Amniâs thoughts flashed back to his master. Tadamichi had placed him under a thrall⦠taking his will to fight. The master had whispered to him of his loneliness⦠of his wicked desire for his twin brother. Amni had been privy to the knowledge of Tadamichiâs weakness and had therefore been turned⦠the first of Tadamichiâs children.
His gaze swept back to the brother whom heâd been a replacement for so long ago. Tadamichi had only wanted someone to witness his passing of time⦠the loneliness was too much for someone who craved attention.
Hyakuhei had to be a very powerful demon lord to have killed his brother⦠Amniâs sire. It made the blonde swallow hard at the sheer magnitude of killing intent the brothers possessed. For a moment⦠Amni wondered what it would have been like to have Hyakuhei as his sire rather than Tadamichi⦠to be his possession.
He could already see the difference between the twins⦠where one was a killer⦠the other was deadly.
Kyoko was in a state of euphoria and her lips softened⦠opening slightly with pleasure while the manâs hands roamed her body, lightly touching under the back of her shirt. She couldnât suppress the shiver that raced down her spine when his hand brushed the small of her back. It was like soothing liquid fire roaring through her body, making her want more from him.
Hyakuhei watched the half-breed look away from the woman and nod over his shoulder at the other vampires that had come in with him. One by one, they started to move toward the clubâs exit before stepping outside to wait on their evening meal. Hyakuhei saw the hungry looks in their eyes and knew it was more than just blood they would take from the girl.
His lips thinned as he tried to remain calm⦠to wait it out. The sound of cracking glasses behind him told a different story. The hands that were touching her would soon feel nothing but pain.
Amni swallowed while his gaze went from the vampire lord, to Kyoko, to the glasses that were shattering one by one. He didnât need the attention of having a full out vampire brawl taking place in the club, but if that was what it took to save Kyoko⦠he would not stop it. The humans would only blame it on city drugs and violence. None would be the wiser.
Kyoko felt like she was dizzy, almost trancelike when the guy released her. She reached for him again thinking he was leaving only to have him bow slightly and hold his hand out for her to take.
âCome with me,â tall, dark, and handsome whispered as if they were alone.
His soft voice seemed to echo within the room, drowning out the little bit of sound that was actually reaching Kyokoâs muddled brain. She slid her fingers across his palm, feeling the fire and wanting it to burn⦠wanting nothing more than to go with him. His hand tightened on hers as he led her toward the door. âCome with me.â The voice still echoed within her mind like a chanted request she couldnât refuse.
Hyakuhei observed as the half-breed led the hypnotized girl through the club, out the exit and into the treacherous night. He immediately moved away from his place at the bar, following the girl and cursing Tadamichi and his brood for getting in his way⦠again.
His eyes widened when he heard the sound of his brotherâs haunting voice come uninvited within his mind. âBrother⦠you would slaughter my children for her? Save her then⦠you will only rip her to shreds later. You are a demon, a cold blooded killer⦠do you really think she will have you?â
Hyakuheiâs vision swept across the room knowing his brother was close⦠watching him. âI did not ask you to stalk me Tadamichi. Have you become so bored with killing that you have decided to watch me do it instead?â With a deep growl he severed the link with his twin seeing the girl was already gone. He felt an uncontrollable jealousy flare within him at all who were trying to come between him and his target.
He felt more than heard an unseen whisper of movement coming from behind and abruptly turned, holding his hand out in front of him. His power blazed, hitting the bartender dead center in the chest.
Amni was thrown across the room, crashing into a mirror behind the bar and sending a shower of wine glasses spiraling in all directions. Almost all movement stopped in the club and Hyakuhei cursed at his own brazenness.
Amni stood up and met Hyakuheiâs gaze a bit unsteadily. They silently came to an agreement and turned their gaze to the other patrons of the club. Humans were not to witness such things.
Suddenly, everyone went back to what they were doing and Hyakuhei turned his back on the bartender, not waiting to see if doing a mind wipe on so many at once weakened the half breed or not. Let the underling clean up the mess⦠Hyakuhei had better things to do.
Stepping out into the night, he let a dark smirk spread across his face when he saw the three half-breeds start to fall in behind their friend and the girl.
âYou want so badly to feel me brother? Feel this.â The words left his lips as his power surrounded him in a red haze that radiated outward. Feeling the shift in the aura, the three demons turned back to look at him, their eyes pitch black and glowing darkly. They hissed in fear and confusion, mistaking him for Tadamichi before slinking into the shadows in an effort to escape the rage within the air.
Becoming a blur of movement that the normal eye couldnât see, Hyakuhei slipped up behind the closest one and thrust his hand through the retreating half-breedâs chest. He let a muffled gurgle escape from his kill before covering the demonâs mouth with a clawed hand and twisting its head with a sickening crack.
The vampire stiffened as its face contorted, revealing its true identity before falling to the ground in a pile of dust and goop. The other two half-breeds saw this and stared openly in horror at the vampire lord in their midst⦠death had found them.
Hyakuheiâs eyes shown with fathomless ebony in the light from the street lamp before he slowly turned his attention on them. The remaining two demons hissed viciously at him before vanishing deeper into the shadows. Hyakuhei shook the remains of his kill off his hand in contempt and gave chase.
The second was much easier and soon found itself separated from its head⦠quite literally. The third⦠Hyakuhei decided to have a bit of fun with. Cornering him at the end of an alley, the half-breed demon made an attempt to scale the wall to get away from the ancient but Hyakuhei would have none of that.
Whimpering softly, the last underling made his final mistake and met Hyakuheiâs gaze. Taking a deep breath, Hyakuhei tilted his head to the side and held out his hand palm up for the vampire to take. The half-breed slowly staggered toward him, unable to resist the thrall of the vampire lord. Once within touching distance, Hyakuhei wrapped an arm around him, pulling him close.
âShe was not meant for you,â Hyakuhei whispered softly. He parted his lips, letting his fangs grow to their full length before sinking them into the throat of his kill. Part of him was disgusted with his actions but to take the life of another in such a way had its advantages. By taking the life of a vampire half-breed in this fashion, one could learn all of its knowledge⦠such as where others could be hiding.
Much to his disappointment, this one knew very little. He quickly withdrew his fangs taking a large chunk of flesh with them. Hyakuhei spit out the offending taste and let the body drop to the ground. He felt no sympathy when he saw the pleading expression on the face of his victim.
The blood that the scum had already partaken of for the evening was slowly running out of him⦠it didnât belong to him anyway. He would now be too weak to call for help in any fashion but Hyakuhei did not want to take the chance that the half-breed would live. Placing his foot on the half-breedâs face, Hyakuhei put his weight on it⦠crushing its head.
He stepped back in satisfaction when the fluid burned off of his shoe and pant legs leaving the material untouched.
As the vampire expired and dissolved into a shapeless dusty puddle, Hyakuhei