I ran as fast as the terrain would allow back down the hill through the trees and the snow fast accumulating on the ground. The snow was falling much heavier now. Red was everywhere, a startling reminder of the fate of so many today.

Of my fate if I dared stop.

I didn’t risk looking back to see how close they were, hoping that the crunching sounds of footsteps in the snow were solely my own. I shoved my wild imagination aside that I was mere steps ahead of Bella and the other vamps, their outstretched claws mere seconds behind me. Every now and again, a wandering thrall would cross my vision and I veered in the opposite direction to avoid it. I was almost certain they were going to use the same tactic Duncan had suggested from earlier.

A net.

They would spread out and keep me boxed in before closing the lid. My only hope was to find a hole before they tightened up and there would be nowhere to go.

I had lost the feeling in my toes, my boots soaked through from all the snow coating the ground off and on the last… how long? Hour? Two? My limbs were tired, my lungs ached, and my head was pounding. I had been fighting and running on adrenaline for what felt like days. Was I even running in the right direction anymore? I hadn’t seen a living member of our group since Chad had flown out of sight.

All the familiar bodies I passed now were just that: bodies. But I was attempting to use them as markers to back track to where we had left Dorian and Ash with a wounded Julius. Dorian had promised me a trail from there. There was no guarantee that where our men had fallen was anywhere near where our skirmish had started, but I had to hope I was on the right track.

Suddenly a thrall leapt out of the trees, and it was all I could do to roll out of the way. I felt its claws scrape past me as I narrowly avoided it. I rolled to my feet and brought Lily up in front of me defensively. It was just one. I could take one, right? I had frustrations I need to vent out anyway. After its near miss, the thrall whipped around to face me, snarling, and digging into the snow on all fours, ready to pounce again. I eyed a tree within reach and got an idea. The thrall jumped and I pulled back a long tree limb in front of me to let it whip into the thrall…. when something landed on top of it in midair! They both hit the ground with a heavy crunch in the snow. There was a gurgling sound and then silence as Kit dismounted from the now dead thrall, daggers covered in dark blood.

He was in no better shape himself. There were claw marks all over his exposed arms and torso. Most of the blood was now dried, but there were traces of fresh blood smeared on his skin that he had wiped at. He was also covered in scratches that looked like they had come from his hunting in the trees, as Duncan had mentioned. He was a mess, but I didn’t care. I rushed to him and wrapped my arms around him, holding him tightly.

“Kit!”

I tried not to cry. Despite Duncan’s reassurance earlier that he was still alive, I had tried not to cling to that hope only for it to be crushed later. And now he was in my arms. I could touch and smell him and knew, without a doubt, that he was okay. He’d have some new scars to brag about to the ladies, but other than that, he was fine for now.

And I was going to make sure he stayed that way.

Kit patted my back and the top of my head. “Awww, miss me that much, Kitten?”

I let him go and punched him in the shoulder a little too hard. “Where have you been!? I’ve been worried sick!” I then pulled him in for another tight hug.

“Easy, easy!” he winced, as he cried out. I must have brushed up against an internal injury somewhere. He pried me off him but still held on to me and looked me over. He softly ran a thumb over my scratch from Bella and I winced a little, but I could see the relief in his face that I was otherwise unharmed.

“That bitch is gonna pay.” he growled.

I blinked in surprise, and he gave me a sad smile.

“I was watching the tail end of it all. I was looking for an opening to help you escape, but they let you run. I’m sorry I was too late for… everything else.”

He knew. He knew what they had done to Duncan.

I nodded, finally letting some tears roll down my cheeks at last. All of my emotions finally got the better of me and the momentary sanctuary in Kit’s arms allowed my brain to stop spinning a million miles an hour.

“Hey, hey…” he whispered, now running thumbs across my cheeks to wipe away the sorrows of the day. He held my head in his hands and made me look into his bright red eyes. “We’ll get her, okay? But we need clear heads if we’re going to get out of this. You need to run now. I’ve only been able to open the hole in their defenses so wide.”

