Crowned by Fire by Nenia Campbell Page B

place. If anything, she could have been firmer. As a Council member, he knew better than to make a scene. Especially as a prince, which made him infinitely more recognizable. He wouldn't allow his passions sway him into breaking the First Rule. Why not? He's already tried to break the Second .
    And then an alarm began to sound.
    The witch?
    No—he was coming back from a smoothie place and looked as startled as she felt.
    Over the sound of the alarm, a calm, automated voice said, “Attention customers: proceed to the nearest exit in an orderly fashion.” There was a pause, and then, “Atención clientes: procede a la salida  más cerca de una manera ordenada.”
    The witch's face was grim. He pulled her aside, and dragged her behind the counter of one of the vacated food kiosks.
    Pretty soon the mall was empty, turned over chairs and dropped food signifying the abrupt departure. Well…maybe not quite empty. Besides her and the witch were three other people, dressed all in black, destroying the CCTV cameras.
    One male, two females. Catherine had never seen their kind before, at least not in person, but she knew what they were— vampires .
    “ Did you get them all?” the male demanded.
    “ Yes, Brother,” the two females lisped in unison.
    “ Now,” he murmured, “where did they go?”
    Catherine stood up. The witch cursed and tried to pull her back, but she dodged him easily. Vampires were predators. If they found her and the witch cowering like Prey, they would be treated like Prey—killed, and devoured on sight.
    At least this way, they had a fighting chance.
    “Well, well,” said the male. “So these are the children who have the Slayers in an uproar.” The two females tittered appreciatively. At their approval, he turned back to Catherine and the witch. “Allow me to introduce myself,” he said, with a mocking—and elaborate—bow. “My name is Alec.”
    The name meant nothing to Catherine. She was mesmerized by the easy grace of the vampires. These were the creatures of her very nightmares. They were the ultimate predators, the only creatures who could successfully hunt shape-shifters without the use of magic or weapons; when she gazed into their eyes, she was looking at her own death.
    She glanced at the witch. He was looking at the male vampire with an expression of hatred. She knew that look well; she had been on the receiving end of it more times than she cared to count. “I know who you are,” was all he said, but his tone made her shiver.
    Alec didn't blink. She couldn't tell if he was surprised or not. His expressions were very subtle, and easily missed. “I'm afraid you have the advantage, then.” He smiled, baring the tips of his fangs in an overtly threatening way. “You'll need it.”
    The females giggled again—high and sinister, like glass whistles. The sound of it hurt Catherine's ears. What was wrong with them? They acted simple, like children.
    Evil children. Children capable of rendering her limb from limb.
    Despite his reluctance to face the vampires, the witch was showing little fear now. He folded his arms and lifted his chin. “Who sent you?”
    “ Not many Others wander into our hunting grounds,” Alec said, “And we've never seen a witch and a shifter traveling together before. Even you must admit how…odd that is. We were simply curious as to what your intentions were. It's only natural that we would take an interest.”
    “ We love shape-shifters,” one of the females said.
    “ To death sometimes,” the other added.
    That explains the lack of Others in the mall.
    She took a step back and after exchanging a glance, the two females swayed closer, giggling like schoolgirls. “She has such a pretty face,” said the dark-haired one. The light in her eyes was not quite sane. “I could just eat it.”
    “ I don't know,” said the blonde doubtfully. “She looks rather stringy.”
    “ But you love the thighs,” the first female purred. “And her breast looks so