“Noelle,” she shouted. “Move!” Waited … waited …
When Noelle had the opportunity, she jumped backward, out of the way. Ava fired at the male. Contact. He screeched, his entire body vibrating. Noelle then attacked, and now she had the advantage.
Another screech, this one female, and Ava knew she was about to feel pain. But she didn’t have time to switch the direction of her aim. The gun was kicked out of her hand in less than a blink, the female on top of her, pushing her down. This time she hit, and her skull took the brunt of the fall.
Pain, oh, yes, pain. Black dots filled her vision as she tried to crawl away, creating distance while reaching for a blade. Her fingers curled around the hilt as something heavy slammed her back down. She twisted, blade raised, but before she made contact, sharp teeth sank into her neck. The pain exploded, and she couldn’t really pinpoint where one ache originated and another ended. She tried to slash. Her wrist was knocked away and pinned like the rest of her.
She felt the suction, then the cold, then the fragility of her own body. No longer could she move, not even to lift her arms.
She had lost. She had lost a fight. She was embarrassed, disappointed in herself, fading … This really was it, she realized. The end. She wanted to laugh bitterly, but the sound snagged in her ravaged throat.
One regret after another flooded her. She hadn’t made love with McKell. She hadn’t told him good-bye. She wouldn’t see him again.
In the distance, she thought she heard Noelle curse. A second later, the teeth were ripped out of her. She expected Noelle to smooth the hair from her face, and tell her everything was going to be okay now. Even though they would both know it was a lie. Fading … But it was a man’s touch she next experienced, soft and tender, and a man’s voice that whispered in her ear.
“Ava, darling. Can you hear me?”
McKell.
Pleasure overshadowed all other emotion. She didn’t know if McKell was really there or if she was hallucinating, and she didn’t care. If she was going to die in an alley, she wanted him with her, one way or another.
He was strong, just as she’d told Noelle, and he treated her as if she were special, not the trash she’d always been called. Despite her human—and, according to him, inferior—origins. He teased her, got her. Didn’t try to change her. Unless you counted changing her from human to vampire, but she didn’t, because he’d promised not to feed her any of his blood.
“I’ll make you better,” he cooed, and she knew. He was real. Somehow he’d overcome stun, and found her. Her sweet, sweet protector.
And she trusted him, she realized. He wouldn’t try to change her even now, injured as she was. Even pissed as he had to be. She knew it. She knew him. She’d told him no, and he wouldn’t disregard that. Pride wouldn’t let him.
Determined hands banded around her, lifted her, gentle and warm. He started forward. His gait was smooth, and she felt like she was floating.
Where was Noelle? Why wasn’t her friend talking?
She began to struggle, wanting answers. McKell must have sensed the direction of her thoughts, because he said, “She’s fine. Noelle is fine.”
Ava relaxed.
“Now sleep,” he said silkily, “and I’ll take care of everything. Although, once I’m done, you’ll probably wish I had stayed away.”
Even then, she trusted him. She slept.
Twenty-two
McKell didn’t know what else to do. He convinced a human to haul him and the injured females to Ava’s apartment via removing the blanket hood and flashing his fangs while his skin sizzled. Oh, and issuing a threat of death. Along the way, he phoned Bride, who agreed to meet him there. In fact, by the time the driver had stopped in front of Ava’s building, Bride was already there. With Devyn.
If that bastard turned the charm on Ava, as he’d done to Bride, McKell would butcher him. Although, to be fair, Ava was much smarter than Bride. He liked these thoughts. They spoke of a future.
“Open the door,” he snapped at the human—who may or may not have peed himself.
“O—open.” The passenger door split from the car frame.
Noelle was so rattled and weak, she hadn’t said a word the entire drive.
McKell kicked his way outside with Ava cradled in his arms. She moaned. His blanket slipped and his skin burned, but he didn’t care. He wasn’t going to rush inside. He wouldn’t risk jarring her.
Bride, who waited in the shade, protected, pushed Devyn forward, a hint to help with the girls. McKell instantly pivoted, moving out of reach.
“Uh, McKell,” Bride said. “Let Devyn take her. You’re nearly deep fried.”
He ignored her, expecting her to cover herself and follow as he headed toward the building. As he strode past Devyn, he said, “The other one’s yours. They left two dead vampires in an alley a few blocks away. You might want to call AIR for pickup.”
“You sure they’re dead?” Devyn called.
“Very.” He’d removed their heads. Savagely. First his teeth had ripped out their tracheas, then his claws had finished the job. He hadn’t been able to stop himself. Hadn’t wanted to stop himself.
He’d followed Ava’s scent, dying inside when he spotted her trail of blood. He’d run—and run and run, until finally spying her. And when he had … murderous instinct had taken over.
Once inside, he carried Ava past curious onlookers, allowing the blanket to fall the rest of the way, forgotten. Up the elevator and down the hall, until he stood at her door. He didn’t set her down as he reached up and flattened one of his palms on the ID pad. A quick scan, and the door popped open.
He strode inside, finally allowing himself to glance at Ava. She was pale, the blue veins under her skin evident. There were shadows under her eyes, and cuts all over her neck and arms. The scent of her blood wafted to his nose, and he—
Sharp teeth sank into his ankle.
He stumbled, but didn’t let go of his charge. Something growled as he looked down. And spied Hellina. She was drinking his blood greedily. Lapping up every drop she could, and then biting his ankle again for more. Trying, McKell thought, to get to Ava.
His eyes widened as realization struck. Hellina was a vampire. His blood had truly changed her. Impossible, he thought next.
“Where do you want Noelle?” Devyn asked from behind him. The warrior must have spied Hellina, because he laughed. “Your girlfriend’s dog hates you. Priceless.”