Chapter 14: A New Promise

It was bitterly cold in the mine. Dhampirs were not susceptible to temperature as humans were, but it didn’t stop her teeth from chattering slightly in the frigid air. She glanced at the vampire walking beside her and saw that his movements were more fluid and more graceful than when they started. It seemed that transforming into that devil expended a lot of energy and power and it was not wise to shift into it very often. Vincent glanced at her and frowned slightly, his beautiful face etched with a look of puzzlement.

“What’s wrong?”

Kaileena shook her head. “Are you sure you should be up so soon? It must have taken a lot of energy to shift into that devil.” His eyes darkened slightly at the last word and she wondered if he was still struggling with what he was. Just like she still struggled with her baser vampire nature. Maybe we’re not so different after all.

“I don’t change often, so this is still rather new to me,” he answered. He seemed to be rather ashamed that it had taken so much strength to force the devil to the surface. He shook his head. There was no time to dwell on that. Still, he was touched that the Hunter was concerned for his health and safety and he gave her a small smile of reassurance. “Don’t worry. I’ll be fine. I must have replenished my energy resources while I was unconscious so I’m not as bad off as you may think.” He raised an elegant eyebrow. “Or are you not satisfied unless you give me a physical check?”

She felt her cheeks growing warm again and she was suddenly thankful that the mine was so dark. “Don’t be absurd. I just don’t want you slowing us down, that’s all.” She hoped the blush didn’t show in her face, but it must have since he chuckled slightly. The light moment died as soon as it began for his eyes flashed a deep crimson. Kaileena frowned at him.

“Vincent, what’s wrong?”

In answer, the vampire grabbed her by the arm and thrust her into a narrow crack in the wall. He quickly slipped inside with her and leaned his face out slightly towards the direction they were going. She may not have been able to hear it, but he most certainly did. The sound of voices, grunting in an arcane dialect. The dhampir opened her mouth to demand a reason behind his actions but he swiftly clamped his hand over her lips to keep her quiet. Two cloaked figures were close by, walking down the tunnel with glowing lanterns of deep magenta. Then he saw it. The same crest they had found on the bodies of those girls. The same mark imprinted on the dhampir’s skin. It would seem the gnarled scientist had been right.

“The Cerc De Diavoli,” he muttered, so low that his voice wouldn’t carry to their enemy. “So they are here.” Something about the name caused Kaileena to twitch under his hand and she shoved his hand away from her face.

“Let me see,” she whispered, urgency in her tone. Vincent glanced at her and saw a strange look in her eyes. It was fear mingled with rage and determination. That look put him on edge but he nodded anyway, keeping his grip on her shoulder as she squeezed past him so as to keep her in check. The dhampir peered around the edge of the crack and her eyes widened as they lit upon the symbol imprinted on their flesh. She had dared to hope there had been no truth to those records but here they were in plain sight. Her instincts screamed at her to get away but her desire for revenge burned all the brighter. If the circle was here, then that meant there was a possibility she was here too. She frowned as a tall man with dark hair and eyes strode out of the side passage. He was dressed in dark finery so it was clear he was not on the same level as his subordinates. And the crest of the circle was imprinted on the clasp that held his emerald cloak in place at his throat. His face seemed vaguely familiar to her, as though she’d seen him in a previous timeframe. The man turned towards the crack they were hiding in and she pushed her face back inside. Did he see her? A few seconds past and nothing happened. She dared to peer out again and saw that the man was addressing the two circle members. She frowned as she strained to hear him.

“There have been no sightings of the intruders?” asked the man coolly. The cloaked demons shook their heads.

“None, my Lord. It may be the pixies did their work well.”

“Or that they escaped before the warehouse collapsed,” muttered the nobleman. “The others did not discover their bodies in the rubble so they may still be lurking about.” His dark eyes pierced them as he glared. “You are certain one of them was the Vampire Hunter?’

“Yes, my Lord. There is no doubt in my mind it was her. Two of the lower members spotted her entering the compound with a man. He appears to be a vampire of high rank.”

“So, they’ve sent their dogs after us at last, have they?” There was a wicked look in the man’s eyes as he bared his fangs in an insidious grin. “They certainly took their time.”

“Shall we dispose of them?”

“No, let them come. We’ll let it keep them busy while I go to tend to the altar. Do you have the next sacrifice?”

One of the members nodded and pulled out a glass jar containing a bloody heart. The dhampir’s eyes narrowed as the vampire took the jar from his subordinate. He eyed the contents and nodded in satisfaction. “This makes eight. We need the final sacrifice to be pure of blood and spirit. And it must be one of blood that sealed her away in torment. Only then will she awaken stronger than before. Do I make myself clear?”

