annoyed him any longer, he’d instead get a beating.
Cain suddenly looked past his shoulder. “Hey Maya, what are you doing here?”
Oliver turned quickly, tossing her a warning look. “It’s none of their business.”
“What’s none of our business?” It figured that Blake wouldn’t let go. Once he had gotten something into his head, he held onto it like a dog to a bone.
“Nothing!” Oliver bit out. “Now get out of my house, all of you and leave me alone!”
“Not gonna happen,” Maya insisted.
“I live here, so you have no right to throw me out!” Blake interrupted.
“Guess, I’m not wanted here,” Cain added and turned toward the door.
But Maya stopped him. “Don’t leave, Cain, we might need you.”
By now, Oliver was fuming. “The fuck we do! I’ll handle this! There’s no need for all of Scanguards to get involved.”
Cain stopped in his tracks, his eyes suddenly narrowing as if he perceived a threat. “What happened?”
Oliver thrust his chin up. “Nothing happened! Would you all stop meddling in my affairs and leave me alone!”
He caught Cain exchanging a glance with Maya.
“I want you to keep an eye on Oliver while I confer with Gabriel and Samson,” she said to Cain.
Disgusted at her treachery, Oliver glared at her. “I can’t believe you’re doing this! I trusted you. That’s why I called you!”
“It’s for your own good.”
He raised his voice. “The fuck it is! I’m telling the truth! But you don’t want to see that. You don’t believe there’s any good left in me. You’ve given up on me, just like everybody else!”
Maya put her hand on his forearm, but he shook it off. “That’s not true. You’ll see that when you’ve calmed down.”
“I am calm!” But the tightness in his jaw belied his words. His gums itched, and he could feel the tips of his fangs extending.
“Yeah, I can see that!” Blake mocked.
Oliver pounced on Blake, before his last word had even left his lips.
“Stop it now!” Maya warned, but Oliver ignored her.
Instead, he slammed Blake against the wall and held him there, his body suspended in the air. “You little jerk! You wanna know what it’s like to be a vampire, do you? Maybe I should just turn you and see how you cope with it, huh? Is that what you want? Is that why you’re constantly provoking me?”
“Get off me, you fucking bastard!” Blake ordered, aiming his fists at him.
“You want a fight?” Oliver challenged.
“Damn it, Oliver!” Maya cursed and grabbed his arm. “Cain!”
A moment later, Cain attacked him from the other side. Furious, Oliver let go of Blake and spun on his heels. He felt his fangs extend to full length and caught sight of his hands: they had turned into claws. Yes, he was spoiling for a fight.
Raising his head, he looked at his two attackers, whose fangs had also extended, when he caught a movement in the corner of his eye. His head whipped in its direction.
Shit!
Ursula, the girl he’d rescued from an unknown vampire, stood in the door to the living room, her eyes wide in shock, her hands gripping the door frame for support.
“Oh God,” she said breathlessly. “You’re one of them. You’re all like them!”
9
With disbelief and horror, Ursula looked at the scene in the entrance hall. How could this have happened? She’d stepped from the frying pan into the fire. Nothing had changed. Her entire daring escape had been for nothing. She was still in the hands of vampires, only different ones this time. Despair spread inside her, pushing tears into her eyes.
There was no use in running: all four of them blocked the entrance door. Besides, she was aware of a vampire’s speed and knew that if she tried to make it to the French doors in the living room that led outside to a terrace, they would catch her in no time. Particularly since she was still weakened from the recent blood loss.
Gathering all her remaining strength, she stared at Oliver, the man who’d rescued her. Well, maybe rescue wasn’t the right word after all. He’d captured her. His eyes were red now, his fangs extended, and his fingertips were topped with razor-sharp claws. His mouth stood open, and his lips looked red and plump. And still inviting.
God, no! Her stomach twisted as she remembered the kiss they’d shared. She’d kissed a monster, the very creature she hated most in this world. And she had liked it; even now, there was no denying it. Her body had burned with desire, and she could