Real Vampires: Glory Does Vegas by Bartlett, Gerry (white hot kiss TXT) 📕

“They’re attacking the house. Lock yourself in here. Or in the closet. I’ll take care of this.”

“Like hell.” I was right behind Dom as he pulled on his pants then raced out of the bathroom. I stopped when I saw him suddenly turn into a bat and fly out of the open bedroom door and down the stairs. Of course, he’d changed. That was something I just could not do.

I found his shirt and jerked on my shorts and tennis shoes. In that odd costume I ran down the stairs. I looked out the window and braced myself to join the fight. There were at least six werewolves snapping and attacking Valdez and Caro. Caro had turned into a beautiful Bengal tiger and she was huge, deadly. She raked a big gray wolf with her claws, drawing blood. He howled, snarled and snapped at her but was no match for jaws that gleamed with lethal fangs that made me shudder. She leaped, grabbed him by the shoulder and shaking him like a stuffed toy before she tossed him across the clearing. He landed unconscious against a rock garden.

Dom? He’d changed into yet another creature. This one was a mountain lion, roaring a challenge as he faced off with a wolf whose fur matched Bob’s hair. This must be the leader of this pack, coming to prove he couldn’t be denied entrance to a topless club without payback. The two threw themselves at each other with screams of rage, fur and blood flying.

I had to do something, but what?

Then I remembered the crossed swords I’d seen above the fireplace mantle. I climbed up and grabbed both of them. A quick swish in the air and I knew they were good Toledo steel. It had been a long time since I’d had to use a sword. But back when it had been the defensive weapon of choice, my pal Florence da Vinci had given me lesson after lesson in swordcraft. She’d finally pronounced me polished enough to survive a fight, even if I’d never be a master swordsman. In her opinion I wasn’t bloodthirsty enough. She was bold and brave enough for both of us.

She didn’t hesitate to shift and fly out of a dangerous situation if she didn’t see a way to win. There was a deep fear inside me that held me frozen when I’d tried to shape-shift. That meant I had to fight like a mortal unless I could use mind control or my fangs. In the frenzy of an assault, neither of those options had ever worked well for me and wouldn’t work now. I didn’t see any of these wolves standing still for a little eye contact.

I dropped one sword by the door before flinging myself outside and into the fray. I could smell the wolves now. I would remember this animal scent and be wary of them forevermore. I faced a wolf who leaped at me, bloodlust in his eyes. I crouched, remembering how to hold the sword and how to wait for my moment. He dove for my legs, teeth and claws eager to take me down.

Now. I couldn’t afford pity or weakness. I struck hard, my blade finding that tender underbelly that would make him helpless. Blood gushed, matting his dark fur, while he screamed and clutched his wound. He sounded almost human as he yelped and tried to run away. He staggered then fell, lying still. Had I killed him? I prayed not.

“Glory, get back inside.” Valdez was bloody and limping slightly when he came up beside me. “We’ve got this.”

“I can help. Didn’t you see what I just did?” I wiped my sword on my shirttail and got ready for whatever came next.

“I saw. You scared the life out of me. Stay close.” He was panting. “I think Dom needs help.” He ran to where the mountain lion was still locked in battle with the wolf. Growling low in their throats, they had their jaws clamped on each other’s shoulders and neither would let go. Valdez threw himself at the wolf from behind and that was enough to break the standoff.

“You dare attack my home!” Dom, the mountain lion, screamed at the wolf as they both stood panting on wobbly legs, their chests heaving. Blood dripped from their muzzles and their shoulders were bloody where they’d managed to gouge each other. “I’ll see you dead, you bastard.”

“Just wait, vampire. I’ll burn your house down with you in it during the day.” The wolf smirked, then wiped his bloody face with his paw. “How can you fight against that?”

I ran over and stepped between them, slashing the air with my sword. “Stop! Don’t you see this has become a war with no one the winner?”

“I can win. Stay out of this, Glory.” Dom snarled and tried to lunge past me.

I wasn’t about to move and dared him to push me out of the way.

“Move, Glory! I’m going to take this asshole down!” Dom snarled.

“No!” I faced Bob. “That threat you just made has sealed your fate. Attack him during the day? You give him no choice. Dom will have to kill you and all who follow you now. Don’t you understand?”

The wolf spit out a tooth. “He can try.”

Dom’s lion form shivered and he became a man. “I have friends, wolf. Just wait. We will rain hell on you and your family. Go ahead, burn down this house. You think I will stay here and wait for you to destroy me?”

I touched his arm. He was already healing, but his shoulder looked torn and bloody. “He’s right, Bob. Burn down one house and he’ll just build another that you’ll never find. All you’ll have done is create a bitter enemy. No, many bitter enemies. Every vampire in Las Vegas will know what you did and be eager to put an end to you. You and your pack will have to watch your backs forever.”

“You think we fear vampires?” The wolf paced then looked