Survivor - By Kaye Draper Page 0,82

he wouldn’t have it. “Thanks,” I said softly instead.

Then I turned back to Peter. “The others?”

He nodded. “Taken care of.”

“I saw you,” I said hesitantly. “I saw you go down under one of his creations.” I shuddered at the carnage that vision had caused.

Peter laughed. “You saw me?” He patted my head. “It must be our bond. I did get injured, but Leah pulled it off me.”

I felt ill. One misinterpreted glimpse of the future and I tear a guy to shreds. “Ug,” I said, rubbing my forehead. I was so tired.

Leah came to us and I pushed myself to a standing position. Her eyes twinkled as she took in my unease. “Well, this is the last time I leave you out of anything.” She patted my arm in what might have been apology. “It seems we need you out fighting with us.” She glanced at the blood soaked carpet. “The coven is in your debt. Because of you, this whole mess was just brought to an end.” She winked at me. “Imagine, a disabled vampire doing our work for us.”

I didn’t feel much like laughing.

*****

I leaned against an old table, exhausted. The room had begun to empty as Leah’s vampires finished cleaning up the worst of my mess and, one by one, disappeared into the night to seek food and rest. Peter was sticking close to me, still anxious because I had been attacked. Leah was across the room talking to Cynthia and Viktor, her back to the rest of us.

Haine’s arm had re-attached itself and he was standing, cradling the offended member. His eyes met mine and he gave me a small smile as he lifted the arm and flexed his fingers. I crossed to him on wobbly legs. I was a vampire damn it. I shouldn’t have to deal with being tired.

“I’m so sorry,” I said for the hundredth time that night.

He shook his head, dismissing my concern. “I’m fine. I would rather you feel guilty about causing me discomfort than about going on a rampage and killing all the humans in the neighborhood.”

I wrapped an arm around my middle and grimaced at the reminder of my loss of control. “You say you’re fine, but you look as exhausted as me. I hate to see you so weakened.” Haine’s smile slowly faded. He straightened and dropped his arms to his sides.

“Even in this state, I am the strongest vampire in this room, madam.” His voice sounded almost dreamy. He started to walk across the room toward Leah and her group, looking odd. His movements were disjointed, as if he were moving a beat behind the thought to do so.

I glanced at Peter to see him frowning at the other vampire. I looked back at Haine just in time to see him pick up the large, wicked looking dagger that someone had left lying on the table near Leah. His motions were a bit slower than usual. That’s the only reason I was able to act quickly enough. Peter darted past me in a blur as I screamed. “Haine, stop!”

There was a twang through my consciousness and Haine hesitated. Peter violently shoved him aside and took up a guard position in front of Leah who had spun around just in time to see that she was about to be beheaded. Cynthia and Viktor fell on Haine, taking advantage of his moment of surprise, and the knife fell to the ground and slid under an end table.

It was all happening too fast. I knew something was wrong, but I couldn’t explain. Haine wasn’t in control of his body. I had felt an instant of connection when I shouted at him, probably due to our blood bond. In that moment I had felt him desperately fighting something inside himself.

“Stop!” I dashed to the writhing mass of vampire in the middle of the room. Haine, weakened though he was, was holding his own against Cynthia and Viktor- but only just.

I glanced at Peter, willing him to understand. “Stop them!” He hadn’t moved from his guard position, where he blocked Leah from view. Furious, I spun back to the fight. I waited for an opening, then lashed out, kicking Cynthia in the temple.

If she were human it would have killed her, but between vampires, it was more of a love tap. She growled at me, but didn’t release her hold on Haine, steadying him so that Viktor could rip his head off. I reared back again and kicked her like I meant