Rogue Darkness by Dianne Duvall

Nicole rose and then crossed to the backpack she’d discarded when the battle had begun. “Where are Krysta and Étienne?”

“Still chasing down the others, I guess.”

Grabbing the pack, she returned and settled on her knees before Sean. Most people who encountered her probably assumed the backpack was full of college textbooks and would be shocked to discover that instead it sported multiple pockets and compartments chock-full of ammunition, tranquilizer darts, autoinjectors full of the antidote to the only drug that affected immortals, a spare phone, an extensive first aid kit, and a chilly compartment stuffed with bags of blood. She dug one of the latter out and handed it to Sean.

He took it with a smile of gratitude and raised it to his mouth. As soon as his fangs descended, he sank them into the bag and started siphoning the blood directly into his veins.

Nicole caught a blur of motion approaching and hastily raised her weapon.

Krysta and Étienne skidded to a halt, raising their hands.

“It’s okay,” Krysta said. “It’s just us.”

Relieved, Nicole holstered her weapon.

Krysta frowned, her pretty face filling with concern as she took in her brother’s haggard appearance. “What happened?”

When Sean would’ve lowered the bag, Nicole touched his hand to stay him and answered for him. “The shortest vampire ended up being one of the missing gifted ones Gershom transformed.”

Both swore as their eyes widened.

“I don’t know how or why,” Nicole continued, “but she was as strong and fast as an ancient and would’ve killed Sean if I hadn’t shot her repeatedly until she had no choice but to either surrender or run.”

Étienne frowned at the fallen vampires that littered the ground. Their bodies shriveled up like mummies as the peculiar symbiotic virus that infected them devoured them from the inside out in a desperate bid to continue living. “I take it she ran?”

“Yeah. Seth and Ami are tracking her.”

Krysta knelt and drew Nicole into a brief hug. “Thank you for having Sean’s back.”

She smiled. “It’s my job.”

“And you’re damned good at it.” Gingerly touching Nicole’s bloody face, she frowned. “What about you? Are you okay?”

“I’m good. Seth healed me.”

Sean lowered the empty blood bag. “She took a dagger in the shoulder and still saved my ass.”

Pride and pleasure filled Nicole as she handed him another bag of blood. “According to the ladies,” she quipped, “it’s an ass well worth saving.”

All laughed.

Krysta and Étienne began collecting the weapons the fallen vampires had dropped.

Nicole hovered near Sean, whose wounds began to mend as the virus within him went to work.

Seth abruptly reappeared with Ami in his arms.

Several beeps sounded as the tiny devices in Nicole, Sean, Krysta, and Étienne’s pockets notified them of his return. Every Immortal Guardian and his or her Second had started carrying the devices when Gershom had demonstrated his incredible shape-shifting ability by assuming Seth’s appearance. Seth carried a similar device in his pocket that automatically triggered the others to beep when he popped in so they would know it was him and not Gershom impersonating him.

He lowered Ami’s feet to the ground. “Can you stay a little longer in case she doubles back?”

“Of course,” Ami replied. “I’ll stay as long as you need me to.”

Nicole glanced at her.

Ami was barefoot and wore a short nightgown topped with a huge coat. Seth must have lent her his to protect her from the cool breeze. Since Ami was barely five feet tall and Seth was six feet eight, she looked like a fragile child wearing her daddy’s overcoat. But that appearance was deceiving. Even though Ami wasn’t an immortal, she fought like one.

Sean, Krysta, and Étienne regarded Seth grimly.

Her heart pounding a frantic beat, Nicole rose and faced him. Fear and dread soured her stomach. Seth wanted all the immortals Gershom led to be captured alive. He intended to help them see the truth—that they had been egregiously deceived—so he could induct them into the ranks of the Immortal Guardians. And Nicole had damned near emptied a mag into the one Sean had fought.

Sean lowered the now-empty blood bag. “Did you find her?”

“No.” His face dark with fury, Seth approached them.

Nicole fought a sudden urge to retreat a step. Or two. Or three. Seth was the most powerful man on the planet. Pissing him off was exceptionally unwise.

Kneeling, Seth splayed a hand on Sean’s chest. That hand acquired a faint golden glow as he healed the younger immortal’s wounds.

The lines of pain that marred Sean’s handsome face smoothed out as he released a relieved breath.

Clouds gathered overhead.

Everyone but Seth shared a wary look. The Immortal Guardian leader had spent thousands of years increasing his power and gaining new skills that no others possessed, such as the ability to control the weather. When his emotions ran high, however, that ability sometimes got away from him and reflected his inner turmoil.

As it did now.

Seth rose. “Étienne. Krysta.”

The couple crossed to his side.

Krysta had emerged from the battle without a scratch, but Étienne was pretty banged up.