Chapter 6 – I'm Dangerous?

Cage

I was certain she had told me everything she knew. And unfortunately, she knew nothing that would reveal why she carried a unique bloodline vampire scent.

I stood then. This was the part I had been dreading. She looked at me suspiciously as I joined her on the couch. I leaned toward her and whispered, "I'm sorry...I'll make it quick."

Her big blue doe eyes opened wide and her lip quivered again. "Make what quick?"

I told her the truth. She deserved that at least. "You are dangerous. I can't let you live. I don't want to do this, but I have no choice."

"I'm dangerous?" she asked incredulously as large tears crested her eyelashes and flowed down her cheeks. I resisted the impulse to gently wipe them away. I didn't have the answer to her question. I had to take her life, but everything in me wanted to walk away.

"No, I won't let you do that!" Fury rolled over her features, her entire body tensing for my attack.

I hated to see the haunted and fearful expression on her face as she prepared to fight for her life. Maybe I shouldn't have told her what was coming. I said quietly, "You know you can't fight me. You didn't want to believe it, but you know I spoke the truth. I am a vampire."

"I don't give a shit what you are! I am not just going to accept death!" she spat viciously, her fingers balled into fists.

"Dulce Tigru..." I murmured softly.

She was so full of fire.

But it was time.

Suddenly, her eyes glazed over and she whispered, "Do you feel that?"

I stared at her in confusion. Not only because of her odd question, but also the dramatic shift in her body. Her heart rate slowed and she became perfectly still, her eyes a million miles away.

"Feel what?"

She responded hypnotically, "It's a gentle hum...A vibration in the air. You don't feel or hear that?" She held her fingertips up as if trying to touch whatever it was in the air.

Anxiety coursed through me and I wondered if she was playing a game in an attempt to get free. But if she were lying, her heart rate would not have slowed so significantly. I had assumed she was lucid...she hadn't sounded crazy when we spoke...but I had no idea what to make of her behavior now.

A loud knock at the door interrupted us. I stiffened. Her attention snapped back to the present, and she whipped her head toward the door, hopeful for help. I silenced her with a low warning, "If you scream, I will kill them too."

She shuddered and nodded.

I crossed the room in a blur and looked out the peephole. A gentleman in a chalet uniform stood with a rolling serving cart.

Something was wrong.

I could smell three humans, which meant the other two were hidden from sight.

"Room service for Raine Deonte," a man's booming voice could be heard from behind the door.

I looked back at her sharply.

She shook her head quickly and mouthed. "I didn't order anything!"

I motioned her forward with my hand. She stood hesitantly and joined me by the door. I mouthed, "Tell them to go away."

Her voice shook slightly as she spoke without opening the door, "You have the wrong person. I didn't order any room service and I'm not hungry. Please take it away."

There was a beat of silence before the man's voice spoke smoothly, trying to change her mind, "You are Raine Deonte, right? It's a gift from management. I'm sure very delicious."

She shook her head even though he couldn't see her through the door, and spoke adamantly, "I'm tired. I do not want it. Please take it away."

He tried to speak casually, but I heard an edge to his voice as he appealed again, trying to gain her sympathy, "I don't want to get fired for not doing my job. If you could open the door, I'll leave it. It will only take a second and I promise I'll be out of your hair."

All of this was wrong.

He obviously wasn't a chalet staff member and he was pushing pretty damn hard for her to open the door. Not to mention, why the fuck were the other two hiding? I grabbed her out of the doorway and bolted to the other side of the room just as the door was kicked in. All three men rushed forward.

My stance lowered as I prepared for a fight and growled an angry warning. They stopped in their tracks, obviously not expecting me to be with her. The man in the staff uniform hissed over his shoulder to the two men behind him, "I told you! That fucker's presence proves it!"

He was referring to me. He obviously knew who I was, or at least what I was. But what did my presence here prove?

They spread out strategically. The big burly one on the left hissed, "What should we do with him?"

"Kill him as well," their ringleader barked.

I knew now what they were –hunters. What I couldn't figure out was why they wanted Raine. From the way they breached the entry and their words, I had no doubt they intended to end her life. Damn, this really was not her night.

I focused on the hunter in the middle and laughed, "It's going to take a hell of a lot more than three of you to take me down."

