John The Deliverer Read online

  He had watched as Raven left, Madison and the other woman close behind.

  Devlin frowned. Why were they following Raven? Devlin had better check into this. It was strange indeed. He started off after them, keeping his distance. The hunger hadn't hit him yet as he had fed so lusciously last night. First he had drunk from Madison, then had filled himself with the blonde woman. Yes, he still had that rosy glow of woman's blood. Woman's blood was always so much sweeter.

  Devlin moved through the night, a silent evil.

  * * * *

  Madison parked a half a block from Raven's car and shut off the engine..

  "What's he doing here?" Leah asked. They watched through the windshield as Raven exited the car and opened his trunk. He took a black bag from the trunk and started walking away.

  "Grab the stuff," Madison said. She waited until Raven disappeared between two houses then opened the car door. "Let's go."

  Madison and Leah crept through the yards, dodging children who were trick-or-treating, and trying not to look like burglars. They followed Raven to the next street, then crouched beside a burning bush, watching as he ducked around the corner of a house that was up for sale.

  Madison and Leah looked at each other. Madison shrugged, then darted across the street, Leah on her heels.

  They stopped at the corner of the house. Madison peeked around to the back where Raven had disappeared. She saw the tail of his long, black leather coat disappear into the back door.

  "Somebody live here?" Leah whispered.

  "Looks like it's empty. Come on." Madison started for the door Raven had gone through.

  Leah grabbed her arm. "Wait."

  "What?"

  "What if this is the place where he's going to fight the vampires? Shouldn't we get some of our stuff out?"

  Madison nodded. "You're right. Open the bag."

  The two women took items from the bag, arming themselves. Leah took two metal stakes and a hammer. Madison took a large crucifix and a bottle of holy water. "All right, let's go," Madison said. They started for the door again.

  * * * *

  Raven hesitated at the top of the basement stairs, cocking his head. Was someone behind him? He waited, looking over his shoulder.

  Nothing.

  He started down the stairs.

  * * * *

  Eric Raven heard the stairway door open and knew immediately it was his brother John, coming to do battle. The two males were just coming awake but Claire was pretty much alert. Eric watched as her eyes darted around the enclosure. Something had spooked her. Eric hoped she hadn't heard the door open. He pulled her to him as a distraction. Claire smiled and trailed a skinny finger down his cheek. Eric smiled and drew her to him, his mouth closing over hers. Anything to keep her from noticing that John was now coming down the stairs.

  * * * *

  Devlin wanted to laugh out loud. What a procession the three of them made.

  He stood back and watched as Raven snuck inside house where the Clutch's lair was located, the two women following. Raven didn't know they were there or else they wouldn't be sneaking.

  Well, Devlin thought to himself, maybe I should join this little party.

  He started toward the back door where the rest of them had entered the house.

  * * * *

  Raven, spray bottle of blessed water in hand, wooden stake in his back pocket, opened the door of the enclosure.

  Eric's eyes were the first thing he saw. The next thing that registered was the vampire Claire, attached to Eric's neck. Raven roared, entering the enclosure in full attack mode.

  * * * *

  Madison heard Raven's roar and started running down the basement steps, Leah close behind her.

  "I'm scared to death," Leah said.

  "Me, too." Madison kept going, hitting the basement floor at a full run. It was dark in the basement. Her hand raced over the wall at the bottom of the stairs. Found the light switch. Flicked it on.

  She made a beeline for the open door of the enclosure, sounds of a struggle issuing from inside. There were hisses, animal-like growls and things hitting the sides of the enclosure. "Stay with me," she said over her shoulder to Leah.

  "Right behind you."

  * * * *

  Raven sprayed the blessed water directly in Claire's face. She howled, her fangs jerking out of Eric's neck. Eric raised his hand to the wound and closed his eyes. The two males untangled themselves and started toward Raven. He held up the spray bottle. "Come on. Dare you."

  The two males cringed, hissing. Claire moaned in pain, scrambling back toward the other two vampires.

  "Where's Devlin?" Raven asked.

  "Don't know," Eric said. "Haven't seen him."

  Raven turned his gaze on Claire. He reached in his coat pocket for the vial of absinthe. "Come here, Claire."

  She shook her head, baring her teeth. "You can't order me," she said, her voice ragged with pain.

  Raven raised the spray bottle. "Call him to you or suffer my wrath."

  "No."

  Raven started forward.

  The two males scrambled back further, no aide to Claire whatsoever. Claire stood her ground.

  Raven held up the vial of absinthe. "Drink this and I won't ruin your lovely face." He aimed the spray bottle, finger on the trigger.

  Claire cocked her head. "What is it?"

  "It won't kill you."

  Claire reached for the vial.

  * * * *

  Madison hesitated at the doorway to the enclosure. She took a deep breath.

  "Maddie," Leah said from behind her.

  "What?"

  "I think we have a problem."

  Maddie turned around. Her heart almost stopped.

  Devlin stood directly behind Leah, a wide, toothy grin on his face. "Well, well. Glad I could make the party." He stepped around Leah and slid his hand around to the back of Maddie's neck, gripping her with his fingers. "So glad to see you. Shall we join the others?"

  He shoved Maddie toward the enclosure.

  * * * *

  "Well, Raven," Devlin said, "I see that you've finally returned to the fold.

  Raven swung around, spray bottle held at waist level, ready to fire. His heart almost stopped when he saw Devlin standing at the doorway, his hand gripping Madison's neck. He quickly glanced back at the two males, trying to keep his eye on them. They still cowered in the corner, no braver since their leader had returned. Claire smiled, vial of absinthe held in her hand.

  "Raven," Madison said, her voice barely a whisper, "I'm sorry."

