Into Your Flame

Into Your Flame
By
Shi-Saiyan

Cynder rolled her eyes and leaned back in her chair as Asha told her, once again, that it wasn't a good idea to get involved with a vampire. "Pretty soon, they'll start asking questions and they won't be put off forever," she was saying. Cynder let the chair fall forward with a thud and stood up. "Yeah, I get that, Ash, but sooner or later, we're gonna have to tell 'em anyway and you know it." "And what are you gonna do when David finds out the truth about us? What do you think he's going to think of you then?" Asha asked, rising to her feet as well. "Better they hear it from us than from the ones who come looking for us! Because they will come, Ash! They will! And when they do, I'd rather have David and his boys beside us than against us!" Cynder spat back. "Shut up!"

Both Cynder and Asha turned and stared. Embyr was on her feet, her fists clenched at her sides, her blue eyes flashing. "Em-" Asha began. "No! Just shut up! I'm sick of hearing the two of you fight about this, about everything! Cynder, you push and you push and eventually, you're going to push too far and it's all going to tumble down around us! I know you can't stand following Asha's orders and that it's not in your nature to hide things, but that's what we have to do, if we want to stay alive! That is the position we've put ourselves in!" Asha started to smile, until Embyr swung on her.

"And you! You're even worse! You've dragged us across the country, you've ordered and demanded and shoved us until we've done what you want and you still aren't satisfied! We've reached the ocean, Asha and there's nowhere else to run! You can't expect us to live our lives in this apartment! The vampires are the closest thing to friends that we have, the only kind of friends we can risk having, because in the end, when they come for us, Marko and David and the others are going to have a chance at surviving! Don't use your insecurities as an excuse to tie Cynder down! You know if you try, she'll only fight you harder." Silence fell over the room as Cynder and Asha stared at their little sister in shock. Never had Embyr raised her voice in a tirade like the one she'd just unleashed. She was always quiet and thoughtful and more than a little shy. Indeed, after she'd finished reaming them, she took a deep, shakey breath and sat down, pulling her knees up and hugging them to her chest, as if retreating into herself. Everything she said, however, was right.

"Embyr," said Cynder, quietly, kneeling next to her sister's chair and touching her hair. Embyr leaned into her and Cynder drew her sister into her arms. The younger girl's shoulders began to shake and Cynder realized she was crying. Asha fell to her knees beside them and wrapped her arms around both of them. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "I only wanted to keep us safe." "We know, Ash," said Cynder, stroking Embyr's hair. Asha looked at Cynder, who met her gaze. "She's right, Cyn. Go, find David and the others, have a good time." Cynder was silent for a moment, then she rose to her feet, leaving Asha to comfort Embyr. "Ash." Asha looked toward the door, where Cynder was lingering. "I won't tell them. Not until you're ready." Asha nodded and Cynder was gone.


"Come for a ride with us," David said. Cynder cocked her head to one side. "Where to?" "Home," he said, simply. She slid her leg over the bike and slid close to him on the seat, her legs pressing on either side of his hips. She put her arms around his waist and leaned against him as he revved the engine. He nodded and the four bikes peeled out, throwing sand as they sped down the beach. She saw flashes of the forest, the ocean, a place known as Hudson's Bluff and that was where they slowed and finally stopped. She dismounted and glanced sideways at David. His eyes were studying the ocean, as if he saw something there that the others did not. "Well, where is home?" she asked and he looked at her, as if coming back to reality. "Down the cliff. Watch your step, it's always slippery."

