Electric Storm(39)
As if he understood the threat, Durant slowly opened his eyes but otherwise, didn’t move.
“Rylan.” She shrugged off Dominic’s arm when he tried to restrain her. “It’s okay. He was worried about his friend.”
“He wouldn’t have a friend if it weren’t for you. Is that the way he repays a favor?” The grip of his hand tightened. Beads of blood trickled down Durant’s throat where Rylan’s nails dug deep. The big cat tensed, and his attention panned to her.
“My apologies. It won’t happen again.”
“You’re right.” Faster then she could blink, Rylan sliced his hand down Durant’s chest. Blood gushed from the wound. Durant raised his arm to retaliate, and Rylan caught it mid swing.
“Don’t.” She didn’t think he’d listen, but Durant stopped moving and allowed himself to be half dragged toward her.
“Take it.” Rylan kicked Durant’s legs out from beneath him. Grabbing his shoulders, Rylan righted Durant until he knelt at her feet.
Raven stared at Rylan in disbelief, shaking her head. “Don’t do this.”
He only stared at her, his eyes uncompromising. “Either you take his blood, or I kill him.”
“What the hell’s going on here?” Dominic stepped forward, and Rylan narrowed his gaze.
“He’s trying to protect her.” Taggert was the one who spoke. Then, surprisingly, he stepped in front of Dominic, blocking him.
What the hell was wrong with the men in her life?
“Get the hell off me.” Durant jerked away and shifted to stand.
Rylan stooped, bringing his face next to Durant. A deep snarl rumbled from Durant’s throat, but Rylan only bared his fangs. “I’d say we’re even in our strength. We can tear into one another, possibly kill each other. But know this. Raven will not let me die, but your little girl in the other room has no such guarantee.”
Durant’s gaze met hers, and she tried not to flinch at the judgment there. He lifted his chin. “Do it.”
“You don’t understand.”
Durant didn’t move. “I understand. You’re a vampire like him, just a different variety.”
“That’s not fair. I–”
“I don’t care. Take what you need so I can get the hell away from you.” The callused words robbed her of breath. Durant winced when Rylan gouged his fingers into the tissue of his shoulder.
Pain funneled into rage at being forced into this situation infuriated her. “I refuse to let you die. I refuse to fight my friend for you. Tell me, Durant, where does that leave me?”
When he didn’t answer, Jackson spoke. “What do you gain by taking his blood?”
Raven met his gaze, surprised not to see suspicion there. “I get an enemy.”
She could feel Rylan’s gaze on hers but refused his silent entreaty to understand his reasoning. Damn it, she didn’t need anyone protecting her. They would only get hurt.
“A vampire’s answer is always slavery.” Durant shook off Rylan’s restraining arm and rose.
Rylan tisked. “Not this tired argument. Let’s not forget the benefits the breeds received. Things weren’t as one sided as they try to make you believe. Wolves were our daytime protection. Our blood strengthened them, creating faster, stronger, better shifters. They were virtually indestructible.” He walked around and came to a stop at her side.
“You hear about the horrors we supposedly perpetrated on them. But do you hear about the other side? The stories of vampires drained of blood, where a group of wolves hunted and tracked vampires for sport, slaughtering them for the blood. But when the vampire dies, the power of their blood fades as well, so they have to do it again and again. They don’t tell you how vampire blood can change a normal shifter into an alpha.”
Awareness hovered at the edges of her mind, the bodies at the crime scenes drained of blood. Then she lost her train of thought when the men’s argument increased in volume. Durant and Rylan circled one another. She stepped between them, praying neither man would take off her head. “Enough.”
Taggert stepped next to her when the two men pressed closer. “I don’t understand the problem. She’s not a vampire, so she can’t control him. The only benefit is to Raven. Protection from him. Could she control him?”
No one said anything. Raven cleared her throat. “No, his blood won’t allow me to control him. I’m not a vampire.”
“You hesitated. Why?” Durant crowded closer, but Rylan pushed against her back when she tried to retreat.
“I’m not exactly normal.” She licked her lips, hating the way his scent curled around her, the way his heat invaded her body. She didn’t want to give up her hurt that easily. “What should be a routine process usually backfires when I’m involved.”