Demonstorm: Heart of a Vampire #6 (5 page)

Anger tinged his voice. “I think they’re gone.”

She glanced away. “Most likely. Lucky for us they drank so heavily last night.”

He grunted, sitting up. She was probably right. He didn’t care to think about trying to face an army of alert demons. “Let’s go,” he stated quietly.

Starting down the tree, he quickly reached the ground and waited for her to descend. He pulled Jezamine’s map from his pocket, tracing the path he’d followed while hiking in.

Looking up, staring at the tiny strips of dark sky visible between thick, interlacing tree branches, he tried to determine their exact position.

Mayah glanced at the map, then gasped, grabbing it.

“What?” he asked.

She pointed to a blank corner of the cloth. “This.”

Staring at the spot, he asked, “What about it?”

She squinted at him. “You can’t see it?”

He shrugged, straining to see anything there. “It’s blank.”

“You’re not attuned to your demon senses at all, are you?”

“What does it matter?”

She swayed, hands trembling. Her eyes unfocused as if she wasn’t seeing anything around her, but something within herself. In a strangely deep voice, she said, “Deny half of who you are at your own peril.”

He shivered at the magic, the power of knowledge, in her words.

Then she blinked and shook her head. “Sorry. Sometimes it just comes over me.”

Slowly, making sure he didn’t touch her, he reached over and took the map back. “What do you see on here?”

“A message.”

“Which says?” he prodded.

She nibbled her bottom lip, now losing some of the heavy red color. “I’ll tell you later. Right now, we don’t have time to stand around chatting.”

As if her words tempted fate to intercede, four human-looking demons slipped from the shadows and surrounded them.

“Shit.” Sean shoved the map back in his pocket. He drew both katanas, telling her, “Stay back.”

She rolled her eyes. Pulling the bag from her waist, she drew out the little golden box.

One of the demons, his pitch black eyes flickering with a dark glow, commanded, “Put your weapons down and come quietly. You had no right to take the Abatu’s ward.”

Sean took a step forward, brandishing his swords. “She chose to come with me, rather than remain a prisoner.”

He needed to get the demons on one side. Put a tree at his back. Keep Mayah safe.

Mayah opened the gold box and withdrew two wicked-looking gloves. She slid them over her hands, up her arms. Strange black crystals covered the tops of the dark mesh reaching to her elbows. Metal claws tipped each finger.

“I will never return to Brüs.” She moved closer, putting her back to his. She glanced at Sean, her eyes bright. “I call two of them.”

Something colored her voice, a strange emotion he couldn’t place at first.

Then it hit him. Incredulously, he realized it was a tone of anticipation. She was eager for this fight.

The man in front of Sean narrowed his eyes as he sniffed the air. Then he jerked back, growling, “Half-breed. I’ll kill you fast. Put you out of your misery.” He screamed in rage, and all four creatures sprung forward.

“I got these bastards,” Mayah said at his back.

He could do nothing but hope she knew how to fight. Sean lunged at the two in front of him. Blades flashed as he stopped both of their swords. With a sweeping motion, he slashed one blade across the leader’s chest. Blood welled. The demon glanced down as if surprised at his wound.

The other ducked Sean’s next swing.

Stepping back, Sean avoided a blade, then the leader’s claw-tipped punch. His foot caught on an exposed tree root.

The leader found an opening. A fist slammed against Sean’s ribs. Bone cracked and pain flashed through his chest. His breathing became labored, but he ignored it. He’d suffered far worse.

“You’ll have to try harder than that to hurt me,” he taunted, feeling the rush of adrenaline flush through him

His demon essence sang with the need to fight. To conquer.

To destroy and kill.

Sean swung his deadly blades. His katanas sliced through skin, muscle, bone.

With a scream, the leader clutched the remaining stump of his arm, backing away.

Behind Sean, someone grunted. He risked a glance back, just in time to watch Mayah backhand a demon. The black shards on the top of the glove left deep furrows over the demon’s face. His wounds began to smoke, as if the crystals burned the creature.

The demon in front of him leapt forward, angling his blade for Sean’s heart. He jerked one of his swords up, barely blocking the strike.

The demon twisted, his blade slicing along Sean’s forearm.

Sean ignored the burn and ducked beneath the creature’s outstretched arm. He slid his second katana into the demon’s unprotected chest. The creature screamed, sword dropping.

Sean pulled back, then slashed through the man’s neck.

The demon fell, his head separated from his body.

The leader’s eyes widened. Holding the oozing stump of his arm to his chest, he turned and ran into the forest. Coward.

Sean spun to face those near Mayah, only to find one motionless on the ground, most likely dead. The other dodged out of the way of her fist, then raised his sword.

Racing between them, Sean met the man’s strike.

Anticipation warred with the need for haste. It was only a matter of time before the rest of the horde returned. No way they’d miss the sounds of the fight, or the heady scent of blood filling the air.

He had to end this quickly, before they became overwhelmed.

Ducking under the demon’s thrusting blade, Sean spun and sliced across the back of the man’s ankles. Blood welled as he screamed, stumbling and falling to his knees.

Mayah moved in so fast she seemed almost a blur. She kicked the demon in the chin. His head snapped back, teeth clacking, bones cracking. She punched him in the neck, three quick times.

When she drew back, the man’s throat glistened red. Blood poured from numerous wounds created by the black crystal shards. Once more, smoke rose from them.

The man gurgled something unintelligible as he swayed, then crumpled to the ground.

“Come on.” Mayah grabbed Sean arm and pulled him away.

