All Others (Vampire Assassin League Book 27) by Jackie Ivie

crypt. Sounded like it broke bones. But if the hit didn’t do it, the ax would. Cameron had been a runner. Tri-athlete. Track and field competitor. He didn’t hunt. He didn’t fish. He didn’t own a fireplace. He’d never used an ax. But, for some reason, none of that mattered now. He had one hell of an aim.
    The hatchet struck Lance’s shoulder, the blade embedded in the stone crypt’s side. Lance was pinned. Dangling. Kicking ineffectually. Cameron approached, watching the man’s limbs jerk while his face contorted into an ugly mask. And then Cam noticed something weird. And unbelievable. The sky behind Lance was altering, taking on the same appearance as before. The jagged slash appeared again. Grew wider. The opening looked just as black as before.
    And twice as frightening.
    The rush of energy and bloodlust that had seized him evaporated – just like that – leaving weakness in its wake. His body shook. His legs wavered. Cam sucked in short gasps of breath and started backing away, part of him wondering how to jumpstart into flight mode again, the other interested only with gaining distance. As rapidly as possible. He stumbled. Fell. Got back to his feet and resumed his steps. He didn’t want to be anywhere near when the opening did its consuming.
    “Where...are you... going? You’re not even going...to finish me off? What the hell?”
    Lance’s questions came in bursts of sound. Cam shook his head, turned, and started jogging. He didn’t look back. Not even when Lance screamed.
    ~~~
    “I didn’t do it right. I took too much blood!”
    “It’ll be fine, Tassanee. Trust me.”
    “Why is he not moving?”
    The plaintive cry stabbed his heart. Added impetus to his mobility. Cam reached the group within moments. He really needed to figure out this flight thing. It took another moment to take in the scene and assign meaning. Leonard’s face was ashen. The arrow was gone. The wound couldn’t be seen clearly, however. Not through all the blood. He was covered in it. The boy band picture on his t-shirt hidden beneath one big dark splotch. His head was in his fiancée’s lap. Tassanee was of Asian descent. Cam remembered that from their introduction. He hadn’t paid much attention to her. He’d registered she was tiny. Beautiful. Now, her face was lined with worry and her eyes awash with tears. Tessa was on her knees beside them.
    It didn’t take a doctorate to figure this out. Tassanee had obviously done exactly what Tessa had two nights previously. She’d changed her mate into a vampire. Cameron knelt beside Tessa.
    “Give it a little more time, Tassanee,” Tessa said.
    “You don’t understand what he means to me!”
    Her tear-streaked face could not have displayed more misery. Cam wanted to do something, anything to help, but Tessa was far better equipped in this situation. She placed her hand on the grieving woman’s shoulder.
    “Honey. Trust me. He’ll waken. It just looks dire. I know.”
    Cam reached for Tessa’s other hand. Interlocked his fingers with hers. Caught her glance. Had a difficult time pulling away from it.
    “Does he need more blood? I can give more.”
    “Doubtful. He got some from both of us. It’s not that. It’s—”
    Len gasped. His body jerked. And Tassanee’s cry of joy said everything. Cam’s eyes blurred. But this time there wasn’t a hint of pain.
    Tessa pulled him away. He didn’t balk. Somehow he realized the moment was pretty special. He’d leave it to them. Tessa seemed to be experiencing the same emotion. She had tears running down both cheeks. Cameron had never seen anything so beautiful. Beatific. Heartwarming.
    “Here.” She shoved a cell phone into his hand.
    “What’s this for?”
    “Somebody has to call the office. I...don’t want them to...hear me like this.”
    “Okay. What do I say when I reach them?”
    “We need another 4-D Team. A pick-up scheduled for Len and Tassanee.”
    “Can we hitch a ride back to our place, too?”
    “Our