Page 44 of Grayson’s Challenge

The rented house to which Sharleen and Barbie had invited Zach and David Montague for New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day was a cozy two-story chalet with a rustic great room and a small kitchen on the first floor, and two bedrooms and a bathroom on the second floor. The log cabin was located about an hour south of Gstaad, tucked away in a forest in the middle of nowhere. The big wood-burning fireplace heated the entire house, and the Christmas decorations inside the home gave it a romantic and festive feel.

Zach was glad that Monique had decided not to join them, because she would definitely have been the third wheel. And having to listen to her two brothers having marathon sex with two girls from New York would have annoyed the hell out of her.

Zach turned to the side, but the space next to him in bed was empty. “Sharleen?”

Nobody replied. Most likely she’d gone downstairs to get something to drink. He sat up in bed, grabbed a pair of shorts and put them on, then left the room barefoot. He walked down the wooden stairs. Despite being scantily clad, he didn’t feel cold. The fire was still burning in the fireplace, and as a vampire hybrid, he could tolerate the cold better than a human. A standing lamp was still lit in the great room, and light came from the open kitchen door.

“Sharleen?”

He walked to the door and took a step into the galley-style kitchen. The refrigerator door was open, obstructing his view, but he recognized Sharleen’s slim legs peeking out from beneath.

“You’re hungry?” he asked and walked closer.

She closed the refrigerator door, a bottle of water in one hand. She wore one of his shirts with only one button fastened. Her ample breasts and hard nipples were barely covered by the white fabric. She tossed him a coquettish smile.

“Just needed a drink. You’re wearing me out.”

She batted her eyelashes, and he knew she was only teasing him.

“Oh yeah?” He bridged the distance between them with a couple of steps and slid his hands onto her ass. Just like he’d assumed, she wasn’t wearing any panties. “Then why are you running around the house half naked, when you know I have a hard time resisting that kind of temptation?”

“My mistake,” she purred, and her lips formed into a sexy pout.

He squeezed her ass and yanked her to him. “And what if my brother or Barbie saw you like that? What then?”

“Then maybe I would have asked them to join us… you know… for a ménage-à-quatre.”

Zach nearly choked on his own saliva. She was up for a foursome?

She chuckled. “Isn’t that what you and your brother were hoping for when you took us up on our invitation?”

Was she for real? “Well, let’s wake them, shall we? And see if they’re game,” he suggested, wondering if she would chicken out when push came to shove.

Sharleen moaned softly. “I’d like that.” She pulled his head down to her cleavage. “But first, how about a quick one right here?”

He didn’t need to be told twice. He spun her around and bent her over, her naked ass pointing at him, her breasts resting on the quartz countertop. He was about to free his cock from his shorts, when he heard a sound from the living room.

“We’ve got company.”

He let go of her and walked to the open kitchen door. “David? You up?” What he saw made him curse. “Fuck!”

A big vampire stood in the living room, a gun in his hand. Behind him, another person entered the chalet.

“Vampire attack!” Zach yelled to warn his brother, already charging at the intruder.

The assailant aimed with his gun, but Zach dove out of the line of fire, snatching a chair in midflight, just as a shot rang out. Sharleen screamed a high-pitched scream. Zach flung the chair in the attacker’s direction, while he landed hard on the wooden floor, sliding behind the dining table. The second intruder, whose aura identified him as another vampire, barreled toward him, the light from the fireplace reflecting on the silver knife in his left hand. In his belt, Zach saw a wooden stake.

Zach grabbed another chair and broke it, fashioning a makeshift wooden stake. Both attackers now barreled toward him. He grabbed the standing lamp next to him and tossed it toward the vampire with the gun, barely slowing him down.

He heard steps on the stairs, and hoped for reinforcements, but to his horror, it wasn’t his brother descending from the second floor, but Barbie, dressed only in a short nightie. Where the fuck was David?

Zach collided with one of his attackers, and flung him against the wall, while the other guy aimed his gun again. Zach dove in the other direction, snatching a heavy vase and tossing it in the shooter’s direction. One of the girls screamed, and another person charged into the chalet. In the corner of his eye, Zach recognized David carrying a stack of firewood, wearing only a pair of jeans and boots. He flung one heavy piece of wood at the vampire with the gun, making the guy whirl around toward David, while firing.

Meanwhile, the attacker with the silver knife was getting to his feet again, and Zach lunged for him, kicking his knee into the asshole’s balls, then swiping his neck with his claws, leaving deep gashes, blood splattering on the floor. But the attacker’s claws were out now too, as well as his fangs, and he snarled viciously. Zach, all vampire now, grabbed him with his claws, slicing deep into the guy’s stomach. The asshole retaliated by swinging his arm holding the knife. It cut deep into Zach’s side, the silver burning like acid. But the jerk would have to do better if he wanted him to give up the fight.

Another scream from one of the women reached his ears, but he had no time to look who needed help, because his attacker was lunging at him again. This time, Zach sidestepped him, then jumped behind him and plunged the makeshift stake into the vampire’s back, aiming for the heart. For a split second, the vampire froze, then he dissolved into ash.

“David?”