They raced through the forest, keeping to shadow, staying as quiet as possible. Every time they heard movement, they froze. Twice more they hid high in the trees. Hours later, the sun had risen. They finally reached the edge of the woods.

His black pickup was still hidden where he’d left it. He searched the area for any sign of demons or waiting ambush.

It took an enormous amount of energy for his body to heal. He needed food, blood. Still, he waited ten long minutes. “Stay here until I signal.”

Mayah sighed, but nodded in agreement.

He reached his truck, circling it twice. No alarm rang, no one jumped from behind rocks or trees. Unlocking the doors, he called her over. As soon as she got in the passenger side, he drove away from the dark woods as fast as he could.

She slowly slid off her spiked gloves, nestling them back in the golden box, then clenched her fists in her lap.

He grabbed some sandwiches from a cooler, and after offering one to Mayah, wolfed his down. After two more, and a couple bags of chips, he felt a little better. He needed blood. A bigger meal. This would have to do for now.

As they reached the bottom of the mountain, and occasional signs of civilization, he glanced at Mayah. “Will he let you go? Give up chasing you?”

He wasn’t surprised by her answer.

“Never.”

* * *

Mayah tried to calm her rage, her worry. Her nerves continued to hum with tension, even as Sean sped away from the place that filled her nightmares.

Brüs would never give up hunting her. He’d know he didn’t have to. She thought of the vision of her brother. Cyrus had told her not to come.

Trap or no, she couldn’t leave him in Brüs’s clutches. The Abatu demon would kill Cyrus if he couldn’t be used as bait for the trap to bring her back.

It was a double-edged sword, but not a hard decision to make. She must rescue her brother above all else.

From the corner of her eye, she watched Sean. How easy it would be if she could just take this vehicle. Unfortunately, trying to learn to drive while on the run didn’t seem like the best plan. She didn’t know this realm very well, having only seen the insides of Brüs’s castles for most of her time here. Though she was familiar with much of the technology of the times, that didn’t mean she’d ever had the opportunity to learn how to work it.

Sean obviously had no issues dealing with modern things.

For a second, a thought flitted in her mind. Maybe she could keep using him? Bargain her helping his clan, if he’d take her to her brother?

No. She shouldn’t even consider it. Such a thing would be too great a risk.

Tiredness swept over her, the adrenaline of the fight washing away. She bit her tongue, the pain keeping her at least semi-alert.

This man might have freed her but that didn’t make him safe. Or trusted. Yet, there was a part of her that, deep inside, did feel safe. He’d freed her, fought by her side.

She reminded herself he was merely a stranger who wanted to use her like all the rest.

And if his vampire clan wanted her enough to risk sending someone into Brüs’s castle to get her out, then this man wouldn’t just let her walk away. Which meant as soon as she made her second escape of the day, she’d have Brüs’s men
and
Sean on her ass.

Though her eyes felt grainy, she kept them open, watching the miles roll beneath the truck. She dared not fall asleep, out of the fear she’d wake once more shackled and forced to serve.

A while later, Sean finally spoke. “What’s the second condition you mentioned earlier?”

Mayah glanced at him, then away. She didn’t dare mention her brother. Not to him. “Can we talk about it later? I’m exhausted.”

He shot her a scowl, but nodded.

Mayah forced herself to appear relaxed in the seat, but her mind continued to spin. Plans for escaping and figuring out a way to head north filled her thoughts.

Chapter Five

H
ours later, a small town appeared on the horizon. Sean pulled his truck into the dirt lot in front of a rickety country motel on the side of the highway. Between the miles and multiple directions he’d driven after leaving the castle, this Brüs should have a hard time tracking them. He glanced over at the passenger seat.

Mayah still stared out the window. The entire drive she’d remained silent and nearly unmoving.

She looked exhausted. Maybe after a meal, and with a real bed, she’d be able to get some rest. The cramped cab wasn’t exactly comfortable.

“We’ll stop here for a little while,” he said.

When she didn’t respond, he reached over and shook her shoulder gently.

She came up swinging. Her fist grazed his cheek before he jerked back. She blinked, her face once more a mask, and slowly lowered her hands.

“You all right?” he asked.

“Fine.”

“I thought you were awake.”

“I was,” she stated shortly.

He waved at the building. “I’ll get us a room. One is safer than two.”

Her eyes narrowed but she didn’t reply.

“Don’t worry,” he forced a grin. “If they don’t have a room with two beds, I’ll take the floor.”

Something flashed in her dark eyes, but she remained silent, watching him as if he’d suddenly started speaking gibberish.

He got out and headed to the office. Sure enough, they had a few rooms with two double beds. After getting directions to a couple of nearby restaurants, he walked back outside. And stopped short.

Mayah was gone.

Alert for Brüs’s men, he hurried to the truck, double-checking the empty cab.

There was no stench of those from the castle. And unless the demons had been right behind him the entire way—which wasn’t possible—there was no way they could have caught up.

He turned in a circle, studying the few abandoned buildings nearby.

It didn’t seem likely that she’d been recaptured. Which left what?

She’d run.

But why?

Inhaling deeply, he caught her lingering scent coming from the direction of the buildings. He took off after her. He didn’t know what kind of game she was playing, but it wasn’t safe.

Besides, he had to get her back to Arizona, to his clan. Show them all he could be depended on.

He couldn’t let this flighty woman put herself in danger for any reason. Something inside told him to try to figure out her reasoning, but anger pushed him faster. At the first building, he climbed to the top, then raced from roof to roof, following her scent.

It steadily grew stronger.