Damon (The Protectors Series) Book #1 (4 page)

not a suggestion.

Everyone held their breath, well everyone but the vampires in the room, waiting to see exactly how

smart or stupid Chad was. “For what?” Chad, newly nicknamed stupid ass, looked to Nicole. “I'm just

stating the truth.”

“I asked a question people.” Mitch walked between Chad, Nicole and Damon probably saving Chad's

life.

“He is not welcome here again until he apologizes to Nicole.” Damon growled, his black piercing eyes

pinning Chad to the spot. “I will not tolerate a male, human or vampire, who disrespects a woman.”

Especially this woman his actions roared.

Mitch turned toward Chad demanding to know what the hell was going on as Jared and Duncan filled

him in. With one last growl directed toward Chad, Damon lowered his eyes once again to Nicole and

then to her hand still on his chest.

Pulling her hand quickly away she flushed. “Thank you.” Nicole lowered her eyes feeling shy. What

the hell, she didn't have a shy bone in her body, but she had never had anyone, especially a fine piece

of male, stand up for her like that. “But like I said, he isn't worth it so don't worry about him. His

words can't hurt me.”

“You are not a very good liar, Nicole Callahan.” He had seen the hurt flash in her eyes briefly at the

bastard's words and it had sent him over the edge. Luckily Jared and Duncan had been here or he

probably would have killed the son of a bitch. Something about this small human brought out every

protective instinct he possessed.

Chad walked up with Mitch closely behind him. “Sorry Nicole.” Chad spat throwing her a glare oozing

with hate. Ignoring Damon's sneer, he roughly grabbed his bag before slamming out the door.

Damon started to follow him. Nicole knew she had to stop him from killing Chad. “You owe me a

dollar vamp.”

Caught by surprise Damon stopped to look down at her. “What?”

“You told Jared to shut the f-up.” Nicole gave him a mock frown. “So you owe me a dollar.”

Jared burst out laughing, the mood in the room turning much lighter. “She got you bro.” Jared

chuckled.

Damon finally smiled, but his eyes remained black as midnight. “You can't forgive me for one slip.”

“Nope.” Nicole picked up her bag. “Sorry vamp. I'll give ya until tomorrow to pay up.”

“Ruthless....” Pam smirked shaking her head.

Seeing Mitch scowling at her, Nicole threw her hands in the air. “It wasn't me this time. I have

witnesses.” She didn't wait for a response. “I'm heading out. See you tomorrow.” Waving to Pam she

hurried out the door Chad just slammed through.

“Sorry about that guys. I'll talk to them both and make sure that doesn't happen again.” Mitch cursed,

his hair sticking up from running his hand through it repeatedly. “I don't know what the hell is going

on between those two, but they can't be in the same room without something happening.”

Nicole headed to her car, feeling tears burning the back of her eyes, but held them back. Blindly she

searched for her keys. “I don't know why I lock this piece of crap.” She mumbled to herself tossing

her gym bag on the hood rummaging through until she found them. Grabbing her bag, she unlocked

her door throwing her bag in harder than necessary. Falling in behind the wheel with a huff she turned

the key and with a puff of smoke from the tailpipe it started.

Eyes hidden in the dark moonless night followed her as she zipped out of the parking lot. The dark

figure lifted his head slowly sniffing the air. “Mmm, sweet.” A sinister smile shaped the man's lips, as

the smile spread sharp fangs gleamed. “Perfect.”

Nicole and Pam met up at Club Zero. It was Friday night and they both needed to drown in a beer or

two. It was unwind time.

“How's it going with you and Kenny?” Nicole asked over the thumping music. Club Zero was packed

for a Friday night. They sat toward the back away from the dance floor where the crowd merged into

one solid mass of bumping and grinding bodies. It was quieter in the back; well at least they didn't

have to yell to hear each other. Not even the bathroom stalls were quiet at the dance club.

