Author's Note

Update…My grandmother had a heart attack and is in ICU at the moment. The doctors said that half of her heart is permanently damaged and to prepare for the worst but pray for the best. I want to update every 2 to 3 days, but if it takes me longer then y'all know why. Thanks to everyone who has become a fan of my story and thanks for the support and patience y'all have given me. Here I leave you with the long awaited…

Chapter 6: The Blood Rave

"I thought all these raves pretty much stopped when Deacon went up in ashes."

King and I were discussing the assignment while I was attempting to get ready. I was rummaging through a closet and King was leaning himself against the doorframe, watching me. He was definitely getting anxious about the night ahead. He didn't like taking the backseat and having to watch as I put myself into a potentially dangerous situation.

"Apparently not, or maybe this guy is relatively 'young' and likes to party. For all we know this guy could be following more in Deacon's footsteps than in Asher and Danica's."

"Well, I'm not too fond of this operation now…"

I stopped skimming through the clothes and looked at King seriously.

"You knew I'd be thrown in this type of situation sooner or later. And if the vampire happened to be a girl, you would be right in my place. It was only a matter of time before the fledglings found a new leader. This is what they do to have fun, and if I'm going to get any kind of information on this guy, I have to do this. You wouldn't have said anything before."

"I've loved you for many years, Abby. I've tried in vain to keep it well hidden, but that doesn't mean that it's never bothered me. I don't want anything to happen to you. And I swear, if you had ever had time to date a guy, you would've noticed it long ago. I can be pretty transparent when it comes to my feelings for you. I just hid it with my sense of humor because it would've killed me to know that you didn't feel the same way."

He looked so conflicted about baring that piece of him. I walked over to him, pulled his arms and placed them around me, then kissed him sweetly. I felt his tension ease up and he responded back with enthusiasm.

"You know now…"

He sighed in resignation, still not disguising his reservations of me being thrown to the wolves, but he conceded.

"Okay fine, but no sexy underwear."

I scoffed and resumed throwing different articles of clothing about the room, until I found a nice fitted pair of black leather pants. As I put them to the side I looked at him.

"You know, if you would've so much as looked at a girl in a sexual way, I would've used her for target practice."

He smiled and kissed my nose.

"You're so feisty…but I remain adamant about the underwear."

I shot him an evil eye and placed my hands on my hips.

"King…"

He threw his hands up in the air and shrugged.

"What?! It's a reasonable request."

"Not with these pants."

King's voice raised a little and he moved closer to me.

"Hey, I will not have some snaggletooth pirate boy copping a feel on my body."

"He isn't going to be anywhere near you. If and only if I dance with him, I'm sure as hell not going to enjoy it."

"Well I consider you, your body, and everything attached to it part of my personal belongings. So if he's touching you, he's touching my possession."

I ignored him and stood in front of the mirror in black underwear, biting my lip in concentration. King put his hands on my shoulders.

"Jesus Christ, I look like a leper."

King chuckled proudly as I wondered about what makeup would cover his extensive 'body-art.' I hardly ever wear it myself, but on occasions like these, it was appropriate to blend in. I felt King breathing in my ear. He met my eyes in the mirror with his sad brown ones.

"I'm sorry. I know I'm overreacting. Just be careful, please. I know what it's like on the other side and if this guy is anything like Danica, I don't want to take the chance that that might happen to you. I wouldn't be able to live with myself knowing I could've done something to stop it."

He kissed my hair and left the room so that I could get ready. Part of me wonders if that is what he thinks about before every mission. If in the end, there was a choice, he would give his life for mine, how much that must've weighed on him. All these years of caring so much more for a person, thinking that they would never know. I now see that he is the person he is because I set him free. I don't know what he would've become had I left him there. Knowing him, he would've done the noble thing and taken his own life. Hannibal King, there's not a name more perfect for a man like that.

"King, I need you!"

I was finally dressed in black leather hip-huggers and a blood red corset that laced up the front. The pants exposed my hipbones with my robin tattoo showing. My hair was down in curls and I tried my best at applying the proper makeup. The bite however refused to go away. So I was just going to have to deal with it. My silver knife was hidden in the leather wristband, and my I-Pod was tucked into my waistband, just in case. I heard his heavy footsteps trampling up the stairs. He was trying to talk to me as he came down the hall.

"Abby, Caulder says he wants you to leave before us so that you…Fuck!"

He stopped dead in his track, mouth slightly agape. My self consciousness came back and I bit my lip, wondering if I had overdone it.

"Do I really look that bad?"

