Page 10 of Bound by Vengeance
Taking a deep breath, she strove to controlthe adrenaline rushing through her as Nathan entered the stairwell.She was so close to possibly ending this with Duke, but concernover Nathan’s safety almost made her grab him and run back to hisapartment with him. However, they wouldn’t be safe in this buildingfor much longer. She stayed close to Nathan while they descended tothe first floor without encountering any Savages.
Nathan crept to the end of the hall andstopped outside the metal door leading to the basement. Sniffingthe air, he detected Vicky’s sweet scent mingling with thedisgusting human aromas. When he glanced back at Vicky, her eyeswere wide, but she looked resolved for battle.
He hesitated, not wanting to put her in thissituation. He didn’t have much choice though; there were many hecould call, but he doubted any of them would arrive before theSavages set fire to this place, flooded it with carbon monoxide, orcame up with some other way to force the two of them outside.
“You ready?” he asked.
“Yes.”
Slinging the rifle over his shoulder, hegripped the knob and twisted it slowly to keep it from making anynoise. When he first established a base here, he made sure toexplore as much of it as he could. He’d memorized the layout of thebasement.
He pulled the door open and stepped to theside in case one of the Savages rushed out at him. When none ofthem ran into the hallway, he poked his head around the doorway totake in the wooden steps leading into the bowels of the oldbasement. Either someone had forgotten to turn off the light at thebottom of the stairwell, or the Savages were already below andturned it on when they entered through the other door.
Vicky almost drew Nathan back to tell himshe should go first, she was immortal after all, but he had moreexperience in these situations than she did. Her immortality didn’tguarantee her life, and she sensed alotof power in thishunter.
Still, it took all she had not to stop himfrom descending ahead of her. He stayed on the edge of the steps,keeping his back to the wall, and she did the same. If the Savageswere already in the basement, they could have heard the dooropening, but if they weren’t, then the two of them might get thedrop on the creatures.
Stopping at the bottom of the stairs, Nathanlistened for anything approaching. He could see a piece of theconcrete basement floor that had accumulated a thick layer of grimeover the years. The acrid stench of the oil furnace mingled withthe potent aroma of mildew and mold. All those smells should keepVicky’s scent dulled down at least enough that Duke couldn’tpinpoint her location in the building.
From across the room, a door creaked, and asubtle step hit the dirt. Nathan counted ten beats of his heartbefore another footstep sounded, then another, as more Savagescrept cautiously into the room.
He hadn’t expected their caution; he’dexpected them to be emboldened by their numbers, but he and Vickyalready killed three of them. The Savages probably expected to win,but none of them wanted to die to achieve that victory.
CHAPTER 5
Vicky touched his arm, drawing his attentionto her. His skin heated beneath her fingers as little currents ofpower ran from her to him and back again.
“Duke is mine,”she mouthed tohim.
“If it’s possible,”he agreed.
She hesitated before reluctantly removingher hand from his arm. The break in contact opened an acute senseof loss within her.What happens if he gets killed tonightbecause of me?
Vicky recoiled at the thought and shut itdown. She’d never get through this if she focused on thewhat-ifs.
The Savages were halfway into the basementnow, and it sounded as if all of them had entered. Nathan countedhis breaths as he waited for them to get closer before he startedshooting.
Then, one of them turned the corner, andNathan opened fire.
Unprepared for Nathan to be there, or for agun, the Savage didn’t get out of the way, and the first bulletstruck him in the heart. As the Savage fell back, Nathan continuedshooting, taking out at least three more of them. Squeals filledthe air as he wounded three more before the gun emptied and hetossed it aside.
Stepping out from behind him, Vicky heftedthe hatchet, took aim, and let it fly. It struck the one chargingat Nathan in the center of his forehead. The Savage screeched, itshands flying to its head as blood streaked down its face.
Vicky covered the four feet separating themin less than a second, sank her stake into the Savage’s heart, andtore the hatchet free before he crumpled to the ground. Theremaining six Savages exchanged wary glances as they groupedcloser.
Nathan moved to keep Vicky within arm’sreach as the remaining Savages edged toward the door where theyentered. Lifting his crossbow, he aimed it at one of the Savageswho ducked to the side. Anticipating the action, Nathan had alreadyturned his weapon toward the vamp standing beside the one whododged. He released the bolt, striking the vamp centimeters off itsheart.
Vicky darted forward before the Savage couldcompletely recover and swung the blade of her hatchet across thevamp’s neck. A gurgled cry emanated from it as it stumbled back,its hands flying to its torn throat. When another Savage lunged ather, she spun to the side in a graceful maneuver that left the vampgrasping air and Nathan admiring her even as he contemplatedthrottling her for moving so far away from him.
Nathan ran at the Savage still trying torecover from its slit throat. When he drove his fist into thevamp’s cheek, molars broke free to rattle against its back teeth.Planting his feet, Nathan slammed his fist into the creature’schest when it leapt at him. Bone cracked and gave way until Nathanfelt the vamp’s heart pulsing against his hand.
Tearing into the chest of a Savage wassomething he never could have done before reaching maturity. Afterthat occurred, his strength, speed, hearing, vision, and smellbecame better, and his rate of aging decelerated.
Because his bloodline was the most powerfulamongst the hunters, he’d always been stronger than most hunters.That increased last year when, on March fourth, he turnedtwenty-three, and realized he’d come fully into his abilities.
Enclosing his hand around the Savage’sheart, Nathan tore it from the creature’s chest and tossed itaside. Four more to go, and those four were all rushing toward theback door.
Vicky let the hatchet fly again. It whippedthrough the air, spinning end over end before burying itself inDuke’s back. His arms flew out from his sides; he shouted as hisbody lurched forward. Dirt billowed around him when he face-plantedonto the basement floor.
