Jacques’s voice rings in my ears. Magic. Motherfucking magic. I look away from the vampire for half a second to glance down at the flames surrounding my hand. My heart jolts again and I lurch forward, causing the vampire to jerk away.
“You picked the wrong girl,” I spit, not caring I just said the most cliché thing possible. Along with the exhaustion comes a high, and I’m riding it to the top right now. I make a move toward the vampire, ready to press my hand to his chest and burn him until there’s nothing left.
The other vamp is still on the floor, madly hitting himself in the face to try and put out the flames. I curl my fist and the flames intensify.
Holy.
Shit.
I’m controlling it. A wicked smile takes over my face and I round on the other vampire, holding out my hand.
“Not so scary now, are you?” I taunt, narrowing my eyes. “I know all about you and how you’re turning people into vampires. And I’m going to stop you.”
His snarl disappears and his eyes widen in fear. I advance, squinting from the bright light emanating from my hand. The power flows through me, intoxicating. Something clicks inside of me, and it’s like a missing part of myself—a part I’ve always been looking for—is suddenly unveiled.
I’ve fought tooth and nail to find my place in the world, and no matter how good I was at my job, how successful I became in my field, it wasn’t enough.
Now I know why.
Thisis who I’m meant to be.
I raise my other hand, staring at my fingers, and feel a spark hit the palm of my hand. I inhale and will the fire to spread. Holding flames in both hands, I look from vampire to vampire.
“You’re fucked now. Tell me who’s turning people into vampires and I’ll make it a quick death.”
The vampire with the burned face pushes up onto his knees, lips pulled back. He growls, but doesn’t dare come at me, not when I’m holding some sort of unexplainable magic fire that I conjured out of thin air.
Slowly, I move away from the wall, still not liking being pinned against it even though I have the upper hand right now. Though as long as I can keep the flames going, I’m safe.
The unscathed vampire lunges for me but stops himself before he gets close enough to get burned.
“Hah. Nice try, asshole,” I leer. “You’re not so tough now when—”
A wave of exhaustion hits me and the fires dim, flames dying down to embers, falling from my hands. I blink, suddenly dizzy.
And then the fires go completely out.
16
Goddammit.
I flick my fingers out, desperately trying to reignite the fire…the fire I have no idea how I started in the first place. The vampire with the burned face is still a few feet away, and the other is looking at me apprehensively, not sure if I intentionally quenched the fires or not. I can’t waste time letting him figure it out.
Not if I want to live.
I turn and sprint down the hall, but instead of turning and going back toward the club, I go the opposite direction to the door labeled exit. It could lead me into a dark storeroom for all I know.
I take my chance and push on the bar. The door swings open on rusty hinges and yellow light from the streetlamps spills into the building. I race outside, up a few cement steps, and emerge into the alley behind the bar. The sounds of the night go on around me. No one in the city knows there is a network of vampires hiding out inside Delirium. They’re completely clueless to all that lurks in the dark.
Panting, I reach inside my bag and pull out my gun. If one follows me out, I will shoot. I know a bullet can’t stop a vampire, but it can at least slow him down enough for me to cuff him. And then what? Take him back to the estate and ask Hasan to rip his head off, too?
Something moves overhead. I stumble back, loose gravel rolling under my heels. I steady myself, flick off the safety, and raise my gun. The streetlamp a few yards from me shatters, raining glass down on the pavement and bringing the dark back to the night.
My breath leaves in a huff, and the chill of the spring night sets in, awakening every nerve in my body. The hair on the back of my neck stands on end and goosebumps prickle down my spine. I inhale, trying to summon the strength to start the fire, but I feel so depleted inside. I spin, hearing something scuttle down the alley and behind a dumpster.
And then I feel it. Or more specifically,him.
“Were you following me?” I lower my gun and stare at Hasan. His large frame takes up most of the alley and his wide wingspan blocks everything from view.
