Chapter 14

Marcus let out a huge roar, his sword singing as he swung it once more. All around him, the stink of vampire pyres let off a heavy heat, bringing a sheen of sweat to his skin. His hair was plastered to his head and he bled from many wounds on his body.

He was tiring, something he'd once thought an impossibility. It seemed that he killed them and another ten took their place. Staring at the leather clad night walkers, he narrowed his eyes. "What, does Dorian have some kind of machine popping you assholes out? When did he have the chance to turn all you dickweeds?

He wasn't answered. A heavy growl of blood lust filled the room as Marcus was rushed once more. He killed two, garnering himself more bloody wounds. Loss of blood was starting to affect his strength and for the first time in centuries, he contemplated not coming out of this one alive.

"Dorian will be please."

Marcus looked up, hearing the soft English accent spoken in such dignified tones. He narrowed his eyes at the man dressed in Dorian's uniform of black and red. "I know you," he said before turning and decapitating a vampire trying to sneak up on him. "Who..."

"Aidan Kent," the man said. "I'd shake your hand and offer you some refreshments but you seem a bit busy at the moment." He chuckled at his own joke, moving further into the room.

"You're the guy that Callie was supposed to marry."

"Not supposed to, will marry." Aidan crossed his arms over his chest, watching in amusement as four vamps attacked him at once. "You look like you're tiring. You almost didn't get your sword up in time for that last one."

"I don't need a play by play from some British asshole. Why don't you go bow and scrape before Dorian and then drop your drawers so he can bugger you right." Marcus killed another two, seeing the door open behind Aidan and breathing a huge sigh.

"Dorian doesn't own me," Aidan growled. "He's my partner, not my boss."

"It's good to hear you say that, Aidan. I couldn't figure out who my father was afraid of, or why. I still don't know the why, but it won't matter once I'm done with you." Callie stepped up behind him, her eyes glowing, the fangs growing in her mouth making her voice deep and a little garbled.

"Ah, there's my bitch," Aidan said with a smile. "Did you come to play?"

"No, I came to kick your ass. Oh, and to return the ring. Damn thing was way to gaudy for me." She watched as Aidan narrowed his eyes. "You okay, Marcus?"

Marcus was staring at the next wall of Vamps that were now standing between him and the door. His sword hung so the tip was barely held above the floor. He was weaving a little now. "Yeah, I'm fine."

The vampires started to attack and he brought up his sword. Suddenly she was there in front of him, her back to him, a hissing snarl of rage coming from her lips. "Back off!" Angel growled.

"Why should we?" one leather clad woman asked. "He's a god, his blood will keep us alive forever."

"Touch him and I'll kill you," Angel snapped. "Fucking half breed maggots. You want to party, you come play with me."

The one who'd spoken first took a step forward. "I'll play."

"She's Angel," another one said, taking a step back. "He'll kill us if anything happens to her."

Her name was spoken, whispered, even snarled through the newest ranks of the killers sent in to take care of Marcus. They backed away holding up their hands and exiting out the door of the room.

Angel waited until the door shut behind them, turning and grabbing a sagging Marcus. "You ass! I should..."

Marcus grabbed her, drawing her close, holding her as tightly as he could. He hadn't expected to ever see her again. "I love you," he whispered into her hair, holding her close.

"I love you, Marcus. Why did you do this? You could have been killed?"

A snarl of rage came from behind them and Marcus brought his sword up, ready to defend Angel with his life.

Two wolves circled each other, one black, small and swift. The other was a reddish brown, his eyes glowing with amber lights. Stiff legged, they growled and snapped, finally the bigger male rushing in to attack the female.

But Callie was young and fast, knowing more about combat and hand to hand then Aidan could ever possibly learn. He snapped and all he got was air as Callie turned, going to the other side of him and knocking him down. Her bite drew blood, but he rose before she could get a hold of his throat.

Callie backed off, her teeth showing in an impressive snarl, the hair on her neck and back standing up in a ridged ruff. She was ready for Aidan when he attacked again, slipping under his snapping teeth and knocking him down once again.

Yipping, he drew back, a new wound leaving him bleeding from his stomach. Callie stalked the floor in front of him, her muzzle wet with his blood. Her eyes swirled silver fire, glaring at the wolf that had somehow threatened her father.

But Aidan wasn't done yet. His movements were slower; he limped on his left front paw. But his snarl was loud and his anger very easy to see. He leaped at her, his fangs bared. Callie jerked to one side but this time she wasn't quite fast enough. Aidan's fangs bit deep into her shoulder, ripping into the muscle. Blood foamed from the wound even as Callie yipped, falling to her side.

