Eternal Prey (2 page)

But his feet wouldn’t listen to his brain. He was stuck to the street, held there by something that pressed in on him from all directions. This was bad.

Utah didn’t find out exactly how bad because at that moment a car came roaring around the corner. The driver sped up instead of slowing down and laid on the horn. Then he swerved around Utah and hit the red-haired bastard, bouncing him off the car’s right fender. The man lay there for a moment, and then began to rise.

Utah felt whatever force had been holding him snap.

He stayed in human form and ran like hell. His beast might move faster, but it made a larger target. He didn’t sense anyone in his mind, so he opened his connection to Fin. No one else could get in now.

“You cut me off.”
Fin, sounding annoyed.
“Now you’re back. Explain.”

“Missed you.”

“Smartass.”

“I have a situation. Talk later.”

He sprinted toward the car that had finally stopped. The driver switched off the headlights and jumped out. Even in the darkness he recognized those long legs. She’d found him.

She held a gun and looked as though she expected him to leap into the car so they could escape. A mistake. Even rattled by the impact, Seven or whoever that was could incinerate it before they drove out of sight. And if she managed to shoot the guy, he’d be extra pissed. Because Utah figured it would take more than a few bullets to put him down. They had to hide.

The street had lots of narrow alleys. He chose one at random and led her into darkness so complete that only his predator’s eyes could see objects. He grabbed her hand and guided her around boxes and trash bins. When they emerged from the other end of that alley, he led her down another and another. Seven couldn’t track him while he was with her, so as long as Utah could keep him from getting a visual, they might have a chance. Finally, he crouched with her in the shadow of a truck and waited. Nothing.

She’d remained silent the whole time. No screaming, no demanding explanations. Smart lady.

He answered her unspoken question. “We couldn’t take your car. You saw what he did to mine. He would’ve gotten us before we reached the corner.” Utah stood, looked around, and then leaned against the truck.

She nodded. “Who
was
that?” She rose in one lithe motion and moved away from him.

“Seven, maybe.” Since awakening to this time a few months ago, Utah had fought his share of nonhumans and had loved every minute of every battle.
Except for the one where Rap . . .
He shoved that thought aside. None of them had felt like this man, though.

“I can’t take the chance of going back for my car tonight even if he left it in one piece. And by the time I show up for it in the morning, the cops will have had it towed.” She snatched the cap from her head, freeing a riot of short blond curls. She narrowed her eyes and tightened full lips that he decided would never be described as thin no matter how ticked off she was. Her expression said this was all his fault.

It was, but he damn well wasn’t . . . Wait. Utah did some eye narrowing of his own. Now that he’d gotten a good look at her, he recognized the curls and those blue eyes drilling a hole through his forehead. They’d never met, but he’d seen her twice back in Philly when they’d been hunting Eight. She’d worn the same glare back then. He wondered what would make her smile and then discarded the thought as unimportant. Because no matter how tempting she was, she had one fatal flaw.

“You’re Lia, Katherine’s daughter.” Katherine, the regional leader of the Northeast vampires—cruel, power-hungry, and thankfully, dead. Lia had taken over that leadership. “Still human, huh?” She wouldn’t stay leader long if she didn’t become vampire soon. Right now her mother’s reputation along with a rigged fight Lia had won over a powerful vampire kept her afloat. She’d sink the first time another vampire challenged her.

“Still filled with primal rage,
huh
?” What an understatement. Lia was glad she’d put some space between them.

His rain-darkened blond hair framed a face that shouted dangerous predator. He was gorgeous, with the kind of savage beauty you would only feel safe admiring from behind the bars of a very strong cage. If she could see his eyes through the dark and rain, she was sure they’d gleam with hate for all things vampire. He pushed away from the truck and walked toward her.

Utah was over six feet of toned muscle, and he moved with the fluid grace of a hunter. “I lost my brother about a month ago, so yeah, I’m still a little resentful.” He stopped about a foot from her and then leaned in.

