“Yeah. Or you could tell them you’re their king and they should show you some respect,” Greer offered.
“That did not work before. What makes you think it is going to work now?”
“It is worth a try,” Greer said as they came to a stop in front of the vampires.
Their eyes widened as they took Alexander in. They clearly recognised him, but they still did not move aside.
“Would you let us in?” Greer snarled beside him. “We need to meet someone inside.
“You are not allowed in here,” one of the vampires said.
“We do not have time for this,” Alexander said.
He drove a fist into the nearest vampire’s jaw, dropping him instantly. Greer took out the second one, while Alexander turned to the third.
The fourth vampire spun and ran inside.
“Shit. Get him,” Alexander ordered as he finished the third.
Greer rushed in after him, and Alexander followed.
He blinked, adjusting to the sudden darkness. Thumping music hit him from all sides, loud enough to disorient him for a moment. He ran a hand along the wall until he found a door and pushed it open.
A large room stretched out beyond it, packed with people dancing under flashing strobe lights.
“Blade,” he called over the music as he moved through the crowd, scanning every table. “Blade.”
Greer waved to him from the other side of the room. Alexander made his way over, weaving between drunk patrons.
There were far more humans than vampires. The vampires who noticed him went still, watching him as he passed.
“He is in the back,” Greer said, moving a black curtain that, a moment earlier, had looked like a solid wall.
Alexander stepped through into a well lit hallway lined with doors on either side.
Was this where all the sex happened?
“He is in this room,” Greer said, rushing ahead.
Alexander followed, but something slammed into the back of his head. He staggered and hit the wall hard. Pain flared, but he shook it off and turned, grabbing the metal bat from the vampire who had attacked him. The vampire looked young, wide eyed and frightened, but he suddenly became brave when more of them stepped forward.
“We need to get Blade out of here,” Greer said behind him.
Alexander glanced over. Blade was trembling, incoherent words slipping from his mouth as he clung to Greer, clearly fighting whatever vision had taken hold of him.
“Stay close,” Alexander said, turning back to the vampires. “I do not want any trouble. I only came here for him. If you let us leave, I will not forget it. But if anyone else tries to stop us,” he said, pointing the bat at the one who had hit him, “you will regret it.”
“There are so many of us and only one of you.”
“And you think that matters?” Alexander snarled. “You want to learn the hard way, fine.”
The vampires moved as one. In the cramped hallway, it was difficult to fight them all at once, but Alexander made every strike count.
A strange sensation crawled along his spine. His fingernails tingled, a familiar pressure building in his head. Irrational rage threatened to take over. He had to end this quickly before he lost control.
When he had woken up from his long sleep, he had been on the edge, but he had managed to keep the fury contained. Kept his sanity. But the violence around him might just take him back.
Something sharp sliced across his side. Alexander growled as pain tore through him. Warm blood spilled, soaking his clothes.