Page 12 of Rebel Fae
His presence shouldn’t have put me at ease, but it did, and my reaction made my stomach turn. Denying how I felt, I lifted the branch and swung it from side to side in a warning.
“Keep away from me,” I said.
Unexpectedly, Vaughn morphed back into his human form. It was a sight to behold, the way his fur retreated, his legs elongated, and the long snout and ears shortened. For an instant, he was half-man, half-beast, a fearsome creature that might have passed for fae. Then he was all human, smooth, and handsome, and very naked.
I averted my gaze, feeling the heat climbing up my bloody neck. “Have you no decency?”
“I’m so stupid,” he spat. “I shouldn’t have let you go alone with him.”
Somewhat reluctantly, I discarded the branch that had saved my life. “I can take care of myself.”
Vaughn frowned, his eyes narrowing and focusing on my neck. “He bit you.” He took a step closer, a hand raised as if his fingers had magic that could heal my wound.
“Stay away from me,” I warned him, holding a hand up. Though, the lack of blood or spike of adrenaline was making my legs weak.
He clenched his fist and pressed it to his lips. He looked like someone trying to keep his words on the other side of his mouth. He took a deep, calming breath, and finally spoke.
“There is a… first-aid kit in your belt. Use it to…” He gestured towards my neck, then my thigh.
“Don’t worry about me. I’m fine.” I felt far from fine, but I didn’t want him to know that.
A muscle jumped in his jaw. “I’m not worried about you. I’m worried about my cousin. Antonio could have killed you, and that would have ruined everything.”
Oh, right. He didn’t care about me and never had. It was all to save his cousin. Yet, his words stung like acid on a wound.
“Of course,” I said. “How foolish of me to forget you think of no one but yourself.”
“Never mind that.” He waved his hand in the air. “Go back to the others. I’ll take care of him.” He thrust a hand toward the fallen vampire.
Not waiting to be told a second time, I unsteadily took to the air and flew upward, weaving through gaps in the thick canopy. I didn’t even stop to wonder what Vaughn would do with Antonio, I just wanted to get as far away from them as possible.
I flew back up the hill towards the others, hoping I would make it without passing out.
Suddenly, the feeling that something was wrong assaulted me. I had left with a hungry vampire because he appeared halfway civilized. Also because, despite his hunger, he hadn’t tried to attack us, neither had Regina. However, they had… cleverly separated us.
“Feine!”
Ronnie’s innocent face flashing before my eyes, I beat my wings harder, leaning forward, and riding a current of air that helped me up the hill. As I crested the top, screams reached my ears.
“Don’t let her go! Please!” It was Becca’s terrified voice.
Circling a thicket, I came onto a scene I hadn’t expected.
Ronnie and Becca were cowering behind Baeleath, while the massive fae held Regina aloft, his hand wrapped around her neck as she hissed, kicked, and clawed at him. Several gashes in his muscular arm dripped profusely with blood, but he showed no signs of pain or weakness. His arm was steady as he held the irate vampire, whose face was a map of veins and snapping fangs.
I approached carefully from the side.
“Baeleath, are you all right?” I asked, amazed by his strength and poise.
He gave me a single nod without taking his eyes off Regina.
“She was trying to eat us.” Becca pointed at the dangling vampire. “As soon as Vaughn left, she attacked us.” Her eyes scanned my body. “Gosh, you’re covered in blood. Look, I got hurt, too.” Becca held up an arm to show me a scratch no bigger than what a kitten could have caused. Yet, she was acting as if she’d lost a limb.
After making sure the young ones were in one piece, I turned to the vampire. “Regina, calm down.”
I imbued my voice with an authority I didn’t feel, but it had no effect. She continued to kick and snap her sharp teeth at Baeleath. She seemed beyond reasoning, fully given into her vampire instincts. Her dark eyes focused on the cuts in Baeleath’s arm. Blood was oozing from it, dripping to the ground, staining the grass red. That’s when I realized she wasn’t going to calm down no matter what I said—not with the scent of blood permeating the air. And at this rate, she might strip the Khurynian’s arm to the bone.
“Baeleath,” I said. “Break her neck.”