Wet with saltwater spray, the rocks were slick under their feet, but the vampires followed the path easily, leading the way down the bluff. Cynder followed, feline balance being the only thing keeping her on her feet as they led her into the cave. There was a short tunnel, maybe 15 feet long and then it opened up into a great cavern, the walls covered with all manner of decoration, including a giant poster of Jim Morrison. There were two beds in the main cavern, a small one, tucked into the wall of the cave, and a larger one, surrounded by gauzy curtains that made the occupant all but invisible. "Star and Michael's, and Laddie's," said David, seeing her glance at the beds. Cynder had been introduced to the girl, her lover and the child vampire briefly in the few nights since they had met David and the others. "And what about the rest of you?" she asked, as Dwayne used a lit branch to light fires in several barrells around the cavern. "The cave honeycombs back into the mountain. There's all kinds of chambers," said Paul, sitting back on one of the old armchairs. "There used to be a resort here, but it was destroyed by an earthquake. A lot of the furniture was still good," said Marko, patting the back of a couch. "There's beds in most of the other caverns, and we each have a place to keep our things, but we usually sleep in the farthest chamber. There's some framework back there, perfect for hanging," said David. "Hanging, huh... wouldn't that be kinky," said Cynder, raising an eyebrow with a grin. Marko and Paul burst into laughter and David smiled. Dwayne had his "amused" look. He didn't smile much, she'd noticed, or even really talk much. Only his eyes gave him away, glittering with supressed laughter.

Cynder perched on the arm of David's chair and leaned back. "So, what do you boys do around here for fun?"


David listened to Cynder's laughter as she joined in the whooping and hollering. They were flying over the trees and he was holding her tightly to his chest. He could feel her heart thundering under his hands. She was excited and exhilerated and her blood was pumping faster and hotter, just beneath the surface. He could smell it, almost taste it and his jaw began to ache. He landed, quickly when they'd cleared the trees, releasing Cynder at once. She gave him a curious glance and looked like she would speak when something moved in the trees to their left. The vampires froze and Cynder dropped to a defensive crouch, low to the ground, her teeth bared.

Two teenagers stumbled out of the woods and stopped when they saw the group before them. Without warning, David attacked, grabbing the boy by the shoulders and yanking his head to one side. He struck and the hot, thick liquid poured into his mouth, down his chin. He dimly heard one of the others take the girl even as the boy's heart ceased to beat. Pulling back, he dropped the body to the sand and turned. Cynder was no longer crouching. She'd straightened halfway up and had moved in closer. Her eyes were bright gold and she was still baring her teeth, but they had changed. Small, sharp fangs glinted in the moonlight and her gaze followed the blood that was dripping down his chin. David stepped toward her, their faces nearly touching and he heard her shakey intake of breath before he grasped her hair and dragged her mouth to his.

Human blood. She could taste it on him, the scent invaded her nose, teasing and whispering of its power. It'd been a long time since she'd tasted the blood of anything other than deer. She could feel David's power flare with it, knew her own would do the same, if she fed on a human, but that was the only one of Asha's rules she'd never broken. To stave off the urge to hunt, Cynder would satisfy other hungers.

He kissed her hard, dominating, but she didn't surrender, just kissed him back harder. As their mouths warred for dominance, she'd tangled one hand in his hair, as if to hold him there. Her other arm was around his neck and at some point, he'd grabbed her ass and lifted her so her legs were around his waist. Gasping for breath, David pulled back, looking at her. Her eyes were still golden and a soft, growling whimper came from her throat. "Shit," he muttered, taking to the air once more and heading back to the cave.


Hard and soft, all at once, David's mouth claimed her, her lips, her throat, her breasts, every inch of skin he found. He branded her with his lips, tongue and teeth, his hands exploring and caressing and she surprised him by turning the tables, flipping him to his back and straddling him. Her nails pressed into his skin, leaving furrows on his chest, her teeth raked his throat, his shoulders, her kittinish fangs breaking skin. The scent of blood heightened their awareness, setting their skin on fire, ultrasensitive to every touch, every texture, every taste. The sex was wild and unrivaled, but the power rush was more than either of them had ever tasted and they rode it together, exhilerated, breathing hard, blood pumping hotly, naked skin slick with sweat, bodies still tangled, until it faded and left them lying there, much as the waves leave the driftwood on the beach after a storm.

Cynder felt boneless and strangely numb, as if she were really, really drunk. She wasn't sure if she could move, but it didn't matter, because she had no intention of trying. She was content to lie on the bed, tangled in the sheets- and the vampire.

David's world was spinning out of control. He'd had plenty of sex, with plenty of beautiful women, talented women, but nothing had compared to what had just happened with Cynder. The heat between the two of them had been amazing and her body fit his like she'd been made for him. It had been uncontrolled and rough and he'd felt her body tighten around him, even as he spilled into her. She'd let out a primal scream and her nails had raked bloody furrows down his back. And then the power roared over them, tore through them and left him wanting more.