Startled, she lifted her gaze to his eyes. He’d stepped into her personal space. Close enough to see his eyes clearly. Blue. And so cold they made an Arctic ice floe seem cozy.

“I know vampires murdered your brother. But all of them are gone now. So why the killing frenzy?”

“I enjoy it. And how did you know about my ‘killing frenzy’?”

“News travels.” Her mother would’ve loved this guy, but he gave Lia chills. Lia did what she needed to do, and if killing was involved, so be it. But she never enjoyed it.

Utah was one with his soul, and his soul was nothing more than a killing machine. No softer human emotions would ever clutter up his psyche. His human form was only a convenient cover for what he really was.

She didn’t have a clue how to forge a connection with him. Speechless for a moment, she found herself staring at the hard planes of his broad chest clearly delineated by the wet T-shirt clinging to every powerful muscle beneath his open jacket.

“What’re you doing here, Lia? Portland is a long way from Philly.”

Lia refused to back up an inch. “I came here to kill you.”

He tensed and glanced at the gun she still held.

She’d surprised him. Good. “And I still carry a sword.” She pushed her long coat aside to reveal her weapon. “The gun might not kill you, but it’ll put you down long enough for me to take your head.” Left unsaid was that Superman wasn’t the only one faster than a speeding bullet.

“An armed and dangerous woman. Always a challenge.” His eyes remained cold and wary, no hint of playfulness in their depths. “You can explain this sudden urge to fly across the country to kill me after I’ve called for a ride back to Fin’s.” He started to reach for his cell phone and then cursed. “Can I borrow your phone? Mine went up with the car.”

After handing him her phone, Lia left him to it as she tried to organize her thoughts. Things were happening too fast, and Utah was a lot more everything than she’d expected. She’d gotten a glimpse of him twice in Philly, but he’d been in his animal form both times. It looked like she’d have to improvise on the fly, because they’d be spending some quality time together in the next few weeks, or at least until they got rid of Seven.

He returned her phone. “Tor will be here in a while. While we’re waiting, you can fill me in.” He walked to the mouth of the alley and looked up and down the street.

He didn’t fool her by turning his back to her. She’d seen the Eleven in action. In the time it took her to bring her gun up and shoot him, he could rip her head off. She slipped the gun into her coat pocket. “All the regional leaders got a call from Adam.”

“And Adam is?”

“Our boss, leader, biggest toad in the puddle, whatever.” She didn’t like Adam. “He told us to get our butts to Portland because someone was slaughtering vampires. The local clan wasn’t having much luck hunting you, so Adam decided to bring in mid-management.”

“And now you’re my driver?” His tone suggested she’d better make this good.

“Adam changed his mind after meeting with Fin. He wants to be on the winning side in this battle between you and the number guys. Fin asked for a little time to talk to you. In the meantime, Fin mentioned that you’d need a human driver. Adam volunteered me.”

“Why?”

Because if you won’t listen to reason, I can still kill you.
“Because I straddle two worlds. I’m human, but I understand the supernatural. I can fight, and I can help you track down Seven.”

Utah nodded, but Lia couldn’t tell if she’d convinced him.

He looked over his shoulder at her. “How did you know I was in trouble tonight?”

She grinned. “I didn’t. When I came around that corner, I was just trying to catch your ass. As soon as I saw your car, though, I knew something was up.” Lia shrugged. “You know the rest.”

“You made a helluva distraction.” He smiled.

For a moment, she was mesmerized by the raw masculine beauty of that smile. The moment allowed him to close the distance between them.

He grabbed her arm and pulled her close even as she used the hand that wasn’t fumbling for her sword to try to push him away. So close that she was pressed against his chest and stomach. Heat spread from every contact point. She was surprised steam didn’t start rising from their damp clothes.

Her gun hand was firmly trapped between their bodies, and she couldn’t free her sword with her left hand. Great. Just freaking great. She brought up her knee.

