Page 59 of Only Human in Strangeville

“We don’t have that kind of relationship.”

His lips twitched as if he were fighting a laugh. “We could.”

I felt his willpower brush against mine, digging into the shields protecting me, and trying to dominate me as my joke had suggested.

Splitting my attention between protecting my mind and picking away at the threads of Nimbus’s prison was actually easier than I would have expected, but I couldn’t do much else, and when the vampire—I refused to call him master, even in my head—tossed me aside, I could only lay there. I’d come up against Katsuro.

Waking him up would certainly provide a distraction, but would I be able to survive long enough to finish freeing Nimbus in the process? I had to wait to be sure.

I guessed the other vampire wasn’t worried about me trying to wake up his rival, and he left me there, gesturing for his minion to get something off a shelf.

Jaz must have entered at some point. She flicked her hand to get my attention. When I met her gaze, I heard her voice in my mind.

Wait. Not long now.

I picked frantically at the threads. I wasn’t even halfway through destroying the magic containing Nimbus and if we were close to a confrontation… Well, I needed this thing destroyed.

The minion handed the vampire a container from the shelf. It glinted in the light, maybe crystal or some other sort of fine glass, and had a golden stopper. It was either extremely pretty or ostentatious, and I couldn’t decide which.

The vampire turned back to me with that oily grin firmly plastered on his lips.

“As you have destroyed our blood supply, I believe I will see if this can replace the need.” He gestured at Nimbus.

I didn’t want him to use Nimbus for anything. I picked at the strands of his bindings as quickly as I could, not replying to his taunts.

The vampire tilted his head, studying me.

Shit, could he sense the magic?

Jaz, possibly wondering the same thing, came forward.

“Master,” she said with the utmost subservience. “I’ve been informed there are werewolves at the gate.”

She’d certainly waited to tell him. That gave me hope.

The vampire’s brow furrowed, and the smile left his lips.

Good.

“Well, deal with it.”

She bowed and made like she was going to exit the room.

“Wait!”

Jaz turned.

“This can deal with it for me.” He again gestured at Nimbus.

Oh, hell no. I twisted toward Katsuro and yanked the wooden bolt out of his chest before they could stop me.

I definitely heard swearing as strong hands grabbed me and hot fire sank into my neck. I almost lost myself as I orgasmed harder than I’d ever come in my entire life, but the urgency of my purpose let me fight through the haze and destroy the last of the golden threads holding Nimbus captive before I lost consciousness.

He was free, that much I knew. I hoped he would remain that way, though I couldn’t do anything else for him. At least not at the moment, possibly ever again. The rest was lost in a chaotic melee of shouts, bellows, and the distant howl of a wolf as my consciousness fled after another mind-blowing orgasm as Katsuro drained my life away. I was content knowing he’d exact some powerful revenge and that I’d done everything I possibly could to rescue my nimbus.

I stared at the gate. It was an ornate wrought iron thing decorated with apple blossoms, both real and metal. The gate was set in a stone wall that stretched as far as the eye could see on either side of me. It separated me from a vast orchard, apple trees heavy with nearly ripened fruit. Overhead the sky was vibrant blue and cotton puff clouds floated lazily along.

On my side of the fence there was grass at my feet and along the stone wall, but I didn’t turn to see what was behind me. Behind me was the past, and I was moving into the future, if I could just get through the gate.

---