Page 48 of Ouch! My Vampire Doms Don't Sparkle
For now, I hold Autumn in my lap.My arms are tight around her.I nuzzle her neck, breathe her in.Within this room of chaos, she is my anchor.
The sounds of feeding grow louder, more violent.There’s a groan, a slice.The scent of fresh blood spilled.
“Will,” Xander says, his voice a warning.
Fuck.The banquet is twisting into a perversion of violence and cruelty.It happened faster than I expected.A man shouts in pain, then groans.Autumn’s eyes widen in fear.She can’t see what’s happening, she’s scared.
“Time to go,” I say.
Xander is already gathering Autumn from my lap.Rather than try to lead her through the maze of sofas and the people on them, he picks her up, cradles her in his arms.
We weave through the room, eyes on the doorway leading out.I’m glad it’s too dark for Autumn to see.There’s blood everywhere.Even when I can’t see it, I can smell it.One human is held limp and motionless in a vampire’s embrace, his head lolling to the side while the vampire continues to drink.The human’s heart is still beating.Faintly.
“Stop,” I tell the vampire, tapping on her shoulder.“He’s going to die.”
The vampire blinks up at me, her eyes sleepy.She’s blood-drunk.“Die?”she repeats, sounding confused.Hell.Maybe she has médusant in her system, too.It doesn’t often travel from a human’s bloodstream to a vampire’s, but it isn’t unheard of if the dosage is high enough.
“Yes.Or he’ll die.Release him now.”
“Okay.”She lets him go.He slumps against her lap.
It will have to be enough.I can’t do anything else for the man.Not if we hope to get Autumn out of here safely and quickly.
When Xander reaches the door, he abruptly stops.If it weren’t for my quick reflexes, I would have bumped into him.
Benjamin stands at the doorway, arms across his chest.“Gaius thought you might try to leave early.”
14
Xander
Goodbyes aren’t necessary, but I knew our disappearance wouldn’t go unnoticed.Benjamin blocking our path was not an obstacle I anticipated, however.
“We’re calling it an early night,” I say lightly, willing him to accept the non-explanation.
“You ought to stay.”Benjamin’s hooded dark eyes are intent on Autumn.“The night is only just beginning.Your amant certainly isn’t tired already.”
“She isn’t our amant,” I say roughly, even though every instinct of my body is encouraging me to claim her, protect her.I want to hide her from his gaze.
Benjamin shakes his head.“If she isn’t your amant, then you ought to share.Blood banquets are for sampling our human pets.”
“Not this one,” I say, tightening my arms around Autumn.
Before Benjamin can respond, Will strides forward, hand outstretched.“Thank you for your hospitality this evening.I’m sure we’ll meet again soon.”
Frowning, Benjamin shakes Will’s hand.Will uses the gesture to pull Benjamin to the side, out of my way, so that I’m able to carry Autumn out of the ballroom.
“Wait—” Benjamin starts to say, but I’m already hurrying toward the front door of the mansion, my feet barely touching the parquet floor, Will at my back.
Autumn blinks in the eerie yellow light shining from the porch lantern.“It was so dark in there.”
“Yeah,” I say gruffly.
“I can walk, you know.”
“Yeah.”I don’t set her down, though.I won’t feel good until we’re far away from this place.
We quickly walk to our cars, alert for the sounds of pursuit.Gaius and the others are busy with the banquet, I suppose, although I half-expected Benjamin to raise an alarm.I half-expect more stakes to come flying through the darkness, like they did in that alley.
