Free Fire in the Blood by Robyn Bachar Page B

everything, and it’s called college.”
    Frowning, he returned to normal, and I kissed him. I meant it to be light and affectionate to prove that I wasn’t bothered by his faerie form, but he pulled me into his arms and kissed me breathless. Before he could maneuver me back into bed, I drew away.
    “Food first, ravishing second,” I reminded.
    “Of course. Lead on.”
    I headed for the kitchen despite the fact that it didn’t have any food, and started making mental lists of things we’d need to pick up from my place. Clothes were a priority. Harvey needed the chargers for his gadgets too, so he’d stop charging them in my car. I trailed my fingers over the granite top of the island, and a flicker of movement from the living room caught my attention. My paranoid reflexes kicked in and I dove for cover. A knife whistled by me and the blade sank into an oak cabinet door, but before I was safe a second knife slammed into my chest, an inch above my heart. I hit the floor and screamed.
    Vampires. Had to be. Kris didn’t use knives, and the Promethean hunters used bullets and tranquilizer darts. Good things vampires burned as easy as anyone else. I pulled the knife out—it hurt like hell, but I’d live. I lit my hands up just in time for the vamp to land atop the island like a giant undead vulture and make a grab for me. I thrust the flames at him as I scrambled out of the way, but nothing caught.
    The vamp was a pale bastard in dark clothes—which pretty much summed up the lot of them—with a terrible Steven Segal ponytail. He bared fangs at me, but his eyes widened in surprise as he suddenly sailed back into the main room. Harvey stood on the other side of the island, his spindly ears twitching furiously.
    “Good work,” I said, and he nodded.
    Faust—now fully dressed again—attacked a second vampire in the living room, slashing at him with a flaming sword. That left the vamp Harvey had just thrown to deal with.
    “Hold him,” I ordered.
    Harvey darted forward and grappled the vampire, who seemed very surprised to be attacked by the Invisible Man. My aim was much better with a stationary target to hit, and the vamp went up in flames. It wouldn’t hurt Harvey, because he was fireproof. The vampire screeched and struggled, and I kept the blaze going.
    Something grabbed me from behind—three vamps, seriously? My suspicion was confirmed as fangs sank into my neck. Hold him until he’s dead, I ordered Harvey. The vamp pushed his touchy-feely magic at me, and I shrugged it off, reached up and lit his hair on fire. He dropped me, tearing a meaty chunk out of my neck in the process, and I clamped a hand on the wound to hold it together. Between the gash in my neck and the slice in my chest I was losing a lot of blood. Never a good thing in a roomful of vampires—they might start a feeding frenzy like hungry sharks.
    I whirled to face my attacker and spotted Zachary Harrison standing behind me, slapping his hair out. Motherfucker. Guess the spoiled shit decided to get his hands dirty for once. I’d make him regret it.
    The flames spread and engulfed my entire body to discourage anyone else from grabbing me. Heat licked at my skin and singed off the little bit of clothing I had on, but naked and alive was better than dead and modest. Harrison eyed me, looking for weaknesses, and I flipped him off with my free hand.
    “You hardly seem worth fighting over,” he said.
    “Go fuck yourself, asshole.”
    Harrison scowled. “Very eloquent.”
    “Yeah? Well your temper tantrum is real fucking mature. The Titania doesn’t love you. Get over it.”
    My hand was slick and sticky where I held it against my neck. Not good. Harvey…
    This one is still alive, Mistress, he replied.
    Break his neck. That’ll slow him down for a while. Wouldn’t kill the bastard, but I needed my minion between me and the playboy in case I passed out. I wobbled, and Harrison darted forward. A dark blur collided with him and shoved him back.