Page 183 of Vampire so Virtuous

The only warning was a slight tensing of his legs, then Matteo leaped forward, arms reaching out. Yet for all the vampire’s age, his speed still wasn’t Antoine’s match. Balanced on the branch, there were limited options, but he ducked beneath the other vampire’s flailing hands, grabbed two fistfuls of his clothing, then spun behind him and used the momentum to throw Matteo hard into the nearest branch.

The vamp struck with a sickening crunch, bouncing off to fall to the forest floor below, and Antoine was on him before he landed. He rode Matteo down into the soft ground with a knee in his back, the impact enough to stun even the strongest thrall, but barely an inconvenience to either vampire. Yet Matteo was pinned, unable to gain the leverage he needed to throw Antoine off.

Matteo bucked, twisting beneath him, and Antoine hit him with his mind-stun. On Minh, it had worked for a second or two, but Matteo just growled and shook it off.

Still, it gave Antoine the opening he needed. He yanked Matteo’s head back by his hair, slid an arm beneath his throat, and squeezed.

Matteo snarled, fingers scrabbling at Antoine’s face. Antoine ducked his head, eyes squeezed shut, and pulled harder. A snap like a gunshot echoedthrough the trees as Matteo’s neck gave way, and his body slumped. But Antoine knew better than to think he was dead. It was just another wound—one that would heal like any other.

Gritting his teeth, he braced himself for what needed to be done, and pulled, even as he forced his knee into Matteo’s back. With a sickening squelch, the vampire’s flesh tore, and then his head came away with a sudden jerk.

Antoine grimaced at the sensation, then tossed the head away, his hands and leather jacket warm with the vampire’s blood.

The weight of Matteo’s head in his hands had felt different. The blood, too—darker, richer. He wiped his palms on his jeans, but they didn’t quite feel clean.

The Code was still there, a whisper in the back of his mind, even as the body lay still beneath him. Rules had always been so easy, when you never questioned them.

“Because, my pet, rules are just rules.”

Yeah. And the Curia had changed them, with merely a wave of their hand.

“Tom? It’s done.”

“We heard the explosion. Are you all right?”

“Fine. We’re going to need clean up here and fast—chattel will have heard the noise.”

“What of the vampire?”

Antoine pushed himself up, wiping his hands on his jeans, as if that could ever sufficiently clean them.“Dead, and in pieces.”

“Okay, Boss. Joe and I will take care of it.”

Antoine switched his focus.“Noah? Update?”

“Wait one.”

Antoine leaped back into the trees, heading for his car, and was by the pond when Noah spoke again.“Marcel says we’re holding in the other territories. No immediate threats.”

Antoine frowned.“It’s too easy.”

“Don’t know what to tell you, Boss. It’s quiet here. Worst was near Mission Hill, but the attacking thralls pulled back into Roxbury.”

“No sign of Minh? No other vampires?”Antoine leaped the lake, letting his shadows fade away as he reached the edge of the parking lot.

“Just the one at Chestnut Hill.”

He climbed into his car, still frowning. The thralls hadpulled backinto Roxbury? But that was Gabe’s territory.

Matteo’s voice came back to him.‘No one will miss you, Outcast’—who was there to miss him, other than Gabe?

Antoine punched in his number as he spun the Audi around, speeding through the lot. A chattel leaped out of his way, hurling curses after him.

The line rang, echoing through the car, but there was no answer. He let it ring, pulling back onto Route 9 heading toward the city.

“Antoine, bit busy. What’s up?” Gabe sounded tense, and wind whistled down the line.

“There’s no threat in my territory,” Antoine said bluntly. “Minh isn’t here. Is he at yours?”