pdf - Saving Jenna.PDF (3 page)

Near the edge of a full dumpster lay a length of pipe. Jenna reached for it, trying to inch her body a little closer. Her fingers stretched, reaching out…it was almost within her grasp, one more inch and she’d have it.

“Where the fuck do you think you’re going, cow?”

Sal grabbed her foot, dragging her away from the pipe. Jenna kicked out as hard as she could, but her energy was spent.

“Stupid, stupid bitch. It kills me Harv, you know? She had everything she ever wanted, and it still wasn’t good enough.” Sal flipped her to her back and let her wrenched leg fall to the ground. As he dropped to his knees over her, his weight slammed painfully into her stomach.

“Princess here was raised by the greatest man alive, but what does she do? She keeps trying to leave. Instead of helping with the cause, she betrays her father.” The disgusting creature leaned into her and licked, his long, slimy tongue leaving a trail of unspeakable nastiness along her cheek.

“The greatest man alive?” Jenna heard the hysteria in her voice, and tried futilely to choke it back. “You’re a
pet
, Sal. He uses you for his dirty work. The minute you stop being useful he’ll put you down like the diseased animal you are.” The hybrid didn’t answer, just dropped his head to sniff along the line of her neck, pausing to close his teeth threateningly around her throat.

“Sal, what do you think you’re doing, man?” Harv asked. Jenna thought she heard a little bit of panic in his nasal voice.

“I’m teaching her a lesson,” Sal laughed, grabbing the neckline of her shirt in both hands.

Her t-shirt shredded, and then Sal’s meaty hands were on her breasts, grabbing and squeezing painfully. Jenna couldn’t hold back the cry. Every inch of her skin hurt.

Mindlessly she raised her arms, trying to cover herself, to hold him off. He laughed as he grabbed her wrist, twisting it until she heard a snap and watched her hand go limp. Then her screams echoed off of the brick and concrete walls surrounding the alley.

God, she didn’t want die this way. Why couldn’t they just put a gun to her head and get it over with? She gathered the courage to look up at Harv, who was just standing there now, watching. Jenna wasn’t sure exactly what odd DNA cocktail her father had used to create Harvey, but the man was ridiculously tall with a long, elastic face and an odd, double-jointed way of moving. While he wasn’t as fierce and terrifically frightening as Sal, something unnatural about Harvey made him even more disturbing.

“Please, Harvey. Please just kill me now and get it over with,” she begged. The other man’s eyes shot to hers and for a brief moment she thought he might intervene.

Her thoughts strayed to Rowan as her consciousness began to slowly fade. Had she made it out? And had she done a better job of escaping her pursuers?

And what about Erin, her youngest sister? If Rowan hadn’t escaped, and Jenna was dead, who would rescue Erin?

No, Rowan would be all right. Jenna needed to believe that. Rowan was the strong one, much stronger than Jenna. She’d stood up to their father on more than one occasion and though she paid a steep price for her disobedience, she’d always survived.

A slap across her face brought her attention back to Sal, brought her back to the here and now. One hand dug cruelly into her breast, while the other scrabbled at the snap of her jeans.

“What do you think, Harv? I had to leave Annie and my nice warm bed to come find this bitch. Let’s say you and me have a little fun before we drag her back to Daddy Dearest.”

Sal’s fetid breath washed over her skin before he suddenly sank his teeth into her shoulder. He grinned when she cried out in pain. “You know you want it from a real man,” he gloated. “Don’t ya, sweetheart?”

Gathering up the last of her strength, Jenna took a deep breath and spit in Sal’s hideously grinning face. She had a moment to enjoy watching his smile fade and twist into a look of bitter hatred before his fist slammed down. At least she wouldn’t have to witness her own rape, she thought as the darkness took her away.

*

Nic burst into the alley just in time to see the woman spit in the face of her attacker.

They’d done a real number on her. Her face was bloody and swollen; her clothing ripped and pulled down to give them access to her body. The sight of someone so obviously helpless, being brutalized so methodically sent Nic’s already unstable temper into over-drive. As the brute’s fist plowed into her temple, Nic sprang into action. His fangs elongated as he rushed the man sitting on the woman’s abdomen. Catching him by surprise, Nic easily lifted him, throwing him into the wall.

