Izabela greeted Saintcrow in her nightgown and bathrobe. If she was surprised to see him, it didn’t show. She had gone back to asking if he meant her any harm.
“You know I don’t,” he growled. “Open the damn door.”
“Temper, temper,” she scolded as she unlocked the screen to let him in. “What brings you here so late?” she asked. And then grinned. “I guess it isn’t late for you, is it?”
He followed her into the living room and sat on the sofa while she settled into her rocking chair. “The witch in the Everglades. She thinks my blood is turning toxic and that’s what’s weakening my self-control and fueling my hunger. She also thinks it will ultimately destroy me.”
Izabela nodded, her expression thoughtful. “I suppose that could happen. Did she have a solution?”
“No. But I’m wondering if the blood from a vampire older than I am might neutralize the toxicity.”
Izabela rocked gently for several moments. “It might work.”
Saintcrow raked his fingers through his hair. Could it be that easy?
“You said the woman I summoned was older than you?”
“Yeah. She’s been a vampire longer than I have, although I don’t know how much longer.”
“Odd that she would appear to me,” Izabela mused. “It’s almost as if she knew you needed her. But I don’t see how that can be, since you said you never exchanged blood. Or am I mistaken?”
“Ancient vampires can usually find whoever they’re looking for, unless the other vampire has blocked them, or gone to ground. But I wasn’t a vampire when we met. Can you summon her again?”
“I can try,” Izabela said with a wry grin. “But I’m not sure if I summoned her the first time or she summoned me.”
~ * ~
Kadie smiled as Rylan materialized beside the tub. Dropping to his knees, he took the soap from her hand and began to wash her. He started at her back and slowly made his way around, lingering on her breasts before he moved downward. When he finished, he dropped the soap, his magical hands arousing her until she was so hot she was sure that at any moment the water would begin to boil.
Chuckling softly, Saintcrow lifted her into his arms, stood, and carried her into the bedroom. She never thought to protest as they left a trail of soapy water behind, her only thought to pull him down on top of her and urge him to ease the fire he had started inside of her. He was naked when they reached the bed. She laughed as he almost slipped off of her soapy body when he lowered himself over her, his mouth a flame as he kissed and caressed her until everything else was forgotten and there was only Rylan, telling her he loved her, would always love her and no one else.
It was only later, when he had fallen asleep, her head on his shoulder, his arm holding her close, that she wondered how things had gone with Izabela.
Chapter Nine
A half-dozen fledglings appeared on the bridge the following evening. At least, the majority of them were fledglings, but three of them had been vampires more than fifty years, time enough to gain a little power.
Kadie hadn’t wanted him to go out to meet them, but he had insisted that the only way to get rid of them was to erase their memories and send them away. After considerable thought, he had decided not to wipe the memory of one of the vampires in hopes that he would let it be known among the vampire community that Saintcrow was kicking ass and taking names. He had also considered killing a couple, if necessary, to prove that he meant business.
He went out to meet them as soon as the sun went down.
Their hunger for a taste of his blood was palpable as they surrounded him. A warning burst of preternatural power had most of them backing away. All but the three oldest ones who lunged at him, their teeth ripping into his arms as they tried to wrestle him to the ground. The fledglings watched until their lust for blood overcame their fear and they joined the fray.
Calling on the strength of a thousand years, Saintcrow cut a wide swath through his attackers as his instinct for survival fueled the rage building inside of him. There was no mercy in him as he unleashed the blood-lust he had battled for years. With fangs and claws and the sheer power of his mind, his preternatural strength destroyed all those who came against him until the bridge was littered with bodies. He stood over the only survivor, a young female.
Saintcrow’s mind brushed hers, searching for her name. “Monica, I want you to tell all your friends and any other vampires you meet what happened here tonight. Warn them that the same fate awaits them if they come here.”
She cowered at his feet, blood leaking from numerous gashes on her arms. Her face, too, was splattered with blood.
“Do you understand?”
She nodded, her pale blue eyes wide and afraid.
“Then get the hell out of here.”
He didn’t have to tell her twice. She was gone in the blink of an eye.
Saintcrow stood in the midst of the carnage, surrounded by blood and death. He took a deep, calming breath as he tried to summon pity for those he had destroyed, or at least a twinge of guilt. But all he felt was annoyance that he would have to dispose of the bodies of the older vampires and drag the young ones away from the bridge where they wouldn’t be seen.