Claws And Fangs Part 14

"There was a hidden camera in the warehouse."

The blood drained from her face as she realized what that meant. "Oh s.h.i.+t."

"I'll find the footage if they kept it," he swore.

"What is on it?" Blaron inched closer.

"None of your business, Mr. Sword," she snapped, her gaze silently pleading with Lethal not to answer his friend. "What if they upload it to the Internet? Your teeth..." She glanced at his mouth, remembering how his fangs had shown while they were having s.e.x. "We can't let them do that. They might think it's the proof they need to show the world you exist."

He had the nerve to grin. "I'm more worried about how much of you is shown. Humans will just think it's some kind of vampire fetish video. They are very popular with your kind. It seems we're considered romantic in some movies."

"It's not funny."

"It kind of is." He winked. "It was hot. I bet it would get a lot of hits."

"d.a.m.n," Blaron chuckled. "Don't tell me you and the la.s.s were filmed with your pants down."

Lacey blushed. "You've got to find it and destroy it."

"I will." Lethal eased back onto his knees. "Are you hungry? I ordered food for you."

She had to release his s.h.i.+rt to sit up, thankfully noticing that he'd dressed her in an oversized T-s.h.i.+rt and sweatpants. They didn't match but she wouldn't complain. She'd been naked when she'd pa.s.sed out.

Her gaze wandered around the room. It was a large office with a few desks and she was on a black chaise lounge.

"You keep food in a vampire club? What? Cookies? Maybe orange juice if women pa.s.s out after you take their blood? That's sweet." She knew how thick her sarcasm sounded.

Lethal laughed, rising to his feet. "No. Real food. Our security team enjoys a hearty steak now and then, so I had them prepare one for you with all the fixings." He waved to one of the desks. "Eat. You need to keep up your strength." He extended his hand to her. "We're waiting to see if your vampire hunters come here."

She accepted his offered hand, feeling slightly weak. It was probably a side effect from the blood he'd given her, she surmised. He pulled her to her feet and a wave of dizziness. .h.i.t. She swayed but Lethal was there, holding her close with one arm wrapped around her shoulders. Then he s.h.i.+fted his hold and just swept her into his arms.

"You need food." He sounded angry. "You've got to take better care of yourself."

"Easy," Blaron said. "She's taking all this better than I'd expected. She didn't wake screaming from being here. No need to snarl at her."

"She's too fragile." Disgust was clear in Lethal's voice.

"She's human, not an invalid."

Lethal gently set her in the chair and pushed the plate closer. She was stunned by the ma.s.sive platter-size meal, and her stomach did rumble as she inhaled the appealing aroma of a perfectly cooked T-bone steak.

He stepped back. "Eat it all, love."

Lacey opened her mouth to tell him how much she hated being given orders, but changed her mind. She was starving. She reached for the silverware, almost surprised that they'd given her a sharp knife. Lethal stayed at her side but focused on his friend.

"Don't you have something else to do, Blaron?"

"Not really." The vampire rested his hand on the hilt of his sword. "The club is closed while we play bait for the hunters. Chase took a few of the pack with him to hunt the rogue. It's just a waiting game now to see if they'll come after us at night or during the day."

Lacey cut the steak into bite-size pieces. "They'll hit after dawn if they come." She peered up at Lethal. "You're going to kill them? They aren't bad people. They've had loved ones taken from them. They don't know there's both good and evil in Bloodsucker Land."

He frowned.

"Two of them lost their mothers. My boss lost his brother. They were murdered by vamps."

"Did she just say 'Bloodsucker Land'?" Blaron looked appalled.

"You get used to her slang." Lethal sighed. "We won't kill them if we don't have to. Blaron and I will try to get into their minds and wipe them. Chase might be successful if we fail. He's pretty powerful. His father was almost a thousand years old when he sired him."

She almost choked on the steak she was chewing. She swallowed. "There are vamps that old?"

"Aye," Blaron answered. "To be sure. Of course, that one ain't gonna be around much longer." He grinned at Lethal.

She glanced between them. "What's going to happen to him? Do you eventually die of old age?"

"No." Lethal took a seat on the corner of the desk. "He abused Chase as a boy by taking his blood as if he were a convenient snack whenever the mood struck. The b.a.s.t.a.r.d thinks he can use his son as an a.s.sa.s.sin when he wills it. He's in for a surprise the next time he comes after him."

Blaron's sword sc.r.a.ped as he pulled it from the scabbard and waved it in the air with a slas.h.i.+ng motion. "We look after our friends." He pointed it at the floor.

Lethal nodded in agreement. "We three stand together."

"So Chase is another vampire?"

Someone knocked on the door and a pretty woman entered. "Is there anything else you need?"

"No thank you, Mora. You can leave for the night. We don't wish you to remain here if there is a fight." Lethal's tone had softened. "Be safe."

The other woman smiled at him. The green-eyed monster roared inside Lacey. She glared at Lethal until the door closed and he happened to glance her way. His smile disappeared.

"Is Mora one of your donors?"

Blaron whistled. "I'm going to take a stroll around the club. I'll leave you to explain what Mora is to us." He fled the room.

"No."

"You've never taken her blood or anything else? Lifted her skirts?"

