Damian's Assassin

She looked up, fear and anger flashing through her. The man was in his prime with silver hair and dark eyes, a handsome face, and a body as muscular as Talon's.

"Stay away from my brother," she rasped.

"Ah, you do have spunk," he whispered, eyes glowing. "I'll stay away from him if you do what I say. Exactly what I say. You understand me?"

Her eyes watered, and she ducked her head. His tone made her want to crawl back into the tub and remain Talon's slave forever. There were worse fates than being dinner for a sadistic bastard like Talon, and she'd just met the man who was willing to show her what they were.

"Take her to the stash house on Broad," he said, rising. "I have a meeting out of town. I'll come get her when I'm back."

"Yes, master," Talon said with a smooth bow. "Pop, you promised-- "

"Don't call me that, shithead! And yes, I'll make you a demigod, not because you deserve it, but because you did something useful for the first time in your life!"

The devil left, and an angry Talon hauled her up, sinking his teeth into her arm again. He drained her life until she was near blackness before he flung his head back with a contented sigh. He jerked her forward. She careened into the door frame, a flash of pain going through her head.

He dragged her into another room. Someone else grabbed her and flung her over his shoulder. She hung, helpless and exhausted, stuck in the in-between place until the pain of her head hitting something hard jarred her into consciousness.

She was in a car with one of Talon's men, her crumpled body at an awkward angle jammed in the small area between the backseat and the driver's seat. The floor smelled of mold. She tested her body, dismayed when her limbs felt too heavy to lift.

Her thoughts went to Jonny, and she closed her eyes as tears formed. She'd do anything for him, even if the devil took her soul! And yet, she couldn't forget what she'd seen him doing-- drinking another woman's blood as Talon did hers! What happened to her brother? Was this part of some phase or were these … people … really vampires as Kyle believed?

The idea that Jonny would turn out to be like Talon made her chest clench. She'd never let her kid brother end up like that sadistic bastard.

More tears came as she realized she couldn't do anything for herself let alone Jonny if they kept her in such a state. She strained against her own body again, panic floating through her at her helplessness.