A foot came out of nowhere. Lodging straight into my ribs. My chest caved in on impact and the cry of pain that left my lips was shrill.

It was all the avenue that was needed. Like predators scenting victory in the air, my attackers stilled. Like an array of finely formed marble sculptures of various versions of Michealangelo's David, the beautiful but deadly vampires fell silent. Their stance casual in their silent approach to no doubt finish me off.

But I was not quite willing to surrender just yet. I had the one thing they did not. A drive. An urge that went beyond the limits, beyond reason. I made one last lunge forward diving straight into the midst of deadly beauty.

Then my world crashed.

I was being torn into from every possible direction. Sharp piercing vampire teeth sank beneath my flesh latching onto every part of me. My on caught into and begun feasting on the vamp nearest to me. But I was at a severe disadvantage. The draw out was greater than the liquid gushing into me.

My mind wavered in and out of darkness before making one last feeble attempt to survive the approaching blackness.

Lucian!

I called out silently through the blood gushing into my open mouth.

The answer was immediate. Faint at first but getting stronger. It was an old bond built of a love shared that went untapped with the love forgotten. But it was there now. A palpable presence of our love linked souls. A tangible hold to haul me out of my current predicament.

I needed what he had. I needed the strength of an original. I needed his power.

And then it came gushing into me with a suddenness that sent me reeling. I floated on the high. Unconciously draining the vamp before me while dislodging every other vampire latched onto me. I loosened a vicious snarl before turning the tabs on them.

Springing onto the nearest I tore ruthlessly into him draining him while fending off the other vampires with an ease I hadn't been capable off before. But then they were no longer fighting just me. They were fighting us.