Page 109

I routinely went on multi-mile runs but I didn’tsprintthe whole way!

I squeezed the trigger, but the snake was up too high for my handgun to be all that accurate, so my shot dinged off the scales on its snout.

The snake struck. I threw myself to the side. Instead of landing on the sidewalk like I’d planned, Ruin yanked on me, throwing me against his chest.

I would have bounced off him except he swept my feet up to hold me princess style before he sped down the sidewalk, going so fast it made tears blur my eyes.

This speed!Vampires were fast but speed of this level was a power afforded to the oldest of vampires, ones who were well over a thousand years old!

When we were about a block down from the snake Ruin stopped abruptly, letting me go.

Without my slayer instincts I would have dropped in a heap, but I caught myself, still managing to point the barrel of my pistol at the ground.

“That was stupidly risky,” I said. “I could have shot you.”

“You aren’t worried about risking me with a gunif you think I’m capable of killing this monster,” Ruin drawled.

“Well, no,” I agreed. “But gun safety.”

“All of you slayers are absolutely insane,” Ruin muttered. “Stay here.Righthere. Don’t even think about wandering off while I’m busy or next time I find you I’ll require more than entertainment!”

He ran back to the snake—harder to trace as he moved in the shadows, seamlessly blending in.

Rather than waste time staring at him, I took the opportunity to change my pistol’s magazine, yanking my replacement magazine from my belt while simultaneously pressing the button on my gun to release the used magazine. It slipped from my pistol and fell to the sidewalk with a clatter while I slapped my new magazine into place with a click.

Rearmed, I yanked my radio from my belt. “This is Blood, about three blocks down from Main Street. Ruin is facing off with the snake.”

CHAPTERTWENTY-SIX

Considine

It was official: I was going senile. Only a loss of mental faculties could explain why I was staring a snake down in a city I didn’t care about, all because aslayerasked me to.

Give it another few centuries, and I’ll be as bad as Ambrose! Then the end will be nigh. Finally.

The snake struck, its jaw dislocating so it could try to swallow me.

I stepped to the side, avoiding it. It bit the light pole I’d been standing in front of instead.

The snake was too stupid to realize it had missed and its jaws were locked around the light pole, so I took the opportunity to grab one of its fangs and pull.

I’d been hoping to rip the tooth free. I didn’t bother to carry weapons on me, and I needed something able to pierce this monster’s scales.

The snake was venomous or it had some kind of acidic compound in its teeth because I could feel a faint sizzling on my palms as it burned at my skin.

It made no difference to me. My healing powers were so fast that whatever damage the compound on its fang wrought was instantly erased. There was pain. Maybe? I couldn’t remember what real pain felt like anymore.

The fang started to give but it must have pained the monster because it retreated, its slippery fang sliding free from my grasp.

Well. There goes that idea.I’d either need to try again or come up with another plan.

The snake retreated, turning its head as it tried to look at me with its good eye—it seemed the slayer had wounded the other if the bullet wound was anything to go by. It flicked its forked tongue testing the air.

Why am I even doing this? Just because the slayer asked? She’s fun to play with, but entertainment isn’t worth all this trouble.

I’d be put out if she died, though. Competent slayers didn’t grow on trees. I’d probably need to kidnap one if I wanted to keep up the fun fights.

The snake tried to wind around me, most likely in an attempt to constrict its body and asphyxiate me.