In the Company of Vampires(77)

No way, Jose.

The two women whose names I never did hear looked at each other, then turned and grabbed their clothing, disappearing into the night. Luis stood watching the men fighting, looking confused and unsure of himself.

“Are you Alphonse de Marco?” I asked the man who was now yelling at Isaak to hurry up with it. “And did you once know Miranda Benson?”

He stopped shouting long enough to shoot me a piercing look. “Just who are you? Why do you keep interfering in my plans?”

“I’m his Beloved,” I said, pointing at Ben. “And you can’t have him. He’s mine.”

Ben and Micah had been duking it out until Ben sent the latter flying a good twenty feet. He turned toward me, his face a picture of shock. Did you just say what I think you said?

Look out! Naomi, with a bloodcurdling shriek, threw herself at him, slashing at his torso with the knife.

It was my turn to scream, and scream I did. “You bitch!”

Ben twisted her arm just as I ran toward them, intending on pulling her off him, which sent the dagger flying. Naomi suddenly seemed to radiate a shock wave of light, knocking back everyone nearest her with a deep compression blast.

I stared in surprise as I got to my knees. She turned on me, a strange black and blue light glowing around her in a corona that filled me with dread. “Now I will be done with you!” she snarled, lifting her hand toward me.

“No!” Ben leaped forward to stop her, but he wasn’t fast enough. A pulse of light shot out from her toward me. Without thinking, I raised the Vikingahärta, yelping when it glowed white for a moment as Naomi’s dark power hit it.

It was her turn to stare in openmouthed amazement as I did a little dance, transferring the burning Vikingahärta from hand to hand until it cooled down enough to hold.

“You . . . What is that . . . ?”

“Luis!” David was back in human form now, Isaak and Micah having been knocked out. Uncaring about his nudity, he jerked his pride member to the side, shaking him and speaking rapidly in an unfamiliar language.

I looked up from the Vikingahärta to Naomi, my eyes slits. “I have had enough of you.” I raised the valknut, but rather than it blasting her with its power, it shifted in my hand, changing form, the three triangles rotating until they all slid into a new position.

“What in the name of all that’s green and glorious . . .” Did you see that? Did you see what it did?

Are you all right? Ben was at my side in an instant, one arm around me as he looked not at the valknut but at my hand, before pushing me behind him as he faced Naomi. “Harm her, and you will die.”

I looked up from where the Vikingahärta had settled into a new arrangement, surprised by the threat in Ben’s voice.

“That goes for you, too,” he added, looking at de Marco.

He looked furious. “Your woman matters little to me, vampire. Just keep her out of my way. You, however, I will see again.” Without saying anything more, he spun around on his heel, shoved the slight man out of the way with a rude word, and strode off into the darkness. The second man shot us an unreadable look, and followed. Which left us with . . .

“Naomi,” I said in a sickeningly sweet tone as I turned to face her. “I have a score to settle with you.”

Francesca, do not, Ben warned me. She is more powerful than you know.

“It’s not nearly so big as the one I have for you,” she answered in similar style, smiling to boot. Her gaze dipped to the Vikingahärta for a few seconds, her jaw tightening as she lifted her chin and looked down her nose at Ben. “I am not done with you, either, lover.”

I started toward her, but Ben wrapped an arm around me, pulling me into his side.

She laughed, and with sublime indifference to the fact that she was still naked, strolled casually over to her stuff, slipped on a discarded robe, and left with her clothing stuffed into her bag.





Chapter 16




I looked around at the remains of the orgy. Isaak was covered in blood oozing from deep claw marks and bites, and was half sitting up, groggily touching his chest. Micah was still out. David, who had left off shaking Luis, and had given him a couple of hard slaps, turned to face Ben. “He’s drugged. He won’t come out of it for a while. I don’t know what they used on him, but it’s effectively stripped him of his will.”

I was filled with contrition. “I’m sorry I messed up the tyro,” I said, leaning into Ben. I feel horrible. Did I ruin everything?

No. To my surprise, there was laughter in his mind. On the contrary, I think you progressed us quite a bit.

How so?

We now know that there is someone else working with the Agrippans. Who is this de Marco? You seemed to know him.