Page 227 of The Monster and the Masochist

My ears pricked at a loud shout from the hall, and both the vampire and I turned toward the abrasive sound.

We heard another door burst open, and I gritted my teeth in irritation.

With a snarl, I wiped my blade clean on the thigh of Cassandra’s leggings before tucking it back into the pocket of her hoodie.

In one fluid motion, I pulled out the handgun and reloaded as I stepped toward the door, eager to spill the blood of the man I could already hear rushing toward us.

Another inhuman growl bubbled in the back of my throat as I was jerked back away from the door. A quick glance over my shoulder explained the sudden resistance.

The vampire’s silver eyes burned with annoyance, and he shook his head firmly. Anger ignited in my chest when I realized he was telling me no.

No one told me no.

No one but Cassandra.

Snarling in fury, I ripped my arm out of his grip, and he rolled his eyes, shaking his head in a show of frustration.

He was telling me it was dangerous and that we needed a plan.

But… I was not his to command.

I was Cassandra’s monster, and she’d told me I could kill them all.

And that was what I was going to do.

Six more steps, and I was back in the hall.

Another man was rushing out of the final room.

His belt was undone, and his cheeks were red.

Red.

Red.

RED!

A furious roar exploded through me, and my arm was moving before I’d even made the conscious decision to aim.

Sighting down my arm, I gritted my teeth as I fired.

With each step I took, I fired another bullet.

Each shot was almost silent, but the recoil ricocheted through Cassandra’s body, and I reveled in the pepper of shocks as the bullets left the gun.

Thwip, thwip, thwip.

Deadly, silent rain.

More screams and several more gorgeous arcs of crimson.

Then…

Another bloody corpse.

Once my prey was down, I prowled forward, examining his shredded body with a deep-seated sense of accomplishment.

It hadn’t been as satisfying as carving up the other man’s face, but the way his wide eyes still held the ghost of terror he’d felt as he died made both Cassandra and me purr.