Page 46 of Golden Eagle

A cheer went up from the crowd, underscored by the groans of those who’d bet against him tonight.

Alexei felt a twist of satisfaction, as Lanny grinned and let Connie lift his bloodied hand up in the air. That was his offspring; his own blood had turned that champion – that warrior. Not just satisfaction, no, but pride. He felt almost like a glowing, proud parent, as Lanny sent that mean, fighter’s grin through the chain link to him, and Alexei grinned back.

And then he caught the scent of a strange vampire.

He whirled, but not before he caught the way Lanny’s smile froze, his eyes widening. His own senses sharpened; the normal blur of scents and sounds and impressions going razor tight; his fangs elongated, points pressing against his lip as he searched the crowd behind him.

The vamp was easy to spot, because he was staring right at Alexei, the faintest unnatural flicker in his eyes giving him away as an immortal.

Alexei inhaled, breathing in his scent even from across the distance of feet and bodies and cigarettes and beer.

He was big, this stranger, built like a fighter, like Lanny – onlybigger, which sent a quick thrill of fear down Alexei’s back. Square jaw, heavily-muscled neck, big hands. He wore his dark hair buzzed close to his skull; Alexei had no idea how old he was, if he’d been turned in this century, or one that had come before. He could have been a Roman gladiator, or one of Napoleon’s captains, or an Iraq War vet. A warrior, like Lanny. All that Alexei knew – or at least thought that he did – was that, given the way he stood by the sign-in table, this vampire meant to fight his own. And that could pose a major problem.

~*~

In his fighting days – his human fighting days – Lanny had been keyed up his share of times. He’d enjoyed most fights, but some had elicited an extra flare of nerves and anticipation.Foaming at the mouth, his old trainer, Mack, had said, laughing, and he’d felt like it. That potent flare of violent eagerness; hands flexing, sweat sliding down between the heavy muscles of his pectorals, breath coming quick and shallow. Ready, excited,bloodthirsty.

He felt like that tonight.

He mowed through his next two opponents. Didn’t even bother to give the audience a good show; just left them unconscious to get it over with.

He watched the other vampire’s fights.

He was brutal, inelegant…but effective.

How could he help but be? Twice as strong as the mortals he fought.

Lanny couldn’t wait to get his hands on him. Finally, a real challenge.

“…Lanny.” Alexei was chattering at him.

He drained his water bottle, crushed it in his fist, and tossed it to the ground. “What?” he snapped, rounding on his sire.

The construction lights were bright enough to highlight a faint sheen of sweat at Alexei’s temples. He looked more than a little frantic. “Okay, listen. I agree with you about not having to play by mortal rules. I’m with you on that.” He chopped the side of his palm into his other hand to emphasize the point. “But that guy is huge.”

“So am I.”

“But he’smorehuge. And…Lanny.” He snapped his fingers as Lanny started to turn his head, and Lanny glared at him. “Pay attention.”

“Watch it, you little shit.”

“What if he beats you?” Alexei asked, and sounded genuinely worried that just such a thing might happen.

“He won’t.”

“Butwhat if he does? What will you tell Trina?”

“Oh, now you’re worried about what she thinks?”

He grimaced. “People being angry is so unpleasant.”

“He won’t beat me,” Lanny said, and turned away from him. The guy’s face was ruining his hype. “Go place a bet.”

“Lanny–”

“Go place a goddamn bet.”

Alexei muttered something low and furious in Russian, but stalked off.

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