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He was tackled in his living room, hitting the floor so hard the air was knocked from his lungs. Even so, he fought until he flipped over to face the guy then wedged his leg between them, trying his best to knock the vampire off him.
The man laughed. “Do you think you can win against me?”
Brooklyn gritted his teeth, determined to fight until the bitter end. He couldn’t let this vampire get the best of him. As they tussled on the floor, Brooklyn spotted a letter opener on the coffee table. Without hesitation, he grabbed it and lunged at the man. The blade connected with the vampire’s cheek, and he let out a howl of pain.
After scrambling to his feet, Brooklyn took off running toward the door. He could hear the vampire right behind him, but he didn’t look back. He couldn’t afford to lose his focus. He burst out of the apartment and ran down the hallway, not stopping until he made it to the elevator. He frantically pushed the button and prayed the doors would open before the vampire caught up to him.
He had no such luck. The guy tackled him then dragged him back to the apartment, a hand over Brooklyn’s mouth. “I love it when my food fights. Your blood is going to taste exquisite.”
He dragged Brooklyn back inside and slammed the door closed with his foot.
Brooklyn shook his head until the guy moved his hand. “I didn’t let Blaine win, and I’m not going to let you win.”
“Don’t know who that is, and I don’t care.” The guy slammed Brooklyn against the wall then exposed his fangs. “This time you’re not pulling any stunts. This time I’m going to finish what I started, human.”
Someone knocked on the door. The vampire once again slapped a hand over Brooklyn’s mouth.
“I heard some ruckus up here,” Bethany, the manager, said through the door. “You know we have a strict rule about loud noises after seven. We went over the rules when you signed your lease.”
Brooklyn couldn’t stop shaking. He felt long nails pressing against his skin. The guy had one hand over Brooklyn’s mouth, the other wrapped around his throat. What was with people wanting to choke him?
This was definitely not his day.
“Mr. Garcia?” Bethany said. “Please don’t ignore me. I’ve already had several complaints from other tenants.”
The stranger wouldn’t let Brooklyn go and wouldn’t let him answer the manager. And what in the fuck was wrong with his neighbors? Couldn’t they tell the difference between a loud noise and a guy being tackled and dragged back to his apartment?
Then he heard keys rattling. Brooklyn’s eyes widen. Bethany, a very sweet woman, had no idea what she was walking into. The vampire would kill her with no remorse.
“Make her go away, or I’ll gut her,” the guy whispered.
Brooklyn nodded, and the hand fell away. “Sorry, Bethany. I dropped something.”
He wasn’t sure if Bethany heard him, but the next thing he knew, the keys stopped rattling.
“Just try to keep it down, okay? And remember our rules. I mean it, Mr. Garcia.” Bethany’s footsteps retreated, and soon the apartment was silent again.
Now any hope of Brooklyn escaping was gone. The vampire was going to kill him, and there wasn’t a damn thing Brooklyn could do about it.
* * * *
After parking, Kieran entered the building. He spotted a woman heading to her apartment. He was taken aback when she scowled at him. “I’ve seen you with Mr. Garcia.”
“Who?”
“Brooklyn,” she snapped.
It was a damn shame that Kieran still hadn’t learned his mate’s last name. “And?”
He had no idea who this lady was or why she was looking at him like she wanted to kick him in the nuts. Kieran had a wild urge to cup himself.
“We have a very strict noise policy here,” she went on. “Brooklyn is violating that rule. You best have a talk with your friend. The neighbors are complaining about all the noise coming from his apartment and the hallway.”
Kieran barely heard the last part. He was rushing toward the stairwell, taking the steps two at a time. The only two people Brooklyn would hang out with were Marcus and Felix, and he doubted Brooklyn would violate any rules in the building. He’d just gotten his apartment and wouldn’t risk getting kicked out.
When he reached Brooklyn’s door, Kieran was hit with déjà vu. Just two hours before he’d stopped an attack, and now he wasn’t sure what he was walking into. He turned the knob and barged in, his heart seizing when he saw his mate pinned against the wall, a vampire sucking at his neck.
Brooklyn’s eyes were unfocused, and there were tears on his cheeks.
