Be Still My Vampire Heart(64)

 

She stared at him, unblinking. Good heavens, what could she say to this? Take me, I'm yours?

 

He turned his head to the side. "I heard a scream."

 

She listened carefully, but heard nothing.

 

"This way." He motioned for her to follow.

 

She jogged alongside him, going north. "I don't hear anything."

 

"They'll have control of their victim by now. There will be no more screams." After several minutes, he halted. "We're close now," he whispered. "Yer stakes are making noise."

 

She removed the bag from her shoulder and wrapped the stakes tightly together.

 

"Better?" She cradled them against her chest.

 

He nodded and placed a finger to his lips. She followed him quietly as he left the brick pathway and headed through a grove of trees. The moonlight barely pierced through the canopy of budding leaves overhead. The air grew more chill. Angus became a large shadow that she trailed closely. A breeze ruffled the leaves and brought the sound of a male voice.

 

"Hey, man, leave some for me."

 

Emma's skin prickled with gooseflesh. Angus was moving very slowly now. She glanced around nervously, hoping all the dark shapes around them were only trees.

 

"Shit, what are you doing?" the same voice complained loudly. "That's no way to treat a woman. I wouldn't treat a ho like that."

 

"Quiet, you fool," another voice hissed.

 

"Hey, feeding is one thing, but you're killing her. That just ain't right."

 

Angus drew Emma alongside him so she could see the clearing in front of them.

 

Moonlight gleamed off a huge granite boulder, tinting the clearing with ghostly shades of gray. A male vampire, dressed in black, had a woman pinned to the ground. She looked silvery pale in the moonlight. Her eyes were black and glassy. The only color was the red blood oozing from twin punctures on her neck. A second vampire, a black man dressed in torn blue jeans and a gray hooded sweatshirt, paced nervously close by. "Shit, man. I hate this."

 

The first vampire sank his fangs into the woman's neck once again. Emma flinched. The woman would never survive a second bite. Angus held her arm to keep her from moving forward.

 

"Cut it out, bro!" The black vampire jumped about, trying to get the other vampire's attention. "You're sucking her dry. She's gonna die!"

 

In a flash, Angus zoomed into the clearing, drawing his claymore. He pricked the first vampire in the neck. "Release her."

 

Emma flipped her bag open and retrieved a stake.

 

"What the hell?" The black vampire moved away.

 

Emma jumped into the clearing and blocked his escape. She pointed her stake at his heart. "Stay right where you are."

 

"Shit." The black vampire stared at her, then at Angus. "Who the hell are you?"

 

The first vampire rose slowly to his feet. Blood dripped from his distended fangs. He backed away, but Angus followed him, his sword aimed at the evil vampire's heart.

 

"This park is under my protection," Angus growled. "Ye will do no more killing here."

 

"I remember you," the evil vampire spoke with a Russian accent. "You were at the ball last year at Romatech. You crushed Ivan's watch. You're Angus MacKay."

 

"So now you're following orders from Katya?" Angus asked softly. "Did she ask you to kill for her?"

 

"I would do anything for her."

 

"Then tell her this, Alek." When the vampire flinched, Angus continued, "Aye, I know who ye are. Ye were an errand boy for Ivan Petrovsky, and now ye're doing Katya's dirty work."

 

Emma glanced at the injured woman. How long were these guys going to chat while she lay there bleeding to death? "I'll call an ambulance."

 

Alek gasped when he looked at her. "You! You're the one I saw before. You killed Vladimir."

 

Emma swallowed hard. This was the vampire who had gotten away last summer. The only one who knew who she was.

 

"I was right." Alek glared at her. "The slayer is a mortal woman." He glanced at Angus.

 

"But you're helping her, aren't you?"

 

"Angus." Emma gave him a pleading look. If this vampire lived, he would tell all the Malcontents that she and Angus were working together.

 

He charged at Alek, but just before his sword could make contact, Alek vanished.

 

"Nay!" Angus's sword impaled a tree. "The devil take it." He ripped his sword loose.

 

"Damn," the black vampire muttered. "Who are you guys? The vampire po-po?"

 

Angus strode toward the black vampire, scowling. "Doona move."