Free Master of Darkness by Susan Sizemore Page A

and turned to knock the first vampire down again.
    It dodged around him.
    The second one came up behind him again, and whispered in Laurent’s ear. “He offers an exchange of property.”
    â€œJustinian has nothing I want.”
    â€œHe says you will—once you think about the cravings you share.”
    â€œThis is a fight, not a negotiation,” Laurent answered.
    The first Manticore was moving toward Eden, and the second joined him.
    She was kneeling in the middle of the street, taking aim with her crossbow. She couldn’t take both of them with her medieval weapon;one of them was going to rip her throat out.
    â€œThat’s
my
human!” he shouted, and rushed to her defense.
    Things happened too damn fast with vampires! She’d been well trained, but seeing the triple blur of deadly speed coming toward her was almost panic-inducing. She held her ground and fired an arrow.
    Her target dodged easily, then they were on her.
    She managed to spray concentrated garlic juice into the face of one of them.
    While he dropped to the ground screaming, the second one grabbed her by the upper arms. She caught a glimpse of fangs and glowing eyes, then claws bit deep into her flesh and muscles, and there was horrible pain. The thing lifted her to her feet and the fanged mouth bent toward her throat …
    Then the third blur was upon them.
    Knocked to the ground, Eden clutched at her bleeding arms while a battle swirled at light speed around her. A body fell heavily beside her. The head followed a moment later.
    Everything went black for a while, after that.
    The next thing Eden knew, Wolf said, “Drink this, it’ll help.”
    She took a sip of warm liquid that sent energizing lightning through her, then a hungry gulp. At first she thought it was hundred-proof moonshine. Then she realized she was drinking vampire blood—and all she wanted was more.

Chapter Nine
    â€œT hat’s enough.” Laurent gently eased Eden’s head away from his bleeding wrist. She shuddered and moaned in a way that excited the hell out of him, but he was firm. “Save some for me.”
    He wasn’t in the habit of sharing his blood with anyone, but she’d been bleeding profusely, and his reaction had been automatic. It was pure self-preservation, that’s all—she was his ticket to a better life.
    He rose and helped her to her feet, noticing that the one she’d stunned had gotten away. He turned Eden away from the remains of the one he’d killed, but he gave a quick glance over his shoulder.
    He hadn’t realized he’d used so much force. But the impulse to save Eden had been so strong…
    He didn’t get it.
    â€œWe have to get out of here,” he told her, glancing up at the sky. Somewhere along the way he’d lost track of time. He was feeling light-headed, both from the loss of blood and from the pleasure that came with it. Giving was as much a rush as getting, and he was hard from it.
    â€œWhat was that for?” she asked, sounding wasted and ragged.
    She leaned heavily against him, and he was tempted to pick her up and carry her. But once she recovered from the orgasms, she’d realize she was fully healed—maybe even strong enough to carry him.
    â€œMedicinal purposes, to stop your bleeding. It worked,” he added.
    â€œYou okay?” she asked.
    â€œHorny.”
    She nodded. “Right. That’s one of the effects vampires experience when they share blood with mortals.”
    He smiled at her lecturing tone. “We didn’t share. That—wouldn’t be polite behavior for a Clan boy.” He wanted to taste her, though. The scent of her blood gave him a hint of what her taste would be like.
    He deliberately stepped away from her.
    She wobbled a bit, but then deliberately stoodstraight and squared her shoulders. “Thank you,” she said, giving him a formal nod.
    He crossed his arms to keep from grabbing