Free Night Unbound by Dianne Duvall Page A

know where the lanky vampire was, but saw the second muscled vamp circle around to attack him from behind again.
    Ethan zipped around and placed the first muscled vamp between them, fighting for all he was worth. This man had been turned recently. Nothing ruffled him. And he had skills. He had been trained by a master in martial arts and weaponry.
    But Ethan had trained with a master as well. Lisette kicked ass and had drilled him relentlessly to ensure Ethan could, too.
    The vampire in the gray shirt, clutching the throat Ethan had laid open, staggered away a couple of steps and fell to his hands and knees. Blood poured down his front and pooled on the sidewalk. The other lanky vampire bobbed and bounced on his toes like a boxer, spewing slurs and curses. Muscled Vamp 2 again found his way to Ethan’s back.
    Hell. This was not going well.
    Out of nowhere, a slender figure raced forward, leaped onto the back of the vampire who was down on his hands and knees, pushed off, flipped ass over elbow in the air, and landed behind the other lanky vampire. The vamp jerked around to attack her. Red handles gleamed as Lisette swung both shoto swords.
    The vampire’s head fell from his shoulders.
    She offered Ethan a wink.
    He grinned. How many times had she saved his ass like this in the early years of his immortality?
    Muscled Vamp 1’s dagger slid across Ethan’s left arm, narrowly missing his brachial artery.
    â€œPay attention!” Lisette reprimanded as she dodged a kick by Muscled Vamp 2 and landed one of her own.
    Two vampires. Two immortals. An even playing field now.
    Disturbingly even. Ethan had to fight as though he were sparring with an elder just to hold his own with this prick. In all of his existence, he had never fought a vampire who possessed such skill.
    From the corner of his eye, he saw Lisette’s opponent land a fist to her jaw. She stumbled backward, French swear words pouring from her lips.
    A dagger struck Ethan’s side, slipping between two ribs and piercing a lung.
    Hissing in pain, he cursed his own inattention.
    Lisette looked his way, brow furrowed with concern.
    A cut opened along her jaw as Muscled Vamp 2 took advantage of her distraction and tried to slit her throat.
    â€œI’m fine,” he gritted. “Just kill the fucker!”
    Ethan saw her swing her shoto swords and returned his attention to Muscled Vamp 1.
    Grunts and hisses of pain filled the air as blades drew blood and kicks and punches connected.
    He heard Lisette swear again and swung his sai, ridding the vampire of one of his daggers. Before Ethan could swing again, the vampire jerked and dropped his other weapon. Gasping, the vamp gripped his chest. His face filled with fear. His wide blue eyes fastened on Ethan as he staggered back a step.
    Ethan frowned and held his weapons at the ready, risking a glance at Lisette.
    Falling still, she stared at the second vamp as his weapons clattered to the ground. The fingers that had loosed them clutched his chest.
    Warm blood splattered Ethan’s face as something bounced off his shoulder and fell to the ground.
    Grimacing, he returned his attention to his foe . . . and gaped.
    â€œ Ho -ly shit!” he barked.
    The vamp’s heart had just burst from his chest.
    The vampire collapsed.
    Ethan turned back to Lisette as Muscled Vamp 2’s heart burst from his chest, flew over Lisette’s shoulder, and catapulted to the ground behind her.
    The body that had formerly housed it collapsed.
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    Lisette stared down at the vamps, heart racing, body aching from the beating she had just taken, cuts stinging. What the hell?
    â€œOkay,” Ethan said, breath coming in gasps. “I’m not going to lie to you. That is the freakiest shit I’ve ever seen.” He looked from one vampire to the other, his blood-splattered face stunned. “And I’ve seen some freaky shit.”
    She nodded. As had she.
    â€œWhat the hell just