He eyed me warily. Recognition came to the eyes of the hunter on the right and he hissed, "Fuck...It's their Prince!"

I smirked.

Apprehension rolled over the features of all of them as they finally realized exactly what foe they were up against. Now that they knew, I expected they would make the smart choice and leave. Instead, the guy in the center spat through gritted teeth, "It doesn't matter who he is. She has already made contact with them. We have to finish this now. Kill the girl and try not to die in the process."

I was stunned.

Her death meant more to them than their own!

Who the fuck was she?

And why were they so afraid she was with me?

Raine stood unmoving next to me. I found it odd that she had not sought cover, particularly when it was clear they intended her harm. Instead, she appeared determined to stay by my side. She was also way too calm in light of the chaos swirling around her. Her heart rate was slower than normal and steady.

Before I could think further, all three hunters broke from their position. Two came after me and one circled around to try to get to her from the other side.

Fuck, our positioning wasn't the most favorable. It would be difficult for me to defend her and fight them off at the same time. I wasn't even sure why I planned to fight them. I could walk away now and let them do the job I came here for. But the thought of them killing her caused blinding fury in me.

Raine reacted to their assault at the same time I did, shocking the fuck out of me, when she back flipped out of his grasp. She twirled through the air and landed agilely on the balls of her feet ten feet away.

He grasped the empty air where she once stood, and spun around to find her. This time, she wasn't waiting for him to come to her. Instead, she cartwheeled, landed on the back of the couch and used the momentum to spiral her body around, kicking him squarely in the jaw. His head whiplashed to the side as his body crashed to the ground.

I had landed solid hits against the two who attacked me, keeping them at bay. But I was too distracted by her behavior and didn't notice one of the hunters pull a crossbow from his back.

But she did.

In the millisecond it took him to take aim at me, she was already in motion and screamed, "No!" throwing her body between the deadly wooden stake and me.

The stake tore through the lush flesh of her chest, causing her body to sink to the ground at my feet. Blood from the wound seeped through her T-shirt and onto the carpet.

I stood in astonished disbelief.

Why the fuck had she given her life to save mine?!

She knew  I was going to kill her! None of it made any sense. As I stared at the blood pooling around her body, unbridled rage shot through me. They were going to pay for what they had done.

I disappeared, exploding into motion, fully focused on the fight now. In less than a minute, I extracted two of their hearts and decapitated the last one.

I spun around when I heard a small groan behind me, and dropped to my knees by her side. I was stunned to find her still breathing. I had been certain it was a mortal wound. Her breaths were labored and ragged, but she held on. I quickly extracted the stake, and with one slice of my fangs, I tore open my wrist. I pressed it against her mouth and demanded, "Swallow, damn it!"

She shook her head, her eyes wide, and rasped, "No...I don't want to be a..."

"This will not change you," I hurriedly explained. "Now drink!"

She began to suck, her nose wrinkling in distaste.

I hit the speed dial on my phone with my free hand. I needed cleanup. Kieran picked up on the first ring. I barked out orders and hung up. I stared at the three dead hunters. Fuck. Armand wasn't going to be happy, to say the least.

Raine had stopped drinking and lay with her eyes closed, her breathing still shallow and raspy. I had no idea what to do with her. I couldn't leave her here, but if I brought her back with me, there would be hell to pay.

I waited, with my thoughts in turmoil.

As the minutes went by, alarm filled me.

She wasn't healing!

I inspected her closer. She had my blood on her lips and in her mouth. There was no doubt she had drank it. So why wasn't she healing? The facts rattled around in my brain: she couldn't be compelled, she fought in a way that was far more than human, she had been willing to give her life for mine, and she couldn't be healed.

Abruptly, Kieran interrupted my frenzied thoughts when he burst through the now useless door. "What the fuck happened?" he breathed as he examined the chaos around me.

I didn't have time to discuss it. She wasn't healing which meant I was out of options. I had to take her back with me. I snatched a throw from the back of the couch, wrapped it around her body and gathered her in my arms. "Get this handled and meet me back at the estate immediately."

He stared at me in astonishment, realizing my plan but didn't question me. Instead he pulled out his phone, to do as I had ordered. I turned my back on him and ran out into the night, with a now unconscious Raine nestled in my arms. I hoped I made it back in time.