“What does it matter?” Damek countered. “You are a dead man and dead men don’t need to be concerned with names.”
Vladimir moved at a blurring speed, racing for the door and freedom. Craig surged forward to stop him. If Vladimir escaped and left the city it might take them years to find him, and the threat to Evie and his family would hang over their heads like a sword waiting to fall.
Damek made it to the door before any of them. He stood in front of it, blocking the exit. Vladimir skidded to a halt, knowing he’d have to fight his way past Damek. Craig took advantage of Vladimir’s momentary lack of concentration, raised his arm and struck out with his knife. Blade met bone as Craig drove it deep.
But once again, Vladimir was fast.
He was on the far side of the room in a flash. He yanked out the blade and blood spurted from the wound. Vladimir slapped his hand over his neck to try to stem the blood loss. The wound began to heal, but more slowly than before. The fighting and having to continuously heal himself from the smaller wounds they’d inflicted seemed to be taking their toll.
Craig knew Vladimir was weakening and would need blood soon. That made him even more desperate and dangerous.
“Enough.” Damek stepped forward, his dark eyes focused solely on Vladimir. “You come to my city and bring your troubles with you. You threaten my friends.” Damek moved forward slowly, each step deliberate.
Craig followed behind his friend, ready to lend a hand if necessary. Evie was right beside him, determination etched on her face and a wooden stake in her hand. Dried blood caked her shoulder, but otherwise she seemed fine.
“I’ll leave.” For the first time, Vladimir seemed conciliatory and ready to bargain. Craig could almost see the wheels turning inside the vampire’s mind, searching for a way out of his dilemma.
Damek shook his head. “No, you won’t. You’d go back to your home and rehash everything that happened tonight until you convince yourself you can defeat me. Then you’d do something stupid like attacking my friend. I cannot allow that.”
Power warped the space and Vladimir flew back against the wall, pinned their like a fly caught in a spider’s web. Damek had given him the opening and Craig didn’t hesitate to use it. He gave a primal yell and leapt at the vile creature. Blade in hand, he struck hard and fast at Vladimir’s neck. The sharp edge driven by his newfound vampire strength cut straight through muscle, sinew and bone.
Evie was right beside him unleashing her own fury. She screamed her anger and plunged the wooden stake straight into Vladimir’s heart. “Die you bastard! Die!” She yanked the stake out and drove it in again and again before staggering backward.
“Evie.”
She turned to him, fangs flashing.
She was breathing heavily and blood stained her clothing and skin. Evie was wild and untamed, partly out of control.
Her eyes were tinged red and he knew both her anger and the scent of blood were bringing on the bloodlust.
He felt the same.
He grabbed Evie and pulled her out of the way as Vladimir’s head toppled off his shoulders and onto the floor, rolling until it came to rest against the leg of a table. Blood spurted from the stump of his neck and sprayed toward them. Craig yanked her back, avoiding the worst of it, and both of them watched as Vladimir’s body slowly tumbled to the floor.
Silence reigned.
Then Evie gave a broken cry, whirled around and raced from the club, shoving her way past the broken front door and out into the night.
“Evie,” Craig called her name and started after her. She shouldn’t be out there alone. Not tonight. Not ever again.
His family blocked the doorway, forcing him to stop. They stepped in front of him, creating an impassable wall. He either had to stop or hurt them.
He stopped.
“Are you okay?” Chrissten patted his chest and shoulders, trying to reassure herself he wasn’t seriously injured.
“I’m fine,” he promised her.
“Really.” But Evie getting farther and farther away from him. He could still sense her presence inside his head, proof that they were connected on many different levels. He could also sense her desperation and fear. “I have to go.”
“No.” Damek came up beside him.
“You need to help me deal with the fallout from this night’s work. Evie will be fine. You’ll be able to find her after we’re done. Her blood is in you.”
Damek clapped his hand on Craig’s shoulder. “She needs some time.”
Every cell in his body was screaming at him to run after Evie. But after everything his friends and family had done to help, he couldn’t leave them to deal with this mess alone. This was his problem and he’d clean it up.
“I’m so sorry, Meredith.” He went to the woman who’d been like a mother to him these past years. He touched his fingers to her neck and scowled at the bruises there. That bastard Vladimir had come close to strangling her.
She caught his hand and gave his fingers a squeeze. “You have no need to be sorry. It was our fight, our choice.”
Her voice was hoarse but steady. “I’m glad you’re okay. And I like your Evie too. She stood beside you and fought.”
“She ran.” That hurt him more than anything. She’d run from him after it was over, leaving him behind.
“She’s afraid,” Meredith whispered.
“Afraid of what’s happened to her, to what she did here tonight, and most of all of her feelings for you. Give her some time and then go find her. Let her know what she means to you.” She sighed and shook her head. “I know you’re not as stubborn as most of the alpha males around here. Don’t be afraid to tell her you love her. I know you do. I can see it every time you look at her.”
Craig released a deep breath. He hated to admit it, but Meredith was right.
Evie was running not from him, but from herself. Even though he knew that, his feelings were still hurt. Well, he’d have to just suck it up and deal with them. He loved Evie and there was no turning back from that. He’d fight for her. Do whatever it took to convince her they belonged together.
Next he faced Isaiah, who stood beside his mate. “Thank you, Isaiah. For everything.”
Isaiah clapped Craig on the shoulder. “You’re pack.” And that was everything to a man like Isaiah. No more needed to be said.
The first thing they needed to deal with was injuries. Teague and Meredith went to work cleaning up various wounds they’d all received. Neema, Teague’s mate, and Benjamin, Meredith’s son, had the worst ones.
They were quickly stitched and Craig knew they would heal quickly due to their paranormal werewolf genes. For that he was thankful.
Next came the cleanup. Michael, Meredith’s eldest son, got an old tarp from the basement and they tossed Vladimir’s body on it and rolled it up.
They placed the head in a garbage bag, not willing to take any chances. Until the body was burned to ash there was always the possibility, no matter how slight, that he could somehow heal himself. Better to be safe than sorry.
Isaiah picked up the tarp with Vladimir’s body. “I’ll take care of burning the body. There’s an old coal-
burning furnace in the basement. It hasn’t been used in years, but it’s still functional. Won’t take long to burn this guy to a crisp.”
Damek nodded. “He’s old so he’ll burn quickly. Be sure to burn the head separately and gather the ash when you’re done. Take it down to the water and sprinkle it to the winds.”
“Consider it done.” Isaiah nodded at Damek and Craig then headed out of the bar toward the stairs to the basement.
Michael grabbed the bag with the head and followed him.
The rest of the pack began to clean up the mess. Kevin, one of Meredith’s adopted sons, and Quinn hauled broken tables and chairs out to the dumpster behind the building. Bethany and Chrissten swept up the shards of glass littering the room and carefully disposed of them. Even Damek went to work, helping Hank repair the front door, at least well enough until they could get a new one delivered.