Page 5 of Midnight Prince
Benedict
Ihad been watching her every night. Well, not watching her per say, just her house. I knew Thomas was angry at my move at the bar that night. But there was no way I was going to let him claim her. She didn’t want him, that was clear from the way she reacted to him. And she hadn’t been back to the bar at all. I didn’t blame her after meeting Thomas, but I hoped she wanted to see me again. I assumed she didn’t when she didn’t return at all over the past two weeks. So I have stayed away. Well, away in the sense that she didn’t know I was here.
The only time I could protect her was at night. I wasn’t old enough or lucky enough like Shelly or my friend Galen. He walked the day and night. He worked for a witch – a mage. A hundred-year service to her and she granted him daylight walking before she died. This meant he could walk in the day. But it was very clever of the witch… no other vampire could take that power from him and use it on themselves.
There weren’t many witches around these days, I hadn’t been lucky enough to find one yet. But then, I wasn’t really looking either. I was fine with the night. Most people stay away and I can feed without people seeing me. But I hadn’t fed in… well, two weeks. I had spent all my time here, watching over Hazel.
Some would say I was a stalker. And okay, it seemed that way, but I was only here to protect her. I could hear the Russet pack moving in, they kept warning me away. But I wouldn’t back down. And tonight was the night they made their move.
“Thomas…” I warned, my fangs descended at his smell as I met him in the woods. I could see and smell him coming. Shifters were not pleasant on the nose to a vamp, but then the Russet pack didn’t have good hygiene either, so it was easy to pick them out from other shifters. But Thomas... he was going for it tonight and I needed to take him down before he got to her. I didn’t want to start a war. I wasn’t going to kill him, just send a firm warning that she was off limits.
I heard the growl as he stepped out behind a tree. A huge red Alpha wolf. I could take him, but it was the other two that came out with him that I was going to have problems with. I should have fed more. I had been living off bourbon. Not a good diet for anyone, human or vampire.
“Turn back now, I warn you. I will not hold back. This is not your land here, this is common land. You cannot stake a claim with the woman. She is not–”
He didn’t wait for me to finish before he was on me. I jumped high, turned, and grabbed his fur, his teeth snapping close to my arm.Fuck.I was slow. I kicked him as I flipped and started running for the smaller wolf as he tried to make a break for Hazel. I kicked him and spun him over, tossing him into the other one.
There was pain in my shoulder. I turned to see Thomas beside me. I punched his muzzle over and over. He shook out his head and moved back a few feet. I used all my strength to toss him into a tree. He dropped down and didn’t move. I knew he wasn’t dead, but he was out cold. I turned to find the other two wolves, but they were already at Hazel’s house. I chased after them, but my speed was now slowing. I wasn’t as quick as I normally was.
“Leave,” I hissed out under my breath. I didn’t want her to see or hear me. One of the wolves went for me, but I was able to kick him and send him flying through the air. He didn’t wait around either, he started to run back to his pack. Coward.
The second wolf was anything but a coward. He charged me and I was not ready for him. I hit his snout and his claws dug into my chest, ripping at my shirt and skin. I rolled him over to get a better angle and that was when the pain ran through my body. I looked down to my arm, his jaw was latched on and I felt the burn as he injected his venom into me.
“Noo…” I called out as I hit him in the side and shoved him away. I watched as his eyes zeroed in on my arm. I groaned at the burning and wrapped my fingers around the wound, praying that this wasn’t it. This couldn’t be the end. I took deep breaths. I fucked up… I wasn’t thinking clearly and now I was dying. And all I wanted was to protect her, I… I hadn’t felt this way about someone in so long and it messed with my thoughts.
Then I heard the voice of an angel… “Hello?”
I turned to see her on the porch. I could still sense the pack was near. No. Hazel. Go inside.
“Hazel…”
