good. I’ll go back to catch a few winks. Be ready for tomorrow’s training.”
“That’s what I like about you, Roark. You’re all business.”
As the raven shifter strode toward the portal, the sounds of gunshots dwindled. The police were killing the Arisen Dawn soldiers or chasing remnants through the streets. He noted the devastation, cops and Aeternals littering the streets, while he strong-armed a rampaging animus demon out of his path. The female snarled but ran around him. She obviously had no desire to tangle with a beast deadlier than she was.
Not all business, but I know how to keep my eye on the goal.
****
Midday, with over four hundred pounds of wolfhound prancing at his side like show ponies, their nails clicking on the tile, Dax strode into the stronghold with a guilty conscience. Whenever they bounced, yapped, or howled, he flashed his predatory black eyes and they whimpered but settled. He had established who was alpha.
Ivan was his favorite.Hell.He knew why. The dog had appointed himself leader of the small pack. Since he was stronger than the others, he fought Dax’s control the most. The vampire respected the challenge. It was a beast-to-beast admiration. Ivan, despite his need to test Dax’s hold, liked him also, if licking the vampire’s hand served as evidence.
Dax wiped another round of slobber off his pants. “You’ve got a bad drool thing going on, big guy. You’d make a more convincing alpha if you controlled it.”
Ivan snarled but swept his tongue out to catch the blob of liquid before it fell.
“Now you’ve got it.”
After his slip-up at the O blud den, Dax remembered what Chiara had said to Fin at the stronghold the night of the party. The wolfhounds were all she had. So with his conscience riding him hard, he had hit a portal and driven to Ernest’s place, explaining how Chiara was vacationing but wanted the dogs with her.
He ticked off the reasons for his out-of-character kindness. One, the animals were better off with the little witch. Two, they would keep her focused on remaining at the stronghold where she belonged. Three, they were good protection. Four… It was too personal. So he dropped that one.
