A Whisper of Eternity - By Amanda Ashley Page 0,100

than before? She hadn't seen any of them leave, but Marcus and his companion were gone. So wereMagdalena and Landau and Nicholas and some of the others she had seen earlier.

With a start, she realized there were only a handful of vampires left in the room, and that they were all standing with their backs to the bar.Five males and one female. She knew somehow that they had sided with Petrina . But why had the others gone and left Dominic alone? And even as she asked herself that question, she heard Dominic's voice in the back of her mind.This is my territory. If I am to hold it, I must be strong enough to do it alone . She knew then that he had sent the others away.

She looked at the vampires again. Was he strong enough to fight them all?

A sudden stillness fell over the room. Power shimmered in the air, crawling over her skin like ants.

There was a faint sound, like static in the air, and Petrina materialized in the center of the room.

Dominic turned away from the bar to face her. "So," he said quietly. "It begins."

"We don't have to fight," she said. "You could leave."

"I will not."

"Nor willI ."

Dominic glanced atTracy . "Go home, querida , and lock the doors."

She shook her head. "I'm not leaving you."

Dominic nodded. She would be as safe here as anywhere else so long as he survived.

Blocking everything from his mind, he gathered his power around him.

There was no warning, no signal.

Energy flamed through the air as Petrina launched herself at him, her hands like claws, her fangs bared.

The other vampires formed a loose circle around them, their eyes glittering, their nostrils flaring as Petrina drew first blood.

A slow smile spread over Dominic's face as the hand he lifted to his cheek came away bloody. It was a foolish thing to do, letting her draw first blood, but some latent sense of honor rebelled at the thought of fighting a woman, even a woman who was determined to see him dead.

With a cry, she sprang at him again but he was ready for her now. She was an old vampire. She carried the blood of ancients in her veins, but she was no match for him. He was older, stronger, and carried the same blood in his veins.

She shrieked in outrage as he pinned her against the wall, his fangs at her throat.

"You are beaten. Admit it and leave this place."

She shook her head, and smiled at him.

Tracyscreamed, "Dominic, look out!"

He turned, but it was already too late. The vampires closed in on him, their nails and fangs savaging his flesh.

With a roar, he struck out at his attackers. Save for Petrina , they were all young vampires, overconfident of their powers, and yet they were strong and determined. He wondered what Petrina had promised them in return for their treachery. One on one, he could have destroyed them without effort. But the five of them circled him like angry gnats, darting in and out, giving almost as much damage as they received. He was vaguely aware that Petrina had slipped away.

And then he heardTracy cry out.

Over the heads of the vampires trying to wrestle him to the ground, he saw Franco and Laslo grabTracy . They forced her back into the booth until she was lost from his sight beneath the two of them.

Her fear drove straight to his heart. With a mighty surge, he turned on the vampires, flinging them aside the way a horse shook water from its coat.

Heedless of the blood flowing from his arms and legs, he battled the other vampires. Hatred fueled his anger, making him oblivious to the wounds they inflicted on him. One of the younger vampires turned and ran from his rage.

He tore out the throat of the second, ripped the heart out of the third.

In the lull that followed, he heard a harsh cry of pain, turned to see Laslo and Franco reeling backward, their faces contorted with anguish as they clawed at their eyes.

Tracysat up, a small brown bottle in one hand."Holy water."

Dominic grinned at her, and then felt a new wave of fear as Petrina rose up behindTracy and wrapped the fingers of one hand aroundTracy 's throat.

"Your little bottle is empty," Petrina said with a sneer. "And you are mine."

"No!" Dominic started forward, but Petrina held out her free hand. "Another step and I will tear out her heart."

"No!"

Petrinaglanced at Franco and Laslo . "We are going