Wednesday, November 7, 2012

There's a Fine Line: Chapter 12 Snippet


The bad guys never let the good guys have sexah night club fun, do they? This snippet is calm but the chapter is not. As the old maps used to say: here be monsters!

xxxxxx
There's a Fine Line...
Chapter 12


“I’ve been looking for you, Mr. Mathewson.” Blake glanced over at his mate, noting her pallor. A silent message was sent to his Child for him to fetch the others. He was assured that Augustin would bring the two even if he had to throw a pail of freezing water on them to pull them apart.

“So I’ve heard, My Lord,” the captured vampire sneered. He’d been twisting and pulling against his metal and steel bands and felt them begin to crack. “It must be quite the blow to your impressive ego to not have everyone falling over themselves to serve you.”

“You were issued a summons by an active Investigator of the Primus. You are required to attend or suffer the consequences.” A motion at the edge of his periphery confirmed that his Child had been successful in rounding up the amorous pair. “By the authority granted to me by Hauhet of Saqqara, Leader of the Primus Concilium, I take you, Angus Mathewson, into custody for questioning and sentencing. Will you come quietly?”

“You’re a fool, Simons.”

With an alarming crack, the vampire finally broke through his unusual restraints and leapt for Blake. They came together with a thud, momentum sending them crashing into a nearby table which splintered beneath their combined weight. Angus was slightly older with more physical bulk, but Blake had spent centuries perfecting both offensive and defensive fighting techniques. He shifted his weight and rolled so that he was on top of the aggressive vampire.

“You’re only making things worse for yourself, Mathewson. Attacking a Primary Investigator during the course of executing his mission is a punishable offense.”

“Fuck you.”

“How eloquent.” In a move too fast to be seen by all but the eldest vampires, Blake grabbed two jagged pieces of the broken table and speared Mathewson through each hand – pinning him to the floor. The vampire’s screams were swallowed by the thumping music and yelling partiers. “Now, I ask you again. Will you yield?”

“Go to hell,” the bleeding vampire spat. “Malphas will have your bitch soon enough and then you’ll know what it’s like.”

“Don’t take that prediction to Vegas.”

Blake rolled Angus to his stomach, ignoring the vampire’s renewed screams when the makeshift stakes were wrenched from the floor, and placed a knee in the small of his back to hold him in place. He took a rope from August and wrestled his captive’s hands behind his back. Using his expertise in Shibari, Blake efficiently bound Angus’ hands from wrist to elbow in a series of close knots. The rope’s narrow diameter was deceptive. A gift from Lysavar, it contained several enchantments that improved its strength and grip.

“Armentage, if you would, help August escort our new…friend…to my vehicle. He knows where to drop off the trash.” Blake rose and moved over to his mate. His fingers lightly touched the healing wounds and fading bruises on her throat. “Alicia? Where all did he hurt you?”

“Just there, my vampire.” She winced at the pain in her raw throat. Blake leaned down and brushed his lips and then his tongue over each of the pinpricks to aid in their healing. With a low groan, he pulled her into his arms and held her tight against his chest.

“I died a little inside, Beautiful One, when I saw you in that creature’s grasp.”

“I’m sorry, Blake,” Alicia trembled against him, the shock and adrenaline wearing off to leave her shaken and scared. “I shouldn’t have come here. We should have stayed at home and…”

“Shhh.” Kissing the top of her head, he loosened his embrace enough to rub her back in soothing circles. “Don’t let him ruin this day for you. Remember the fun you were having before. I’ve never seen such joy in your eyes. Well, at least not while you were fully dressed.” Her shaky laugh was his reward and he kissed her head again.


“Can we go home?”

“Definitely. August knows where to take Mathewson.” Blake glanced over at his friend’s newling. “di Luca, will you drive us?”

“Certainly, Mr. Simons.”

Blake climbed into the back and cradled Alicia close to his side while Francisco maneuvered his small sedan though the spotty traffic. The vampire was worried about his mate; she was drifting in and out of consciousness as if exhausted. He’d never seen her attempt to use her abilities in such a way and was concerned that she’d overtaxed herself. Meanwhile, Alicia was thinking of the side of her mate she’d witnessed that night. He’d been brutal, ruthless, almost cold but then he’d touched her with such tenderness. Her vicious vampire teddy bear. She scooted closer until she wriggled onto his lap then nuzzled at his neck.

“I love you, Sir.”

“Alicia.” Blake breathed her name like a prayer as he tightened his arms around his precious female. Her even breathing alerted him that she’d succumbed to her exhaustion before he could reply. Burying his face in her feathered-streaked hair, he allowed his joyful tears to fall. He’d suspected her heart had finally given in to the pull of the mating bond but it felt like heaven to hear her admit it. Though she slept, he whispered into her hair, “I love, cherish, and adore you, my beautiful angel.”

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