“Okay I guess.” Pam shrugged, then her pink coated lips spread into a grin. “He doesn't like the fact

that we're working with vampires. He threw a fit when he found out. I told him that it was safer for us

in the long run since we're dealing with a lot of weird stuff now, but he still freaked. Can you imagine

what he will do once he sees the guys we're working with?”

Nicole nodded in agreement, tipping her beer. She knew Pam had the hots for Jared. Damn, who

wouldn’t? The three vampires they were working with looked like they belonged on a magazine cover

or romance novel. Kind of sucked hanging around with dudes who had better looking hair than yours.

“Yeah, well, he needs to get over it. I mean it's not like we are going to jump their bones and have mad

sex while on the job.”

“Ha! Speak for yourself.” Pam snorted. “Damon is the hottest thing on two legs and you damn well

know it.”

Nicole shrugged, glancing out over the dance floor as if the conversation bored her to tears. “He's okay

I guess. Probably knows how hot he is and plays it to his full advantage on poor unsuspecting

females.”

“You are such a liar, Nicole.” Pam shook her head. “I see you sneaking looks at him during

workouts.”

“Shut up Pam.” Nicole chuckled at her friend. “I do not sneak looks at him. I'm probably trying to

slack and just making sure I'm not getting busted.”

“Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.” Pam rolled her eyes. “Come on. I need to work this soreness out and I love this

song.” Pam emptied her beer in one gulp then grabbed Nicole before she could say no.

Damon and Jared walked into the smoke filled club; music blaring, bodies smashed together and the

smells of sweat and sex hung heavy in the air, making their highly sensitive sense of smell go into

overdrive.

“Do you want to split up?” Jared grinned with a wink at the little red head who rubbed her barely

clothed body against his as she brushed past him. Licking her lush red painted lips with invitation, she

moved slowly away, her hips swaying seductively. “Or do you want me to follow that red head and

see exactly what she can do with those lips?”

Damon ignored him as he scanned the area. They had been told that Jamison would be here tonight.

He was an assassin who'd take out his own mother, not because of money, but because he got off on

it. It was said that he had taken a new target and it was thought to come from someone high up in the

blood trafficking business. The kill was to be made tonight. Their informant was hardly ever wrong so

Damon was ready for anything tonight. They had been hunting this son of bitch for too long. Running

his hands through his black hair he pulled it into a ponytail and tied it with a leather strip. Yeah too

long, and tonight the bastard was going down. They would keep him alive to get information out of

him, but that didn't mean they couldn't have a little fun with him.

“Get your head out of your ass and get focused.” Damon spotted the vampire at the edge of the dance

floor. “We need to do this with as little notice as possible.” Even though they had the authority of the

government, they still had to work within the guidelines of the law just like the human police. It wasn't

the same as when they use to do it when no one knew they existed. 'Find the bad vamp...kill the bad

vamp' was their motto and still was when no witnesses were around.

Jared spotted him and nodded, all remembrance of the red head gone. Jared may be a goof and loved

the ladies, but he took his job seriously and was damn good at it. Just an inch shy of Damon's six-three

Jared sided up next to his comrade ready to get the job done. “Let's get the bastard.”

“Wait a minute.” Damon grabbed his arm. “Unless he makes a sudden move let's try to see who the

target is. I'll keep my eyes on him and you see if you can tell who it is.” Damon knew the minute

Jamison found his target by the vamps body language and knew they couldn't wait any longer.

“Now!” Damon took off one way while Jared took off another. Not knowing what was coming his

way, Jamison headed toward his target. The humans in the club had no clue what was about to come

down, but the vampires did and scattered quickly out of the way.

As soon as the song ended, Pam and Nicole headed off the dance floor as all hell broke loose. Hearing

an inhuman roar behind them, Nicole turned to see a huge man barreling his way toward them pushing

and throwing people out of his way as if they weighed no more than dolls. Knowing for certain she

and Pam were next, instinct took over. With no thought to herself she pushed Pam out of the way at

the same time she felt herself being grabbed in a bone bruising grip. Before she could be thrown like

the other unfortunate club goers he was tackled to the ground. Unfortunately, she was tackled with

him.

