Stalking out of the warehouse, he took a long inhale of the cool air. He ventured into the fog that grew thicker as darkness encompassed the city. He kept the area clear of demons, but maybe he’d get lucky.
Crossing the tracks, he passed homeless encampments, factories that had been shut down with the latest downturn of the economy, and bypassed what looked to be an impressive drug deal. He fired off a tip to a detective he knew; he had bigger fights to find.
Shattering the relative calm of the night, a scream of terror that only inhumanity could incite, unwittingly beckoned him. Taking off at a sprint, arms pumping at his sides, thighs burning at the intensity of his pace, he ran deeper into the frozen mist.
Past the old transfer station along the waterfront, an abandoned warehouse hummed with demon activity. Halting at the nearest bay door, he listened. Laughter, shuffling. A handful of vampires.
Nagging in his chest, his instincts urged him to call for backup.
Another cry of terror. Shit, how many humans did they have in there? No time.
Astrid and Bodie could be here within fifteen minutes. These people didn’t have fifteen seconds.
Letting the adrenaline heat his veins, fuel his rage, he gripped the hilt of his sword. Closing his eyes, his mouth turned up in a satisfied smile.
Sliding the door open, he saw the crowd. No more than eight vampires. Nothing he couldn’t handle.
He stalked inside, letting his footsteps echo through the hollow cavern and off the high ceilings, alerting his quarry.
Eight wide-eyed, blood-dripping sets of teeth turned toward him, while six victims lie whimpering on the table.
“You guys must be new in town.” Nodding to the humans on the table, he softened his voice. “Go. There’s a cop two blocks north.” Scrambling, those that were still conscious helped the others, holding pressure over their bites as they limped away. He added as they passed, “Not a word about what happened tonight. My anonymity protects me so I can hunt them.”
A few wary nods as they shuffled past.
The vampires stalked closer. He tightened his grip on his shield. “Well? Let’s get started. I mean, I’ve got all night, but you don’t.” Fuck, he needed a good fight. Too long without, and he’d grown twitchy.
Snarling, three ran for him. Easily slicing through the throats of the first two, he bashed the next across the room and readied for the next. The others sprinted toward him with inhuman speed, surrounding him.
He rolled his shoulders and stood waiting in the center of their circle.
A livid screech from the fiercest of them threatened to shatter the windows above. The vampire rushed toward him, believing its speed would deliver the advantage.
Rotating, he nailed it in the face with a roundhouse kick.
He ducked to dodge the blow from the next, driving his sword into its gut.
Arcing in a fluid motion, he disabled another.
Each bash of his shield, each swing of his sword, and every closed-fist punch at close range as he gripped the hilt… all tempered the fire that had been brewing in his gut this past year.
After crunching the nose of one that popped up to its feet, he turned for the next.
Too fucking late. It lashed at him with its fists, baring its sharp teeth in a blatant threat. He juked, but the swift hit hammered his ribs and knocked him back.
Fuck these guys were fast. Holding his ground, Bennett winked at the last of his prey.
Rapidly cooling as it trickled down his skin, his own blood pooled at his lip from a blow he hadn’t been fast enough to dodge. Licking it off, he tasted the coppery drip, shaking his head and rolling his eyes. “Mmm, tasty. Sorry, but I’m not sharing.”
Unfazed, the remaining vampire grinned, the room eerily silent like the calm before the storm.
Thundering from above, from behind, hooting and chirping with a revelers’ glee, they came.
Without pause, he sprinted for the door. Yeah, he’d needed a good fight, but he didn’t care to die tonight.
Seven vampires, twice the size of those he’d ended, pounded through the bay door.
Eight more.
