spirit, wandering out into the darkness. I drew strength from it, energy from it, like most creatures draw from the sun.
I stopped dead. OK, so maybe tonight was different. I’d always loved the night, but I’d never gone all esoteric about it. Sending my essence out? What the heck was that all about?
So, I did what any sane person would do. I did it again. I let my senses go rushing out through the darkness and I felt them, the lives, spirits, along the waterfront. A man, human, trying to sleep curled on a park bench. Three boys were smoking pot and talking smack over by the giant anchor. Two were human, but the other … He was something else, something other. Not evil, not vampire, just trying to be normal, human.
Further down there were two more, a man and a woman. I frowned. The human was a bright fire, hazed by overwhelming lust. She wanted sex and she wanted it now. The man was dim and overwhelmed by … hunger. I felt it burning in my veins as that slow, throbbing ache I knew so well began to build at the base of my skull. Hunger to rip and tear and drink. Hunger for flesh and blood.
My senses snapped back into my body and suddenly I was running, drawing in the energy of the night to carry my feet faster and faster along the sidewalk. The river flashed by. The old man asleep on the bench didn’t even stir. The boys started, the one stiffening in fear. I could feel them relax as I flashed by, the non-human one letting out a sigh of relief. And finally the couple locked in a passionate and hungry embrace.
I grabbed her with my left hand, wrenching her away from him with more strength than I knew I had while catching the vampire by the arm with my right. She tumbled to the ground with a cry. Through vision gone strangely hazy I saw her throat unblemished. Good, I’d gotten to her in time.
She gazed up at me with eyes full of terror. “Go,” I snapped. Then I turned to the vampire, ignoring her while she scrambled to her feet and ran.
It was the blond vamp who’d attacked me at the restaurant. I recognized him instantly. My lips drew back in a feral grin. He snarled back, flashing fang.
With a flick of the wrist, I unleashed my left blade from its bracelet and plunged it into the vampire’s chest. Unfortunately, I wasn’t quite as good with my left hand as with my right, and with the awkward angle, I missed his heart.
Adding to my misfortune, whatever weirdness had let me cross eight blocks worth of space in less than a minute had now deserted me. The shadows receded and the night was just the night again. I was just me. And the vamp was a hell of a lot stronger.
With a scream of rage, he wrenched the blade out of his chest and sent me flying across the park to land with a jarring thud next to the ship’s anchor which stood in the middle of the park. Fortunately, I landed on the grass instead of the monument itself, but it still hurt like hell.
The boys gaped at me for a minute then scattered into the night, the non-human one pausing for just a moment before following his friends. Smart boys.
I staggered to my feet pretty sure nothing was broken, just badly banged up. He was much, much stronger than I’d expected. I pulled my sword from the sheath across my back. It was made of ultra-light steel and edged in silver. It went through a vampire with hardly a hint of resistance. I was so not messing around with this guy.
His eyes flashed red in the darkness and he tossed his blond hair back with a laugh. “Stupid Hunter,” he jeered. “You think your little knife can hurt me? You are pathetic!”
“Oh, come on,” I goaded him. “I don’t know why you vampires always insist on taunting Hunters. I mean, for gods’ sake, it’s like bad B movie dialogue. Bram Stoker would have been so embarrassed.”
He hissed angrily. “Fine. Why don’t I just kill you then?” He stalked toward me. His eyes were very definitely red. Vampire should have been a bit colorless, like all the color they had in life
I stopped dead. OK, so maybe tonight was different. I’d always loved the night, but I’d never gone all esoteric about it. Sending my essence out? What the heck was that all about?
So, I did what any sane person would do. I did it again. I let my senses go rushing out through the darkness and I felt them, the lives, spirits, along the waterfront. A man, human, trying to sleep curled on a park bench. Three boys were smoking pot and talking smack over by the giant anchor. Two were human, but the other … He was something else, something other. Not evil, not vampire, just trying to be normal, human.
Further down there were two more, a man and a woman. I frowned. The human was a bright fire, hazed by overwhelming lust. She wanted sex and she wanted it now. The man was dim and overwhelmed by … hunger. I felt it burning in my veins as that slow, throbbing ache I knew so well began to build at the base of my skull. Hunger to rip and tear and drink. Hunger for flesh and blood.
My senses snapped back into my body and suddenly I was running, drawing in the energy of the night to carry my feet faster and faster along the sidewalk. The river flashed by. The old man asleep on the bench didn’t even stir. The boys started, the one stiffening in fear. I could feel them relax as I flashed by, the non-human one letting out a sigh of relief. And finally the couple locked in a passionate and hungry embrace.
I grabbed her with my left hand, wrenching her away from him with more strength than I knew I had while catching the vampire by the arm with my right. She tumbled to the ground with a cry. Through vision gone strangely hazy I saw her throat unblemished. Good, I’d gotten to her in time.
She gazed up at me with eyes full of terror. “Go,” I snapped. Then I turned to the vampire, ignoring her while she scrambled to her feet and ran.
It was the blond vamp who’d attacked me at the restaurant. I recognized him instantly. My lips drew back in a feral grin. He snarled back, flashing fang.
With a flick of the wrist, I unleashed my left blade from its bracelet and plunged it into the vampire’s chest. Unfortunately, I wasn’t quite as good with my left hand as with my right, and with the awkward angle, I missed his heart.
Adding to my misfortune, whatever weirdness had let me cross eight blocks worth of space in less than a minute had now deserted me. The shadows receded and the night was just the night again. I was just me. And the vamp was a hell of a lot stronger.
With a scream of rage, he wrenched the blade out of his chest and sent me flying across the park to land with a jarring thud next to the ship’s anchor which stood in the middle of the park. Fortunately, I landed on the grass instead of the monument itself, but it still hurt like hell.
The boys gaped at me for a minute then scattered into the night, the non-human one pausing for just a moment before following his friends. Smart boys.
I staggered to my feet pretty sure nothing was broken, just badly banged up. He was much, much stronger than I’d expected. I pulled my sword from the sheath across my back. It was made of ultra-light steel and edged in silver. It went through a vampire with hardly a hint of resistance. I was so not messing around with this guy.
His eyes flashed red in the darkness and he tossed his blond hair back with a laugh. “Stupid Hunter,” he jeered. “You think your little knife can hurt me? You are pathetic!”
“Oh, come on,” I goaded him. “I don’t know why you vampires always insist on taunting Hunters. I mean, for gods’ sake, it’s like bad B movie dialogue. Bram Stoker would have been so embarrassed.”
He hissed angrily. “Fine. Why don’t I just kill you then?” He stalked toward me. His eyes were very definitely red. Vampire should have been a bit colorless, like all the color they had in life
Similar Books
