Paul snickered as the pants fell down around Gustoff's ankles. "Nice one, Josef."
"Get them!" Gustoff shouted, furious.
The others rushed them, knives drawn. One swung a heavy metal chain. Skyler stepped back behind Paul and Josef, extending her concentration to the other weapons. This time she changed the temperature so that even as the drunken fools wielded them, the knives and chain began to grow warm and then hot.
Paul slammed his hand down hard on the wrist of the one coming at him, gripping the knife hand and turning it up and to the side as he stepped forward. The man went down hard, an audible crack signaling a broken wrist. Paul kicked the knife away and delivered another kick to the man's head.
Two rushed Josef. He dissolved just as they reached him, leaving them standing looking at one another. One of the two had been swinging his chain, but now the metal links glowed red in the night, a bizarre streak of fire spinning over his head. The chain was suddenly wrenched away from behind and just as fast looped around the man's body. He screamed as the burning hot links touched his skin.
The remaining man spun around, trying to find Josef, nearly hysterical with fear. The metal of his knife began to glow as the temperature rose. He opened his hand fast and the knife fell to the ground.
Paul was on him immediately, smashing his fist into the man's mouth, driving him backward. He followed up his advantage with a front kick to the stomach, using his steel-toed boots.
Josef emerged out of thin air directly in front of Gustoff. The leader stabbed at him, but Josef caught his wrist in a deadly grip and spun him around, so that his arm was locked around Gustoff's throat. He was enormously strong, his grip unbreakable. He bent his head to Gustoff's pounding pulse.
"I haven't eaten in a while," he whispered. "And I need blood to survive. Too bad you came along and didn't heed my warning."
He sank his teeth deep into that drumming beat, allowing Gustoff to feel burning pain. Fear laced his blood with adrenaline, helping to wipe out the bitter, disgusting taste of alcohol. Gustoff screamed and screamed, horrified at the vampire draining him of his life force.
His band of toughs went rigid, just watching in absolute terror.
You're always so good at theatrics, Skyler said, trying not laugh. You're putting on quite the show for them.
Josef's eyes were all red now, glowing like twin embers in the dark. He enhanced Gustoff's looks, making him grow paler with each passing moment. His body appeared to begin to convulse. Josef dropped him to the ground. Two thin trickles of blood ran from his mouth to his chin.
Skyler rolled her eyes. I can't keep this gun pointed at him forever.
Josef suddenly turned his head toward the drunk who held the gun. His gaze fell on the man. "You look tasty."