Page 172 of Immortal Bastard (The Order of Vampires)

“Hello there,” she whispered, stroking its fur, hoping she could do this.

She’d never fed from an animal before, but necessity demanded it of her now. Careful not to spook the sweet thing, she pulled him closer and continued to pet his back, while parting its fur and searching for a clean area to bite.

She didn’t have much time. “I’m sorry.” She sank her teeth deep. The fox stilled as she drank.

Her organs were the first to repair. The throbbing pain and what she suspected was a punctured lung healed. Then the tightness of her skin eased. The fox was small and she didn’t want to take too much. A few more sips and—her hold broke as the fox yelped, its small body hurled several feet in the distance.

She snapped her head around and bared her fangs at the fucker that kicked it, prepared to go samurai-ninja-don’t-fuck-with-my fur-babies-crazy bitch on his bloodsucker ass.

“Did I say you could feed?”

She had enough of this cocksucker. “Did you just kick my fox?”

He raised his hand to strike her and she sprang, latching onto his face and burying her claws in his eyes. Blood poured down his cheeks as he screeched.

He ripped her off him and hurled her through the air. She slammed into the ground hard enough to loosen a few teeth. The wind picked up, and black clouds rolled overhead as she waited for her back to stop spasming.

The crackle of Adriel’s house grew louder as beams crumbled inside. The fire had to have alerted the others by now.

Delilah pushed herself to her knees with shaky arms, prepared to fight, and Maddox turned, sensing her rise. Watching her through bleeding eyes, he laughed at her feeble attempt to take him on.

“My son has his work cut out with you.” Turning his back to the burning house, he held out his arms, waving her on. “Give it your best shot.”

Delilah growled as an enormous bull appeared on the hill. Several other small creatures at its side. Horses and a flock of angry chickens marched toward her like the frontline at the Battle of Falkirk. This is my army?

It wasn’t looking good. Then the earth pulsed beneath her feet and Maddox turned. She followed his stare and gaped as several silhouetted figures crested the knoll. The long band of immortals stretched across the horizon, armed to the teeth with everything from pitchforks to knitting needles and guns. This was her posse!

Lightning flashed overhead and thunder rumbled. The wind swirled in every direction, lifting her hair clean off her shoulders and whipping her dress over her knees. A typhoon of energy pushed into her, and the blaze of the house grew.

Delilah, stay down. The intrusion of Christian’s frantic words penetrated her mind.

Christian!

She couldn’t bear the extent of her injuries at that moment, so she stayed low like he commanded and searched the horizon for him. Maddox also watched as The Order closed in.

This was her chance. She looked back at the blazing house. Adriel, run now!

Maddox tackled her, his fists closing around her throat as he slammed her head into the ground. “Did I not warn you?”

Her airways cut off as he gripped her neck. He laughed and released her, but the choking sensation remained. Clawing at her skin, she struggled to breathe, but no air passed through her throat.

“Delilah!” Christian’s shout drifted from the distance as her hearing faded to nothing more than a small hum.

Maddox smirked and narrowed his eyes. “I could kill you over and over again, just to watch you suffer.”

Her heels dug into the ground, dragging through the mud as she tried in vain to breathe. Pain exploded in her chest and skull as rain pelted her skin. Her feet kicked aimlessly as her eyes bulged and watered.

Something dark and sinister slammed into Maddox, and air ravaged her lungs. She rolled to her side, gasping and coughing, certain her larynx was destroyed.

Christian towered over Maddox, his expression dark with murderous intent, and a deadly scythe aimed at his father’s throat.

Blood drenched Adriel’s chest as she prepared to swing one last time. Holding the blade in an unbreakable grip, she swung and the back door burst open. Eleazar caught her arm just before the blade hit her neck.

“Adriel, no!”

Her will crumbled as she looked into her friend’s hard, disapproving glare and let out a sob. “I can’t go back.”

He pried the knife out of her grip and threw it across the room, then pulled her into a tight hug. “Death is not the answer, my friend.” He rolled up his sleeve. “Hurry. You must drink.”

She wept hopelessly. “There’s no point. He won’t rest until he has me.”

Eleazar shook her. “Enough! You’ve made a mess of yourself, and you’re not thinking clearly. Take my blood so you have your wits and your strength.”

She bit into his arm, wondering how he would explain such a violation to his mate.