20. Chara

Chapter 20

Chara

The minute those red eyes flare, this may be the end. I may not live to see another day. His eyes don't leave the mirror even as the monster pulls to the side of the road and his fangs descend, sharp and gleaming white, sending a wave of terror coursing through my heart. The car stops, and he turns to me, but I've already got the door open and one foot on the ground.

I don't have to look back to know that I have little to no time.

My chest heaves with fear, and I make a mad dash from the car, racing down the road and back toward the town we've left. I run as fast as I can, desperately gulping air to maintain the pace in an all-out run for my life. Tears race down my face, fear and despair all bottled into one, until I hear my name. The vampire knows my name. Now I recognize him as a friend of Gregor's. "Chara, you're safe," Maelof says, catching up to me. "It's over. We got to him before he could get to you. Gregor's driving the stake right now."

Maelof takes my hand and draws me to him, placing an arm around me as he leads me back to the car where Gregor stands waiting for us, pounding out a text message onto the face of his phone. He clears his throat and looks up. "The son of a bitch disappeared a second before I could get the stake in."

The vampire beside me growls under his breath. "We will find him along with the others."

Gregor glances down at his phone. "Let's get her back and safe before Master Bistrita has a heart attack."

My chest tightens knowing that Bistrita is worried about me. I should have stayed where he told me to stay, safe until it was over, but time and time again I'm going to end up being the little damsel in distress against these sinister savages who keep coming for me, unless I change it right here and now.

Gregor seems agitated all the way back to the club. When we get to the private elevator right off the lounge, they gesture me to get in before accompanying me inside. They think they're taking me back to that safe room, but I have other things on my mind. I lean over and push the button for the lower level, instead of the one upstairs. One of Gregor's eyebrows arch in question. "What are you doing? We have strict orders from Master Bistrita to take you back to the panic room." He leans over to hit the button for the upper floors of the club.

"Don't. The club has a panic room on every level. I'm not going to be held prisoner." His face darkens, and I exhale. "Fine, not prisoner, but I'm not going to be holed up in the suite while everyone else is fighting for our cause, defending the vampires, while all I do is cower in a corner of the club. That's not me, that was never me, and I refuse to do it going forward. I let fear get the best of me, and it's time to shake it off for good."

Maelof smirks, but Gregor gives him a shut-up, asshole kind of a look before glaring at me. "You don't know how to fight against the monsters of the underworld. You'll get yourself killed and me right along with you when Master Bistrita finds out."

I shrug. "I'm not scared of Master Bistrita." I look at each of the strong, solid, dark-eyed vampires, eyeing me with a little suspicion, but more respect than I've seen in days.

Gregor narrows his eyes at me. "You should be. Do not defy him, Chara. He only wishes to protect you."

My whole body relaxes with appreciation for his kind words and what he's done for me. "I do know and appreciate that. More than you will ever know. But by protecting me, he's putting all of you in danger, and pulling you away from guarding the entire club. If I weren't taken, then you wouldn't have even had to leave the club. Take me to the lower level. You can teach me how to fight. Then I won't be a bother, but some help."

Gregor's eyes widen. "Not happening."

"Fine, then I'll tell Master Bistrita that I asked you to teach me to protect myself, and you left me to fend for myself. I'm sure that will go over just peachy," I say.

He pushes the button to the lower level and glares at one of his friends in the elevator, who's giving him a smirk that he'll wind up regretting with the mood I'm in. I look up into the dark- souled eyes of Maelof, the largest vampire in the elevator. "Gregor can teach me how to protect myself from you."

Now Gregor's the one smirking as Maelof scowls.

His mood doesn't faze me at all. "When Master Bistrita returns from hunting the rogues, he'll find that I am learning. He'll be proud of my efforts and thank each of you for helping me."

The elevator door opens. "And what if Lucas and the rogues attack, looking for you? Have you thought about that?"

I narrow my eyes at Gregor. "Of course. I've thought of nothing but that. If I hadn't left and got in that damn cab, who knows how many of those rogues would have attacked this club to get to me? I am not having him ransack this club, kill our friends, and do unspeakable damage because he can't find me."

Gregor's eyes redden around the edges, but I'm not concerned with his ire. "If he's coming for me, I'm not using the bodies of all my friends and the vampires to save my own skin while he kills all of you. Plus, there's a panic room on every floor. The one by the gym is just right around the corner from where we'll be."

No one looks convinced, least of all Gregor, but at least they're not arguing with me as we make our way to the gym. The minute we walk in, I know exactly where I'm going and exactly what I need to know how to do.

I slide out of my shoes and roll up my pant legs before walking to the wall that displays swords, knives, daggers, and more five-pointed stars than anyone could hope to find at a time like this. I pull a long sword from its place on the wall and give it a little swing, careful to keep it away from the vampires as they eye me with suspicion.

Gregor gets one of his own and tosses it through the air to Maelof before selecting one for himself and turning to me. "We're going to pretend we're the rogues. We're coming for you, closing in, and there's nowhere left to go. How are you going to get out? Show us what you've got, and we'll get a sense of what you need to know."

I smirk and gesture them on with one hand. "Don't take it easy on me, because they won't. I need to know what I'm up against."

In no way, shape, or form am I going to be able to get the best of two of them in a skilled match of swords. They're far too superior for that. It will take thinking outside of the box, using my skills in the gym, and what I've learned over the years from Taylen and others working in the club to get the best of them.

Maelof moves in first, while Gregor hangs back, observing my reaction to the beast as he closes in. Instead of stepping back, I race toward him, screaming bloody murder, and stab him in the chest.

His eyes widen in surprise as his hand goes to the sword sticking out of his sternum, trying to pull it out. "This is where if we were playing for real, I'd drive a wooden stake right through your dark-souled heart," I tell him before stepping back to let him remove it, recover, and heal.

Gregor does his best to conceal his smile, but the upturned tilt of his lips give him away. I point to him. "You next. Take your best shot. Show me what you've got. I have a lot to learn in a very short amount of time."

He narrows his eyes at me. "Have you been sparring with Taylen?"

I grin. "We may go a few rounds three times a week."

He nods. "Master Bistrita will have his hands full with you, of that, I'm sure."

"Master Bistrita will be proud that I know how to protect myself, and that I can help protect others instead of sitting in that luxury suite while all my friends and vampire family are under attack," I tell him, pointing the edge of the long sword at Gregor.

Gregor's eyebrow arches in question. "What, you doubt me, vampire?" I ask.

He shakes his head. "No, not at all. I just think you should probably have that conversation alone with Master Bistrita."

I feel him behind me, closing in before I see him. Every neuron pulsing and energized as he closes the distance between us. I turn, as his gaze reddens with wrath at the others in the room. "Leave us," he growls.