Desires Unleashed (38 page)

She gave him her hand, and he closed his fingers lightly around hers and lifted her gently up to the window. Matthew helped her climb through the window. Once she gained her footing, she turned around to help Darian, only to find him standing in front of her. His superhuman speed unnerved Natasha. She remembered he could move faster than she could blink her eye. She wondered if this other vampire could move as fast, and if so, would bullets help? The four of them walked slowly through the pitch black room. Natasha trailed behind Matthew as the two of them used a flashlight to navigate around the warehouse. Darian had grown impatient and decided to walk faster. He stopped a few paces in front of them. His eyes scanning the darkness, his nostrils flared and he turned to face Warren.

“I can feel the vampire here, they're close. Keep an eye out. Do you see your wolf?” Darian asked, removing his hands from his pockets. “I can smell human blood, do you see your wolf? There is a human alive here, I can hear his heart beating,”

“I can smell the wolf and the vampire,” Warren said as he turned around in a circle to scan the room, stopping to face Darian. “Darian, behind you!” he yelled. Warren watched as the slender figure of the female vampire appeared behind Darian, its clawed hand raised to strike. The hand came down in a slashing motion, but Darian was no longer there. He materialized beside the vampire, his own claws extended, he slashed, ripping through the skin of the female vampire's back. Blood spurted from the wounds as she cried out and rolled away from his attack. Warren and Matthew ran toward the female vampire, guns out, but the other murderer, the male wolf pounced on their backs-knocking both of them to the ground. Matthew bellowed an agonizing wail as he fell to the ground, dropping both his gun and flashlight. Blood from the fresh scratches on his shoulder blade began to soak the back of his shirt. He grimaced in pain as he searched for his gun in the darkness.

Natasha panicked, her pulse quickened, she could hear her heart beating furiously in her ears. She fell to her knees, fingers patting the dusty, grimy, floor searching in the darkness for Matthew's gun. Her weak vision couldn't find it. She looked around the room frantically, and saw the lit flashlight Matthew had dropped when he was attacked. Desperately, she crawled toward the flashlight, picking it up. Guided by the sounds of the scuffles, she aimed it at the others in the room. She saw Darian tossing the female vampire against the wall. The female vampire fell to the ground along with little pieces of plaster and brick from the impact of her body hitting the wall. She began to rise weakly. The female hissed at Darian, continuing to bare her fangs as he pursued her.

Natasha pointed the light along the walls, looking for a door. She remembered Warren and Darian mentioning the scent of the mortal victim. She suspected he was still confined in a room somewhere in the warehouse. She heard gunshots ringing from behind her, she prayed that she wouldn't get hit by a stray bullet. She spotted the door and ran to it. Her hand gripped the knob turning it, but the door wouldn't budge. She turned around to yell to Matthew to help her. As she pointed the light in front of her, she saw firsthand the huge, black half-man, half-wolf standing before her. Her eyes froze on the huge, bulging muscles underneath the furry skin and the long, sharp teeth that lined the open muzzle. Her limbs froze, her mouth opened but no sound came out. She wanted to scream, but it remained caught in her throat. His massive chest heaved slowly, a low, menacing growl trickled from his throat. His rancid breath, a sickening mixture of rotting flesh and decay, pelted her face, assailing her nostrils. Her stomach lurched and she regained control over her limbs once again. She could see the silver eyes reflecting the moonlight shining through the open window. She screamed as a huge, clawed hand slashed down. She felt white hot pain as his claws ripped through the flesh of her chest. Blood spurted from the open wound, staining the front of her shirt and covering the wolf's fur. Warren regained his senses when he heard Natasha's scream. He focused his eyesight in the blackness of the room and saw the wolf standing over her. He smelled the spilt blood in the room. He looked around the floor and spotted a broken, rusty pipe, spiked and jagged at one end. He raced over to the pipe, snatching it off of the floor. Sneaking up behind the distracted wolf, he aimed the jagged end of the pipe, and ran the wolf through the back. The wolf howled in pain, turning to face Warren. His huge, furry arm smacked Warren across the chest, knocking him against the far wall. He slumped to the floor, dazed. The spiked edge punctured the wolf's heart and he fell to the floor. His hands flailed behind him, trying desperately to reach the steel pipe protruding from his back. Blood poured in a puddle beneath him as he fought to remove the pipe.

