Night Kissed (Chosen Vampire Slayer #1) - Mila Young Page 0,41

beneath me.

Suddenly, someone grabbed my hair and wrenched me backward. I cried out from the sharp pain zigzagging across my skull, while I flung my blade over my shoulder. The knife sang threw the air, not hitting the mark.

Moments later, the grasp on my hair disappeared, and I fell. Rushing to get up, I whipped around, weapon raised. I came face to face with Orion. He was driving a fist into a bear shifter's gut. So powerful, his attack sent the assailant soaring into a group of vamps.

As they fell, Seth, who’d been in the middle of the vampire circle, came into view. He punched two of the scum at once, pivoted around and kicked another aside, sending him across the room. His strength was phenomenal, and a tingle zipped up my spine at watching the way he fought with such brutal ease. There was definitely something captivating to watch a powerful man like him and Orion fight. I suspected Logan would be similar, if he were in our company.

The whole time Seth smiled like he was on a rollercoaster having the time of his life. The pits of hell burned in his eyes, and the fight was where he came alive. I started to understand why Orion kept him so close. Seth was the muscle for the clanmaster, though I still didn’t understand why a demon would partner with a master vampire.

"You're welcome," Orion’s voice drew my attention to him as he looked my way with a grin. "Now, get out of here."

I cocked an eyebrow. "Firstly, I was fine without you, and secondly, fuck off."

He tsked and reached over so fast, I had no chance to react. He gripped me by the side of my head as his thumb wiped the blood from my lower lip. “While I love you talking so filthy, now is not the time for dirty talk. I don’t want you hurt.”

I shoved his hand off me. "I don't need to be wrapped in cotton." Everything about him infuriated me, drove me insane, and more than anything, I hated myself for still finding him attractive. Yet, even as he stood tall before me, blood splashed on his cheek and the blue of his shirt, that tempting tingle curled in the pit of my gut. Strong cheekbones, a captivating gaze against waves of thick hair, and the body of sinner, he was everything I shouldn’t have wanted yet craved insatiably.

I swung away from him as two huge men stepped forward, one of them partially transformed, his arms furry and clawed. A shiver gripped my spine. One swipe and he'd tear my head off.

I tensed, tightening my hold on my knife, legs slightly bent as I readied to dive out of the way.

Sneering, the big guy with bear arms unleashed a roar, spittle flying in every direction from his mouth. His buddy heaved each breath, his chest rising and falling faster.

A shadow fell in alongside me, and Orion's arm pressed against mine. "I take the furball. You can handle the smaller one, right?"

I cut him a glare. "You can be such a prick."

"I don't want you harmed and you think I'm the bad guy here?"

The bears came at us, and I pivoted in their direction. In haste, I hurled my weapon at the furry one, hitting him dead square in the center of his chest.

He staggered, growling, pawing at the knife in his chest frantically.

"You're welcome." I tossed the words at Orion as he studied me with a look I couldn't decipher. A cross between anger and admiration. I doubted the clanmaster understood the meaning of that word, but I still smirked at him.

I charged toward the so-called smaller man. Except, there was nothing freaking small about him.

My hand fell to my belt, and I grabbed the staff. One flick and it extended two feet. I ducked from the monstrous punch flying my way. While low, I grasped the weapon with two hands and bashed it madly at the side of his shins. Enough force smacked into him that he collided into his friend being punched to hell and back by Orion.

Swinging back up, I whacked the staff against the brute’s back, then another to the side of his face.

Fury burned across his cheeks, and my skin pricked with the energy of his transformation.

Shit! I didn't want him in animal form... these bears were stronger, more resilient that way.

I flicked my staff to retract and collected the stake from my belt instead. The sharp end would