Blood on Silk by Marie Treanor

though she couldn’t quite avoid his reach, she did manage to slash at it with her stake, viciously enough to draw blood.
    “Go to hell,” she snarled. The vampire hissed, presumably with pain—which was interesting because she hadn’t known if they felt pain or not—but still dragged her closer by her hair. Elizabeth thrust wildly with her stake, jabbing his ribs, his shoulder. Chiefly, she was conscious of Mihaela hanging by the throat in the vampire’s hand, unable even to cry out.
    Zoltán grunted at every blow, but his lips drew back from his teeth to reveal the long, pointed canines that were becoming only too familiar to her. His eyes gleamed in triumph, and she knew she needed more space to get some real strength behind her thrusts. Resorting to more natural tactics, Elizabeth kicked at his shins, then brought her knee up between his legs.
    What effect this would have had on its own, she never found out, for István seemed to materialize at Zoltán’s back. Though she couldn’t see it, she knew he held a stake against him, pointing at the region over his heart. The vampire’s body went rigid.
    From her left, Konrad said, “Let them go,” and a long, pointed piece of wood slid in beside her body to cover Zoltán’s chest.
    Mihaela slumped to the ground, choking. Released, Elizabeth ran to her. “I’m all right,” she whispered. “Watch him. . . .”
    Of course, they wouldn’t kill Zoltán. They’d explained that to her. But Zoltán had no such scruples. However, apart from dropping his victims, Zoltán hadn’t moved, and neither had they.
    “Hunters,” the vampire growled. He sniffed the air around Konrad, reminding Elizabeth unbearably of Saloman’s behavior on their first encounter. Zoltán laughed.
    Konrad drew back. The vampire lifted his arms, and István stepped back too. Zoltán’s muscles flexed, and a warning struggled from Elizabeth’s dry throat.
    Zoltán jumped. He seemed to fly upward, and then his shadow disappeared over the rooftops. As Elizabeth brought her stunned gaze back down, she imagined she saw another shadow move from the corner of her eye, but when she jerked her head back up, everything was still.

Chapter Six

    “ Y ou can’t stay here on your own,” Konrad said adamantly. They were all gathered in Elizabeth’s hotel bedroom. Mihaela was sitting on the bed, drinking bottled water. In between sips, Elizabeth rubbed arnica cream into her bruised throat. “Not since we failed to kill Saloman. Hell, we didn’t even entice him!”
    “Maybe he knew who you were,” Elizabeth suggested, dropping the arnica back into her handbag and sinking onto the bed beside Mihaela to watch Konrad pacing the room like a caged tiger.
    “How?” he snapped back. “He’s been awake precisely three days. He knows of our existence, but not who we are—surely!”
    “I never expected Zoltán to go back on his word so quickly either,” István said. “But at least he knows now she’s double protected—by Saloman and us—and should stay away. The other vampires won’t risk attacking her, will they?”
    Konrad stopped pacing to push his hand through his short blond hair. “I don’t know. By his action tonight, Zoltán might just have made her fair game again.”
    “Will it end the alliance between him and Saloman?” Elizabeth asked.
    “I don’t know that either. I suppose it depends how much Saloman needs him. What I do know is that you’re not as safe as I’d hoped you’d be right now.”
    “I’m perfectly safe,” Elizabeth argued, although her hands still shook. “None of them knows where I am. You checked yourself for vampires following us.”
    “Well . . .” His worried glance slid between the two women. “What if Mihaela stays here with you? Just to be on the safe side.”
    “Don’t be ridiculous,” Elizabeth objected. “Mihaela needs rest—and a doctor!”
    “I’m fine,” Mihaela croaked.
    “See?” Elizabeth waved one indignant hand.
    Konrad’s gaze