The female vampire screamed as she saw her lover suffering. Darian continued to stalk her, moving forward. Warren called out to him for help. “Darian, Natasha needs help, she was attacked!”

Darian turned around, the female vampire took the advantage and scurried away. Darian walked closer to Natasha, kneeling beside her, he took her gently into his arms. Matthew had located his gun and tossed it to Warren, who caught the gun with one hand. He walked over to the wolf, standing over him, aimed the barrel of the gun at the wolf's heart, and fired off two silver-nitrate bullets. The wolf howled in pain, his back arching, body twitching. His body slumped back to the floor and he slowly began to revert to his human form. His black fur began to recede under the skin, replaced by human hair. They could hear his bones break and reform themselves into a human skeleton. His size was impressive in both of his physical states. As a wolf, he had been close to nine feet tall on his hind legs. Now lying there, dying in human form, he had been close to seven feet. The wolf lay still, lifeless, the silver in his veins had turned his flesh a pale grey. The protruding veins underneath his skin had turned black, like a little map of connecting roads over his flesh. He was hideous.

Darian watched closely, witnessing the wolf dying. He fixed his gaze on Natasha. Her shirt was ripped open and blood poured from the open wound, soaking the front of her shirt and jeans. Her skin had turned a pale, ashen color and she shivered. The two detectives stood over Darian. Warren's eyes narrowed. He had not wanted this wonderful woman to get hurt. He was angry at himself for allowing her to enter the warehouse, knowing the danger that awaited them. If they hadn't needed her to identify the building, he wouldn't have asked her to come.

“You're dying. You've lost too much blood,” Darian whispered in her ear. Natasha felt the tears well up in her eyes, felt them slide down her cheeks. She began to whimper, she didn't want to die.

“What are you going to do to her?” Warren asked. He supported his injured partner with one hand. Matthew's back had been clawed but the wounds weren't too deep. Warren had checked him over as he monitored Darian and Natasha.

“The only thing I can do,” Darian said, looking down into Natasha's eyes. He caressed her hair, rubbing it back from her face.

“I can give you my blood. It will heal you, that is all. You will not be like me, don't worry, but you need my blood if you want to live.” He didn't have to tell Natasha twice, she was desperate to live. She nodded weakly, moaning in pain. Darian shifted her body to his right arm, supporting her easily as he raised his left wrist to his mouth. He plunged his fangs deep into the soft skin of his wrist and ripped it gently. The blood began to flow freely and he pressed his bleeding wrist to Natasha's mouth. She felt the first drop of the blood on her tongue and fighting the searing pain in her chest, immediately reached for his wrist, holding it to her mouth weakly as she fed.

Darian watched with a close eye as Natasha suckled on his wrist. A low moan escaped his lips, his eyes rolling upward as his lids slowly closed over them. A spasm rippled through his body causing him to moan out loud in pleasure. He pulled his wrist free from her grasp. His right arm was still supporting her, but his left wrist he placed behind his back, away from Natasha's outstretched fingers. She wanted desperately to press his wrist to her mouth again. She desired the sensational pleasure of his blood coursing through her limbs. His blood ran its course through her body, ceasing the pain and healing all of her injuries. The bruises, cuts from old wounds, and the claw marks had disappeared. All that was left was the drying blood that stuck to her clothes. The blood began to congeal on her skin. Darian's eyes focused on the blood, his nostrils flared, taking in the enticing scent, but held himself in check.

“How do you feel now?” he asked, his voice breathless, he was panting, his chest heaving slowly. Natasha blinked twice, clearing her vision. She looked into Darian's forest green eyes, she wanted to swim in his gaze.

“I feel better, thank you. What did you do?” she asked.

