the vampire before it decided to get up and continue fighting.
Gruesome deed done, he threw the dagger down and crossed the room in two strides to pluck the terrified kitten from beneath the coffee table. It went crazy at once, hissing and clawing and fighting like a hellcat.
“Hush,” Killian commanded, holding it at eye level, well away from his face. “You’re coming with us, so behave.”
He turned to the bedroom to yell for Aubrey, but she was already running toward him, shoving clothes into a black bag as she circled wide around the carnage littering her living room floor. Killian grabbed her arm and dragged her toward the front door. He sensed only humans near, but he wasn’t exactly counting on his Talent anymore.
He hadn’t sensed the vampire until the thing was on top of them.
Killian pushed Aubrey out into the hall and slid the lock home before snapping the key off inside to temporarily bar anyone from entering. Aubrey’s neighbors would be safe until he and his brothers could remove the vampire inside.
Zee clawed at his chest, trying to get to Aubrey as they hurried down the hallway.
Killian cursed and plucked the bag from her arms before depositing the hellcat in its place.
“Zee!” she cried, hugging the terrified animal to her chest.
The kitten calmed almost instantly, burrowing into her arms and mewling into her neck.
“Stairs?” Killian demanded, gritting his teeth against the pain in his hand. The injury wasn’t severe, but it wasn’t exactly comfortable, either. Silver burned like a bitch. The wound felt as though someone had poured sulfuric acid into it.
Aubrey pointed to her door. “What about the—? We can’t leave him there!”
“I broke the key off in the door so no one can get in, but we’ve got to get out. Before something else shows up.” He didn’t add that it probably would anyway. Whatever doubts he’d had about whether the infected were truly after Aubrey were gone now. The girl was in one hell of a mess. No need to frighten her any more than absolutely necessary, though. Not right now.
She hesitated for a moment and then nodded and darted down the hallway.
Killian sighed in silent thanks that she didn’t argue and raced after her. He prayed they’d make it out before something else really did show up. He was out of weapons since he’d had to leave his bloody knives behind, and if he had to go hand-to-hand right now, only Heaven knew what would happen.
He didn’t intend to stick around to find out.
That’d been too close as it was.
Aubrey started for the elevator.
“Stairs,” he said, unwilling to stand around and wait for the elevator to arrive.
Aubrey darted toward the opposite side of the hall and jerked the door to the stairwell open so hard it slammed into the wall. He caught it with his foot before the force of the swing could slam it shut. Aubrey hurried through, grabbing his wrist as she went.
As one, they pounded down the stairs. She tripped and skidded along but didn’t stop.
They burst through the door into the lobby within minutes and slowed to a fast walk. The night doorman poked his head out of the little booth. Spotting Aubrey, he stepped out.
Killian cursed under his breath but slowed as they neared him.
“Everything okay?” he asked her, taking in Killian’s shirtless state and the dark, wet stains on his jeans. The guard gaped as his gaze flickered between the blood dripping from Killian’s hand and the splatters across Aubrey’s T-shirt.
Killian frowned at him, daring him to say anything. He was not in the mood for nosy humans.
“Yes, but my friend cut himself,” Aubrey lied, her voice almost steady. “I’m taking him to get clean clothes and then to the doctor. I’m not sure when I’ll be back. Please tell Larry I decided to take Zee with me.”
“Of course.” The man turned to her, eyes wide as Killian continued to glare at him.
“I’ll see you soon, John.”
John nodded and backed into the guard
Gruesome deed done, he threw the dagger down and crossed the room in two strides to pluck the terrified kitten from beneath the coffee table. It went crazy at once, hissing and clawing and fighting like a hellcat.
“Hush,” Killian commanded, holding it at eye level, well away from his face. “You’re coming with us, so behave.”
He turned to the bedroom to yell for Aubrey, but she was already running toward him, shoving clothes into a black bag as she circled wide around the carnage littering her living room floor. Killian grabbed her arm and dragged her toward the front door. He sensed only humans near, but he wasn’t exactly counting on his Talent anymore.
He hadn’t sensed the vampire until the thing was on top of them.
Killian pushed Aubrey out into the hall and slid the lock home before snapping the key off inside to temporarily bar anyone from entering. Aubrey’s neighbors would be safe until he and his brothers could remove the vampire inside.
Zee clawed at his chest, trying to get to Aubrey as they hurried down the hallway.
Killian cursed and plucked the bag from her arms before depositing the hellcat in its place.
“Zee!” she cried, hugging the terrified animal to her chest.
The kitten calmed almost instantly, burrowing into her arms and mewling into her neck.
“Stairs?” Killian demanded, gritting his teeth against the pain in his hand. The injury wasn’t severe, but it wasn’t exactly comfortable, either. Silver burned like a bitch. The wound felt as though someone had poured sulfuric acid into it.
Aubrey pointed to her door. “What about the—? We can’t leave him there!”
“I broke the key off in the door so no one can get in, but we’ve got to get out. Before something else shows up.” He didn’t add that it probably would anyway. Whatever doubts he’d had about whether the infected were truly after Aubrey were gone now. The girl was in one hell of a mess. No need to frighten her any more than absolutely necessary, though. Not right now.
She hesitated for a moment and then nodded and darted down the hallway.
Killian sighed in silent thanks that she didn’t argue and raced after her. He prayed they’d make it out before something else really did show up. He was out of weapons since he’d had to leave his bloody knives behind, and if he had to go hand-to-hand right now, only Heaven knew what would happen.
He didn’t intend to stick around to find out.
That’d been too close as it was.
Aubrey started for the elevator.
“Stairs,” he said, unwilling to stand around and wait for the elevator to arrive.
Aubrey darted toward the opposite side of the hall and jerked the door to the stairwell open so hard it slammed into the wall. He caught it with his foot before the force of the swing could slam it shut. Aubrey hurried through, grabbing his wrist as she went.
As one, they pounded down the stairs. She tripped and skidded along but didn’t stop.
They burst through the door into the lobby within minutes and slowed to a fast walk. The night doorman poked his head out of the little booth. Spotting Aubrey, he stepped out.
Killian cursed under his breath but slowed as they neared him.
“Everything okay?” he asked her, taking in Killian’s shirtless state and the dark, wet stains on his jeans. The guard gaped as his gaze flickered between the blood dripping from Killian’s hand and the splatters across Aubrey’s T-shirt.
Killian frowned at him, daring him to say anything. He was not in the mood for nosy humans.
“Yes, but my friend cut himself,” Aubrey lied, her voice almost steady. “I’m taking him to get clean clothes and then to the doctor. I’m not sure when I’ll be back. Please tell Larry I decided to take Zee with me.”
“Of course.” The man turned to her, eyes wide as Killian continued to glare at him.
“I’ll see you soon, John.”
John nodded and backed into the guard
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