Page 24 of High Noon

I stepped back easily and motioned for the woman to run. The moment she had enough room, the woman ran for the swinging doors and escaped the saloon. “What did he look like?” I yelled.

“Who?” The vampire tore at his hair, fear and self-loathing etched on his face.

“The man who bit you. What did he look like?”

“Like some kind of angel or something. He was glowing. His – his clothes glowed.”

“Abram.” Damn it all. He would get what was coming to him sooner or later, and I was going to give it to him.

“Where the hell is Asa?” I yelled to Terah. The vamp followed my eyes and his latched onto her, still sitting in her chair across the room as if she was bored.

With the vamp distracted, I brought the stake down fast and hard. He gasped, stumbled back a few steps, and slumped against the wall. He slid down the slick wallpaper until sitting on the floor, upright, he let out a long exhale and his head lolled forward.

I pulled my stake out of his chest and turned to repeat my question to Terah.

“I’m not my brother’s keeper,” she snapped from right behind me.

Twisting away just before she grabbed me, I put a table and chairs between us. She threw a chair, which broke apart against the wall.

“You’re ruining the wallpaper,” I chastised, putting more distance between us and easing toward the door. She flipped the table over with a roar.

“Where is Eve, Titus? Have you managed to find her yet?” she asked conversationally. “Because I’m going to kill her, too. And Abram. I’ll end you all and put a stop to this madness. My brothers aren’t strong enough to do it. Not even Asa. I thought he would see things my way, especially after he stopped Enoch from killing me, but no… Even my coldest brother has warmed to Eve, it seems.”

“What?”

“Yeah,” she tried to laugh. “He says he understands – no, that he empathizes – with her.”

“Does he feel as strongly about me?” I asked, hopeful.

“Absolutely not,” a familiar male voice answered matter-of-factly.

The doors swung open behind me and I cursed as Asa stepped inside the ransacked saloon. I was the only thing standing between two of the Firsts, neither of whom liked or empathized with me in the least.

“Why are you both here, in the middle of nowhere?” I exclaimed. “Is it a requirement that you have to remain relatively close to one another or something? I mean, Brutulo was only a short skip across the water from Nassau, and the three of you lived fairly close in South Carolina.”

“We don’t have toremain close,” Asa answered. “We choose to.”

Terah growled at him in response. “I traveled west first – to be alone,” she emphasized. “I haven’t seen Enoch in years, but I can’t seem to shake you, Asa.”

He smiled. “I’m glad my presence is bothersome to you, sister. I’ve found that I like it here. It’s quiet. Peaceful, even.”

“Well,” I began, stretching my arms, “I’d love to stay and chat, but it’s getting late. And I’m really tired…” of their crap.

Terah stalked toward me, tossing more wooden furniture out of her path. Oddly, Asa was the voice of reason. “Sister, Titus was simply trying to have a nice, quiet meal when you picked the fight with him.”

“He and his kind brought the fight to us! Or have you so quickly forgotten?”

“That was many years ago. Really, Terah, it isn’t good for you to harbor a grudge for so long,” he tutted.

“I never thought I’d say this, but I think you should listen to your brother,” I told Terah, nodding my head, lips pursed.

“I don’t care what you think.” As Terah continued to stalk closer, I skirted the room until my back was toward Asa. He might be playing me so I fell into his trap, but I’d have to take my chances. Terah definitely wanted me dead. Asa only might feel the same. And if he wanted to get ahold of Abram…

“I’ll help you find Abram and get rid of him,” I blurted, watching Asa for a reaction.

He shrugged half-heartedly. “I couldn’t care less about Enoch’s sire. But you might be of assistance in another matter –”

“Dude, I can’t help you if she kills me,” I interrupted. My target breezed to me, her toes brushing mine as she leaned in and bared her fangs.

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