Blood Debt

Henry snarled. His hand around the barrel of the Ingram, he pushed it toward the floor. When the magazine had emptied in a spray of concrete chips, he yanked it out of Eng's hands and hurled it away.
    Howling with fear, the second started back the way they'd come and ran into Vicki's outstretched arm.
    A few moments later, she dropped the body and wiped her mouth on the sleeve of her sweater. When she saw Henry watching her, Eng lying lifeless at his feet, she smiled, eyes glittering silver. "There're a few left."
    He half turned toward the interior of the warehouse, then shook his head. "No. Not worth the risk."
    "They've seen us…"
    "They saw something, but not us. They don't want to see us when we Hunt; it reminds them of why children are afraid of the dark."
    "Then what's the risk?" She stepped toward him, drawing in deep breaths of the rich, meaty, blood-scented air. Another step and her palm lay flat against his chest. "They can't stand against us." Leaning forward, she licked a bit of blood from the corner of his mouth. Not since the earliest days after the change when the world had been a kaleidoscope of new sensations had she felt so alive.
    He caught her tongue between his teeth, carefully so as not to break the skin.
    Her arms went around him. His good hand tangled in her hair.
    She moaned against his mouth and pushed David Eng's body out of their way with the side of her foot.
    It was over very quickly.
    The darkness began to lift from Henry's eyes as he held out a hand to help Vicki to her feet. "We'd better get out of here before someone reports the gunfire."
    "But…"
    He could see the deaths not dealt glittering in her eyes. "No." When she took a step back toward the light, he caught her arm. "Vicki.
    Listen to me. We have to leave before the police arrive."
    This was the voice that had guided her through the year of chaos that followed the change. The silver faded. Reluctantly, she allowed him to guide her out of the warehouse.
    An ocean breeze tattered the bloodscent that shrouded them.
    Vicki snarled softly at Henry's touch, but when he released her, she stood where she was, staring at his face.
    "What?"
    "Just remembering." Her tone clearly stated she wouldn't identify the memory. "It's almost dawn. Wait for me in the parking garage, and we'll ride up together. I think we should talk." Then she was gone.
    Peeling off gloves that were already beginning to stiffen, Henry shook his head. "She thinks we should talk," he said to the night.
    Once, before Vicki, he'd thought that nothing remained to astonish him. He'd been wrong.
    Those still alive inside the warehouse, two of Eng's men and Adan Dyshino, gathered together in the light and waited, without knowing exactly why, for the dawn.

    She was waiting for him at his parking spot, showing no outward signs of either the slaughter or the aftermath.
    "Handi-wipes and hairbrush," she explained when Henry raised a red-gold brow at her clean face and slicked-back hair. "And I think I've discovered why we wear black."
    They stayed a careful ten feet apart on the way to the elevator. Once inside, in opposite corners, Henry studied her carefully. "Are you all right?"
    "I think I have a bruise on my butt." She rubbed it and snorted.
    "Next time, you're on the bottom."
    "Next time." From the moment they'd met, Vicki Nelson had delighted in overturning his world, but this, this he hadn't expected.
    "There shouldn't have been a this time. It went against everything…"
    "What? In the manual? Give it a rest, Henry. One…" She raised a finger. "… sex is a well documented response to violence, and two…" A second finger lifted. "… obviously the blood scent was overwhelming, so maybe if we wear nose plugs, we can get along, and three…" Her eyes began to glitter again. "… it was so glorious finally being able to let go."
    "You enjoyed it?" When she started to grin, he raised his hand.
    "No. I mean the letting go."
    "Yeah, I did. And what's the harm in that? These were bad men, Henry. Leaving aside what they've done previously, tonight they were planning on killing each other."
    "Suppose there aren't any bad men around the next time you want to experience that feeling?"
    "I wouldn't…"

    "Are you sure?"
    The silver faded. "I could've controlled myself if you hadn't been shot." Had she still been able, she'd have blushed as she suddenly realized what she'd just said. "Uh, speaking of, are you okay?"
    "The bullet merely grazed me." He'd tucked his left hand