"Do you have 15 minutes to spare?"

I looked at him confused.

"Why?"

"Because I want to play."

He flashed me a sexy smile and started to advance on me before I stopped him with my hand on his chest. He looked at me with pleading puppy dog eyes and I just eyed him up and down shaking my head no and he sighed in defeat.

"Hang in there Broomstick Cowboy. You and King Jr. are going to have to wait. Now, finish what you were saying about me leaving first."

"Dash is dropping you off and he'll be with you until I get in position. This will ease up on their suspicions. Don't worry, we'll get there at the same time, we're just taking separate routes."

"Okay. Now, I need your help with something. How am I going to pull off being a familiar?"

King concentrated hard then I could see the light bulb go off in his head. He grabbed my hand and dragged me to my bathroom, making me lean on the counter. Hooking his hands on the front of my pants, he pulled them lower ever so slightly. He kissed the newly exposed skin and grabbed a sharpie marker from the cabinet. I had no idea what he was planning to do but I didn't question him as he bent down in front of me. There was a slight wetness of the ink on my skin and then I felt King's breath as he blew on it to dry it. I looked down to see that he had drawn a symbol, the same symbol, and the same area as his.

"This is no longer Danica's glyph, it's mine. And you belong to me. If Azrael gets any bright ideas he and I are going to dance."

"You know King; I like this side of you. Just watch your anger tonight so you don't blow my cover until it's time."

Dash and I left, eastbound, to the blood rave. The entrance to the place didn't give off any vibe that there was a secret party going on inside. I got out of the car a block down the road and Dash awaited the O.K. from Hannibal. Walking up to the door, I knocked twice and it slid open to reveal a young, bald vampire with a bull ring through his nose. My skin crawled as his eyes raked over my body. He flicked his pierced tongue out at me suggestively and asked for the password. I pulled my waistline down to reveal the tattoo.

"This is all the password you need..."

His eyes lowered to my pelvis and he smiled, with his fangs appearing briefly.

"Nice baby…real nice. If you want to have a drink later, come and find me."

Disgusted beyond belief, I sneered at him.

"I'm taken."

It was then I heard a deep, possessive voice come through the receptor I had hidden in my ear.

"Yes you are…"

It was King. I walked inside and caught a glimpse of him on the other end by the deejay booth. I couldn't risk talking to him but I could communicate silently through body language. And I could definitely look at him. He was wearing a simple black shirt that was tight around the arms and brown leather cuffs around each wrist. He had a small earring in each ear, and he was trying to look preoccupied with the records scattered near the booth. Every now and then a young Goth vampire chick would approach him and start dancing. I felt a slight twinge of jealousy, but he quickly cast them aside to look at me. One thing I notice perhaps more than anything was how incredibly sexy he was looking at that moment. His black pants hung dangerously low on his hips. You could easily see his tattoo. He was getting revenge on me; he was going to make me want him the whole night while I had to concentrate on baiting Azrael. I caught his eye and he waggled his eyebrows. He would have to be punished later. I turned my attention on the bar and spotted my target. In a lot of ways he did remind me of Deacon, same style, that cocky smirk across his lips and the same ice-blue eyes; the eyes of a cold blooded killer. I better watch myself on this one. I ordered a Malibu and pineapple and turned to face the hoards of vampires dancing to the thumping of the techno beat. Azrael must've heard me speak to the bartend because I felt the eyes of a predator on my back, and I was his prey. Deciding now would be a good time to face my enemy; I looked only to find him gone. Damn. I was in the process of paying for my drink when a pale hand stopped mine and spoke in a smooth tone.

"That's already been taken care of."

I looked to my right and came face to face with Azrael himself. I captured his full attention somehow. I saw King carefully watching my every move intently. Azrael scanned my attire and my body.

"What's your name Sweetheart?"

I just smiled and shook my head.

"Ahh…an Enigma. I like that. Don't worry; we'll get to your name later. But for right now, would you care to dance?"

I was hoping that it wouldn't resort to this but I played along for the sake of the job, nodded and grabbed my drink. He led me out to the dance floor and ironically closer to King than I expected to get all night. He stood only a few feet away. Immediately Azrael pulled me close to his body and ran his hands down my sides as I began to sway my hip. I saw King's hands clench and release and clench back into fists. He was giving his all to restraining himself. Azrael took my hand and placed it on his chest, guiding it to his belt and instead of puking like I wanted to, I smiled at him deviously. He ran his index finger under my chin and spoke over the music; however his voice still managed to come out soft and smooth.

