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Then they forgot about me as Brien and Prosper started circling each other, hard-faced and intent.
Brien’s hair was secured with a leather tie, his chest smudged with Eugene’s blood. In the flickering light, the twin sharks curving around his upper arm seemed almost alive. He wasn’t the largest vampire in the room, but his raw dominance overshadowed everyone else.
A primitive arousal heated my belly. Having him defend me like that was so fucking erotic.
My man.
My lover.
Mine.
The ring of vampires edged closer, their faces gleaming in the candlelight like a circle of the damned.
Prosper struck first, a sharp thrust aimed at Brien’s side. Not a killing blow. More like he was testing Brien’s defenses.
Brien knocked the dagger aside and countered with a jab at Prosper’s throat. The lieutenant danced backward. Brien’s blade whipped past him, missing Prosper’s jugular vein by a hair.
Brien settled back into a crouch, and the two men resumed their circling.
Striking out. Retreating. Circling some more.
A minute passed, then another, with neither managing to cut the other.
The vampires muttered and growled.
Cain and Talon had taken a place in the circle on either side of me. Now Cain called, “You can take him, Brien,” and someone from Prosper’s side yelled, “Hamstring him, Lieutenant.”
Brien lashed out, his movements a blur, at least to me. This time, he took a chunk out of Prosper’s shoulder. Blood spurted, spraying the marble tiles with ruby droplets.
“First blood to the prince,” Cain called.
He and Talon exchanged a victorious grin over my head.
The fight picked up pace. Grunts sounded and daggers clanged.
Prosper lunged at Brien, slicing the silver blade across his face and nearly taking out his eye, bringing home to me that this wasn’t over.
Not until Brien won.
Brien jumped back as Team Prosper applauded and hissed encouragement.
Prosper lunged at him again. I didn’t even know he’d moved until his blade carved a gash out of Brien’s abdomen. Brien took a stumbling step backward and fell on his butt.
I gasped and instinctively started for him, my hand going to the switchblade in my pocket.
Cain’s hand clamped on my upper arm, halting me. Pale blue eyes blazed into mine. “Interfere and I’ll toss your ass out of here.”
“Fuck, I’m sorry.” I jerked my hand from my pocket like I’d touched a hot poker. “I wasn’t thinking.”
Brien was back on his feet now. Cain released me and turned back to watch the fight.
“You’re on thin ice as it is,” he said out of the side of his mouth. “The old vampires don’t like knowing a human bested the primus. My advice is to be humble and submissive—at least in public—even if it kills you.”
He was right. I had to play the part of a thrall—for now, anyway.
“Understood.” Without taking my eyes from Brien, I clasped my hands in front of my body, shoulders rounded.. “Sir,” I tacked on meekly.
Cain glanced at me. “You’re good. I can see why you’ve survived so long.”
