Page 84 of The Vampire Kingpin
Neither Kral flicked an eyelid. But they knew. Zaq was talking again, soothing Jared without making any promises.
Rafe slid a hand into his front pocket. Jared jabbed the blade he’d been holding to my chest at Rafe, barking, “Keep your fucking hands where I can see them.”
Abruptly, the helicopter’s engine cut off. “What the fuck?” Jared shouted.
Anticipation buzzed through me, electric and fierce.
Now.
I drove my blade into his thigh with all my strength. His stifled scream echoed in my ears as I tucked my chin into my shoulder and dropped down, making a dead weight of myself.
“Bitch,” Jared spat out, fighting to regain control of me. “You’ll pay for that.”
I twisted and turned, trying to escape his hold.
And then Zaq Kral was there, shoving me behind him with a firm hand. At the same time, Spider rushed us, his motions a blur.
Jared brought his blade up but he was too late. With lethal precision, Spider shoved his lucky dagger into my kidnapper’s chest and gave a hard twist. “See you in Hades,” he gritted in Jared’s stunned face.
Velma skidded to a halt a few feet away as Spider jerked the blade free. Jared collapsed to the asphalt like his strings had been cut, the gaping wound in his chest spurting blood.
“Aw, damn,” she said. “You get all the fun.”
Spider swung around. His gaze settled on me, safely behind Zaq. His expression was feral, his irises rimmed with a blue so bright it was like a neon flashlight aimed into my heart. He dropped the dagger, letting it clatter to the pavement, and moved forward, his twists flying around his shoulders.
I launched myself at him, and he caught me in his arms, raining kisses over my face. “You’re free. I was afraid we’d be too late. But you’re alright. Tell me you’re alright, damn it.” He pulled back and leveled a furious scowl at me.
“I am. I am.” Legs twined around his hips, I hugged him back, my chest rising and falling in relief. Spider was unharmed, and I was free. Jared Darkman could never bother me again. “But what about you? You’re okay? I was so worried when I realized DeeDee had woven silver into your mask…”
He seemed taken aback. “You were worried for me?”
“Of course, I was. I knew Jared must’ve done something to you or else he’d never have gotten me out of the building.”
Spider cupped my face. “I’m fine, baby. The silver slowed me down a little, that’s all.”
I kissed him. “And you came for me.”
“Of course.” He caught my gaze, held it. “I’ll always come for you.”
My lips trembled. “I know,” I whispered.
“But just so you know,” he added sternly, “you’re not going anywhere. The hell with this leaving-in-a-month stuff. I’m keeping you.”
A sob escaped my lips. But I was laughing, too, as I brushed a lock back from his face. “I love you, okay? I don’t want to be anywhere but here.”
He gave me a quick, hard kiss, then touched his forehead to mine. “Say it again.”
“I don’t want to be anywhere but here.”
His eyes narrowed at my teasing. “Not that.”
I rubbed my lips over his. “I love you,” I said, enunciating each word slowly and clearly.
His breath sighed out. “Yeah, that.”
Zaq cleared his throat, and we turned to look at him. Beyond him, Velma was looking on like a benevolent South Asian goddess in her pressed Kral syndicate uniform. She caught my eye and gave me a short, woman-to-woman nod.
I winked back.