“Yes, my Lord. We will seek out the last sacrifice tonight.” The two bowed low before walking down the mine shaft, disappearing into the shadows. The vampire stood there briefly, his eyes once more turning to the crack the pair hid inside. A snake-like smile curved his lips and he pulled out a silver fragment attached to a chain. It glowed with a cold light and the dhampir felt her mind being ripped apart. She slipped back into the crack and clutched her head in her hands, biting her tongue to keep from crying out.

 

“Kaileena, what’s wrong?” hissed Vincent, his voice so low it did not attract the vampire’s attention. She couldn’t answer him for she was in the throes of her nightmares once more. Blood, death and the screams of the tortured and the maimed assaulted her vision. She felt like her skull was splitting in two as she fought against the man’s voice whispering into her head.

I know you are here. Why don’t you come out so that you may be of use to me?

So I can kill in the name of sacrifice? she demanded without speaking, without even thinking it.

Is sacrifice such a terrible thing? asked the voice. You could be of great service to her. You could be greatly rewarded for your assistance in retrieving the last heart. Why resist such a tempting offer to serve the true queen of this world?

I don’t know what you’re babbling about, nor do I care. I will not let you mind rape me so you can achieve your twisted goals.

Rape? The voice took on an edge of distaste at the word. Little girl, I am offering you eternal bliss in the hands of the true queen. How can you call this offer of liberation but such a vile term?

It’s not liberation. It’s slavery. As for you and your little friends, I’ll stop you from raising your “queen” by whatever means necessary.

Laughter stabbed into her brain. You can’t kill us, foolish little child.

No. But I can kill you.

Not if I force you to kill that vampire with you, little girl.

I will not kill him.

You will. The suggestion grew stronger and she felt as though her whole body was on fire. Vincent’s voice sounded a million miles away as he tried desperately to snap her out of her torment. But it couldn’t be done. Nevermore had warned the suggestion could not be destroyed so easily. Even if she fought with every fibre of her being, she would eventually give into the man waiting for her to emerge. She struggled with all the force she could muster to stay the hand straying to her sword. Her hand shook violently, her face beaded with sweat. But hard as she tried, her hand still inched closer to her beloved blade.

Take your sword, Hunter. Kill the vampire. It is your duty to destroy them, is it not?
It may be my duty but when or if I kill him, it will be for me alone to decide.

You can’t fight me forever. The voice laughed. Kill that rat. Now.

No. Her hand shook more violently as she forced her refusal in her head.

Do it. Kill him.

No!

I can’t. I won’t!

Kill him!

NO!

KILL HIM NOW!!

”F**K YOU!” The words were screamed so loudly that it echoed throughout the mine shaft. She drew a dagger strapped to her shoulder and turned the blade on herself. She snarled in pain as the blade was driven deep into her left arm, but the pain helped her to focus. A crimson light suddenly flooded the darkness and she could hear the scream of the vampire outside. Her eyes snapped open and she glanced down to see the stone Nevermore had given her was blazing with a brilliant glow. She immediately remembered what the demon had told her and she sprang into action. She slipped from the crack and drew her knives, twirling them in her grasp and searching for the vampire who had tried to jack her mind.

But the man was already gone.

 

Vincent slipped out and grabbed her wrist. She whirled around to attack the person who grabbed her, so intent on killing her manipulator that she didn’t notice his presence. Her mind went blank and it must have shown on her face for the vampire lord shook her roughly, his icy eyes blazing with anger. But she seemed too far gone into her memories to focus.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” he hissed. “Now we’ll have the Circle on our trail every step of the way. Why the hell did you scream like that for?!” She just stared blankly at him, her face devoid of any emotion and her eyes glassy and unfocused. And that frightened him more than he cared to admit. He shook her again, this time a little more violently. “Are you trying to get both of us killed? What has gotten into you? Answer me!”

“He wanted me to kill you.”

Vincent froze, staring at the dhampir as she made this simple statement. “What?”

“He entered my mind,” she said hollowly. “He tried to force me to kill you and then collect the last sacrifice. So he and the Circle could awaken their queen, whoever she is. But I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t kill you.” She gripped her wounded arm and lowered her head. Her hands were still trembling from the mental assault. The stone at her neck pulsed with that bright glow and she was suddenly grateful that Nevermore had given it to her. And if there was one thing she didn’t want, it was to be indebted to that demon.