"And who do you belong to, my pet?"

I saw anger flash in King's eyes as I glanced over the vampire's shoulder. Azrael looked down to find the symbol King's put on me and he purred. He started to circle me like a vulture, looking at me from every angle.

"I see…An old pet of the Talos'. My, my…they did have great taste. The best part is, now that they're gone, you belong to me. You're mine…"

Fuck! That was it, if King was going to come, he was coming now. Sure enough I saw him quickly approaching with a murderous look in his eyes. I grabbed Azrael close and caught King with my eyes, pleading with him to stay calm.

"I'm yours…"

I whispered knowing that Azrael would think I was talking to him but I looked at King when I said it and he stopped and tried to regain his composure. He could hear me through his earpiece and I realized that making inside comments to him might help him feel more at ease. I'm not stupid though, I know that he will only be able to take so much before striking. Poor, oblivious Azrael kept me dancing for a while, every time he would touch me I'd hear King growl. I made eye contact with him every chance I got. I was dancing for him. Just watching him there, and not being able to do anything was turning me on and from the looks of it, despite his anger for the situation, he was getting aroused as well.

"Abby…

His voice was low and strained; a warning. I looked at Azrael who had his own arousal growing.

"Why don't we go upstairs?"

I just smiled coyly, and gave King the signal to follow behind us. He led me through along hallway filled with Plexiglas and cement columns. He stopped midway and pulled me to the side to press me against the wall. He gave me a smile and I caught the faint shimmer of fangs. He leaned in close and licked my neck, catching the bite on my shoulder.

"I see someone already stole my idea. Who took you first?"

Out of nowhere a duffel bag slid to my feet and I saw a black flash that I recognized as King run by and knocked Azrael to the ground.

"That's right Motherfucker! Me!"

He punched the vampire over and over in the face but Azrael recovered quickly. He threw a punch that hit King square in the mouth. I could see the blood dripping from his lip. King kicked Azrael in the stomach and as he bent over, he gave him an uppercut, splitting his brow. Azrael stepped back, screaming in rage, and then he picked up and heaved King's body across the hall, landing with a dull thud on the floor. Azrael who could be less concerned with the intruder turned to see if I was still there. Only to find me with my bow in hand and UV arc strapped to my waist.

"The name's Abigail Whistler, sweetheart."

His eyes went wide in recognition, and apparently he wasn't as fearless as we thought. He turned to run when King clothes-lined him to the ground. He got on top of him and held him by his throat.

"My name is Hannibal King, and I'll be your escort this evening."

King pulled Azrael's head up so that he could get a look at me.

"You see her? She's mine. You've had your dead formaldehyde hands all over her. Possession is nine tenths of the law, and let me tell you a little known secret. I was never good at sharing."

Right then shots came whizzing past us as. King dove over me and we crawled behind one of the columns. I heard King's electronic pistols charging up as he drew them out. I flipped open my bow and shot a sundog in the direction of the gunfire. Seconds later, the shooter incinerated. King fired his silver hollow points and I aimed for a fifth gunman, all going up in smoke. We turned to see Azrael running around the corner. King fired a shot put it missed him, grazing one of the columns. Azrael was gone. King grabbed my hand and started to run.

"C'mon Whistler, we better get out of here before more of them show up."

We ran downstairs and through an alternative exit. King signaled Dash through his earphone and seconds later Dash pulled up and we hopped in. Both King and I were breathing heavy and Dash was talking to Caulder on a cell phone.

"Yeah, I got 'em. We'll meet you in 20 minutes."

He turned around and looked at us.

"Have fun kids?"

We both sent him a death stare and King flipped him off. Dash mocked a look of hurt then smiled.

"Well…see if I take you guys to a dance anymore."

I felt King's eyes on me but I didn't say a word. He knew how to get his job done in that type of situation but I wasn't sure if he was mad at me for the fact of Azrael's touching-feely session. Maybe I shouldn't have let it go that far. I met his eyes for a brief second then looked down ashamed. He put his arm around my shoulder and kissed my forehead as I leaned on him. I was beginning to shut down again. I would have to sneak away tonight to go talk to my father. I head King whispering into my hair.

"Don't doubt your actions Whistler. You did what you had to. I should've held back, and I'm sorry. I just wanted you so bad I couldn't handle it."

I recalled how he looked from across the club and even now I saw his tattoo. I traced it lightly with my finger as he held onto me a little tighter. I looked up to find him staring back at me. I stopped what I was doing and wrapped an arm over his waist, closing my eyes to relax on the way home.