I shoved him away roughly, angry with him again. “Run? Again? That’s all I’ve been told to do all day! You’re crazy if you think I’m leaving you alone! I’m not going anywhere unless you’re coming with me!”

He rubbed at his chest where I had shoved him, a small smile of concern on his face.

“I’m glad you’re showing your claws, Kitten, but now’s not the time to be brave.”

I snorted, “Says you!”

Our conversation was interrupted by another thrall who ambushed us while we argued. Kit shoved me hard, and I fell backwards, falling roughly on my ass into the snow. He then whirled around and grabbed one of the lunging thrall’s outstretched arms, twisted it roughly behind its back, then shoulder tackled the monster into a nearby tree. He immediately shoved a dagger up into its skull right above the neck and gave the thrall another rough disgusted shove into the tree before releasing it.

He came back over and offered me a hand up. “Sorry about that.”

I accepted his help and, as he hoisted me up, I felt something in my palm as he let go of my hand. I looked and he had slid me one of his knuckledusters. I looked back at him to object, but he cut me off.

“Take it. It will give you something slightly more effective than a tree limb to do with your other hand if you want to get frisky. I’d give you a dagger but I’m just down to the two.”

I blushed with embarrassment as I noticed he looked a little less… sharp than usual, his throwing daggers and other pointy things all missing from his plethora of straps and pockets.

He noticed my face turning pink. “Yeah, I saw that. What was your plan with the tree, exactly?” He asked, with an amused eyebrow.

I stuck my tongue out at him as I pocketed the weapon and started wiping the loose snow from my pants when another vampire pushed its way past the trees.

A lieutenant this time.

He saw both of us and growled, unhappy that I wasn’t alone.

“A Zannister…” he grunted.

Kit stood in front of me. “No Zannister here buddy, just me.” He licked the blood off one of his daggers and grinned. “Zannisters play nicer than I do.”

The vampire unexpectedly took a small step back.

What the hell? They didn’t even fear Duncan!

I took another look at Kit. His tousled hair looked like it was standing on end, his muscles tense and flexed. The new cuts and old scars on his tanned body almost resembled a tiger’s stripes. His red eyes were now fiery and full of energy. He was primed to kill, and the vampire knew it, but this was something different. He felt dangerous, even to me.

“Go get ‘em, Tiger.” I whispered.

He didn’t turn his head, but I saw an eye flash over his shoulder to me for a second before returning to the vampire.

“Tiger?” He grinned even more. “I love it, Kitten.”

The vampire casually brushed a hand over his stylish vest, flicking some snow and pine needles off it.

“I do smell something else on you, Zannister. Something familiar. However, the mistress has declared a hunt for the female. She has no more interest in any of the remaining humans still alive, therefore I have no more interest.” He flashed his black eyes in a warning. “Walk away, and you will be spared.”

Kit shrugged, “Nah, my invitation must have just gotten lost!” He waved the vampire forward, daring it to make the first move. “And I’m almost positive you were supposed to be my dance partner!”

The vampire growled and jumped forward, mouth open, teeth flashing menacingly.

Kit raised his arm defensively, and the vampire grabbed it and bit down on his gauntleted forearm hard. Kit didn’t make a sound, but instead plunged a dagger straight into the vampire’s right eye. It squelched as the dagger sunk into the vamp’s skull and I flinched away as blood and some of the eye spurted out onto Kit’s chest and face.

The body went limp, and Kit shook it off, blood bubbling up and oozing from the puncture marks made from the teeth and claws. Kit frowned as he looked his arm over and shook it some more, seeming more annoyed than concerned or in serious pain.

“Sorry about that. Vampires are so rude. No social etiquette whatsoever!”

Hands on hips, I cocked an eyebrow at him, “And when has social etiquette ever been your thing?”

“I’ll have you know Carmilla made me attend a ton of make-believe tea parties when we were kids! I know stuff!” He pretended to sip tea, extending out his pinkie stiffly and then bowing deeply afterwards.