He looked down at the girl collapsed against his chest. Her eyes were half-closed and she was still trying to catch her breath. They were both sticky with the sweat that was drying on their skin, but neither seemed to care. With more effort than it should've taken, David grabbed the edge of the blanket and pulled it haphazardly over them, before letting his head fall back and his eyes close.

"Holy shit, what the fuck was that!?" Mike demanded, leaping to his feet as a scream split the air and a wave of something unnamable poured over him. Laddie was already making his way toward the doorway to the next cavern, looking around for the source. Star was sitting on the bed, rubbing her hands over the goosebumps that had risen on her arms. "It was David," said Laddie, with certainty. "How do you know, kid?" asked Mike. Laddie gave him a look that said he didn't think Mike was the brightest. "It was David's power. I know what he feels like, in my head. It was him. At least part of it was," the boy amended, starting to push aside the curtain and leave the main cavern. The sound of rushing wind and then footsteps had him pausing as Marko, Dwayne and Paul came tearing into the cave. "What's going on? Where's David?" asked Paul. "He's back there... with the leopard," said Laddie, nodding toward the doorway. "Well, what happened?" asked Marko, still tensed and looking for something to attack. "Cynder," said Star. "She screamed and then it happened." "You think David killed her? Took her blood?" asked Marko. Star shook her head, her face getting a little pink. "It wasn't that kind of scream." "Oh," Marko said, sitting down on the couch. "Shouldn't we go see if they're okay?" asked Mike. Paul, Marko and Dwayne just looked at him, then at each other, each of them wondering who was going to be the unlucky vampire that interrupted their leader in bed.

In the end, it was none of them. It was only about ten more minutes before a scrabbling sound was heard and Asha and Embyr appeared in the entrance. "Where the fuck is she?" Asha hissed, stepping forward and grabbing Dwayne by the jacket. Marko and Paul stood up, but Dwayne put out a hand, signalling them to stay back. "She's with David." "We felt her beast screaming all the way across town. Something was wrong with it. She didn't feel the same," said Embyr, looking around the cave, as if they had hidden Cynder in a dark corner. "Because it wasn't only her you felt. It was David. Something happened to them, with them," said Dwayne, grabbing Asha's wrists and pulling her hands off his jacket. He held them for a moment, his eyes locked on hers, before releasing her. "Are they all right?" asked Embyr. "We aren't sure yet," Dwayne admitted. "Why the hell not?" Asha asked. "Because, depending on his mood, and what activities they are currently engaged in, David may very well rip the head off of anyone who walks through the doorway into his room," said Paul. Asha blinked, then shook her head. "I'm going to make sure Cynder's okay," she said, pushing aside the curtain and making her way through the connecting caverns until she found the source of Cynder's energy. There was silence from the other side of the curtain that covered the entrance and she slowly pulled it open.

Cynder lay in the vampire's arms, presumably asleep, her hand curled on his chest, her head resting on his shoulder. One of his arms was locked around her waist, the other resting on her leg, which was thrown across his hips. David's eyes were closed as well and neither of them moved when she looked in. Watching Cynder's shoulders move with her breath for a moment, as if assuring herself that her sister was indeed alive and not just a corpse in David's arms, Asha let the curtain fall closed and retreated back to the main cavern.

~*~

Roughly a hundred miles away, deep in southern California, a vampire raised her head from her prey and stared at the sky to the north, her eyes focusing on something unseen. Then she laughed and the sound that came from that sweet looking mouth was terrifying. It spoke of power and cruelty and the younger vampire by her side looked up at her, dark eyes wide. "Adrianna?" The blond vampire looked over at her companion. "Did you feel it?" Smaller and darker, the girl shook her head. "What was it?" "One of my children has tapped into a new power. Come, Katrina, let us go see what he's up to."

