Dahlia surged to her feet, backing away. Across from her, Thane shifted his balance, his fingers adjusting his hold on the only weapon her kind feared. She looked over his shoulder at the safety of the darkness outside, but he was blocking her escape. That meant she needed another option. Each pane of glass held promise, but jumping through a window was never as easy as the movies made it look. If she didn't hit it hard enough, she'd bounce right back into him.
Thane took a step closer. "Tell me why the cross didn't work and I'll let you go." He sounded almost honest.
Dahlia shook her head. "My soul is not worth that price, inquisitor."
"Thane," he corrected. "It's just a question."
She moved sideways. The broken glass over there might be weak enough. There was a crack all the way through it. That was her best chance, but she needed to keep him distracted. "Nothing is ever simply a question with your kind. It's always a way to get some advantage."
"Yeah, because we need all the help we can get to keep your kind from destroying humanity."
"Lies." That window would definitely do. Glancing over, she measured the distance, planning to make a run for it.
He took another step, his long legs making him move faster than she liked. "What lies?"
This was the best chance she'd get. Tensing her muscles, she prepared to bolt, but had to answer. She couldn't stop herself. "It's all lies, priest. Everything you know is a lie, and you most certainly are not human."
Then she spun. Debris crunched beneath her feet, making each step slippery. Behind her, the pounding of his charge was much too loud. If Thane had been human, she could have outrun him easily, but he wasn't, and the idiot didn't even have a clue. His ignorance was the only advantage she had, but it wasn't enough. Skidding through the upper floor of the abandoned building, she ran as hard as she could, hoping she wouldn't burn all of her vitality. Especially if she wanted to make it through this.
She almost made it. Pushing harder, reaching with each step, it was that moment when she was convinced she was free when his hand clamped down on her arm, spinning her around. With a tug, he slung her to the floor like a rag doll. Dahlia yelped, trying to roll from the attack, but he was too good, too strong. Thane pounced on her.
She kicked, the sharp heel of her boot catching him across the shin. He shoved. She punched. Glass cut into her back. The fabric of her dress tore. She didn't care. The inquisitor might be fighting for control, but she was struggling to keep her existence. Desperate, she wrapped her fingers in his hair and pulled, wrenching him away just enough that she could clamber to her knees.
He groaned and rubbed at his scalp, a wry smile on his lips. "You're not a vampire, are you?"
Gasping for breath, she pulled herself up. The bastard had her cornered again. "You were in the alley. I think I ate a few guys."
He nodded, slowly finding his feet. At least he was breathing as hard as she was. "Which is why I'm very confused. I saw you drink their blood - and there's still some of it on your cheek - but I felt you trying to drain me with that kiss. What are you, Dahlia? Is that even your real name?"
She wiped at the side of her face. "We're back to the blonde thing again, huh? You think I'm dumb enough to do anything besides run from you?"
"Other cheek."
She couldn't help it. She wiped the opposite side. "Asshole."
"Got it. But you didn't answer the question. Is Dahlia even your name?"
She needed another plan. Another way out. Thane wasn't rushing her, which was unexpectedly nice, but he wasn't about to let her go, either. From where she stood, her best chance was to make a dash for the door. That wouldn't be as quick, but if she jumped down the stairs, she might have enough time to recover before he caught up. Maybe. It was a risk, but right now everything was going his way, not hers. Risky was the best option she had. Casually, she moved toward that side, doing her best to look like she was just shifting her weight.
"Just tell me!" He sounded exasperated, not angry.
"Of course it isn't. There's only one person who knows my name."
"The nu gui?"
So he'd paid attention. "Yeah. Even the dead need friends." She kept moving, all too aware that he was following, but she didn't want to get near that damned spike. Her eyes were locked on it.
He let it go. The metal clanged loudly in the empty space. "Tell me why the cross didn't work and I'll let you leave. You have my word."
She was frozen, watching the spike roll slowly. Amber reflections shimmered along the length of it, but Thane was only looking at her. He'd just offered her the last thing she wanted. A priest's Words were deadly. Some called them magic. Slowly, she pulled her eyes off the weapon that could destroy her and found his. The power lingered there, but it was a warm glow, not the raging inferno that came before a Word.
"Do you know what happens to my kind when we trust you?" For the first time in centuries, she was afraid. An inquisitor strong enough to abandon his weapons? "You kill us. You convince yourself you have no need to keep those promises because we're the spawn of Hell, but we're not. I'm not evil." She shuffled closer toward the door. "I may do evil things, but it's because you give us no other choice. I just want to be left alone!"
"You're a vampire. You drank the blood of those priests."
It was still too far, but why was the idiot just talking? She dared to glance over her shoulder. Much too far, but another window to her right had a long crack all the way down its length. It might be enough. If she was wrong, she'd be dead. Truly dead. Flicking her eyes back to the beautiful man keeping pace with her, she shrugged, doing her best to look more confident than she felt.
"I did. That doesn't make me a vampire."