Darian smiled. “I gave you my healing blood. I'll explain further later, right now we need to get out of here.” He rose to his feet with her in his arms. Natasha was beginning to get used to being carried by strong, handsome men. Warren looked at her and smiled with relief. He had been so worried for Natasha, he had forgotten about the trapped victim.

“Oh shit! The victim! He's here. I can smell him. This is the room! It smells like it!” He sat Matthew down on the ground against the wall and pulled hard on the knob. The door frame splintered as it gave and he was able to open the door. He walked quickly into the dark room, his eyes piercing the darkness, finding the man lying spread-eagled on the metal table. His wrists and ankles were bound to the four corners. He cried and begged for his life. The room was filled with the acrid stench of human waste, a smell Warren would rather not have been introduced to. He ignored the putrid scent, rushing to the man's aid. He snapped the metal chains that bound the victim without effort. The man's wrists and ankles were raw, bloody and swollen. Warren lifted the man in his arms and carried him out of the room. He met up with the others. Natasha was still in the arms of Darian, and Matthew had regained his footing, gritting his teeth against the excruciating pain in his back.

The male in Warren's arms began to cry and pray, his limbs hanging limply, his body was starved and weak and soiled. “Let's get out of here. He needs to be taken to the hospital. You too, Matt,” Warren said as he walked toward the door. The other three followed. Warren kicked the door down and they walked to their automobiles.

Darian placed Natasha gently in his passenger seat. And he climbed into the driver's seat. He looked at her and smiled warmly. “I'll take you home. Where do you live?” he asked, his smooth, accented voice sent tingles over her body. It seemed to make her even giddier than before. She wasn't sure, maybe it was her imagination. She nodded and told him her address. He started the car and drove off. She watched through the window as Warren pulled the squad car out of the lot. He was heading in the opposite direction. She remembered, at that moment, that they were leaving her alone with a powerful master vampire that she had slapped earlier that night. She felt a panic take root deep inside her stomach. She looked at Darian, whose eyes were locked on the road. He felt her looking at him, and he turned to face her.

“You're worried that I'm going to kill you?” he asked. He chuckled. Natasha decided to be honest.

“Yes I am. I don't know why you saved me back there, I'm very grateful, yet I'm still a bit leery. I don't know much about vampires or how you think, but if this were the movies, I'd be dead wouldn't I?” she asked.

Darian threw her a comical glance, his lips parted in a smile, his dimples giving his expression a friendlier look. “The movies?” he asked. He chuckled again, a deep, rich sound that filled the car. “It's hard to tell what a vampire would do in the movies and I'm far too old to try to emulate some mortal's view of my kind. I'm not going to lie to you, when you slapped me earlier this evening, the thought of your immediate death did cross my mind.” He threw her another glance, wanring to catch her reaction. He figured it would be horrified and fearful. He was right. Natasha inched a little closer to the door making Darian laugh outright.

“Don't worry. I told you, you intrigue me. It's very rare when a mortal can hold my interest, but you do. I have no intention of ever harming you, Natasha. In fact, I'd like to get to know you better, perhaps on a more personal level?” He leaned over, placing his arm around her shoulders. His other hand navigated the automobile as he gazed into her eyes. “I find you beautiful, courageous and extremely sexy.” His fingertips brushed the loose strands of her hair from her eyes. “I am powerfully attracted to you. I want you and I'm pretty sure that you want me as well. We can both have each other.” His hand guided the car from lane to lane as he eyes remained locked on Natasha's. It amazed her that he could drive without watching the road. She couldn't help it, she thought that was pretty damn slick!

“I can't, I'm dating someone already,” she said softly, wanting to kiss those full, luscious lips of his. She wanted to feel his tongue inside her and in more places than one. Darian settled back into his seat and continued to drive, finally pulling the car over in front of her apartment. He turned off the engine and shifted in his seat to face her.

“I know about Xavier and you already. I don't mind it at all that you two are together.”

“Well, then you know why I can't be with you. Look, I don't want to talk about that. I feel funny inside, and I want to know why,” she demanded. Darian allowed her to change the subject. The sun would be rising soon and he did have to take care of some things before daybreak.