Page 48 of Sun-Kissed Fangs
Only three things could harm vampires. Sunlight, stakes… and silver. In her fury, she’d been blind to everything other than making Kieran bleed, so she hadn’t thought to restrain his hands.
The silver-coated dagger embedded in her side was the cost of that mistake.
“The Chains are the cowards, you fucking freak.” His eyes shimmered as he twisted the knife. A slow, deliberate movement that drew a scream from her lips.
Kieran laughed. “What’s the matter, vamp? Not as tough as you’re letting on?”
He pushed her wrist against the ground, a sick grin on his face as he pulled the knife free and plunged it through her hand.
She screamed again.
“What a soothing sound,” Kieran snarled, pushing down on the knife. “I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that you caved this quickly. Taking what isn’t yours. You Chains love preaching justice while spitting in the face of ancient customs. But guess what. You overextended your fucking reach.”
He leaned in close, resting his weight on the knife handle. “You came where you weren’t wanted. Tested the wrong people.Touched something that did not belong to you. Harper has been Claimed, and you fucking knew that. You knew she wasmine.”
He was wrong. Every cell in her body insisted he waswrong. That Harper wasn’thisto Claim. No matter which laws he followed that let him take her in that way, they held no power in this city.
Vampires grew more powerful with age, but even a fledgling could hold their own against a single therian, provided they weren’t being poisoned by silver.
It gave him an advantage. Had he not moved close to her face, like a fucking moron.
With fangs pressing against her bottom lip, Maya yanked him forward by the collar. Only a few inches. Barely noticeable. But it put his throat just within reach.
“She doesn’twantto be yours,” Maya snarled, sinking her teeth into his pulsing carotid.
His blood wasfoul. She was used to the metallic taste of dead blood, but this was so bitter that it almost turned her stomach. Vampires could only feed on humans, and Kieran was more than that. Hardier than that.
With a loud curse, he scrambled away. He pressed his hand against the side of his neck, dark blood oozing out between his fingers.
No one moved. Both Kieran and the onlookers just stood there,staring, as a familiar, smoky scent filled the air.
Her stomach felt like it was on fire. Her hand, still impaled by the knife, was even worse. Even if she wasn’t outnumbered, these people could have subdued her with no effort.
But the day-walking Chains vampire had a gruesome reputation. One that caused these wolves to hesitate when one unified pounce could have gotten them victory.
They were afraid. That wouldn’t do. When she was done here, she would make sure they were fucking terrified.
Gritting her teeth, she grabbed the bloody knife. A silvered switchblade, the hilt worn from prolonged use, and a pained cry slipped out as she pulled it free.
She gripped the knife tight and forced herself to her feet, even though her body screamed in protest. Tremors were setting in, born from pain and fury alike, but it didn’t matter. When she stepped forward, spitting Kieran’s blood onto the snow, the surrounding wolves all took a step back.
“This wasn’t what we agreed on, Kieran.” Maya glared at the bleeding man. “You were told to stay out of Chains business. But now you got overly involved.”
She raised her bloody arm. A few people in the crowd looked away.
Kieran lowered his hand. Though the bite wound on his neck still trickled, the flow wasn’t as lethal as hoped.
“You attackedme!” he snarled. “I was just defending myself.”
“Only because you made the mistake of showing up here. You were to leave this place alone until the Chains were done with it. An ambush against one of its employees isn’t upholding your part of the deal.”
The backup he’d brought was likely the only reason that ambush hadn’t happened. She could imagine Kieran’s reaction when he saw her and Harper. He would have pounced on her right then if his goons hadn’t held him back.
“I didn’t agree to that deal,” Kieran spat. “Jackie’sweak. She might think talking is the way to get us ahead, but she doesn’t know what the fuck she’s doing. The Courts love their games, but the packs will never be valid players. She screwed herself when she made that fuckingdeal.”
A man stepped forward. Red hair, burly build, shifty eyes. Maya had seen him before. The very first night she’d been in the Lucky Penny, and then again when he was sent to stalk the places Harper frequented.
Booker put a hand on Kieran’s arm. “Boss, you should probably—”