He deftly stepped aside and bent his head to whisper in her ear. “Don’t ever try to kill me, sweetheart. It wouldn’t end well for you.” Then he released her.

Lia shoved him away from her. She was furious with him but just as mad at herself. She’d allowed his closeness, his warm breath feathering her skin, her total
awareness
of him to slow her reaction. A fatal mistake when dealing with the Eleven. Lia was so angry she wanted to draw her sword and skewer him in his oversized ego. “I wouldn’t be too sure about that. And
never
grab me again without my permission.”

His smile widened, fueling her temper.
Control it.
She hadn’t survived growing up around her mother by giving in to her emotions. Taking a deep, calming breath, she changed the subject. “So is all this 2012 stuff I’m hearing about true?”

He shrugged. “Depends on what you’ve heard. Cliff’s Notes version. Time is cyclic. This particular cycle began millions of years ago. At the end of every cycle, ten immortals are given access to Earth. They destroy the dominant species using the excuse that out of death comes life. Dumbass excuse if you ask me.”

“So they’ve done this before?”

“Yeah. The last time they came was sixty-five million years ago. The dinosaurs went extinct then. Now it’s humanity’s turn.”

“Who gives them access?” She’d cooled her temper with a cold splash of reality. Humans were in big trouble.

Utah shrugged. “There’s always a higher power.”

Translation: he didn’t know. Or maybe he was just avoiding answering the question. Lia figured with Utah you could never tell.

“And all this will go down on December 21?” Guess the Mayans really did know their stuff.

“Exactly at 11:11, winter solstice. Unless we can get rid of all the immortals. Nine and Eight are gone. We still have to deal with Zero and the other seven.”

The sound of a car slowing down ended her questioning. Utah went to look and then beckoned to her.

She made sure she got the passenger seat. Lia didn’t want to chance Utah sitting beside her. He bothered her in ways she didn’t understand, didn’t
want
to understand. Utah slid into the backseat.

“Lia, this is Tor. He’s my brother.”

Tor looked exactly like Utah, except that Tor had short, spiky hair and a better attitude. He grinned at Lia. “I remember you from Philly. Eight kidnapped you and Jenna. Took you to the Museum of Art. We saved your butts.”

“My butt thanks you.” Lia figured she sounded as grumpy as she looked because Tor left her alone. Instead, he pried the night’s story out of Utah.

While Utah and Tor discussed things, Lia worried about her car. If she found a burned-out hulk tomorrow, she’d use the insurance money to buy a car with a big engine. For a human, survival in this shadow battle going on right under the world’s nose depended on speed and smarts. And the smart needed speed to escape.

She came out of her funk in time to notice that Utah and Tor had changed the subject.

“So how did Fin draw you back into the fold, bro?” Tor didn’t take his eyes from the road while he talked. And he was driving under the speed limit.

Ah, the careful brother. If she had to hang with one of the Eleven, then Tor should be the one. Instead, all she could remember was her adrenaline rush as she’d chased Utah across town.

“Fin pointed out that we need the vampires. Without them, it’ll take longer and be a lot tougher to get rid of Zero and his bunch. And that means he won’t be able to bring Rap back anytime soon. He’s right.” Utah didn’t sound as though he liked admitting Fin could be right about anything.

Tor nodded. “And with you killing off the vampires, they won’t be signing on to our team.”

Lia turned to look at Utah. “You took out Adam’s top enforcer two nights ago. Don’t expect an invite to any vampire parties.”

“Yeah?” Utah’s lips tipped up in a half smile that made her swallow hard. She stomped on the reaction.

Lia had to know something. “Bring Rap back?”

Utah didn’t say anything for a moment, but then he shrugged. “We’d gone to a little restaurant in South Philly for cheesesteaks. Vampires ambushed us. Rap didn’t get a chance to free his beast before one of them took his head.”