“And that is why you stabbed yourself?”

“It was either that or succumb to the suggestion he placed on me,” she said, her voice fairly choking on the words. “And I was damn close. He penetrated my mind, delved into my memories…..forced me to watch replays…”Her eyes widened and became very bright as images of blood, torture and death swam before her vision. She fell to her knees and clutched at her head. She squeezed her eyes shut tightly. “No, I don’t want to remember anymore! Don’t make me remember!”

“Kaileena.” He continued to shake her.

“The blood, the stench of decay….oh God, the screams!”

“Kaileena!”

“Please, don’t make me! Don’t make me relive that hell!”

“KAILEENA!”

A sharp, stinging pain and her head jerked to the side. She blinked as her mind cleared and she turned to look up at the vampire lord. He lowered his hand slowly, the anger fading from his face and he knelt in front of her on both knees. He saw the look of torment and fear upon her beautiful visage and rested a hand on her shoulder, squeezing it gently. Her composure suddenly crumbled and she fell against him, clinging to his coat tightly as she wept. Vincent didn’t try to push her away, or tell her she was acting weak. Instead, he wrapped her arms around her, resting his chin on her hair. He didn’t know what had transpired in her past, but it was clear those memories still haunted her. No matter how benevolent a Vampire Hunter she was, there was still strong motivation behind her choice of life. And if that vampire had been able to delve into those memories in an attempt to break her, then he had the sneaking suspicion that he was the one who had manipulated her that night at the church. He felt for the dhampir who cried quietly in his arms. What kind of man could be so depraved as to use the dark memories of his victim to manipulate her? It was nothing short of physical torture and it sickened him. He may not have much love for mortals or dhampirs, but even he had a moral code that he followed strictly. And this kind of mental torture definitely lay outside his moral boundaries.

He felt her calming down and he gently pushed her back at arm’s length. He looked at her and saw that silver tears painted trails on her lovely face. He gently brushed them away with his hand and she lowered her head.

“I’m sorry,” she said ashamedly. “I feel so damn weak to succumb to this. You must be ashamed of me.”

“No, Kaileena,” said the vampire firmly. “This was not your doing. You had very little control over your actions. Anyone in your situation would have done the same. You just happened to be strong enough to overcome your manipulation.”

“If I hadn’t been wearing this, he would have been able to try again.” She cradled the large pendant resting against her chest. Vincent lowered his eyes to the glowing crimson stone and frowned slightly.

“A Trance Dispeller,” he murmured, his voice filled with surprise. She stared at him in shock.

“You know what this is?”

He nodded. “It’s a special jewel that allows the wearer to break any trance or hold over them for a certain period of time. During that timeframe, the wearer can either dispose of the source of the hold or get far enough away it no longer influences them.” He looked at her with a deep frown of puzzlement. “Where did you get this?”

“A contact gave it to me,” she said. “He told me the sliver of metal we found in that girl’s corpse was something called Lilith’s Call. My guess is it’s a trance stone of some kind.”
“Lilith’s Call? That’s not a trance stone,” corrected the vampire lord. “It’s an ancient means of amplifying any trance spells or manipulation techniques the caster may possess. But it’s not a common metal.”
“So I was told in Apocrypha.”

Vincent narrowed his eyes and grabbed her shoulders tightly. “You went to Apocrypha?! Do you have any idea what manner of demons live there?”

“It wasn’t my first time there,” she retorted. “I have a friend that works in the club there. She works for my contact and that’s how I was able to find information on the stone.”
“You should have come to me,” he snapped. “Going to Apocrypha was a very dangerous move on your part.”

“Well, it’s not like I could have waltzed into the Dracului stronghold and request an audience, is it?”

“I don’t live at the stronghold.”

“You could have told me that earlier!” She rolled her eyes. Vincent opened his mouth to retort when a loud grunting echoed through the mines. They both turned and saw a group of cloaked demons heading their way. She loosened her sword in its sheath and then turned to the vampire lord.

 

“We can argue about this later. Right now, we have a job to do.”
“You’re right. I’ll scold you about this when we get back to London.”
“I can hardly wait.”

The pair turned on their heels and slipped into the passageway the strange vampire had used to access the shaft. It was cold, damp and drafty but it was the quickest way out of the section they were in. In fact, they hadn’t even gone down ten feet when they burst out of the other side into a large network of ladders and catacombs. Lights flickered in roughly hewn windows and flickers of shadow occasionally ran along the upper ledges and down the ladders. And everywhere in plain sight was the insignia of the Cerc De Diavoli.

