The Demon's Song - By Kendra Leigh Castle Page 0,6

that was anything but.

Sofia didn’t think. She pushed open the door, surprised to find the lights off in what, at first blush, was a cavernous, luxurious restroom. There was an awful, wet sucking sound coming from the direction of the stalls, shapes Sofia could barely make out.

“Get help,” Sofia said flatly. She flipped the light switch, then strode in before she could talk herself out of it. All that mattered was that her friend was in here, and she was being hurt. Whoever this asshole was, he had no idea what was about to hit him.

It took her only seconds to find the stall they were in and kick open the door, adrenaline coursing through her system. Still, whatever Sofia had expected to find, it wasn’t what was in front of her. Sara was sprawled across her companion’s lap, her limbs gracelessly flung in all directions. The tight-fitting little black dress Sara wore was, up close, a shocking contrast to the whiteness of her skin. Even more shocking was the man whose face was buried in Sara’s neck, sucking. Sara’s big brown eyes rolled up to meet Sofia’s, silently pleading.

Sofia shouted, some furious, incoherent sound of fury. She watched, horrified, as the man raised his head, glaring at her with burning red eyes. He opened his mouth, snarling like a feral animal.

Fangs. He has fangs. He can’t have fangs, he can’t—

Then he lunged for her, his inhuman scream ringing in her ears.

Chapter Three

Phenex knew something was wrong the minute Sofia disappeared into the curtained alcove where the restrooms were. Centuries of expertise in causing trouble had given him a sixth sense when it came to finding it.

Funny…she hadn’t struck him as the type to attract problems. Then again, she attracted the hell out of him.

Not really caring how it looked, Phenex cut the song short and stood. He set his guitar on the stand, ignored Luc’s glare, and leaped lightly from the stage. In a series of steps so swift they were invisible to human eyes, he was standing at the curtains. He knew he’d get an angry lecture later for using his power so openly here with so many humans around, even though he doubted any of the mortals in attendance would even notice what had happened—a blink, and he’d been gone. Still, the vamps took great pains to hide themselves. Small wonder. Vamps might not be hunted by demons, but they were hunted. Yet his rapid movement had been necessary.

He smelled blood.

The little blonde who’d taken Sofia away from him turned just as the ladies’ room door swung shut. She jumped a little when she saw him, but none of the fear in her wide eyes was for him.

“Where is she?” Phenex growled.

“She said get help. Sofia. Something’s wrong. Sara…and the noises…” Her hands fluttered nervously up to her throat, and she’d gone as pale as some of the vamps in here. Even if he’d been a creature inclined to comfort, he wouldn’t have. The smell of blood was everywhere, thick as molasses, cloying.

“I’m the help. Stay here.” Phenex slammed into the bathroom just as a high-pitched, feral scream filled the small room, echoing off the tile. He bared his teeth, fangs deadly sharp in their own right, and launched himself at Sofia just a split second after a dark shape came flying out of an open stall toward her. The instinct to protect was as overwhelming as it was unfamiliar. In that moment, all he knew was that he needed to be a shield…her shield.

The vampire’s scream stopped abruptly with a choking gurgle, but Phenex never made contact with either Sofia or her attacker. Instead, he found himself springing to his feet empty-handed on the far side of the bathroom, whirling to engage in the fight he knew was coming.

I missed her…how did I miss? I never miss…

It was a shock to see Sofia land a hard punch to the vamp’s windpipe and then slam her foot into his crotch before hunching into a fighting stance. The well-dressed vamp staggered, then crumpled, clutching his throat and collapsing to writhe on the floor. He wouldn’t be down long, but somehow, this beautiful, out-of-place human had managed to save herself, at least for the moment.

Phenex could only stare at her, torn between irritation and admiration.

“You’re going to want to finish him off before he gets up,” he finally said. If Sofia had a bloodthirsty streak, he figured, that just made less work for him. And he wouldn’t be the