"She's got a mate."

"Mate?" She pushed her plate away. "What does that mean?"

"She's a half-breed werewolf. Being mated means she's committed to a wolf. He's the same with her. And I don't take blood or s.e.x from the pack that works for us."

Lacey set down the knife and clenched her hands in her lap under the desk. "Werewolf?" She must have heard him wrong.

"Aye."

"Don't do that cute accent thing. Werewolves exist?" She was glad she was sitting down as she quickly rea.s.sessed the situation. "You have a pack of werewolves protecting you while the sun is up?"

"Yes. We pay them well and they keep us safe."

"She looked so normal."

He arched his black eyebrows. "What did you expect? A lot of facial hair while they're in human form? Perhaps they wear collars or bark instead of using words?"

"No. I'm just...we suspected they might be real but you just confirmed it. And your voice changed when you spoke to her. I thought maybe...you know."

"She was once a lover?" He smiled. "She's just timid. We keep in mind not to move too fast or do anything to startle her. Chase is soft on her."

"He likes her but she has a mate? That sucks."

"He isn't attracted to her. She's weak in the pack and he's very protective of the half-breeds. Wolves are naturally aggressive, so he makes it known that anyone who causes them harm will answer to him. We tend to agree. Mora is gentle of heart and fiercely loyal to Chase."

"But not to you?"

"I'm not her alpha, but she respects us."

"Alpha? You mean Chase is a werewolf? You said his father was a vampire."

"He's both."

"Wow." She picked up her fork. "Okay. There's a lot I have to learn. I didn't even know vampires could have children."

"It's complicated. I'll explain it sometime."

"Do you have any kids?" She silently hoped not. That would mean there was a woman out there with a previous claim on him. She also was suddenly fearful of getting knocked up. "What about me? We didn't use protection."

"I have no children, and I can't get you pregnant."

She blew out a relieved breath and took another bite. "So what's next?"

Before Lethal could reply, the door was thrown open, striking the wall. Blaron stormed inside, gripping his sword. "We have uninvited guests. They are sneaking down the alley."

Lethal slid off the edge of the desk. "s.h.i.+t. They're attacking before dawn. That's brave."

Lacey rose to her feet. "My team?"

Blaron held her gaze. "At least twelve humans, and they are armed with a.s.sault rifles and crossbows."

She gripped the edge of the desk. "Jeff must have called in a few of the other teams."

Lethal growled, glaring at her. "What other teams?"

"We usually work in small groups of four or five people, but there are a few teams spread throughout the area. Sometimes we'll join forces if it's a big nest."

"You could have warned me."

"I told you not to come back to the club!"

"Argue later," Blaron demanded. "We didn't expect so many. We need to go to battle. This ends now. I refuse to be hunted."

"Don't leave this room," Lethal snarled at her. He bent near another desk and came up brandis.h.i.+ng a sword of his own.

"Are you both crazy? You need guns!" They wouldn't stand a chance against a hail of bullets.

The vampires left her in the office, slamming the door behind them without comment. The loud sound of sc.r.a.ping metal alerted her. She crossed the room and tested the door. The handle turned but it wouldn't open. It was solid, and no amount of tugging worked. She was locked in.

She slapped her palm on the hard surface. "d.a.m.n it!"

Lethal felt highly irritated. "Teams. Plural."

Blaron glanced at him as they climbed the stairs. "Your human said we weren't safe. She didn't lie."

"I thought maybe a handful of them would come."

Mora waited at the top of the stairs as they entered the main floor of the club. Lethal was furious when he saw her there, holding a gun, ready to defend them. She hadn't gotten out in time. Chase would be bad tempered as h.e.l.l if she got hurt. He paused long enough to give her orders.

"Go guard the office. Don't unlock it or enter. My la.s.s has a temper." The bas.e.m.e.nt would be the safest place for them both.

She nodded and fled, ducking under his arm as he held the door open.

Blaron grinned as he secured the door and locked it. "What position do you want to take?"

"Up." He pointed at the rafters. "They always a.s.sume we lurk in the dark. Let's not disappoint them."

"You really want them alive or were you just attempting to spare yourself a fight with your human?"

He sighed. "Some will die, but let's try to avoid it as much as possible."

Blaron leapt first, landing quietly above. He pulled a cell phone out of his kilt. "I'll tell the wolves."

Lethal crossed to the bar then joined his friend in the rafters. It was dark, the lights off. The humans wouldn't see them if any made it past the guards.

The distant sound of a grunt reached his ears. It had begun. His fangs elongated as he peered across the s.p.a.ce at Blaron.

"It's done. I told them to avoid kills if possible," the other vampire whispered. "They aren't happy."

"Nor am I."

The sight of Blaron's white teeth flas.h.i.+ng in a grin irritated him.

"What?"

"You're getting soft. Perhaps it's time to change your name to Lenient."

"f.u.c.k you," he hissed. "You're one to talk. Your Matty has two kittens. You used to call them the devil's sp.a.w.n."

"They're to keep her company while I'm at work." He shrugged. "They stopped hissing at me. Cute critters if they were minus the claws. They tore up the curtains. They make the la.s.s happy though, so I just bought new ones."