In a span of two seconds, Christian’s worst nightmare came true. Crush appeared from the adjoining hall and sauntered up behind the Vampire. He held a lighter in front of him, the flame slender and tall.
The Vampire twirled around and marched toward the old man.
“Run!” Christian shouted.
When Crush smiled, light glinted off his silver tooth. He pulled his other hand out from behind his back and held up an aerosol can. The spray created a makeshift flamethrower when it hit the flame. The Vampire’s head lit up like a flare, his hair burning away first. Crush inched closer, lighting up the man’s jacket and pants. Then he tossed the can aside and shook his other hand as if in pain. “Better get your ass moving, peckerhead.”
“One of these days, that man is going to light his arse on fire,” Christian grumbled as he went back into the exit hall. He snapped off a piece of wood protruding from the Vampire’s neck, stalked back to the flaming man, and shoved it into his eye. The man dropped like a brick at their feet, his jacket still on fire. Christian patted at the flames. “For feck’s sake. You’ll burn down this whole building.”
It went dark when Crush tossed the hot lighter onto the floor. “That’s gonna leave a mark,” he muttered.
After Christian dragged away the second man and laid him next to the first, he rejoined Raven’s deranged father. “Are you stark raving mad? What if that was a human and you set him ablaze?”
“He flashed his fangs at me.”
“Where did you get the aerosol?”
“Supply closet.” Crush sucked his knuckles for a minute and hissed. “Don’t tell Raven I did that. She’ll bitch at me for leaving the room.”
“And exactly what is it that you’re doing down here?”
“Saving your ass?”
“I’ve killed more men than you’ve met in your entire life. I had the situation under control.”
Crush held out his hand, feeling along the wall in the elevator room. “Maybe I miss being in the middle of the action. I’m a combat veteran. I’ve got experience that’s wasted hiding out in a room. These guys aren’t exactly on a reconnaissance mission. Besides, someone on your team was there to protect the kid. I saw a flashlight floating across the room. Creepy as shit.”
“Where’syourflashlight?”
“Flashlights are for pussies. Did you check the elevator shaft?”
Christian frowned. “Now why would I do that when the power’s out?”
“Because one of them might have been inside.”
“He would have pried open the doors and gotten himself out.”
“Not if he was trapped between floors. Then he’d have to go up through the top.”
Christian stopped and stared at Crush in the darkness. “Do you always have to be right?”
Crush chuckled. “I’m not saying your dumb ass has to go in the shaft, but if someone got stuck in the elevator and escaped, we’ll know which floor. He would have had to pry open the doors in one of the hallways and climb out. I figured you might need someone to cover you.”
Human or not, Christian appreciated the offer. It took guts to hunt down Vampires. But as they walked each floor and checked the elevator area, Christian could hear Raven’s words echoing in his head. “You let him dowhat?”
But you couldn’t control people like Crush. No matter the risks, they always did what their gut told them. Courage couldn’t be taught. Raven was a chip off the old block, and knowing that gave him hope that she was okay.
When they reached the sixth floor and stepped out of the stairwell, Christian swung out his arm to keep Crush behind him. Their door was lying sideways in the hall, broken pieces littering the carpet. Christian shadow walked to the space between rooms and listened, but all he could hear was rustling and breathing.
“It’s your friendly Irishman,” he announced.
Claude stepped into the hall, his pupils pulsing.
Christian looked at him warily. “Be a good kitty and don’t flip your switch. Where’s the boy?”
Claude sniffed the air. “Safe.”
“I’ve secured the building.”
