Sliding her gaze over Rouel from head to toe, she added, “Their eyes look very strange, too-- almost vacant. And the complexion on these guys…such milky skin, almost too perfect, wouldn’t you say?”
“Becki,” Royce groaned. “Leave it alone. Go back inside and let me handle this.”
“I’ve been trying to figure it out,” she droned. “But nothing made sense. Well, that is, until I opened the gun safe.”
Releasing the safety on the rifle, she continued, “Wooden bullets, Royce. Would wooden bullets have some significance?” she pressed.
Rouel moved back toward the group as one of the other Vamps decided to make a brake for it. That was when all hell broke loose.
Werewolves and Vampires lunged at each other. Talons slicing, fangs ripping and tearing flesh. Royce was trapped. He desperately tried to reach Becki before she could do something stupid. He pushed through the brawl going on around him, avoiding both Were and Vamp. His focus was on getting to Becki and shoving her ass back inside the house.
Suddenly one of the Vampires appeared directly in front of Royce. He swiped his talons across Royce’s chest and stopped to inhale the sweet smell of fresh human blood. He grabbed Royce and extended his fangs, going in for the kill. Royce struggled. He needed to maneuver into position before releasing the spring-loaded, wooden micro-dart. He had no intention of making a donation to this blood-sucker today. Damn these guys were strong. Royce hated to pull from Joanna right now. He didn’t even know if she was strong enough to help him. But, he needed her magic… just enough to cloak him while he finished off this Vamp and got to Becki.
“Jo,” Royce called. “I need--”
Before Royce could complete the thought, two things happened simultaneously. Becki stepped out of the house, drew a bead on the son of a bitch who had Royce, and squeezed the trigger. Joanna appeared just as the dumb-ass Vamp thought about making a meal of her brother. She quickly cloaked Royce, as Becki plugged the Vamp with wood.
The bullet found its mark, and the Vamp went up in smoke. Becki began to feel some degree of excitement at having killed one of the bad guys, until she realized that Royce disappeared as well. One minute he was there, the next he was gone. Oh my God! What had she done?
“Royce,” Becki screamed as she dropped the gun.
Landon heard Becki scream and turned around to find her. The first thing he saw was Joanna, with arms outstretched as electricity enveloped her body. How the hell had she found him? Evidently she needed some clarification as to what “stay put” meant.
Thankfully, Joanna was surrounded by magic, which meant she wasn’t in immediate danger. Only a very powerful Vamp could get to her. He noted that Royce had just disappeared, and Landon suspected that was Joanna’s doing.
The girls were locked in the panic room and Becki… Becki had just plugged a Vampire with Kurt’s sniper rifle. The same rifle that now lay on the ground beside her, leaving Becki out in the open and unprotected.
Landon lunged toward Becki a moment too late. Rouel materialized directly behind her, grabbed a hand full of her hair and pulled, slamming her back into his chest.
Becki screamed and shouted, “Let go of me, you asshole!”
As she screamed, she struggled to get away from Rouel who held her effortlessly in place. Pulling her hair once again, he jerked her head back to expose the vein in her neck.
Two Vamps attacked Landon as he prepared to deal with Rouel. His heart bled as he fought to kill them before Rouel killed Becki.
As she struggled to get away, Rouel nuzzled her neck, inhaling the sweet ambrosia of adrenalin. He closed his eyes savoring the anticipation of tasting her sweet, hot, fresh blood. He dipped his head to her throat licking her vein. A human was like a fine wine, meant to be savored and enjoyed by all senses; touch, smell, taste. Rouel tightened his grip whispering, “Sweet,” as his fangs descended.
Landon decapitated the last of five Vampires who had insinuated themselves between he and Becki. As Rouel’s fangs descended, two more Vamps jumped Landon from behind and he knew he had failed her.
Becki continued to fight Rouel, even as she realized this was the end. She prayed that the girls would remain safely inside the house, that Royce had somehow escaped, and that her death would be quick. She also hoped like hell this