Free Eternal Prey by Nina Bangs Page A

understood the hungry shine in Kione’s eyes, knew his own eyes must look the same. “Definitely.”
    The fae prince stilled. Utah tensed. He didn’t fool himself. Kione would have him before he had a chance to free his beast. He wished he knew what the damn fairy was thinking.
    The moment stretched on, the silent promise of death interrupted only by the vampire’s terrified whimper.
    Lia broke the silence. “Maybe you’ve forgotten why we’re here. If you guys tear each other up, then I’ll have to hunt down this rogue vampire by myself.” She didn’t look as casual as she sounded. She still held her gun ready. “I’ve already had to get his name for you.”
    “What?” Utah and Kione spoke in unison.
    “His name is Chris.”
    She’d taken on a vampire and gotten a name from him? “How?” Utah knew his eyes were wide with shock.
    “I met a vampire in the bar near where the car is parked. We talked. He told me.”
    Utah’s stare promised he’d have the whole story later.
    Kione took a deep breath, and the tension eased. “I don’t understand all this passion over one vampire.”
    “I’m human now, but pretty soon I’ll be like Dan here. That won’t change the essential me, though.” Lia lowered her gun a little.
    “Are you sure?” Kione looked doubtful. “I’ve seen what happens to the old ones. After a few hundred years, you won’t remember your humanity. Humans will be merely a food source.”
    “Don’t count on it.” Lia sounded pretty definite about that. “I don’t think Dan was a bad human, and I’d bet he’s not a bad vampire either.” Lia leaned forward, her expression intent. “Vampires are individuals—some bad, some good. Maybe you should find out which before killing any more.”
    Kione looked down at the vampire. “He’s not worth drawing blood over. I’ll wipe his memory and give him a new one. I’d rather not have Adam know I destroyed one of his people. It might damage his image of me as his helpless tool.”
    Kione went down on one knee beside Dan. “Look at me, vampire.”
    Dan didn’t try to fight him.
    “None of this happened. You split from your friend. You never saw him again. And you don’t remember ever seeing any of us. You met with a strange vampire who attacked you. You managed to escape.” He stood and turned his back on the vampire.
    He walked over to the human who was still somehow conscious. “I suppose you want him saved too.”
    “Yes.” Lia scanned the area. She slipped her gun back into her pocket. “Then let’s get out of here before someone sees us.”
    Utah watched Dan roll over and crawl into the shadows. It wouldn’t take him long to heal enough to make it back to the tunnels.
    Kione reached down and cupped his hand over the human’s torn throat. The wound closed before disappearing. Then he placed his palm on the man’s forehead. The man blinked and sat up.
    “What the hell happened?” The guy got shakily to his feet. He stood swaying as he stared at them. “God, I feel dizzy.” He glanced down. “Where’d all this blood come from?”
    Kione locked gazes with the man. “I suppose you had too much to drink. I wouldn’t know about the blood. Perhaps you’d better hope no dead bodies turn up around here. We were passing by and saw you lying here. Can you make it home on your own?” Kione couldn’t quite twist his expression into something that resembled human caring.
    “Yeah, I guess so.” He braced himself against a tree. “Feel sort of funny. Uh, thanks for stopping.” Then he pushed away from the tree and staggered toward the street.
    “You have no idea how thankful you should be.” Kione’s whispered comment didn’t reach the man.
    “Wow, I’m impressed, prince. The healing, the mind wipe, all powerful stuff. I wonder what else you can do.” Lia might be telling the truth about being impressed, but she didn’t look friendly while she was saying it. “Too bad you enjoy killing so much.”
    Utah noticed