~*~

Cynder dreamed. A blond woman, a vampire, with cruel blue eyes and a predatory smile. She was laughing and she saw a younger, less powerful David behind her. There was a girl, young, petite, beautiful, with dusky skin, and dark hair, lying on the bed. Then the scene changed and she saw herself with David, on his bed, holding tightly to one another as they rode the wave of power. She saw her sisters and David's boys, Laddie, Star and Michael, their heads coming up and their eyes widening in surprise. She saw Asha, standing in the doorway, watching them sleep. And she saw the blond woman again, her face raised to the sky. She was laughing again and her beautiful face was frightening. The young girl was by her side, dark eyes turned to the other woman in confusion. She was even more beautiful than before, her dark skin seeming to glow from within, her hair long and falling around her shoulders. Her mouth was full and soft and her face still held a look of innocence, though she was unmistakably a vampire. "David," she whispered, and then the dream faded, leaving Cynder to sleep, restlessly through the rest of the night and into the day in blessed darkness.

~*~

"You look like shit," Asha informed Cynder. "Thanks so much," Cynder said, wryly, through a yawn. "What happened last night?" asked Embyr, as Cynder flopped down on the couch and threw her arm over her eyes. "Some flying, some drinking and a lot of really great sex," Cynder replied, not looking up. Embyr pulled her arm away from her face and Cynder squinted at the light. "Really, Cyn, what happened? We felt your beast from here and followed it to the cave." Cynder's head came up and she looked at Embyr. "You were at the cave last night?" The younger girl nodded and Cynder turned her gaze to Asha. "And you came to David's room and looked in at us." Asha raised an eyebrow. "I thought you were asleep. Why didn't you say anything?" "I was asleep," Cynder said, sitting up and rubbing her hands over her face. "Then how-" "I dreamed it. I dreamed you felt the power, that you came to the cave. I dreamed you standing in the doorway. And if that was real, then so was the rest of it," Cynder mumbled the last bit, almost to herself. "What 'rest of it'? asked Asha, sitting beside her. Embyr perched on the arm of the couch and they waited as Cynder slowly told them what she'd seen in her dream.

"She said David's name?" asked Asha, brow furrowed. Cynder nodded and Embyr said, "Then it stands to reason that he would know who she was, and the other woman too." "You'll have to ask him when he rises tonight," said Asha, but Cynder was shaking her head. "I think that might be too late. Whoever they were, they felt him last night and they know where he is. There was plenty of darkness left for them to get here. I think they might already be nearby." "You think they mean him harm?" asked Asha, standing as Cynder popped up off the couch and started for the bedroom. "I don't know, but there's only a few vampires I trust and all of them are sleeping in that cave, completely unaware of what's coming." "What are you going to do?" asked Embyr, following Cynder into her room and watching her pull clothes out of her dresser. "I'm going to take a shower, get dressed, have a pot of coffee and then I'm going back to the cave. I'll warn them when they rise, but if those other vampires get there first, at least I'll be able to try and protect them." "It's suicide," said Asha, as Cynder carried her bundle of clothes to the bathroom. "Maybe, but I don't think David and the others will let them kill me. Besides, I can't just let someone hurt them. Something happened last night, something big, and I'll be damned if I'll let someone take that from me." She made a move to close the bathroom door and Asha grabbed it. Cynder leveled her gaze at her, opening her mouth to make a threat, but Asha spoke first. "We're coming with you." Cynder closed her mouth and nodded once, before closing the door, quietly.

~*~

"They know we're coming," said Adrianna, as Katrina woke for the night. "How?" the younger vampire asked. "I'm not sure. Something to do with David's new power. But they'll be waiting for us." "David thinks we mean him harm?" asked Katrina, widening her eyes. Adrianna turned her powerful gaze on Katrina. "Don't we? We don't know that for sure yet. I want to know how he got this new power, and why." "You want to take it from him," said Katrina, reading her face. "Of course." "Even if you have to kill him to get it," Katrina said, looking away. Adrianna grabbed her chin and turned her face, harshly, forcing their gazes to meet. "So what if I do? Don't you want him to suffer for leaving you as he did? You could have been with him all these years, side by side. If he loved you so much, why didn't he stay to be with you? He deserves to be punished," Adrianna hissed. Katrina lowered her eyes. "I don't want to hurt him. I just want to know why," she said, softly. Adrianna shoved her away and turned toward the ocean. "So you shall, pet. So you shall."

