I wasn't scared anymore. I wasn't even anxious. I'd felt those things on the drive over, along with sadness and even grief. But over the past few minutes, all that changed.

It started when Sam told me she loved me. Her words left a flutter in my stomach and a warmth in my chest.

Then fucking Isabelle interrupted before I could tell Samantha that I felt the same about her. There was no way this could end before me and Sam finished that conversation. I wouldn't fucking allow it.

I looked at the group of vampires standing across from us, and I was no longer scared of any of them. They were lined up four or five meters away, which was just about perfect for me. I was surprised they didn't check us for weapons, but they didn't think we were a threat. Not that Isabelle or Cynthia thought much of me and Samantha at all.

To my left Samantha was standing tall and brave, she looked defiant. Like if she was going to be killed, she was going to go down fighting, with her head held high. Sam's eyes were fixed on Isabelle, she seemed to be ignoring Cynthia and her crossbow completely.

Beyond Sam, Reuben was standing proud too. However he looked like he was on edge, like he didn't think we had much of a chance. His eyes were on Jessica, and he had a look of contempt on his face.

Jessica stood across from Reuben, but her eyes were cast downwards. She couldn't face any of us, least of all him. She looked sad and guilty, like she regretted turning on the three of us.

Next to her, Cynthia stood before Samantha. She had the crossbow raised and aimed right at Sam's chest. Cyn looked like she was enjoying herself, like she couldn't wait to kill my Dame.

Isabelle stood across from me, but her eyes were on Sam. She looked smug and triumphant standing there with that big executioners axe in her hand. She obviously didn't expect us to put up much of a fight.

To the right of our matriarch, the two elders looked just as smug. I was positive Molly and James were both Slúag Marb, same as Isabelle. She already said as much, with that comment about consuming the three of us.

My focus returned to Cynthia. I knew it would take several seconds for her to reload the crossbow, so once she fired it she wouldn't be a threat for a while. Isabelle was the biggest risk, with her strength and speed and that axe in her hands. The other two elders could be almost as dangerous, even unarmed.

A strategy was just starting to come together in my mind when Isabelle gestured again.

Cynthia pulled the trigger, and at that moment all my senses went into overdrive. My enhanced speed and reflexes seemed to engage and the whole world dropped into slow motion.

Samantha was already moving before the bolt cleared the crossbow. She launched herself forwards and twisted herself sideways, while pulling her vampire-hunter dagger out from under her jacket. I started moving as well, I drew my gun from the holster and cocked the hammer, then flicked off the safety as I raised it towards our matriarch.

The silver-lined bolt missed Sam as she twisted around it. It struck the side window of the limousine a few inches past my left elbow, and the glass cracked then shattered as the projectile continued on through.

Sam was already ontop of Cynthia, she'd moved almost as fast as the crossbow bolt. With her dagger in hand, she slashed at the athletic blonde's neck. The six-inch blade was nearly enough to take Cyn's head off. With Samantha's strength driving it, the weapon passed easily through our boss's throat and jugular veins.

As Cynthia started to collapse, Isabelle and the two elders all began moving at once. All three of them were going for Samantha, and our matriarch swung her axe upwards.

I pointed my gun and pulled the trigger. The shot momentarily lit up the garage interior like a flashbulb and the noise was almost deafening but I was prepared for it. I meant to hit Isabelle but everyone was moving and I didn't stop to aim, so my first shot was low and wide.

The bullet missed our matriarch completely and instead struck Molly in the abdomen. She spun to face me, and the murderous look in her eyes was all the motivation I needed to get myself under control.

This time I forced myself to aim before I pulled the trigger again. My second shot hit Molly square in the chest and she went down.

James was already charging at me, but I stood my ground and turned slightly to the right to face him head on.

I was almost calm as I fired a third shot followed by a fourth. Both of them hit him point blank in the chest. I side-stepped to my left to avoid him as his momentum carried him into the side of the limo. His body left dents in the Cadillac's body panels and shattered another window, then he collapsed to the floor at my feet.

Both him and Molly started convulsing and screaming as smoke began to rise up out of their wounds. My nose was assaulted by the pungent stench of burning meat mixed with the sharp aroma of gunpowder.

For all the planning and thought I put into this, I never really stopped to consider what the silver powder would actually do to a vampire, or a Slúag Marb. Seeing the effect my silver-loaded bullets had on them rattled me slightly, but it also proved how effective my idea was.

On impulse I put another bullet into James, this one went right through his head. I had no idea if that would truly kill him, but it shut him up and stopped his flailing. I did the same for Molly, then I was finally able to turn my attention back to Sam and Isabelle.

The world was still in slow motion as my eyes swept over the scene in the rest of the garage.

Reuben had dropped into a crouch but otherwise hadn't moved yet. He was pretty much out-classed by the rest of us anyways, with me and Sam being enhanced and Isabelle being an elder. Jessica was fleeing off to the far left, there was another door in that direction.

Cyntha lay dying on the floor, the crossbow sat next to her on the cement. Cyn's eyes were wide with panic and her hands grasped at her throat. Sam and Isabelle were still facing each other, neither had managed to hit the other yet.

As I watched, Samantha tried to attack with her dagger and Isabelle swung her axe. Sam had to duck and pull back again. They were close enough to the wall that when the matriarch swung for Sam's head and missed, the axe smashed into the wall and sent dust and little bits of concrete flying.

I raised my gun but Sam was too close, I wouldn't dare shoot while there was a chance of hitting her.

Sam used another burst of speed as she lunged forward and thrust with the dagger, but Isabelle brought her weapon down and across. To my horror the axe connected and Samantha's knife fell to the floor, along with two fingers and part of her hand.