I covered my mouth and attempted to stifle a giggle. I had to keep him alive. I already lost other friends today. I hoped Julius was alright and only the Goddess knew if Chad was still breathing. And Duncan…

No! I didn’t care how stubborn he wanted to be about it, he was coming with me! I grabbed his other arm and started pulling, continuing in the direction I had been running.

“Come on!” I said, as he stumbled behind me.

We didn’t make it far. More thralls blocked our path, and as I turned from side to side, I realized they had quickly surrounded us. Kit turned and pressed his back to mine. I slid the fingers of my right hand into the knuckleduster as he also raised his weapons.

They all charged us at once. There were a lot of them. Eight? Ten? Kit and I held our ground as the claws and steel started to fly. Sharp claws flew at my head. I ducked and jabbed a thrall hard in the gut, forcing it to double over. I thrust Lily up and into the underside of the soft part of its jaw, then shoved it aside for the next one.

Kit was moving faster, with three of them already at his feet and his daggers buried in the side of a fourth. He was bristling again, his aura full of energy. As I disposed of another thrall, I realized it felt like I was feeding off it somehow. I felt no hesitation, no fear. Just the thrill of the moment. Another thrall fell at my feet, and I stomped on its head, hearing the crunch of its skull as I crushed it beneath my heel.

Spinning to my next target, I cried out, “Kitty goes ‘meow’!”

Kit roared with laughter alongside me and tossed another thrall aside. Their numbers were thinning, and we would have a moment soon to make a break for it. I was about to tug on Kit and pull him along in a mad dash for an opening in front of me, when I felt his rough hands whip me around to face him.

“One thing before you go.” he said, and he pulled me in for a deep kiss.

I closed my eyes and drank him in, the intensity of the moment overwhelming everything else and pushing all other thoughts aside. Before I knew what I was doing, I had wrapped my arms around him and pulled him closer to me. His body was rougher feeling than Chad’s. It was tougher and harder, full of muscle where Chad was just toned. His callused hands gripped me tighter, and I felt his powerful strength as he held me close. He was so much taller than I was, and he half lifted me to meet his lips, the tips of my toes barely touching the snow-covered ground. The kiss lasted much longer than mine had been with Chad. Where that had been a quick soft peck and then we had separated, Kit’s was drawn out, like it was the last thing he would ever get to do.

And I wanted more.

My lips parted, begging for him to press deeper. I panted into his mouth as his tongue swept in, warm and wild. A moan escaped me, and I was suddenly nervous and hot as I realized I didn’t know what to do next. I pushed my tongue against his and he returned in kind. Our tongues danced together for a brief moment before his pulled away as I felt him flinch in my grip.

Our lips broke apart abruptly and I saw his face was twisted in pain. A lieutenant had taken advantage of his distractedness and had sunk its fangs deep in Kit’s neck! I gasped in shock and pushed away, struggling to unscramble my brain in time to react and help him. But Kit was already a step ahead, as he quickly thrust his weapons into the vampire, one in its face and another in its side.

“Worth it…” he winced. “Absolutely worth it…”

It was all a ploy. He knew the vampire would pounce and not anticipate a counterattack. He had known it was coming and had been prepared for the cost. And what a cost it had been. I could feel him weakening in my arms. The vampire had still done its job and Kit wouldn’t be at full strength any longer. And even if we got away…

I pulled at him, pleading with him to come with me.

“We have to go!” I cried.

“I know” he winked, then he pushed me away before two more thralls jumped on his back. “You need to run! Now!” he yelled, as he grabbed one of the thralls and flung it over his head into the snow in front of him, before stepping on it to pin it to the ground, where it snapped hungry jaws back at him while clawing at his leg.

“And not from them…” His eyes began to burn brighter, only for three more thralls to dog pile on, and I lost sight of him as he was buried under their bodies and thrashing limbs.

Feeling warm tears stinging my face as they flowed freely from my eyes, I turned and ran.

Again.

I shut my eyes as I hurtled through the forest and tried to ignore the blood curdling screaming behind me.