He reached for her, his fingers biting into her shoulders. She had no time to struggle, just the impression of vast, inhuman strength as he hauled her into the cell.
“I’m sorry,” he murmured. Then he turned her in his arms and dragged her against him with an arm wrapped around her below her breasts. His cool breath shivered across her skin as his teeth sank into her throat.
No pain, just a rhythmic tug that pulled at places deep inside her. The life drained from her body as he fed voraciously, his hunger an almost palpable thing. Darkness grew behind her eyes, the light faded to a pinprick, then nothing.
…
When she came to, she was moving. It took her a second to realize she was clasped in muscular arms, held against a rock-hard body. Blinking open her heavy lids, she looked straight into the handsome face of the bloodsucking monster. Instinctively, she struggled—she hated being held—but his arms tightened around her, holding her easily, and she forced herself to relax. She wasn’t dead, which was a surprise. She’d thought it was over.
“You bit me.”
He glanced down. His eyes were no longer dark, but tinged with crimson. “Hey, I said I was sorry. I had to eat, or we weren’t going anywhere.” He studied her through narrowed eyes. “Dios, I hope you’re not the type to hold a grudge.”
“What are you?”
“I’m your worst nightmare, darling.” He grinned. “Actually, I’m a vampire, but I’m also the vampire who’s going to get you off this crap place.”
A vampire? She’d thought they were the stuff of legends.
“Where are we going?”
“To my ship—if she’s still here. If not, we’ll find another.”
He carried her in silence for a while and she closed her eyes. The night had taken on a surreal quality, and she was filled with a sense of fatalism, as though what would happen was now out of her hands. When he came to a halt, she opened her lids reluctantly.
“El Cazador’s still here.”
She heard the satisfaction in his voice and peered over his shoulder. Through the doorway, she could see a large open area that must be the docking bay. A space cruiser stood at the far side of the room, sleek and black, with a name written in silver along the side. “El Cazador de la Sangre,” she murmured. “What does that mean?”
“The Blood Hunter.”
Her gaze flew to his face. “Oh.”
He flashed her a smile that revealed the tips of his razor-sharp fangs, and she shuddered, her hand darting to the small wound at her neck.
Two guards came into view, patrolling the area in front of the ship. Her heart sank. How could they take on heavily armed guards? They’d be cut down before they got close to the ship.
The vampire lowered her gently. For a second, her legs refused to hold her, and she gripped his shirt while the room swam around her. “I feel woozy.”
“Blood loss. I took a little too much, but you’ll be fine.”
He studied the ship and the guards, then turned to her. “Can you walk?”
She tested her legs and nodded.
“Okay. I want you to approach the guard on the left, distract him, and hopefully draw the other one closer.”
“What if he shoots me?”
“He won’t—well probably not.” He reached across and ripped the shoulder of her dress, baring the curve of her breast. “Just to increase the odds. Now off you go.”
Tannis glared at him for a second, then nodded. She limped onto the docking bay, doing her best to look pathetic. It wasn’t hard. Both guards swung around to face her. She didn’t recognize either man, so hopefully they wouldn’t recognize her. At least they made no move for their weapons.
“Help,” she whispered, then crumpled gracelessly to the floor. The guards hurried over. One crouched next to her, and the other hovered behind. There was a blur of movement and the standing guard vanished from her sight. Blood sprayed over her as the body was hurled across the docking bay.
The second guard fumbled for his weapon but was yanked away before he could draw the pistol. Tannis rolled onto her feet and rubbed the blood from her face. The vampire had the man in a death grip, his fangs buried in the guard’s throat. Fascinated, she watched him swallow convulsively, his face a rigid mask, all signs of humanity obliterated.
He finally released his grip, and the body collapsed to the floor. Wiping his hand across his mouth, he grinned. “Let’s get out of here.”
She shivered. Was she right to put her life in the hands of such a creature? But she hadn’t fared too well with humans up to now, so why not trust the monsters instead. Could they be any worse?
She nodded and stepped toward him as more guards appeared in the open doorway.
“Shit,” he said, but he was still grinning. He was enjoying himself.
Was he totally crazy?
He tugged the laser pistol from the holster at the dead guard’s waist and tossed it to her. Then he lunged for the second body, grabbed the weapon, and was shooting as he straightened.