Page 56 of Soren

And just like that, Soren’s nerves left him. He was just so fuckingtiredof this. These stupid games. This bullshit power trip. “Why can’t you just leave me the fuck alone?” he gritted out, turning his barstool to fully face his ex.

Hendrick’s shoulders stiffened. “I don’t like your attitude, angel.”

Hendrick never did.

But this wasn’t the place for this particular confrontation; the bar was still pretty crowded, and Soren knew Danny—and Gabe too, most likely—would be upset if humans were hurt in the crossfire.

So Soren rose from his seat smoothly, leaving his still-full drink on the counter. He didn’t want to take a thing from Hendrick, even a measly cocktail. “Let’s go for a walk,” he suggested.

Hendrick’s dark eyes glinted. “Lovely idea.”

The fucker thought he’d won this round, that Soren was caving to his demands.

Let him think that.

They left the bar, and Soren directed them toward a nearby park. Hendrick loomed over Soren as they walked, but he didn’t make a move to actually touch him. That wasn’t surprising. Hendrick only ever touched him to fuck or to fight. He had no use for Soren otherwise. No use for any connection beyond the sexual or the violent.

The park was empty this late at night, the abandoned play structure looking positively spooky in the moonlight. Hendrick paused at the edge, his hands in his pants pockets. “This is nice and all, angel. But I was thinking somewhere more…private.”

Of course he was. And in the past, Soren might have allowed it. One night of pain and humiliation in return for another few years of freedom.

But he didn’t want this slimy cretin’s hands on him ever again. “I’m not going anywhere with you, Hendrick.”

Hendrick’s thin lips pressed together tightly. “Are we feeling rebellious, angel? It’s pointless. You know how it ends.”

Soren shook his head, casually widening his stance. “Not this time. I don’t owe you anything, and you don’t have your shitty little squad to back you up anymore. I’m done.”

“I think you’ll find you owe meeverything,” Hendrick growled.

The larger vampire—aggressive jerk that he was—pounced immediately, tackling Soren to the ground. But Soren was ready for him. His violent response wasn’t any sort of surprise. Hendrick had never liked talking things out, preferring to use his physical strength to win his arguments. Why use words when his fists could do the talking?

Soren had his hands out and ready, scratching at the other vampire’s face, aiming for the eyes. Hendrick dodged the move, his fangs popping out, murky brown eyes turning black.

Soren screamed as the asshole bit into his shoulder—not drinking, just tearing at the flesh. He managed to jab a knee into Hendrick’s balls, but Hendrick only grunted and tightened his arms around him.

Soren could feel his ribs breaking. Goddamn it. Broken ribs were theworst.

He shoved his palm up with all his strength, aiming once again for Hendrick’s face. He heard an incredibly satisfying crunch, laughing hysterically when blood from Hendrick’s now-broken nose sprayed his face.

Hendrick’s attack stopped in an instant. He hovered above Soren’s body, stunned. “God fuckingdamn it, Soren.”

Soren laughed through the pain. Drawing blood from Hendrick was a high he’d never known he needed. “No more ‘angel’?”

Hendrick cursed and leaped off, holding one hand to his nose, scowling at Soren as he cracked the bone back into place. It wouldn’t take very long to heal, but Soren was still pleased at the sight.

They glared at each other, Soren holding himself ready for another attack. Finally, Hendrick sighed, wiping his bloody hand off on his shirt. “I’m very disappointed in you, angel.Verydisappointed.”

And then he was gone.

fourteen

Gabe

Gabegrippedthesteeringwheel with tense fingers, his mind only half-focused on the flood of words coming from the little vampire next to him. Jay was gushing about all the various foods he’d gotten to try in the hospital cafeteria, which—given the twelve hours he’d had to experiment with—was apparently quite a lot. He was currently reviewing the different merits of every single type of candy from the vending machines.

Gabe could only assume one of the lesser-known vampire superpowers was not getting a belly ache from too much junk food.

For his part, Gabe was fighting to keep his eyes open, trying his best to get himself and Jay home in one piece. Work had been beyond exhausting, and he was justdone. Two of his patients had tried to die on him that night, and he’d had to run codes on both of them. One had made it through the CPR, the other…

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