“This doesn’t look like the miner’s lodgings to me,” muttered Kaileena. Vincent nodded in agreement. They heard the grunting coming closer and they ran to the centre of the cavern. A large bevelled stone platform took up most of the space, lit up with large flaming torches. She could discern smatterings of fresh blood and the caked up remains of whatever entrails had been strewn there. Rows of rough stone seats lined the outside of the platform like a coliseum and three gates had been securely locked, leaving the way they came the only way out. A sacrificial arena. This did not sit well with Kaileena at all.

 

The grunting stopped and there was a deathly silence. Nothing except the whisper of the wind flowing through the cavern shattered the still air.

“I don’t like the looks of this,” murmured Vincent, his icy eyes fixed on his surroundings. The Hunter privately agreed. As though to confirm their suspicions, a ghastly howl echoed throughout the arena.  It sounded like a thousand screaming souls mingled with a banshee’s shriek. The sound was enough to send chills down the dhampir’s spine. The gate behind them lowered swiftly, effectively trapping them inside. She cursed herself silently. It would seem they walked straight into the enemy’s trap. She wondered if that mind-jacker had planned this all along.

The gate to the north side opened slowly and another ghastly shriek rent the air. She narrowed her eyes as a huge hulking mass came out of the darkness and into the torchlight.

“F*****g Hell!” yelled Vincent. Shocked as she was to hear such a colourful curse come from the vampire, she silently agreed.

The thing was huge. Tiny clawed feet dragged almost seven hundred pounds of gelatinous, writhing flesh to the platform. Huge white slitted eyes poked out of the sockets of a skull with rotting flesh still clinging to it. This was supported by a thick long neck and one of its arms was a slimy violet tentacle about the length of a school bus. Its other arm was just a tiny limb with a miniature clawed hand that was completely out of proportion to the rest of its body.  Its large bladed tail thrashed about, knocking over several stone seats in its passing and on the tip of that tail was a set of drooling fangs snapping at the air. Its lower mandible was split in two and it opened wide to reveal a large set of razor-sharp fangs eager to crush them in its jaws. The only weak spot she could see was its protruding heart, but it was encased in part of its exposed ribcage. The stench of the creature was enough to make her gag a few times before she forced the memory of the scent out of her mind. At least her compatriot was faring a little better in the odour department.

“What the f**k is this thing?” growled the vampire, unable to take his eyes off the moving mass of flesh. “This is no demon I’ve ever come across.”

“I don’t think it’s a demon,” muttered Kaileena. It looked to her that someone had simply mashed together a set of demons in an experiment and let it ride. However, if that was the case, it would mean this thing would be much harder to kill. “But it’s definitely not something I’ve fought before.”

“So, what’s our plan?”

“Working on it.” The dhampir didn’t have to time to think for long though. The thing let loose another howl and lashed at them with its tentacle. They dove out of the way and rolled to their feet only to leap to the side as the tail swung towards them, its mouth snapping at the dhampir in its passing. Kaileena sprang to her feet while the vampire lord rolled to the side of the creature. She realised that they were now on opposite sides of the thing. It had effectively separated them.

S**t, this thing’s smarter than it looks. The creature tried to capture the vampire with its tentacle while the Hunter had to contend with a snapping tail every five seconds. Either this thing knew how to co-ordinate its attacks or there was a collective intelligence at work here. She risked a glance at Vincent as he dove out of the way and quickly drew his guns, firing on the creature in rapid succession. The bullets didn’t seem to be doing anything other than irritating the thing. At least he’d given her some data to work with.

“Okay, bullets are out. Let’s see if it likes being stung.” She drew her daggers and hurled them at the hulking mash of demons. The tail flicked away some of the blades but a couple sank rather deeply into the writhing flesh. It howled in agony and a smirk quirked her lips briefly before it vanished.

“Vincent, bullets won’t work on it!” she called out. Vincent nodded and drew the katana he had taken with him from Kaileena’s apartment. The blade flashed from its sheath and he twirled it to check the balance before he took the respective stance of a swordsman. She reached over her shoulder and drew her trusted sword with a sound like steel scraping glass. A miasma eddied around the blade as it slid from its scabbard and she saw the vampire’s eyes grow wide. It would seem he recognised the sword. In the corner of her eyes she saw the thing’s neck coil up and the strangest thing happen. The creature’s head split in two, revealing a fearsome set of jagged teeth within.

 

“Vincent, watch out!”