Nicole knew she was going to die and how sad was that in the middle of a screaming crowd on a

sticky dance floor. The weight of two bodies forced any air in her lungs out of her mouth in a short

scream as spots danced across her vision. The saddest part was her last vision on earth was going to be

the black eyes rimmed with red and saliva drooling fangs of the ugliest vampire she'd ever seen, his

fangs snapping trying to rip out her throat.

Damon straddled Jamison's back, grabbing him by the hair trying to yank him off the human woman.

He almost lost his hold when he saw Nicole laying still and pale on the floor, her honey-colored hair

spread out with a hint of blood near the crown. “Jared!” he roared over the crowds screams. As Jared

ran up he stopped cold seeing Pam and Nicole. “Take this son of a bitch.” Damon tossed Jamison not

taking his eyes off Nicole.

Pam had raced up leaning over Nicole. “Oh my God.” she panicked. “Nicole! Is she dead?”

“Move.” Damon demanded more calmly than he felt, pushing Pam away carefully. Tuning everyone

out, he felt overwhelming relief hearing a steady heartbeat coming from Nicole's still body. Leaning

down he touched her cheek. “Nicole honey, wake up.”

“I'm a nurse. Let me through.” A woman pushed her way through the crowd. Kneeling down, she

grabbed Nicole's wrist. “What's her name?”

“Nicole.” Damon hadn't moved. Couldn't move. His eyes were riveted on Nicole's pale still face. He

felt an overwhelming urge to push the woman away, but knew she was only trying to help. His hands

shook as he picked up Nicole's cold hand, needing to touch her.

Carefully the woman crooked a hand under Nicole's neck and lifted her head slowly to check where

the blood seemed to be coming from. It wasn't a lot of blood, but it was enough to have the vampires

who stuck around licking their lips in frenzy anticipation. Damon was no exception.

Pam watched as a few vampires inched their way toward Nicole with an excited hungry glow in their

black eyes. With a leap she shielded Nicole's body. “Oh my God.” Pam freaked. “Get away from her!”

Damon snapped back at Pam's scream. Seeing the hungry vampires advancing with predatory grace

Damon put his body between them and Nicole without hesitation. “The first motherfucker who even

looks thirsty will die. You got me?” Damon eyed everyone, vampire or not. Most vampires had their

shit together and didn't blood lust at the sight of human blood because of the blood banks now

operating legally, but some blood called out to them and Nicole's was a spicy warm scent had even his

mouth watering. All of them but one turned to leave the scene. “You got a death wish, pal?” Damon

sneered. With one last longing glance at Nicole's blood, the vampire turned walking away.

Nicole slowly opened her eyes focusing them on Pam who sat beside her, head bent crying. “Hey.” She

moaned, her hand automatically flying to her head. “Did you get the make and model of that

vampire?”

“Nicole?” Pam scrambled to her knees. “Oh God, are you okay?”

“Do you know where you are?” A woman who Nicole didn't know leaned over her using her thumb

and index finger to open one eye then the other.

“Yeah.” Nicole licked her dry lips. “I'm lying on the dirty dance floor of Club Zero.”

“She may have a concussion, but I don't think a bad one. Her pupils look good and the blood on the

back of her head looks more like a scrape, nothing serious.” she told Pam before putting her hand

under Nicole's upper back. “Can you sit up?”

With the woman and Pam's help she sat up. A wave of dizziness hit making everything around her

spin, sending a jolt of queasiness to her stomach. Snapping her eyes shut, she swallowed hard. “Wow,

head rush. Give me a minute.” Once it passed, she opened her eyes slowly to see Damon's gorgeous

face in front of her, his black eyes peering into hers. “Hey, what are you doing here?”

“How are you feeling?” He answered her question with a question. She looked pale as hell to him and

her eyes seemed a little unfocused. “Are you sure she's alright?” He asked the woman who had been

helping her.

“I think she'll be fine.” The woman smiled. “She just had three hundred pounds of male land on top of