Kneeling down, he brushed the hair from the woman’s face and froze. Time ground to a complete halt. He was unable to move, even though he heard the fight continuing around him.

It couldn’t be. Not here. Not this close to death. Even covered in blood and dirt he recognized her. Jenna, his dream woman, his heart. Her pulse was faint and thready. He heard her heart slow and stutter. He would not find and lose his woman in one moment.

He raised his head high and let out a war cry that ricocheted off the walls like a bullet.

His vision went red, washing the alley in flames of crimson as he whipped around.

Somewhere in the back of his mind he heard Sebastian shout, “Blood Rage! Aidan, get out of the way.”

The rage flowed through Nic’s body as he opened his arms wide, stalking toward his prey. Aidan and Bas effectively cut off the attackers’ escape as Nic approached them.

“Vampire scum.” The short one smiled, his appearance taking on an animalistic quality. It would do him no good. Nic was in a blood rage, and only the death of the two men who beat his woman would bring him back from the brink of madness.

He ran toward the short one, all but flying down the length of the alley. The other man pulled out a wooden stake and tried to push it into Nic’s chest. Nic ducked to the side as the taller man thrust wildly, missing him by a mile. Nic grabbed the attacker’s arm, bringing it down over his knee and breaking it at the elbow.

And then turned his attention the first one, the one who’d dared to touch his Jenna.

Without breaking his stride he launched himself at the shorter man. They both fell to the ground. Nic straddled the attacker’s chest, pinning his arms to his sides.

“You deserve a long death,” Nic spat, his voice low and dangerous. The other man gazed up at him with eyes full of arrogant hatred.

“Bring it on,” he rasped out. “It’s an honor to give my life in service of the cause.” Nic gave a disgusted grunt and grabbed the bastard’s head, twisting it sharply, and effectively snapping the man’s neck. His head lolled to the side like a rag doll.

Nic jumped up, turning toward the tall one, who was frozen in abject fear. With an almost casual gesture, Nic bent and retrieved the wooden stake. He threw the weapon like a lance, piercing the man’s heart.

As the second attacker hit the ground, Nic turned to find Aidan kneeling next to Jenna, his hand at her throat searching for a pulse. He knew Aidan’s only intention was to help her, but the sight of the Dragon’s hands on his woman caused the flames to flare in his eyes again.

“Get away from her,” he growled.

“Oh, fuck,” Bas’s voice cut through the growl rumbling from Nic’s throat as Aidan turned to glare at Nic in disbelief. “Aidan, move now!” The other Vampire, Nic’s Blood Brother, grabbed the Dragon by the arm, yanking him away from the unconscious woman. Nic knew he should be grateful that Bas had intervened. If Aidan had continued to touch Jenna, Nic couldn’t have stopped himself from attacking him.

Nic slid to his knees, putting his hand under Jenna’s blood-soaked hair.

“Jenna? Beloved, wake up,” he gave a broken little laugh. “I have never said
that
to you before.” He stroked her forehead gently, trying to avoid the knots and bruises on her delicate flesh. “Jenna, I’m here. It’s Nic. See, I told you I’m real. Open your eyes for me, Jenna.”

“Nic, what the hell’s going on, and how do you know this woman?” The concern in Aidan’s elegant British voice was evident as he looked down at the battered woman Nic held. “I think you need to back off, mate. There isn’t anything we can do for her. We need to call the police. This is a matter for the humans to deal with.” Aidan’s hand squeezed his shoulder. Some part of him knew that Aidan was trying to help. But it was drowned out by the predator in Nic, who turned his red gaze on his friend and hissed, “We do
not
involve the humans in this. She is
mine
!” Jenna’s soft gasp brought his attention immediately back to her, and the two other Night Creatures in the alley ceased to exist. Her good eye was slit open, and when she finally managed to focus in on him it widened. She licked her cracked and parched lips, and whispered something. Nic bent down, placing his ear to her lips to hear her.

“Nico?” Her voice was achingly vulnerable.

“I am here, Beloved.” He stroked her hair. He couldn’t stop touching her.

“You’re real.” There was so much wonder in those two simple words that it broke his heart.

“I’m real.” He gave her a softly chiding smile. “I told you I was real.” Unable to resist, he gently licked a cut on her cheek, closing the wound. Her essence fizzed through him, sending a jolt of joyous recognition to his core. In spite of her injuries, in spite of the probable grim future, he smiled down at her, a full smile containing all the joy of a man who has found the other half of his soul.

