Darkness Bred by Stella Cameron Page A

and crouched, ready to attack.
    There was nothing she could think of to do. Skillywidden edged forward along the beam until she almost looked directly down on the vampire and Sean.
    Why didn’t he shift?
    Sean gave a thin smile, directed his narrowed tiger stare on Colin, and raised both hands. With beckoning fingers he urged the vampire to carry out his unspoken threat.
    The creeping creature hissed, a soft sound more menacing than any shout. “If you insist,” he whispered.
    When he went for Sean, it was so fast, Skillywidden couldn’t see anything but an uncoiling streak of black that connected with its target and wound without pause into the shape of Colin again.
    The vampire bounced!
    Skillywidden opened her eyes wide and stared down. Colin had bounced off Sean.
    The vampire’s rage turned him into a whirling mass of talons and bared teeth. “I came to capture, not to kill.” The voice echoed through the little cottage. “You should have let me take her. At least you would have stayed in one piece longer. No matter, I’ll take you both. Save time.”
    He lunged at Sean, who stepped smoothly aside.
    Locked hands, slamming into the back of the vampire’s head, sent him sprawling on the floor.
    He rolled away and crouched near a wall, shaking his head. Blood drizzled down his chin where his fangs had sunk into his face.
    Slowly he freed his teeth from his flesh and they made a sucking sound as they popped free. Fury turned his eyes black and he flattened to the wall, sliding slowly along, getting closer to Sean.
    “Now you’ll die,” Colin said. “The one who sent me can take what’s left of you if that’s what he wants.”
    He threw himself forward, arms outstretched, bent on grabbing Sean, who welcomed him with a headlock.
    While the vampire fought, Sean hefted him through the shattered front door and down to the frozen lawn.
    Skillywidden scrambled from the loft, spitting as she went. Vampire, hooey, if Sean could risk everything for her, then she could gouge out that monster Colin’s evil black eyes. That was exactly what she would do.
    Yowling, she threw herself outside, turning herself into a whirling ball.
    “For crying out loud, Elin,” Sean said, catching her and clamping her against him until she stopped struggling. “Look.” He held her in front of him.
    Sailing away above the trees was the unmistakable form of Colin. Head over heels in arcs, he went until she couldn’t see him anymore.
    With a slam, a door landed on the lawn, only feet away. Niles came into view with a grinning Innes behind him. “What the hell are you up to,” Niles said, frowning at Skillywidden. “Don’t you hurt that cat. She’s very important to Leigh—and to me. And Jazzy would take a lump out of you if a hair on her body gets harmed.”
    Feeling smug, but amazed by what she’d witnessed, Skillywidden slithered free and scuttled into the cottage. She shifted even faster than usual and prepared to defend her actions.
    Minutes passed and Sean didn’t appear.
    Eventually all three men assembled to tear off what was left of the old door.
    “How did you know about that?” Elin said.
    Innes looked away. Niles scowled at her and said, “We communicate and do what we say we’ll do. Saves all kinds of trouble. I'm not happy with you, Elin. But that’s up to Sean to take care of.”
    In half an hour, far too quickly for Elin, the door was replaced and Innes hauled off the broken pieces. “The new one will need oiling,” Niles said. He glanced at Sean, who stood with his hands deep in his pockets. “But not today.”
    Niles and Innes met up and headed for the bank to go back to Niles’s house.
    There was no place to hide but she did wish she dared slip away.
    With several logs under each arm, Sean came inside, pushed the door shut, and deposed wood on each hearth.
    He didn’t look directly at her until he’d made up one of the fires and fresh flames danced.
    “Now,” he said, facing her and brushing his hands