Dance with the Devil

Chapter Two

   “You fool!” I snapped as my blade fell to the ground, “You just killed us all!”

   I turned a fierce gaze on the bed clothed man behind me. He met my glare for only a moment before his expression turned to shock, seeing now what was in front of him as I stumbled away from the pain. I couldn’t reach it, I couldn’t pull the bullet from my back and it was my turn to stoop over.

   The man looked back and forth between the vampire and I, a vampire who could care less about the innocents in the room now that I was bleeding, “you’re her,” the man stated in awe, a shaking finger accusing me, “you’re the she-devil.”

   The woman behind him gasped and she clung to her child, turning her away from me. I just shook my head, my gaze slowly falling back on the salivating vampire, “There’s only one devil and this room and I assure you I am not it.”

   He grinned at me, his pointed yellow teeth shining in the lamplight. He too was shaking, but out of anticipation of the feed. It was the only reason he was now still. He was assessing the threat, because once his fangs bit into my skin he would be defenseless, needing his hands to restrain me rather than fight.

   “Lock us in,” I gritted out as I stood straight again and taking the only opportunity I had left, “leave the lamp but go.”

   I tucked my dagger into my breeches before I reached for the buttons on my waistcoat, shrugging myself out of and tossing it to the side, “leave us,” I ordered again as the man was still standing in the doorway, this time he jumped as I spoke, startling out of his stare and he did as I asked.

   I thought I had been keeping an eye on the vampire as I cocked my head to the side, making sure the man and his family obeyed, thought I’d be able to see him lest he try anything. But I wasn’t, and no sooner than the door latched the vampire slammed me against it, one hand wrapped around my throat, the other stopping my hand from reaching for the dagger now pressing painfully into my bones.

   “You fight well for a woman,” he hissed, his foul breath blowing across my face as he spoke, “but you are only that, a woman. What made you think you could best me, a vampire, a man?”

   I could only glare at him, my piercing blue gaze saying what words would not. His hand was pressed so tightly against my throat no air could pass and I wouldn’t waste what little breath I had on him.

   His gaze ran over me in assessment, “you are hardly worth the trouble,” he scoffed, “hardly a meal.”

   He thought me too slender. Then he didn’t understand the power behind it. I may appear frail but years of chasing after the likes of him have left me trim and fit, the muscle covering my bones lean and powerful, not weak. He would not be the first to underestimate me. I may fight like a man but I was very much woman in appearance even dressed in the clothes of a man. There was no hiding my womanly swells or the rosy hue to my full lips any more than there was my fair hair or button nose.

   And that would be his undoing.

   As he leaned in, savoring the bouquet he thought would soon taste, I stayed rigid still, save my leg. I once again raised it, but this time slowly, this time it wasn’t to injure but for leverage. His body moved from mine as he rearranged himself, his excitement reaching all parts of his physique, and in that quick moment I pressed my booted foot into his stomach and gave a shove. He growled and lunged back at me but I pushed off the door, diving and sliding across the floor and through the broken glass for my blade. He took two steps and leapt in the air for me, his hands formed into claws as I rolled. But I didn’t rise from the floor; instead I held my blade tightly against my stomach, its tip pointed into the air. And though he attempted to twist in midair his momentum was against him and he landed square on my blade, landed atop me.