She gasped when he smiled at her.
“Vampire.”

“
Your
Vampire,” he corrected.

She gave a little nod, and her eyes closed again as Nic caressed her cheek.

*

She was dreaming. That was the only explanation. Nico was a figment of her
imagination, so he couldn’t exactly suddenly come to life and rescue her from the hell
she’d been living. Or maybe she was dying. Maybe this was God’s way of easing her out
of Hell and into Heaven. Whatever the case, this was her dream and she was going to
spend the last peaceful sleep she had making love to Nico.

He’d asked her something, but she couldn’t quite grasp what, so instead of
answering him, she reached out and laid her hands over his hard cock. It pulsed under
her touch, pining for release.

She cupped him, slowly rubbing her thumb up and down his length.

“You play a dangerous game, woman.” His smile was wicked as he covered her
hand with his own and pressed it harder to him. With his other hand he managed to undo
his offending trousers, freeing himself to spring into her hand directly.

Jenna smiled as she wrapped her fingers around him. Her fingers were long and
slim, the only truly slim part of her body, but they wouldn’t quite meet around his
amazing girth. His cock head wept, and her thumb slid through the wetness there.

“Damn, woman, you drive me crazy,” he growled as he raised himself up and over
her, bringing his cock to her plump lips. Jenna’s tongue was hot and greedy as she licked
the mushroomed head, swirling circles around the sensitive ridge until Nico began to
shift his body in time with her strokes.

“Take me Jenna, take me deep within your sweet mouth,” he ordered. Jenna
stretched her lips wide around him and Nico began to slide in, inch by inch, so very
slowly, allowing her time to adjust to his widening girth.

He pulled back and dove in deeper with each pass. His face was drawn in lines of
almost painful pleasure. God, she loved seeing what her touch could do to him. It
inspired her to do more, to give him as much pleasure as he gave her. She sucked hard as
he pulled out, savoring his salty taste as the wet sounds of his cock sliding in and out of
her mouth broke the silence.

Nico groaned and pulled completely out.

*

Her blood called to him, her scent sinking inside of him, becoming part of who he was. Finding her should have been the happiest moment of his long life. Instead he would be forever branded with the image of her beaten and bloody, her attacker preparing to rape her.

He pulled the sides of her tattered shirt up, trying to hide her naked flesh. She was so bruised. Dark purple and blue marks were scattered over her creamy skin like an obscene splatter painting.

“Nic, man, what the hell is wrong with you?”

He hissed over his shoulder as Aidan once again tried to approach him.

“She’s human, Nic,” the Were-Dragon’s voice was agitated, a common occurrence.

“We need to call the cops. It’s the Law.”

“Fuck the Law.” He heard his voice go guttural. “We call no one.” Nic shifted his body, keeping Jenna from Aidan’s line of sight.

“She needs to be seen by a human doctor.” The Dragon visibly reined in his hot temper, and was obviously trying to be calm and rational. “She’s hurt really bad, mate.” Nic felt no such obligation to be calm and rational.

“She goes nowhere.” He spun, still blocking Aidan’s view of Jenna’s bare body.

“Now back the fuck off, Dragon,” he spat.

Aidan began to glow blue.

*

“Whoa!” Bas reached out just in time to pull Aidan away from Nic. He knew the look in Nic’s eyes. Aidan, a Were, wouldn’t understand the other Vampire’s body language.

The Were-Dragon’s skin still glowed an eerie blue.

“Aidan, leave him be.” Privately Sebastian rolled his eyes. He guessed now it was his turn to be the calm, rational one. Fuck it all.

Nic had been obviously troubled for a long time. Now, watching his extreme reaction to the bloodied woman he crouched over, Bas was beginning to understand why.

Aidan turned reptilian eyes in his direction. “You better explain what the fuck is going on with him, Bas.” The blue glowing skin began to harden to the texture of leathery armor.

Fuck it
all
. This was just what he needed, Nic ready to shred anyone that came near his woman and Aidan ready to go all scaly on him.

“Aidan, man, calm down.” Bas kept one eye on Nic, who now had his woman rolled to her side, inspecting the boot mark on her lower back.