Up in Flames by Alice Brown

flames, we take everyone else to my house. We are hitting them with everything we’ve got, because the son-of-a-bitch isn’t walking out of there alive. That’s it! He has crossed the wrong line by threatening my mate!”
    It took less than five minutes to make sure no other bodies had any life signs remaining and to douse the place heavily with gasoline, and a few well-placed sticks of dynamite. Then a couple of matches got tossed in, and everyone took off at vampire speed to get as far away from the building as they could. An explosion was heard just a moment later, leaving nothing of the original business recognizable.
    The team never looked back; they were on a new mission now. Three women’s lives were hanging in the balance. They gathered a few blocks away from Walter’s house, and sent Donte up on the roof for Intel. Donte jumped down to the ground a few moments later, reporting there were three of the rogue vampires outside, two of whom were attacking Kade, and one was left watching. He couldn’t get a read on the number of vamps inside.
    The team waited until it was totally dark outside before attacking. They knew Eddie would be expecting them, so they had no time to waste. It was a get-in, retrieve hostages, get-out situation. They had called up everyone they could, including others from different shifts, to come help. They wanted an all-out assault. Walter was assuming the security guard had probably told Eddie their numbers already. But he was also going on the assumption Eddie would not expect Walter to pull from other shifts, even a few from other units who owed him favors.
    At ten-fifteen, they struck. The three punks that had been left outside were taken down efficiently and silently, and they had been able to get Kade out of harm’s way. He was injured, but nothing that some fresh blood and a good rest wouldn’t cure.
    Next they threw several smoke bombs through the windows of the house, jumping in right behind them. The women were all tied up and gagged, and in just a passing glance, Lucas had spotted a few bruises and cuts, but nothing serious. As much as he wanted to, he couldn’t take the time to check on them at the moment. Eddie and his men had been ready in the house, and it was the 9mm aimed at a few of the women that had him worried. A gunshot usually wasn’t deadly to a vampire, unless it was a headshot; and Meredith, Sissy, and the deceased guard’s wife, Susan, all had guns pointed at them. Betty was the only one not being held at gun point.
    “Well, well. If it isn’t Walter Andrews, the famous Ranger. What took you so long? Did you get lost and forget where your house was? Or has it taken you this long to work up the courage to confront us, knowing we outnumber you?” And it was true. Eddie had fourteen of his men packed into Walter’s formal living room. Or what had been Walter’s formal living room. He was betting his last dollar Sissy wouldn’t spend another night in the house after tonight. And he really couldn’t blame her.
    Walter knew it would be a disaster to show his hand too soon, so he played along with Eddie’s little game. “Yeah, well, was trying to gather as many men as I could,” he muttered as he lightly shifted from one foot to the other.
    He raised his hands in front of him as if he were going to surrender when all hell broke loose.
    Vampires sailed into the broken-out windows and burst through the doors, loaded down with AK-47s, with 9mms strapped to their chests in shoulder holsters, and AA-12 shotguns. Eddie and his men never anticipated half the team had been left outside, just waiting for a signal from Walter or Lucas. Caught by the surprise attack, four of Eddie’s goons were shot down immediately and subdued with a wooden stake in their chest, while the original team of five went after the rest. Lucas concentrated on Eddie. His coworkers could and would take care of the rest of them, and if one managed to get away, he would be hunted down like a