~*~

"Adrianna," said David, flatly, as Cynder described the blond woman she'd dreamt about. "My creator." The boys glanced at each other, uneasily. David had never spoken about his past to any of them and the look in his blue eyes was icy as he spoke the name. "So she's finally coming for me," he muttered, then looked at Cynder again. "What else?" "There was another vampire, a young girl with dark hair and brown eyes. She said your name, David," said Cynder, her eyes studying his face and it went slack with shock. "How old did she look?" "Around sixteen, no older than seventeen. Who is she?" asked Cynder. "Katrina." David's voice was barely audible. "Did you bring her across?" asked Asha. David's head shot up. "No. I couldn't. Adrianna did, trying to punish me." He stood up and turned away, signalling that the subject was closed. "Laddie, you stay with Dwayne tonight. Adrianna will be looking for weaknesses, for leverage. It's something she's very adept at. I don't want her to have a chance at one so young. Star and Michael, I'd advise you to stay in a well populated area, all night, don't come back to the cave at sunrise. Find somewhere else to sleep. She'll be waiting here if she doesn't attack before dawn. The rest of you, we'll hunt the boardwalk tonight, as a group. No one strays," he said, turning back to them, his eyes locking on each of theirs for a moment as they nodded, one by one.

"And what about us?" asked Asha, quietly. "Go home. Stay out of her way and she'll have no reason to look for you," David said. Embyr held her breath and looked at Cynder, expecting to see hurt on her face. Anger was there instead. "Fuck that. I'm staying." David narrowed his eyes at her. "No, you're not. She'll kill you." "She'll try," Cynder snapped. "Dammit, I said no!" he roared. "She doesn't know anything about you! You don't want her as an enemy!" "That's bullshit! The whole reason she's coming for you is because of what we did last night! She felt whatever power it was that we raised and she wants it! Even if I'm not with you when she finds you, she will come after us. And if she's as powerful as you say, she'll find us. We stand a better chance with the pack and you know it," Cynder said. "Cyn's right, David. We're not going anywhere," said Asha. Embyr was nodding, her small face grave. With a snarl, David turned away and stalked out of the cavern, through the curtain and into the chambers beyond.


"Get out." David's voice was gruff, angry and Cynder ignored his order, coming closer to him. He spun on her, his eyes glittering with rage. "I said get out." "No. Who's Katrina?" Cynder demanded. He looked away and she thought she saw his face soften. "Just a girl." "No, she's more than that. Who is she to you?" "She is no-one to me," he hissed. "But she was once," Cynder guessed. After a long silence, she thought he was going to continue to ignore her, but he finally spoke, very softly. "She was seventeen in the year 1694 and I was still a very young vampire. I made the mistake of caring for her, a mortal and Adrianna found out. She wanted me to bring her across, make her one of us, but I refused. She was too alive, too innocent, so much a creature of the sunlight. She had no idea what I was and I was too afraid to tell her. Too afraid she turn away. The night after I took her virginity, Adrianna turned her and when I came home and found her standing over Katrina's body, waiting for her to rise, I left. It was the last time I saw either of them." His voice was flat as he spoke, emotionless, but he kept his face carefully averted. Cynder stepped close to him. "It was a long time ago, David. It's time to deal with it. Your past is coming for you and this time you'll have to face it head on, but you don't have to do it alone." He didn't speak, just continued to stare into a memory that only he could see.

~*~

David looked much the same as he had 200 years before, Katrina thought, staring at him. He was sitting on a motorcycle, his white-blond hair spiked on the top and longer in the back. He wore old, torn jeans and a leather trenchcoat. She watched as he lit a cigarette and turned his face toward the girl perched behind him on the seat. She was pretty, with dark hair just past her shoulders and brown eyes. She was strong, with long muscles that shifted under her skin when she moved and curves sweet enough to make a man look twice. She wasn't a vampire, though and she definitely wasn't human. There was power coming off her like heat off a flame and there was something feral in her eyes. She was holding David's hips between her denim clad thighs and her hands rested comfortably around his waist, unmistakably possessive.