  He looked back at her. Raven heard Eric, moving behind him. He hoped Eric would back him up because Raven wasn't quite sure just how he was going to get them all out of this.

  Suddenly, Devlin jerked forward. "That wasn't very nice," he said, turning toward Leah, who had just hit him from behind with her hammer. Devlin kept his hold on Madison, not giving her an inch. He reached one hand out and slapped Leah. She flew across the room, landing on the other side, hitting her head on the cement floor. She was out cold.

  Madison swung the hand with the crucifix. "You asshole!" She buried the crucifix in Devlin's shoulder.

  Devlin howled but still held Madison tightly by the neck. "You'll pay for that my lovely."

  Raven roared with anger. "Devlin, I will kill you if you so much as cause her to wince."

  "Oh, I'll do more than that," Devlin said, grinning. He pulled Madison to his chest, hugging her close.

  * * * *

  Maddie struggled but his hold was like iron. She knew what was coming next, and she wanted to be prepared. Without letting Devlin see what she was doing, she uncapped the bottle of Holy Water and glanced up at his face. With a quick movement, she raised the bottle to her lips and filled her mouth with the water.

  Devlin threaded his bony fingers through Madison's hair, pulling her head back so that she was looking up into his face. "She is such a sweet dish, isn't she, Raven? Her blood is so ... unique."

  "Don't..." Ra
ven stepped toward him.

  Devlin laughed. "I think I need a kiss first. I want to taste the hot sweetness of her mouth."

  Madison took a breath through her nose, holding the water in her mouth. Come on, she thought, trying not to swallow any.

  Claire slid an arm around Raven's neck. "How about you and I getting to know each other better?" she purred into his ear.

  Eric grabbed Claire by the hair and jerked her back. "I thought you were mine, Claire." He took the vial of absinthe out of her hand. He hit it against the wall, breaking off the top. Claire struggled, but his hand was tangled in her hair. "Have a drink, dear," Eric growled, jerking her head back. He poured the absinthe down her throat. Claire shook, the absinthe drugging her quickly.

  "Maybe we could share her, Raven," Devlin said, lowering his face to Madison's.

  She could smell his foul breath. Hurry, she thought. If he didn't kiss her soon, she was going to have to swallow.

  Raven took another step toward Devlin. "You're a dead vampire, Morse," he said.

  "That I am." Devlin smiled, then lowered his mouth to Madison's.

  She held her lips clamped shut only long enough to make it seem like she was fighting him. As soon as she felt the icy touch of Devlin's tongue trying to break through her lips, Madison wrapped her arms around Devlin's neck and opened her mouth, spewing the Holy Water into Devlin's hungry mouth, following it with her tongue to make sure that it made it all the way in.

  Devlin tried to jerk away, a shrill whine issuing from his throat.

  Madison kept her mouth locked with his as he tried to spit out the Holy Water that was burning him.

  * * * *

  Raven grabbed Madison's shoulders and pulled her from the flailing Devlin. He shoved her away from Devlin as he collapsed to the floor. Eric snatched the spray bottle of Holy Water out of Raven's hand and sprayed Claire, who was lying drugged on the floor of the enclosure. Eric then trained the spray on the two males, who screamed from their place in the corner.

  Devlin writhed on the floor, vicious smoke pouring from his mouth as the Holy Water melted him from the inside out.

  Raven looked at Eric. "Time to get out," he said.

  Raven helped Madison up from the floor, before retrieving the black bag of tools he had left by the staircase. "You okay?" he asked, letting go of her hand.

  "Yeah. I'll see about Leah," she said. Maddie quickly went to her friend, relieved she was regaining consciousness.

  Eric backed out of the enclosure, the spray bottle of Holy Water held before him. "Everybody okay?" he yelled over his shoulder.

  "Get over here," Raven called out, pulling a gallon container out of the bag. There was liquid inside. Raven unscrewed the top and headed toward the door of the enclosure. "Get the women out," Raven told Eric as he began sloshing the liquid into the and around enclosure. The odor of gasoline permeated the air.

  Eric rushed across the room and took Maddie and Leah by the arms. "Come on," he said, helping them up the stairs.

  Madison looked back over her shoulder to see Raven empty the last of the gasoline inside the enclosure.

  Raven struck the match. It flamed, the fire an orange beacon in the dim basement.

  Then he threw it.

  * * * *

  An hour later, the hunters were back at Madison's house, each nursing their assorted wounds. In the bathroom, Madison was aggressively brushing her teeth. She swore that she could still taste the essence of evil in her mouth from that last kiss of Devlin's. She spit into the sink. Raising her head, she looked into the mirror, only to find someone was standing behind her.

  She whirled around.

  "Damn, you look so good," she said. Then she flung her arms around Raven's neck. Immediately her body caught fire, the heat pooling down low.

  "You look good, too," he said, holding her close. "I wonder if you taste as good as you look."

  Madison smiled, looking into his dark, intense eyes. "Only one way to find out," she said. "You're just going to have to take a bite."

  Raven groaned as his mouth closed over hers.

  The End

  About the Author:

  Rhiannon Neeley has thought about writing for most of her life and has now finally made time for it, along with learning to play an Irish jig on her fiddle. Rhiannon is one very busy woman who has her fingers stuck in about every pie but she does make time to reply to email if you give her a day or two. You can email her at [email protected]

  For those of you with Irish roots, Rhiannon's Neeley line hails from County Tyrone, Ireland. She has done quite a bit of research into her family tree.

  And of course when it comes to Romance, Rhiannon likes them hot and steamy and preferably paranormal.

  We invite you to visit Liquid Silver Books http://www.liquidsilverbooks.com

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