Blood and Hexes (After Darkness Falls #4) - May Sage Page 0,3

but Diana ignored their blows, kicks, punches, and their attempt to tear her away from her prey. She relished in their screams, their fear. His blood wasn’t exceptional. It wasn’t even palatable. But his terror? That was a delight.

Feeling his heart slow dangerously, she let go, and turned back to the two regulars left.

She noticed that she’d attracted a small crowd. There were even phones aimed at her.

Precious.

Diana released the tiniest sliver of energy, aimed at the small gathering. The half-dozen humans filming her all yelped and let go of the burning-hot devices in their hands. Seven phones fell to the wet asphalt. One even caught fire.

Oops?

Diana wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, staining it red. She must have looked positively wild.

Which was exactly what she was, at the moment. Plain or not, tasting human blood for the first time in what felt like eons was bound to have an effect on her. She didn’t feel out of control—just tipsy. And a tipsy ancient Helsing wasn’t a good thing.

Her two adversaries looked between the wailing guard, on his knees, pressing his hands to his throat, and her.

She tilted her head. “Take him. And hopefully, you’ve learned a lesson or two.”

The boy glared at her.

She didn’t think he had at all.

He’d come at her again, some day.

His funeral.

A Guilded Cage

Mikar Ash couldn't remember the last time he'd felt this agitated. Or trapped.

It had been three months since the borders of Oldcrest had been attacked, and in those three months, he hadn't left their territory. Not even once.

He had duties he took seriously in Oldcrest. Namely, the protection of Chloe Eirikrson, Levi De Villier's mate. Being assigned to guard her was an honor. She was the one thing Levi valued most. That he'd asked Mikar to be her main bodyguard spoke volumes as to the extent of Levi's trust in Mikar.

If he was honest, Mikar would have expected Levi to have picked someone else—anyone else—for the job. Sylvan, for example. Syl was indubitably Levi's best slayer. Mikar wasn't an ideal protector. Sending him to spy or kill an enemy would have made a lot more sense. Mikar didn't like to sit still, wasn't fond of most people, and had, numerous times, gone directly against specific instructions Levi had given him. He'd had good reason each time, but he knew that every other slayer—even Ruby, the half-wild, entirely mad warrior haunting the hills of Oldcrest—wouldn't have done so.

When he saw a better way to do something, he did it, no matter Levi’s directives.

Yet here he was. Stuck in Oldcrest. Playing chess with Chloe, his protégée. Well, more accurately, losing at chess against Chloe. The girl was a fast learner.

"When do you think Levi will chill?" she asked, moving her tower to ruthlessly attack his king. "It's been ages since I’ve been out in the real world. I need to stock up on body lotion."

At least he wasn't the only one in danger of being bored to tears here.

He moved a bishop into the path of the rook, sacrificing the piece to protect his king.

Without so much as a second of hesitation, Chloe placed her other tower on his side of the board. "Check."

Having no other choice, he moved his king. "I don't know. I thought the paranoia would ease up at the start of the semester," Mikar admitted.

He understood why Levi had been protective through the summer, when most of the students were gone.

The students of the Institute of Supernatural Studies represented both a threat and a layer of protection. Should they stand with their enemies, they could weaken Oldcrest from within, but the bulk of the student body had proven that their loyalties were to Oldcrest. To Levi. And most of all, to Chloe. They'd fought alongside them last year.

Levi should have relaxed when the students came back to Oldcrest. He hadn't.

"You realize I'm here?" Levi pointed out, not lifting his gaze from the computer he was staring at.

They were on the top floor of the tower that Levi and other vampires used to further their own course of studies. He had a laboratory that doubled as a dungeon underground, but he used the elegantly furnished, lavishly decorated study, because it was the one room in the entire edifice reinforced with specific spells that allowed them to speak freely. No one could spy on them in this room—magically or otherwise. Well, that, and they could actually get some cell reception here.

The privacy was the principal reason. Levi's research was