Page 90 of Bound by Vengeance
Maybe, if they’d been ordinary Savages, theycould take them, but these things had no reason and no survivalinstinct, as he watched one charge head-on into the stake Loganheld out. Starved to madness, nothing would stop these vampiresfrom feeding.
“Vicky!” he shouted.
The swarm parted enough to reveal her withBrian, Abby, and Duncan. Firing their crossbows and guns, Asher andLogan fell in beside him as still more Savages filled the tunnel.Breaking away from his friends, Nathan ran toward Vicky as one ofthe creatures wrapped its hand around her forearm. The rightuppercut she unleashed knocked the Savage’s head back.
With the monster’s throat exposed, Vickylunged forward and sank her fangs into the neck of a beast that wasonce an ordinary woman. The blood filling her mouth tasted and feltlike sludge as it slid down her throat. Rearing back, she rippedthe woman’s jugular out.
She’d done some revolting things in herlife, but this ranked up there with Duke. She spat out the flesh,but the rancid stench of the woman lingered in her nostrils even asthe strength of the woman’s blood coursed through her. Adjustingher stake, Vicky plunged it into the Savage’s heart before tearingit out and kicking the woman away.
She’d prefer not to do that again, but shewould if necessary. Using the back of her arm, she wiped the bloodaway from her mouth as Nathan arrived at her side. She glanced athim, expecting to see revulsion over what she’d done, but there wasnone as he grasped her arm and pulled her closer to him.
“What is wrong with these things?” Abbydemanded as she kicked out the leg of a Savage running at her.Brian swung his fist into the vamp’s chest, tore its heart free,and tossed it aside.
Duncan bent down and gripped the legs ofanother Savage. The vamp squealed as Duncan lifted it off theground and battered it against the tunnel wall. Bones shatteredwith a crack, and the vampire’s shrieks ended.
“Why are they so mindless?” Abby panted. “Ithought Savages were smart, or at least controlled.”
“They are,” Brian replied.
“They were given enough blood to make itthrough the transition, but they’ve been starved since turning,”Vicky said. “They won’t have any reason again until they’ve gluttedthemselves on blood and death.”
The sadness in Vicky’s eyes tore at Nathanwhen she uttered her next words. “I’ve been there. I understandthat hunger, but they’re farther gone than I was.”
“I’m getting you out of here,” Nathan vowedas they were pushed further back by more of the creatures.
“I know some of these people,” Duncangrunted as he snapped the leg of a Savage trying to tear the fleshfrom his arms. “They’re part of the last group we were going tosee.”
“Josephwasbuilding another army,and he was using these people to do it,” Vicky said.
“Joseph’s here,” Nathan growled. “Heturned them loose on us.”
Vicky hadn’t been afraid of the Savages, butcold terror filled her when a steely glint came into Nathan’s eyes.She clasped his arm to keep him from plunging into the horde. Itwould be suicide to try fighting through that.
When his gaze swung back to her, theprotests she’d been about to utter died on her tongue.Straightening her shoulders, she readied herself for a biggerbattle. She would not let him do this alone.
“I’m coming with you,” she said.
Nathan glanced at Vicky and the Savagesblocking their way. Alone, he’d attempt to carve his way throughthem, but he wouldn’t take Vicky with him. His need to get revengeon Joseph had fueled him for months, but now he realized that hislove for her had become stronger. He didn’t know when it happened,but she had become the most important thing to him.
If something happened to her, it would pushhim into a pit of despair.
“Joseph’s not here!” Brian shouted.
A Savage leapt onto his shoulders andperched there like a gargoyle. Asher shot a bolt through thecreature’s heart. It toppled forward and spasmed on the groundbefore going still.
“I’d sense Joseph if he were here,” Briansaid. “This isn’t a big enough crowd to keep him hidden fromme.”
“Fall back!” Nathan yelled.
Vicky cried out when a Savage seized herhair. A bellow erupted from Nathan before he realized he was goingto shout. Grabbing the Savage’s wrist, he battered it against thewall and pulverizing bone until the monster released her.
Lifting the Savage over his head, Nathanbrought it down across his knee, nearly breaking the vamp in two.He didn’t know where he found the strength to do such a thing, andhe didn’t question it if it kept Vicky safe.
Another Savage leapt at him but changed itscourse in midair to go for Vicky. She ducked and swung her stakeinto the creature’s belly as Nathan gripped the back of the vamp’shead and shoved its face into the wall.
The shrieks of the other human whoaccidentally stumbled into this abruptly silenced, and the excitedchatter of the Savages filled the air as they tore into the manwith the frenzy of piranhas scenting blood in the water.
When more Savages emerged from the shadows,Nathan knew he didn’t have time to turn and face them. He slammedhis hands against the wall, planting them on either side of Vicky’shead as the Savages crashed into his back, shoving him intoher.
