Chapter 5

“First, finish your meal or Pierre will pout for days.” Andrei settled back in the restaurant's chair.

She pushed aside her plate. “I'm stuffed, actually. Where's the laptop you promised so I could review your flash drive?”

“Does that mean you'll help?”

She crossed her legs and set the cloth napkin to the side of her plate. “I haven't agreed to anything but looking at what you have.”

“Mihnea should be here any moment with a laptop for you to use, I sent him out to get one while you ordered,” Andrei said. “Even though I called him when we first arrived, he always likes to make an entrance.”

“What did you say to her, Andrei?” Pierre huffed as he carried out a huge piece of chocolate torte.

“No, the food was delicious,” she smiled, “I couldn't eat another bite. Maybe I could take it home for later?”

He cursed in a mixture of French and another language she didn't recognize.

A scream echoed from the kitchen and the hairs on the back of Lynda's neck stood up.

“Wha—?”

“Stay here.” Andrei tore from his chair toward the kitchen's swinging doors. “Protect her!”

Pierre's eyes flashed crimson. He snatched her hand and jerked her out of her chair. “C’mon.”

“Where are we going?” She asked as he ushered her outside. Her heart hammered in her chest as two more screams broke through from the back of the restaurant. “What's going on?”

He yanked the limo open and pushed her inside. When he didn't climb in after her, she grabbed his sleeve.

“Sorry, madame, but I've got to help my stubborn brother before he gets himself hurt.”

“But what's hap—”

The door shut and Pierre dashed back inside the restaurant.

She had to do something...had to help. When she pulled on the car door handle, nothing happened. Then she tapped the window button, but it didn't budge either.

The limo driver lowered his window between them, but there was still a steel metal mesh separating them.

“Where to, miss?” Lynda noted he had a hint of a European accent, but she still couldn’t see him since his face was hidden in shadows.

“Let me out.”

“I'm afraid I can't do that, miss. It's dangerous in there with that many Russian vampires.”

Her blood ran cold. “How do you know they’re Russian or how many there are?”

“I can smell the blood vodka on them. Cheap brand too. It’s an army, and you are more valuable than Andrei or Pierre right now.”

She had to get him to let her out. If she could make a call, the authorities would come with wooden bullets and garlic and blessed crosses. Where was her cell phone? “My-my purse, I left it inside.”

“You'll have to pick it up tomorrow morning.” He stepped on the gas and the limo lurched away from the curb.

A vampire flew out of the restaurant’s window, its eyes red. It snarled, scraping at her window to get inside.

She screamed as the fiend clung to the door despite the car gaining speed.

It clawed into the metal of her door. Fangs extended as it stared at her through the glass.

The car picked up even more speed. Finally, the vampire lost his grip on the door, and two words echo on the wind. “Bleed dry.”

Lynda backed across the back seat. What could she do against a feral vampire with no weapons? Think, think.

The limo swerved and hit something. It bumped up over the windshield, then landed over the sunroof above her. Another freaking vampire!

It broke through the glass of the sunroof and was halfway inside when the limo driver cursed. He swung the limo wide, causing them to spin around. Cars honked, and brakes squealed as people avoided crashing into them.

But the vamp crawled deeper into the car toward her.

She yelled, her body pressed against the far corner.

“I will make your death quick after I drain you like I did the waitress.” It grinned showing his fangs. “She screamed so pleasantly for me. Can you top her?”

Bile filled her throat. For a moment she froze as the vamp grasped her knee. Then she bent her other leg and kicked him in the face.

“Suka! Bitch!” He cursed.

She didn't stop but kicked him again as hard as she could. Her heel snapped off in his neck. Black blood poured from the wound. His skin smoked from the wound.

There must be wood in the heels!

The vamp pulled back, snarling.

“Got another one waiting for you.” She lifted her other foot with a grin that was far braver than she felt.

The limo screeched to a halt, and both she and the vampire smashed into the floorboard.

They were so cramped and close, that the vamp snapped his teeth at her, almost nipping at her skin. A rotting and metallic smell wafted from his breath.

She gagged. Her legs were stuck underneath her and the floorboard. She wiggled to get to her unbroken heel.

“Too late, you're mine.” It snatched her wrist, nails digging into her flesh. “Such sweet-smelling blood.”

“Let me go!” She tugged her arm.

The vamp licked his lips. Then a grimace crossed his face a second before he was ripped out of the car.

When she moved to get out, the limo driver's voice sounded from the open door. “Stay here.”

She glanced at the front of the limo and found the driver gone. The sound of smacking flesh echoed, and she peeked out the back window.

A man punched the vampire. From his thin build, he had to be the limo driver and also a vampire to fight one without any weapons.

When the driver yanked her broken heel out of the other vamp’s neck, he slammed it into the Russian's chest. The enemy vamp crumpled.

She let out a shaky breath and eased out through the broken side door. “Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me yet.” Then the driver paused, looking back toward the street behind them.

“What is it?” She squinted and limped with one heel closer. Was it Andrei coming to check on them? Was he okay?

In the distance, she made out a dozen shapes, maybe more. Vampires and they were headed straight to them. The fiends ran over cars, shoving pedestrians aside, and barreled closer. Her stomach crashed into her throat. She scrambled back, her hip hitting the side of the car.

They had to get the hell out of there now.

She ducked inside the limo’s backseat. “Come on! Drive!”

The driver clenched his fists as though he would stand and fight, but then he glanced over his shoulder at her.

“Do something! They’re going to kill us.” Her voice squeaked as she fastened her seatbelt.

His shoulders hunched slightly. He zipped around the limo and hopped behind the wheel and gunned the engine.

“Hold on,” was the only warning he gave as the car skidded and twisted to the right, zooming down the street. The wind buffeted her from the broken door.