Elyse’s breath came faster. She wanted to scream at this man to go away, but at the same time she was close to rushing down the steps and begging him to take her away. She didn’t get a chance to do either as, from behind the man, three more guards emerged and raced toward him.
Chapter Three
Saxon heard a crunch on the icy snow and spun in time to see three more Savages coming at him. He ducked the first one before driving his fist up and slamming it into the chest of the second. Bone crunched and crumpled before he enclosed his hand on the Savage’s heart.
He didn’t have a chance to tear the bastard’s heart out before the third was on him. Spinning the Savage he held, he used its legs to batter back the vamp. As he did so, the one he held beat at his face and shoulders. Saxon bit back a shout when the Savage’s fingers dug in and tore a chunk of flesh from his shoulder.
“Son of a bitch.” Saxon shoved his hand into the vamp’s face and pushed it back while its fangs snapped at him.
When Saxon yanked the creature’s head to the side, the shattering of bone resonated across the clearing, and the vamp went still. Saxon ripped his hand out of the vamp’s chest, taking its heart with him. He released the organ, but it didn’t hit the ground before the other Savage pounced on him.
Staggering back, he bashed them into the side of the car in the hopes of knocking it off. The door dented with a screech of metal, and shattered glass fell around his boots. The other Savage recovered and charged at him. Saxon ignored the vamp clawing at his flesh as he lifted the crossbow and aimed it at the other monster. The creature was nearly on him when he pulled the trigger and sent the bolt straight through its heart.
The vamp clutched at the bolt as it collapsed onto the driveway; its feet kicked against the snow before going still. The Savage clinging to him sank its fangs into his throat. Fire consumed Saxon’s veins, and his legs nearly gave out when crippling waves of pain washed through him.
Do not give in!
Gritting his teeth, he forced himself not to succumb to the agony that accompanied having his blood pulled unwillingly from his body. It wasn’t the first time he’d experienced it, and it wouldn’t be the last, but if he went down now, he wouldn’t get up again.
His hands felt like lead weights, and the crossbow toppled from his grasp. He raised his arms and fumbled to grasp the one feeding on him. The other remaining Savage peeled himself out of the hood of the car and staggered to its feet.
Saxon’s pulse thundered through him as he realized his time was running out; if he didn’t kill the one feeding on him, he would die.
It’s not my time!
Feeling over the head of the one feeding on him, he found an eyeball and plunged his thumb into it. When he twisted deeper, the creature howled and released him as Saxon effectively blinded him in one eye.
Air that he hadn’t realized he wasn’t breathing rushed back into his lungs as his muscles unlocked and his legs stopped feeling like they were about to shatter. He yanked the vamp over his head and smashed it into the ground. He went to plunge his stake into its heart before realizing he’d dropped the weapon.
Weakness cleaved to him as he fumbled inside his jacket to free another stake while the vamp from the car came at him. Saxon pulled the stake free and plunged it into the Savage’s chest as another one rushed from the woods.
He bit back a groan. They were like a fucking clown car; every time he believed it was over, another one emerged. The one who bit him was still on the ground, wailing as it covered its eye with its hand while trying to crawl away. When Saxon stepped forward, his legs wobbled; the Savage had drained him more than he realized.
He grabbed One-Eye by its shirt and lifted it off the ground to plunge the stake through its back. The other one was still coming at him, but he slid to a stop when Saxon lifted his gaze to him and bared his fangs at the creature. The Savage glanced at its fallen brethren before turning and fleeing back toward the woods.
If he had the energy, Saxon would have laughed, but he found nothing amusing in this. Calm descended over him as he knocked the snow from the crossbow while dipping into his jacket to remove another bolt. Reloading the crossbow, he lifted it and aimed at the back of the fleeing Savage.
Saxon pulled the trigger and watched as the bolt pierced through the Savage’s back and it collapsed. Unable to tell if it was a kill shot, he reloaded the crossbow before starting toward the Savage. The world spun, and he staggered to the side as he wiped away the sweat rolling down his forehead and into his eyes.
He didn’t realize he’d been cut on his head until his fingers came away sticky with blood. As he stared at the blood on his fingertips, snow-covered his hand, and he tipped his head back. Somewhere during the fight, the flurries had turned into a snowstorm that was rapidly covering the stone under his feet and the bodies around him.
He had to get out of here and tell the others what he discovered, but he couldn’t leave any Savages alive, and someone was in the cabin.
Elyse watched as the tall vampire approached the monster sprawled in the snow. The man staggered and almost went down before arriving at the side of the creature. Her hand clasped the maroon curtain as her heart hammered so loudly she was sure the vamp could hear it.
Chewing her bottom lip, she tried to decide what to do. Should she run for the car? Hide? Or maybe see what this vamp was doing here? He’d killed her guards, so he couldn’t be one of the ones who’d imprisoned her, which meant he could be an ally.
Or he could be something worse.
She didn’t see how that was possible, but she’d never imagined things could be this bad. This vamp may be about to turn her already shitty existence into a giant pile of dinosaur crap that would make her situation here seem like a party.
She gulped as the man moved beyond what she could see from the window. If she went into the next room, she could watch them from the windows in there, but she couldn’t make herself move. Her feet felt as if they’d melted into the floor as she gazed at the doorway across from her. No matter how curious she was to see what was happening, she couldn’t bring herself to enter that room.
Even if she didn’t look at the mantle, she would know what was there.
Her gaze returned to the car. The vamp was distracted and injured, but she doubted she’d make it to the vehicle before he caught her. After seeing what he did to her guards, she couldn’t think about what he would do to her.
The bastards holding her prisoner had enemies; was this man one of them and had he come here to kill her?
Don’t stand here; do something!
She was wasting her first opportunity to escape, but she had no idea what to do. She’d never considered herself a moron, but being imprisoned here for months had stripped her of everything she once was and made her something else.
She was ashamed to realize it had made her someone who was terrified to act. But then, on the mantle in the next room was the reason for her indecisiveness. This wasn’t just about her. She wouldn’t be the one to pay the most for leaving here, but if she stayed, she could pretty much kiss her life and her dad’s goodbye.
However, she had no doubt their lives were already forfeit, and they were simply walking corpses now. They’d kept her alive this long, but once they finished with her, they would kill her; she did not doubt that. And it was only a matter of time before they finished with her.