Page 21 of Blood Bound (Blood Mafia 3)

Smoke billows from a barrel. Red hot flames snap and spark, burning through the logs and trash piled inside.

I launch myself at Daniel.

He tosses Tyra’s heart into the bin before I can grab his hand. I collide with him, knocking him off balance.

We crash to the ground.

Scrambling back, I crouch low and stare at him.

A demented smile cuts across his face. The flash of triumph in his eyes draws a ragged scream from my throat and I throw myself at him again.

He catches me with a fist to the ribs. I dance out of reach before moving in and lashing out. There’s no concentration or methodology to this fight.

Daniel’s wild in his attack as am I. Both of us spurred on by hate.

My mind registers Mateo tugging on the bond, letting me know he’s here.

Slamming my fist into Daniel’s face, I miss the one he aims at my stomach. I double over but swiftly jump away from his responding kick.

Mateo lingers at the edge of our fight.

“Her heart,” I scream, pointing at the fire. “Get her heart.”

There’s still a chance it can heal.

Daniel scowls at the vampire and rushes to intercept him, giving me his back. Mateo barrels into Daniel, slamming him into a tree.

Daniel grunts and wraps his hands around Mateo’s throat.

Oh, hell no. I’m the only one that gets to snap his neck.

I grab a knife and heft it, waiting for an opening.

They’re fighting so closely I can’t throw it without risking hitting Mateo. The vampire is pummeling Daniel with a flurry of hits, but the hunter’s hands are tight on his throat.

He doesn’t have enough leverage to snap Mateo’s neck, yet.

An idea forms in my head and I test the theory, tugging on the bond and mentally shoutingleft. Mateo drops to his knees and jerks his body to the left.

Daniel’s brow furrows and he loses his grip.

A second later and I throw the knife, smiling when he shouts in pain.

The dagger hit his shoulder.

I take out another and throw it, missing my intended target—his heart—and hitting his side instead.

He growls and rushes toward me, forgetting about the vampire.

“Come on, you fucking cunt.” I grab my last dagger, opting not to use the gun.

It’s too impersonal.

I want to feel his blood coating my skin when I stab him in his cold heart.

Pushing off the ground, I run to meet him halfway, crashing into him. He grabs my stomach and pulls me down with him. I wrap my arms around his hips and roll so he’s laid out on his back.

Before he can move again, I slam the knife between his ribs and pierce his heart, sneering at him when his mouth opens in surprise.

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