Three other motorcycles had roared up with them and Katrina let her gaze wander over their riders. A tall dark vampire with a little boy behind him. A smaller vampire, one with golden curls down his back and a sardonic grin on his face, even as his eyes scanned the crowds. The girl behind him looked delicate, but something about the way she moved said that she wasn't. Her hair was long and dark and hung halfway down her back and her blue eyes were wide. The other bike carried a blond vampire with wild hair and another dark haired girl. This one's dark blue eyes were watchful and mistrusting as she looked over the crowd around them. She wore black jeans and a white tank top and she was looking for someone. Adrianna had been right. They were waiting.

~*~

David felt eyes on him and glanced into the throng of people, his eyes picking out a dark head. The person looked at him and he felt as if all the air had been pressed out of his lungs at once. Katrina. Her eyes widened when she realized he'd seen her, but she didn't run. Cynder felt him stiffen and followed his line of sight until she too saw the girl. Her eyes narrowed and she slid off the bike. David dismounted beside her and the others warily joined them. Katrina slowly approached, the crowd of people unconciously shifting to let her through.

She moved with the grace of a vampire, but her eyes held no malice, only an intense sadness. David held his breath as she reached them and her gaze travelled over his face in the way only an old lover's can. Cynder's hands clenched into fists and she started to step forward, but David grabbed her arm. "No hello, David?" Katrina asked, quietly. "I didn't think you'd want me to speak to you," he said, evenly. "Most people don't like to talk to the ones they hate." She tilted her head to one side. "You left because you thought I'd hate you?" He nodded, once, his jaw tight. "I've never hated you, David." "Why not?" he spat. "The secrets you kept, you kept out of love, to keep me with you. How could I hate you for that?" Her voice was soft and melodic and utterly truthful and Cynder wanted to tear out her throat. David was looking at her like she was something etheral, as if her words were those of an angel.

"Where is your mistress, Katrina?" Asha asked, loudly and David blinked, coming back to himself. "She found a boy, near the Big Dipper and she'll be occupied for a few moments more," said Katrina, not even pretending to be confused. "What does she want?" asked Cynder. The vampire's eyes locked on hers. "You know perfectly well what she wants." "It's not a power she can take from them," said Dwayne, looking at her steadily. "Leopards are David's animal and he and Cynder's powers are a match. It's a one in a million chance that it will ever happen to either of them with another." Asha looked sideways at him with her eyebrows raised, and realized the others were staring as well, surprise on all their faces. "She won't be happy to hear that. She's got her mind set on taking David's new power source and the things she can't have, she destroys," said Katrina. Her dark eyes locked on Cynder's and she smiled. "Take care of him, leopard. She'll kill him if she can." With those words, she turned from them and disappeared back into the crowd.

When she was gone, Marko looked at Dwayne. "How the hell did you get so smart?" Dwayne shrugged. "Read the journals in Max's attic after we dusted him. I knew I'd read something about what happened, but it took me till now to remember." "Great timing," said Asha, rolling her eyes. Cynder was looking at David. His eyes were closed, his head lowered, as if deep in thought. She touched his arm. "David." "She's coming. We have to get off the boardwalk. If she finds us here, it'll be a bloodbath and there'll be no covering our tracks," he said, his head coming up and his eyes snapping open. Without another word, they climbed back onto the bikes, kicked them to life and spun out, leaving tire tracks on the pavement.

~*~

Tension sang through David's body as he rode. Cynder was a warm, welcome presence against his back, her arms tight around his waist. They slid to a stop when they reached the edge of the woods, where they'd met that first night to party at the bonfire. As a group, they gathered around the pile of burnt wood and ashes and waited as the wind picked up around them. "She's here," said David and then she landed not ten feet in front of him.

Adrianna was beautiful, with lush curves, long blond hair and the face of an angel. She wore a white dress, long and flowing, with sleeves that were slashed from shoulder to wrist so that her pale skin peeked out. She was dressed as the stereotypical Bride of Dracula, straight out of a movie. Katrina landed behind her, staying back and out of the way.

