Nibbled by the Vamp(16)

“Calm, Wren. I know this is hard to believe. If you just keep quiet for a moment and let me explain further. You’ll see that—”

“Quiet? Quiet!” She struggled against him in earnest them, daggers practically shooting from her eyes. “I’ll give you quiet, asshole, blood sucking, undead fucking—”

“We’re not undead.” He gave her a bland expression, trying very hard not to laugh at her insults.

His little bird glared at him. Again.

“Yes, vampires have souls. We are not undead. We’ve simply contracted a virus from another that mutated our DNA and we now require blood to live. That is all.”

“That is all,” she snarked.

“And you are my Fire, my perfect match and the one destined to live at my side for eternity.”

“I hate to tell ya, but eternity is like, another sixty years. If I’m lucky.”

Griffin opened his mouth to finish his explanation, but a bodiless cackle surrounded them, bouncing off the walls and echoing throughout the room. Magical dust swirled in the air and he went into action. He thrust Wren from his lap, stood and grabbed her hand then strode toward the front entrance.

Stupid.

He’d gotten cocky, too dependent on the witch’s protections, and now he’d risked his Fire’s life. The dust whirled in tighter circles, spinning and coalescing into a single form between them and the weapons in his coat.

The magic in the air could only come from one being and he didn’t look forward to challenging a fucking pixie with only Wren at his back.

“Oh, darling, I think sixty years is a stretch. Perhaps five minutes. Ten if you struggle.” The pixie king, Hyde Pinxton, stood before them in all his glory.

Flowing robes in place, crystal crown upon his head and translucent wings at his back, the male produced an imposing figure. And Griffin couldn’t discount the sword clutched in his hand.

Hyde leaned to the side and Griffin felt Wren stiffen against his back. “And I do hope you struggle.”

Rage infused him, worry, fear and anger warring for dominance until the world was awash in blood red. Between one breath and the next, Griffin’s fangs burst from his gums and he hissed at Hyde, aching for the pixie’s blood, but knowing draining the man would mean certain death for him and, ultimately, Wren.

He ripped free of Wren’s hold and stalked the king, his measured steps met by the other man’s. One forward, another back, they performed a deadly dance as they circled each other in his home.

Griffin’s nails transformed to claws, the better to gut him with.

The pixie twirled and spun his sword, a dramatic flair to their coming battle.

He watched the other man, eyes absorbing every shift of muscle.

“I don’t know why you try, vampire. She’s just another human to be slaughtered. She’s not even pretty.” Griffin knew the pixie was goading him. That didn’t stop the rage rising. “Just a plump snack for my court.”

Griffin roared, the idea that his Fire would become food for the disgusting creatures forcing him beyond coherent thought.

One word whispered through his mind…

Kill.

He went on the offensive, racing to the pixie, closing the distance and striking at the male. A clean arc of his hand scraped through cloth and skin, the pixie’s blood flowing in Griffin’s wake.

Hyde swung his glowing sword, trails of dust following the curve as he aimed for Griffin’s head. He ducked and struck again. He’d aimed for the king’s stomach, but a quick shift left him with striking the man’s hip instead.

It didn’t matter. Blood was blood.

The king thrust his blade and Griffin spun, not quite avoiding the sharply honed blade. The sting of the wound was nothing compared to the next sound to reach his ears.

Wren’s riotous, fear-tinged scream rose above the din of his battle and he diverted his attention to his Fire. A towering pixie fought with his little bird, the male grasping at her as she fought with teeth and nails. She struck and dodged, crying out when the unknown man managed to land a blow.

Fury overcame him, the battle with the king forgotten, as he raced to Wren’s side. He didn’t think, didn’t pause to ponder his next move. Griffin wrapped his arms around the pixie bit deep, sunk his fangs into the attacker’s neck and then wrenched his mouth from the flesh. Taking the pixie’s throat with him.

He spat the offending flesh upon the ground, gagging when some of the tainted blood slithered down his throat.

Now he just needed to dispatch the king and then the Protectors could…

Griffin whirled, placing Wren at his back as he searched for Hyde, only to find the man exactly where he’d been left.

“Ah, I suppose this will work just as well. I wanted you out of commission, Protector. I’d thought the death of your sweet Fire would be the answer, but your death…that will simply please the others even more. Say hello to your Sovereign with your last breath if you would be so kind.”