The vampire lord quickly turned to see the split head lunge at him. He coiled his powerful muscles and sprang into the air, an arc of silver flashing from his right hand. The thing screamed in pain and bright orange blood gushed from the gash he created, spattering on the platform in large pools. Then, his eyes widened. The blood quickly solidified into crystal spears and the thing lashed its blood at the vampire. He quickly dove out the way and then flipped backwards in a double handspring before landing on his feet just inches from where the spears had struck the ground. He turned to look at Kaileena who was slashing at the thing’s tail as it snapped at her.

“Its blood crystallises!” he shouted. “Watch out when it flings its blood at you!” The dhampir nodded and rolled backwards as the creature did as just as Vincent informed her. It was clear the thing could be hurt, but with its blood solidifying like that it would be impossible to cut it deeply enough for it to die from blood loss. They needed a plan of attack and quickly.

“Behind you!”

Kaileena’s shout of alarm directed his attention to the tentacle swinging for his body. He jumped back from it only to have its split head bear down on him with its fearsome jaws. He tripped over one of the broken crystal spears and landed hard on his back. Striking with the speed of a snake, the thing rushed in for the kill. But the vampire raised his blade and jammed it into its head. Its blood gushed out like a burst water main, scratching his face and body as it solidified before hitting the ground. He twisted his body to avoid getting hit by the larger spurts but he couldn’t dodge all of them while flat on his back. He snarled in pain as one blood-spear struck his upper left shoulder. He felt his body go into shock at the pain but he bit his lower lip to focus himself. Quickly pulling the katana out from its mouth, he sliced the thing’s head off. It crashed to the ground just near his feet and he scrambled to stand, ripping the spear out of his shoulder. It hurt like hell but he would heal soon enough. But the thing didn’t die. Instead, the head started to move on its own, snapping at him as it tried to drag itself across the ground towards him!

“S**t!” Vincent dove out of the way and rolled to his feet several feet from the severed head. The thing was still alive, lashing at its prey with both tentacle and tail. He raised his sword to combat the next attack but it was swiftly knocked from his hand by the creature’s twisting neck. The thing’s tentacle wrapped around his body and lifted him off the ground. He struggled to break free and the tentacle tightened around him. He felt a sharp stab of pain as the first rib snapped and he roared in agony. It held him over its body and his eyes widened as the flesh in the middle sank and a large ring of teeth opened up below him.

You’ve got to be bullshitting me.

 

“Vincent!”

Kaileena saw the vampire was in danger and a surge of rage flowed through her. She sliced the tail’s mouth off and grabbed the bleeding appendage. Using the tail’s thrashing movements to her advantage, she let it fling her over the creature’s body. She dropped onto the writhing mass of flesh, trying not to gag at the stench as she looked up at the trapped vampire lord. She skirted the creature’s gaping maw and made her way to the thing’s tentacle, aiming to free him from its slimy grasp. She forgot the thing was still technically alive for its tail and its headless neck swung towards her. She danced around the thrashing appendages, further infuriating the creature as it pounded itself with its own limbs. She missed the next swing and she was tripped up by the thing’s neck. She landed on the soft mass of flesh on the other side of the thing’s mouth and tried not to think about how much it gave way under her weight. The dhampir climbed to her feet and glanced up at Vincent who was still struggling to break free. She heard a loud snap and he roared in pain before going limp.

“S**t!”

She had to kill this thing. She glanced up at the headless neck and frowned slightly. An idea struck her. She coiled her legs and sprang into the air, tucking her legs in as she flipped over the maw of eagerly awaiting teeth. She grabbed the stub of the neck where the creature’s head used to be and let it try to throw her off. As it dipped low to hurl her across the arena, she launched off and grabbed the exposed ribcage of the thing’s chest. Or what she thought it was, anyway. Not wasting any time, she snapped off the first three ribs, slashing at the thing’s neck as it tried to knock her off. She slipped a little but she dug her nails into the exposed heart. The thing roared in pain and it thrashed harder. She looked up at Vincent and her eyes widened as it began to loosen its grip on him, preparing to drop him into the mouth. She took a small blade and rammed it deep into the thing’s heart. It screamed in agony and the neck and tail thrashed about wildly now. She grabbed the neck again and rode the thrashing limb back over the gaping maw. Pulling out a small vial of explosive fluid, she glared at the thing as it tried to get its last morsel before falling into the oblivion of death.