"Callie!" Angel cried, starting to run toward her friend.

Shadow became like his name, a silent follower, carefully keeping Dorian Amante in his sight as he trailed him. Something was about to happen, Shadow could feel it as he watched Dorian stop to speak to some of the red and black garbed vampires.

A woman, obviously drunk, staggered into his path. Shadow reached out and grabbed her before she could fall, standing her back up. He looked into her eyes, startled at the way her pupils had dilated. "Are you all right?"

She stared at him, stared through him then stumbled off, weaving and almost falling again. Shadow glanced around, noting that more than half of the people in the bar were the same way, one lady falling out of her chair. "What the... ?"

Then he saw the first of the attacks, a man struck from behind, his head bent to the side. "Oh shit," Shadow hissed. Yanking out his communicator, he hit the button. "Shadow to base, Shadow to base."

"This is base."

"We need back up at our loca..."

"No, no, no," the female voice said, plucking his communicator out of his hand. With one quick move, she destroyed it, opening her hand to let the pieces fall to the floor. "I don't think the boss wants company tonight."

"I don't fucking care what your boss wants," Shadow growled, yanking his taser out of its holster. He stuck the two metallic prongs in the wide vee of the vamps shirt, hitting the trigger. A loud scream came from the vamp's mouth, mixing with the screams of those who hadn't imbibed enough of the drugged liquor to meekly let themselves be made into food. She burst into flame, quickly turning to ash.

Shadow took one look at the ruined communicator and then stepped over the pieces, heading in the direction he'd last seen Dorian. Moving swiftly he raced through the drugged crowd, his eyes searching faces.

He found himself standing in front of a thick steel door. Without a thought, he reached through the door, almost pulling his body through it to stand on the other side. Stairs led up to a small loft high above the bar floor. Shadow raced up the stairs, ignoring the sounds of the carnage that was happening below.

At the top of the stairs was a wide balcony looking out onto the bar. Standing there, watching what he'd wrought, Dorian smiled faintly. "What are you?"

"The agent that is going to bring your skanky ass to justice," Shadow said without missing a beat. "Let's see what you can do with someone who isn't afraid of you."

"You're not afraid of me? I suppose Angel hasn't told you of my powers." He shrugged his elegant shoulders, smiling wide enough to show off his fangs. "You'll learn." He leaned over the balcony, his eyes gleaming as he watched the horde below. "It's quite a show, would you like to see?" Dorian stepped back, waving Shadow forward.

"It's just more that will put another nail into your coffin, Dorian. What you are doing is illegal, it's immoral and it jeopardizes everything that ASP has been trying to do for decades." Shadow stopped talking as he walked up to the Old One. Black eyes make icy blue and locked.

"I don't think so," Dorian said in a soft almost guttural voice. "Instead, I think you should grab hold of the top of this railing and jump over."

Shadow turned, taking hold of the railing. His hands trembled, his body tensed and he readied himself to jump, his eyes on the floor so far below.

Callie felt the pain tear into her shoulder, burning as his teeth ripped into her. Blood began to flow, the heat of it coating her leg and the floor beneath her. She saw Aidan coming toward her once more and forced herself to her feet, ignoring the pain as best as she could. Looking at him, all she could see was lies and evilness. She couldn't think of him as anything else.

He came closer, his teeth bared, a look in his eyes that told her how much he was enjoying making her suffer. His fur was matted, a big hank torn out from one of her passes, blood matting and dripping off of him as well.

Callie waited. She knew she didn't have much more in her. She had to take him down this time and keep him down. Otherwise...

"Callie," Angel called.

Callie could hear the concern in her friend's voice. She gave a sharp bark, knowing that Angel would know what she meant. They had to stay back. This was her fight and she was going to win if it killed her.

Are you done? Aidan asked, his accent prevalent even as he sent her his thoughts.

Are you an idiot? Callie threw back, snarling her eagerness to rip him to pieces.

Your father would be so proud, Aidan smirked. Aren't you even curious about why he wanted you to marry me?

I'm betting you lied. I'm betting that you told him Dorian was after me because of my proximity to Angel and the only way to save me was to get me out of town. So you were doing the noble thing, after finding out about Dorian, and offering me the famous Kent name. Callie snapped at his leg, turning her head when he tried to bite her and getting his ear in her teeth. Ripping backward harshly, she found a large piece of the pink flesh still in her mouth.