of here before things got out of control. Which it looked like they were about to do as, lured by the scent of blood and potential violence, more vamps crept closer to the fight. And others, who weren’t quick enough to get out of the way, were inadvertently pulled into it, like the couple at the table.
However, before they could make it more than ten feet toward the door, a vamp staggered into their path. Blood spilled from the vamp’s nose and mouth. Before the man could recover his balance, the woman knocked from her stool pounced on him. Like a cat taking down a moth, she dragged the vamp to the ground. Blood flew through the air as the woman pummeled his face.
Dante pulled Cassidy away from the fighters rolling toward them. Bull and Zan tossed vamps aside, but panic was spreading as the fight spilled onto the dance floor. Humans scattered as they tried to get out of the way, but when one of them fell and cut her hand on a piece of glass, five heads turned toward her.
Cassidy gasped as, stimulated by the thrill of the blood, something snapped in one of the vamps. The man leapt on the human and, pinning her shoulders to the ground, sank his fangs into her throat. The woman’s feet kicked feebly against the ground as her hands stopped beating the man’s back.
“No!” Cassidy cried and lunged forward.
Dante jerked her back as a group of vamps nearly crashed into her. Clasping and tearing at each other, the vamps were all locked together as they tried to kill each other. Screams filled the air as the humans playing pretend suddenly realized none of this was any fun.
Dante looked for a place where he could put Cassidy while he tried to get to the woman who didn’t have much time left to live, but there was nowhere. He couldn’t drag her across the room, but he couldn’t let the vamp kill the woman either.
The speaker across the room rocked on its stand before crashing against the floor. Fiery sparks shot into the air from the toppled speaker. Dante wrapped his arm securely around Cassidy’s waist and pinned her against his side as he sidestepped another group of fighters.
With no other choice, Dante kept her against him as he navigated the sea of violence. He couldn’t let the vampire slaughter the woman. When a vamp stumbled back and nearly hit them, he shoved the man out of the way and back toward the brawl spilling out from the center of the room.
When a fist launched at him, Dante pushed Cassidy down, but he didn’t get completely out of the way. The blow glanced across his cheek and ear. The vamp who hit him was already gone. He ignored the ringing in his ear as he closed in on the vampire still draining the woman dry; all her movements had ceased.
Don’t be too late. Don’t be too late. He hadn’t been able to save Maya; he would save this woman.
Reluctantly, he released Cassidy, grasped the vamp’s throat, and squeezed. The vamp retracted his fangs and recoiled as Dante crushed his windpipe. Lifting him off the woman, Dante threw him into the growing melee.
The vamp skidded across the floor on his ass before vanishing into the crush of fighters. Dante turned to the woman to find Cassidy kneeling at her side. When Cassidy lifted her eyes to him, tears shimmered in them, and she shook her head.
“Fuck!” Dante exploded as anguish filled him. He’d failed someone else… again, but he would not fail Cassidy.
Another vamp burst out of the crowd and raced toward Cassidy. She leapt to her feet, spun, and kicked the vamp so violently in the head he faceplanted into the floor without having time to get his hands out. Blood spilled from his broken nose as teeth broke off and skittered across the ground.
Dante almost smiled as he held his hand out to her, but the sight of the woman’s body stopped him. However, Cassidy wasn’t kidding; she could take care of herself really well. When Cassidy slid her hand into his, he pulled her away from the body of the unmoving vamp. She’d knocked him out cold.
Turning back toward the door, he stifled a groan when he saw the brawling mass of vamps and humans. Most of the humans were trying to flee when they got caught up in the fight.
While Bull focused on trying to free a human from the