Page 32 of Bloodhunter

But then I caught a quick movement from my peripheral visionand glanced toward the doorway, and I saw Mrs. Watson peering around thedoorframe, her eyes wide and a broom in her white-knuckle grip.

“Oh, shit,” I whispered.

And even as she darted a quick look my way and thendisappeared—to call the police again, I had no doubt—I knew Clayton was right.

I was most definitely going to have to move.

And I was going to need a sturdier door.

Chapter Eleven

I regained some control, finally, and scrambled for my robe.I put it on and tied the belt a little too tightly, and in seconds, the cloth wasbright with fresh blood. I wasn’t sure, truthfully, that I’d survive the night.I kept losing blood and I didn’t have an endless supply.

Still, a bleeding wound was preferable to the screaming lustthat had consumed me. I wasn’t embarrassed, not yet. That would come later.

Miriam arrived. She swept past me, her face tight with coldanger, and strode to the fighting men.

“Stop,” she said, her voice ringing with command.

Clayton stopped immediately. His fists fell to his sides andhe stiffened, unable to even defend himself.

But Angus was not controlled by any magical compulsion toobey Miriam, and he took advantage of Clayton’s vulnerability by delivering apunch to the other man’s chin, followed by a devastating blow to his temple.

Clayton dropped like a stone and Angus backed up, wipedblood from his own gushing nose, and glared down at Miriam. “I should fuckingkill him,” he roared.

Miriam ignored him. All her concentration was on Clayton.She kicked him in the face, hard.

“Get up,” she told him.

“He’s unconscious,” I said, aghast. “Angus sucker punchedhim.” I sank down to the floor beside him and stared up at her. “He may bedying!”

She curled her lip. “He’s not dying, you silly girl. Hecan’t die. He just needs me to command him to rise.” She grinned, but it was thescariest grin I’d ever seen. “Clayton,” she sang, causing me to jump. “Get up.Getup!”

His body twitched.

Miriam leaned forward. “Get up!” She pulled back her foot,clad in a black, pointed toe stiletto, and began kicking him in the ribs.

Kicking him. In the ribs.

I gaped at her. “Stop it, Miriam. Stop!”

But it was like she didn’t even hear me. She continuedkicking him, and I heard his ribs crack.

I wasn’t putting up with that shit.

I grabbed her foot mid-kick and twisted, and when she hitthe floor I pulled back my fist and punched her in the mouth. Hard.

“Here,” Angus roared, and grabbed me by the back of my robe.He yanked me to my feet, then jerked me back a few steps, away from Miriam.“What are you doing?” Then he focused on my bloody robe. “What thefuckhappened to you?”

Before I could answer, he turned to Miriam, who was wipingblood from her rapidly swelling lip.

“You said Clay could protect her!” Angus roared. “He had hernaked in his arms and she’s covered with blood. What the fuck, Miriam!”

“Is that all you can do is yell?” I yelled.

They both looked at me, then turned back to each other.

“I was trying to rouse him so he could explain, but Trinitytook offense and punched me in the mouth. You saw her.”