When Ely backed in his bike, Zane drew close. The mastyr was at least six-four and had served for decades in the Vampire Guard during the prior century. He’d only resigned when the need for investigative law enforcement grew with the introduction of cocaine into Swanicott.
Still sitting on his bike, along with his crew, Ely said, “Looks like you saw some action.” He pulled off his gloves and put them in his front storage compartment.
“We did.”
“Anything we can do?”
Zane shook his head. “No, we’re just wrapping up, waiting for a collection team from Bergisson. But I should warn you that the Ancient Fae was here with a couple dozen wraith-pairs.”
“No, shit?”
Ely was a beefy warrior, with tattoos on both bare shoulders, his muscles ripped and corded. He wore a leather vest, jeans, and heavy black boots with a few silver skulls punched through the leather. He’d given up his long, Guardsman hair, but still kept it shoulder length.
The brother was badass.
He slid his leg over, then nodded to his crew. Only then, did the rest of the men follow suit. Several of his buddies were shifters and as always, leadership and pecking order was an important part of the health of the group.
“Good to see you, Zane. We should set up a time for poker soon.”
Zane nodded. Something bothered him, though, as Ely and his crew disappeared into the bar. But he couldn’t quite figure out what it was. He glanced into the night skies, wondering if he should prepare for another attack.
His phone rang. He kept his gaze aloft as he drew the phone to his ear. “Hey, Short Stuff. What’s cookin’?”
“Heard from Chase that you had the bitch from hell out at the Elf Lords Hideaway. Is that true?”
“Way too true, but she’s hightailed it now. And have there been any reports of more wraiths escaping from the island colony?” The unbonded wraiths his Guard had captured tonight were discontented kids from Wraith Island, sick of living a secluded life apart from the realm mainland.
“No, not a single one, thank the Goddess,” Marian said. The island was self-patrolled and the governing wraiths had several ways of detecting if any of their people had left the colony. Still, any number of determined wraiths found a way of leaving despite the local government’s efforts. “But, Mastyr, now I need to know if the rumors are true. Is your new woman really a blood rose?”
The moment Marian spoke the words, Zane remembered why it had bothered him that Ely had headed into the bar.
Olivia was in there.
“Olivia. Holy fuck.” Until bonded, a blood rose was fair game and apparently, she’d fall for any mastyr who made a play for her.
He put his phone away as he sprinted toward the entrance and just in time. Ely had his woman pinned to the wall, feeling her up with everyone staring and apparently ready for a show.
Zane’s fangs made a quick appearance and he roared his rage.
~
Clouds had filled Olivia’s mind, and her body was on fire. The vampire, clearly a mastyr, had her pressed up against the wall and was sucking on her neck and teasing her breast.
Come on, she pathed, Bite me. Bite me hard.
She felt the man pull back just a little, getting ready to do exactly what she wanted, what she needed. She moaned, knowing he would strike next.
But suddenly, he flew away from her and all hell broke loose.
She stood just inside the hallway to the bathrooms and thank God for that because her mind cleared. She put a hand to her mouth. She’d almost let another mastyr vampire drink from her and do anything else he wanted.
Zane. Oh, shit!
He’d found them locked together and now battled the vampire. What was his name? How pathetic that she could barely remember. It was something that sounded Biblical.
“Ely, you motherfucker!” Zane shouted.
Right. Ely.