His word was law.
And since it had been Viper who had killed the old leader to put Styx on the throne, he couldn't really complain now.
"Fine, have it your way."
"I always do," Styx smoothly claimed.
Viper couldn't argue that either.
The chilled breeze swirled through the alley and Viper tightened his grip on his daggers. The curs were near. Very near.
There was the faintest sound of claws scraping against the pavement, and then with a howl the curs charged into the alley at full force.
They had already shifted, but even in wolf form they were as large as ponies and possessed inhuman strength. They were also as vicious as hell.
With red eyes glowing in the dark they lunged toward Viper, indifferent to the knowledge that they were severely outmatched. It would take more than five curs to best two vampires. Especially when both of those vampires happened to be clan chiefs.
Spreading his feet, Viper crouched low. A cur would always go for the throat first. It was as predictable as the sun rising.
Hair-raising howls split the air as the curs rushed to their death. Viper waited until he could feel the hot breath on his face before thrusting out his arms and burying the daggers deep into the wide chests.
One dagger struck true, sinking into the heart of the charging cur, making him crumble at Viper's feet. The other dagger merely nicked the heart, and with a snarl the beast opened his maw to close about Viper's throat.
"Bloody hell, you stink," Viper rasped as he pulled back his arm to backhand the cur.
There was a startled squeal as the creature sailed through the air and hit the brick building with a sickening thud. There was a brief pause before the animal was on his feet and lumbering forward once again. In his wolf form the man seemed unaware that he was heavily bleeding from the dagger still lodged in his chest.
Viper again waited until the cur was nearly upon him before he struck out with his foot. There was a crunch as the bone and cartilage of the cur's muzzle was smashed at the blow, but maddened by the instinct to kill and the scent of his own blood, the cur continued to struggle forward.
Teeth as sharp as razors snapped toward Viper's leg and he was forced to dance backward. He bumped into Styx, but neither turned as they both concentrated on their own battles.
Where was animal control when you needed them? he ruefully wondered, dodging the claws that swiped toward his throat.
The large paw made another swipe at Viper, and bending low he dodged toward the cur and grasped the hilt of tile dagger. Yanking it from the thick fur, he was startled to feel claws dig into his back. Shit. He had expected the beast to go for his throat. A stupid mistake.
The wounds were not deep and would soon heal, but not before Shay had a chance to rake him over the coals for being injured.
Annoyed that he had allowed the Were to mark him, Viper gripped the handle of the dagger and plunged it back into the broad chest.
This time his aim was true and the silver blade sank deep into the cur's heart.
The cur howled in pain as he belatedly tried to back away.
Viper straightened as he watched the Were crawl behind a nearby Dumpster. He didn't bother to follow. The cur could not survive, and he was not so vicious as to need to watch him die.
Besides, he wanted to make sure that Styx had finished off his share.
Turning to see if his companion needed some assistance, Viper was distracted by the faint sound of footsteps above them.
He glanced toward the roof of the decaying hotel beside them, expecting to see a cur hoping to catch them unaware. What he saw instead chilled his dead heart
"Styx!" he shouted the warning as he watched the shadowed form above straighten and point a crossbow directly at his friend's heart.
Viper reached to push Styx to the side as the silver arrow streaked through the night. He was fast, but although he managed to move Styx far enough to prevent a lethal blow, the arrow still managed to pierce his chest with a ghastly thud.
The tall vampire glanced down at the wound, his expression tight with pain. Then, with a shuddering groan he fell forward, nearly reaching the ground before Viper scooped him into his arms and started running from the alley.
Bloody freaking hell.