Free Blood Moon by Heather Kuehl

when she came to town ? I used my wolf sense to listen and smell, not coming up with a single thing.
    That’s odd .
    Once I felt sure that the lower level was clear, I ascended the stairs to check the guest rooms where Jared and I had stayed, when we came here to take out the Skyner twins. That mission seemed like it happen ages ago, in another lifetime. I found it hard to believe that so much had happened in so little time.
    Just like with the first level, this one was clear as well. My stomach lurched as I thought about Malevolent Dead. Rose had to be there. She’d never believe Damian when he said I wasn’t there. Rose would tear the building down brick by brick, killing anyone that stood in her way.
    I had to return there. I had to stop this.
    As I turned, a fist connected with my face. My head snapped back, hitting the wall behind me. Stars exploded across my vision as I tried to use my senses to see what attacked me. It smelled like vampire, but also something else, something much older.
    Shaking my head, I tried my best to keep an eye on the creature in front of me. The vampire smiled, flashing her fangs at me, before she lashed out with lightning speed. I never felt a thing, just wind rushing across my face, before the vampire stood back. Then I felt it, warm wetness across my forehead. I looked at her hand and saw a silver blade glinting in the moonlight. Damn .
    I would need stitches, I thought as I wiped blood from my eyes. I hope it doesn’t scar . I really didn’t need any more. I had enough. Thank you .
    I stalked around the vampire, trying to gauge what she would do next. The vampire became more and more agitated as she watched me. Her nose smelled the sweet scent of my blood. She hissed, exposing her fangs, and lunged at me. I stayed still for a fraction of a second longer than most would, and then rolled to the side, lashing out with my fist as I stood.
    The vampire’s head snapped to the side, and I smiled as I heard bones breaking upon impact. That didn’t slow the creature down. She spun, delivering a kick to my already bruised ribs. As I struggled to stand I felt an alien presence in my mind, evaluating my injuries and waiting for my next move. I froze, eyes widening, as I realized what I felt earlier.
    It couldn’t be ! I was mistaken, thinking Damian was the only one. How stupid of me not to recognize another born vampire when I saw one?
    The vampire smiled as she felt my epiphany, and held her hand out at me. For a second I didn’t know what she was planning, until I saw blue magic blast out of her hand into me. I crashed back against the wall with the magic keeping me pressed against the wall until plaster cracked from the pressure. My vision blurred as the pressure became too much.
    How in the hell could a vampire wield magic ? Even a born vampire like Damian couldn’t do that, but here she blasted me like a witch of some kind.
    I screamed as pain exploded though my chest as my ribs broke. The blue light of the magic blinded my vision, but not before I saw the born vampire peel her lips back in a hiss, exposing her glistening fangs.

Chapter Eleven
    Pain radiated through me, reminding me that I was alive as I woke up. I tried to bring my hand up to my head to check the wound the silver knife made, but wasn’t surprised to find my hands tied behind my back. Opening my eyes, I saw the born vampire lounging on the sofa. In front of her my gun sat on the coffee table. The lights in the living room of Haven were on, and the TV tuned in to some reality show. The vampire flipped through a magazine as she twirled her mousy brown hair around a finger. She wore a white tank top and khaki capris with pink flip flops on her elegant feet. How normal she looked sitting there surprised me. The vampire smiled as she heard my thoughts.
    “Rose will be back in a minute,” the vampire said smoothly. “Amythist ran off again.”
    As I thought about Amythist at Malevolent Dead, the born vampire closed the