"David," Adrianna purred. "You've been a naughty boy." She stalked toward them, her gaze flickering over the vampires and leopards behind David, sizing each of them up. "I've done nothing, made no move against you," David said, watching her, warily. "Oh, but you have. You've gained a new power source and haven't shared it with your Mistress." "He's not yours anymore," said Cynder, from just beside him. Adrianna's cruel blue eyes moved to Cynder. "He will always be mine. I created him, I taught him, he is of my line and will belong to me always, no matter how far he runs." "Maybe, if he had stayed as he was, but not anymore. David is a Master in his own right and needs claim no Mistress. He is the head of his own bloodline," said Dwayne. David grew still as he spoke, as the realization stole over him. Adrianna scowled at the dark vampire. "Well, aren't you the font of information. Tell me, child of David," she hissed, "how did your Master gain his new power?" Dwayne's dark gaze was level, unwavering. "He found his match, his mate and her beast brought him to his full potential, an occurance that was once thought to be a myth among you elders." He said the words quietly, matter-of-factly and the look on Adrianna's face was pure hatred as she realized she couldn't have David's power source. But she could take it away from him.

She spun on Cynder and the leopard dropped to a crouch, her eyes flashing golden, her teeth lengthening into fangs, razor sharp claws emerging from her fingertips. Her half-shift sent power tingling through the rest of them and Asha and Embyr moved to her side, claws, fangs and eyes glittering dangerously. David stepped in front of Cynder and Dwayne, Marko and Paul closed in around them. Laddie was buried in the center of the pack, behind Cynder and between her sisters. With a scream of rage, Adrianna attacked, a power never before rivaled and she tore into the pack. Despite vampire strength and speed, Marko, Paul and Dwayne were thrown to the side within moments. Asha and Embyr attacked from either side, but were easily batted away and David faced his creator, bracing himself and accepting a powerful blow to the face before striking back, hitting her hard enough that had she been human, her neck would have snapped easily. Powerful as he was, however, she was older, stronger and faster. Adrianna's hand caught his hair and yanked his head to one side, to tear into the side of his throat. He struggled and she missed, her teeth sinking into his shoulder, snapping his collarbone. David screamed and she threw him aside, reaching for Cynder. Angry and threatened, Cynder lashed out, her claws leaving bloody furrows across Adrianna's perfect face, but she wasn't fast enough to pull back. Adrianna grabbed her arms and dragged her close, their noses almost touching. Her voice was very quiet. "I'm going to kill you, leopard. I'm going to rip out your throat and leave you to bleed to death in the sand. David disobeyed me, left me and he's going to pay. I'm going to take you from him, just as I took Katrina, all those years ago and then I'm going to let him live so I can watch while he suffers, the same way he did when he lost her." Caught tight in her embrace, Cynder's eyes widened as Adrianna reared her head back to strike. "Say goodbye, David!" "Cynder!" he screamed, trying to rise from where he lay bleeding. Cynder closed her eyes, waiting to die.

The blow never came. One moment Adrianna was holding Cynder, ready to kill her and the next, the wereleopard was on her butt in the sand, gasping for breath. She opened her eyes and looked up to see Katrina holding Adrianna by the hair, yanking her head back. Katrina's face was close to Adrianna's ear when she spoke. "You took him from me, destroyed what we had and made me beleive it was his fault. I won't let you hurt either of us anymore." Adrianna gasped and then Katrina's nails tore across her throat, laying it wide open, still pulling on that blond hair, until the older vampire's head fell back, exposing the white of her spine. She dropped to the sand, hard and Katrina rode her down, still holding her as Adrianna's life blood spilled out over the ground. The girl looked up at Cynder and their eyes met, locking. "So you're his mate." Cynder nodded and said, "And you're the one he loves." "Not so much anymore, I think," Katrina said, looking at David. Cynder looked as well and it was her he was watching, his eyes wide, not Katrina. She glanced back as Katrina spoke again. "I wish you luck, shifter. Make him happy." Katrina looked down, gave a good tug and ripped Adrianna's head from her body. With one last glance at David, she took to the air, taking her Mistress's head with her.

David was still staring after her when Cynder crawled to his side. He looked at her when she touched his arm and she pulled him into her lap, cradling his upper body in her arms, careful of his shoulder. He studied her face for a moment, then closed his eyes and leaned his head against her, his mate. "I think I've had about enough of this party." She laughed, softly. "Good thing it's over then. Let's get you up. Looks like I get to drive home." He opened his eyes a crack. "I don't think so, Kitten. I'm not that hurt." Cynder laughed out loud.