My Dame collapsed backwards with a yelp of pain and anger. Isabelle pressed forward and she brought the axe up to deliver the finishing blow.

I aimed and pulled the trigger, and several things happened at once.

My shot hit the matriarch in the left upper arm. Isabelle let go of the axe partway through her backswing, and it sailed off a couple meters behind her. And my gun locked open, that was the last bullet in the clip.

And at that moment, everything was suddenly back to normal speed again.

Samantha was down on her knees, she held her right hand tucked against her belly while she scrambled with her left hand to snatch up her dagger.

I was scrambling too. My hands shook as I dug into my pocket to grab another clip, and it took me two tries to eject the empty one and get the full one in.

Isabelle was still moving calmly as she dropped to one knee next to Cynthia's body. Her left arm hung limp by her side and there were wisps of smoke coming from both entry and exit wounds. She ignored her injury and the pain as she pulled one of the spare silver-lined bolts from the crossbow. She held the bolt like a dagger, with her right hand tightly wrapped around the fletching. She turned back towards Samantha just as my Dame launched herself at Isabelle.

Sam had her knife clutched tight in her left hand, and tried to thrust it into Isabelle's chest. At the same time Isabelle plunged the silver-lined bolt into Samantha's gut. Sam fell backwards with the bolt buried deep in her abdomen while her weapon fell to the floor at Isabelle's feet.

"NO!" I screamed.

I took aim and started shooting as our matriarch turned towards me as if to charge me.

My first three shots hit her square in the chest, but she didn't go down until my fourth got her dead-centre in the middle of her forehead. She tumbled over backwards and ended up laying partially sprawled atop Cynthia's body.

I dove to Samantha's side and dropped my gun as I grabbed the back of the bolt. There had to be at least six or seven inches of it inside her abdomen, and smoke was already rising up from the wound around the bolt. As soon as my hand touched the silver-coated shaft I felt it burn. I ignored the pain as I pulled the thing out and tossed it aside.

Sam groaned as the bolt came free, but she was alive and she was still conscious. She looked paler than normal and I knew she must have been in agony.

I wrapped my arms around her and held her to me. There was so much I wanted to say but right in the moment I couldn't find the words.

She hugged me back with her left arm, then looked past me. I could hear the pain in her voice as she said, "Reuben, get the axe. Finish them off."

I hadn't realized the big man was right behind me, he'd been coming to help me with Sam.

"Got it," he replied quietly as he moved to pick up the axe.

My eyes stayed locked on Samantha's as I held her. Behind me I heard the sound of the axe striking the concrete floor. Once, twice, three times, then a fourth. He'd taken care of both elders, our matriarch, and Cynthia. None of them would ever rise again.

I continued holding Sam in my arms, I had no idea what to do next but I wasn't going to let her go.

"We'll take her to my place," Reuben announced as he moved alongside Sam and me. "I've got some of the untainted blood there. She'll be ok Tara, but we have to get moving!"

I nodded, then gently helped Sam up into a sitting position while Reuben went to pick a vehicle for us.

"Don't forget your gun," Samantha said through gritted teeth. "And let me get my knife."

"Ok Sam," I nodded.

I picked the gun up, and took a moment to gently lower the hammer and set the safety. After seeing what those silver-loaded bullets actually did, I absolutely did not want any accidents. Once it was safe I tucked it back in the holster.

Then I grabbed Sam's knife. I avoided looking at the bodies, but the smell told me they were already starting to decay.

Samantha took the dagger from me with her left hand and slipped it back into the sheath inside her jacket, then I helped her to her feet.

"Over here," Reuben called, from the other side of the panel van.

My left arm was around Sam's waist and my right hand was under her right arm as I helped her. Beyond the van was a large black luxury SUV, and Reuben already had the back doors open so I could get my Dame inside.

While I moved Sam over to the SUV and started helping her in, Reuben took the axe and started slashing tires on the remaining vehicles. Sam was partway into the back seat when the door in the corner of the garage suddenly swung open.

I looked up to see Jessica standing there, and my eyes locked on hers.

She was holding a large black duffel bag. I could tell she was scared, and I was honestly surprised that she'd come back. I kept my left arm around Samantha but my right hand moved under my jacket. I didn't draw my gun yet but if Jess tried anything, I was ready.

Then Reuben was there as well, axe raised.

"I'm sorry!" Jess gasped. "I had to! I had no choice!"

Reuben hesitated, but he kept the axe up and ready. He asked in a cold, angry voice "Give me one good reason to spare your life."

Jess nodded down at the duffel in her hands, "I brought you blood. It's the good stuff. I figured you'd need it."

There was another second or so where we all just stood there sort of evaluating the situation. Then Reuben lowered the axe and took the duffel bag.

He kept his eyes on Jess as he said "Tara, get Sam in the car."

I nodded and finished helping Sam into the back seat, then I climbed in next to her. Reuben stepped back from Jess, he still had the axe in one hand and the duffel bag in the other.

He handed me the duffel and ordered, "Get some fucking blood into her!"

I dropped the duffel at my feet and quickly unzipped it. There were a few dozen bags inside, and I didn't waste any time grabbing one. I gave it to Sam, and she immediately bit into it and started sucking it dry.

Outside the car, Reuben and Jess were still staring at each other.

Jessica sighed again and said "Goodbye Reuben. And good luck to all three of you."

After a brief hesitation, Reuben responded "Goodbye Jessica."

He didn't kill her though. He just backed away then dropped himself in behind the wheel of the SUV.

The axe was set on the floor in front of the passenger seat, then Reuben closed his door and started the engine. There was a garage remote button in the ceiling, he tapped that and the door started rising up behind us.

As soon as it was clear we pulled out, and a few seconds later we were gone.

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