“Chew on this!” Kaileena threw the vial into the gaping maw and dropped off the neck stub. As the thing’s mouth began to glow a deep vermillion, she sliced the now-still tentacle and caught the vampire before they fell off the side. Crashing to the floor below, she rolled over so she was on top of him and shielded them from what was to come next. The thing screeched its final cry before it exploded into a gory shower of gelatinous flesh and muscle. Its blood no longer solidified and it sprinkled in a putrid rain to the floor. The stench was almost overpowering and she resisted the urge to gag. She straddled the vampire and tapped the side of his face, trying to wake him up.

“Vincent. Vincent, wake up!” She leaned over to listen for his breathing. There was none. Contrary to myth, vampires did live and breathe like normal humans. They just didn’t die easily from suffocation or other mortal afflictions. She opened his mouth and took a deep breath before sealing her lips over his. She breathed into his lungs as much as she could before she pulled back from him to compress his chest. He coughed quietly and gasped for air as his eyes snapped open. She turned his head so their eyes met, making sure he could breathe normally again. He frowned slightly, still coughing as he took breaths of air.

“Is it dead?” he rasped. Kaileena nodded.

“Very dead. A little less cleanly than I would have liked but at least we won’t have to worry about it following us.”

Vincent glanced around at the arena, seeing the outcome of the dhampir’s performance. She checked his pulse and his vitals as he recovered from his bout with the monster.

“Can you move?”

He winced in pain. “It would be a lot easier to both move and breathe without you on top of me,” he replied. She remembered that he had two broken ribs and quickly scrambled off of him.

“Sorry,” she muttered. She held out her hand to him, which he gladly accepted, and she pulled him to his feet. He stumbled a little but he steadied himself and looked around. Seeing his katana lying on the ground nearby, he walked over and picked it up.

“Do you think you could have slain the thing in a less dramatic manner?” he asked as he returned the slim blade to its sheath. Kaileena wiped the gore off her own blade with an elegant flick before housing it in the scabbard strapped to her back.

“It seemed the best course of action at the time,” she replied. She glanced around at the arena and noticed the explosion had blasted open the gate on the east side. “Let’s get out of here before the stink sets into my clothes.”
The vampire chuckled and followed her out of the vicinity, glancing briefly at the remains of the thing the dhampir has obliterated. “What did you do to that thing?”

“Gave it a dose of sulphuric acid, gunpowder, alkaline and compressed magma.” Kaileena glanced at her compatriot who was giving her a quizzical look. “Hey, sometimes even I can’t kill things with a sword. It saves lives to deter from the traditional methods of demon killing.”

“Even if it means using unstable chemicals?”

“Even if it comes to that.” She laughed softly and shook her head. “We better get moving. It’s clear they were waiting for us, and I don’t want to stay around in case they want to do more than give us a welcoming party.”

“…Thank you.”

Kaileena froze in her tracks and turned to face the vampire. Vincent smiled slightly and nodded to her. “Thank you for saving my life.”

“That’s two you owe me now,” she quipped and the vampire laughed.

“I’ll have to figure out how to repay my debt.”

“I’m sure you’ll find a way.” The Hunter adjusted her sword and glanced at her comrade. “Come on, let’s find this lunatic and find out why he and the Circle need sacrifices to awaken their queen.”

“What do you suppose the queen is?” The vampire lord brushed off the rank flesh still clinging to his jacket, a grimace of distaste on his handsome features.

“If she’s anything like that thing we just encountered, then she’s far too dangerous to be let loose.” Her eyes darkened. “Besides, I have a few choice words for that b*****d who tried to mind-rape me.”  

“Let’s just hope your will holds out, Kaileena,” said Vincent. “I don’t want to have to kill you to stop you from harming anyone.”

“If it comes to that, I’ll do it myself.” She said this more firmly than she intended. Vincent frowned at her and noticed her hand was trembling a little. Whether it was from fear or anger, he couldn’t tell. But it was cleared she was afraid of what she could do if she couldn’t fight off the suggestion next time. And even though he did not wish to admit it, he was afraid too. He couldn’t explain his feelings towards her now, or why he was so afraid of losing her. But one thing was definitely clear to him. He didn’t want her to do anything that may result in her death. For some reason, he felt he wouldn’t be able to endure such a loss. He should have been scolding himself for feeling compassion for a dhampir, but instead his feelings only strengthened a resolve in him that overwhelmed everything else. She had saved his life twice now, for no apparent reason even though he was a vampire. It had convinced him that the woman was more than a simple half-breed Vampire Hunter. And if there was only one way to convince her of his trust and his concern for her, it was going to be that secret vow he now kept locked in his heart.

I am not going to let Kaileena die.