Chapter 4: Attachment

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They moved slowly over the roof of the warehouse towards the hatch. Below them, they could hear the vamps laughing and carrying on. They were definitely drunk and having a party, which meant victims. Which meant they had to move fast.

Abby stepped forward and King picked up an audible crack as hidden glass under her started to break. "Wait, Whistler, wait," King dove, pushing her out of the way as the glass gave way. He crashed down, falling onto a table in the middle of a vamp feast. "Evening ladies…" he managed, pulling himself up and moving to cover his back. "My name's Hannibal King and I'm here from the Nameless Hookers Who Go Missing Board. We just want to know that you're satisfied with your business with our clients…"

"Get him!" a vamp shrieked and they swarmed towards him.

He pulled his guns from his holsters, all charged up, and started firing. A particularly big vamp came at him with a lead pipe. He ducked the first swing but the second caught him in the side of the head. He tumbled against the wall, ears ringing. "Fuck me." He got back up, cat-quick. "Which one of you assholes hit me?"

The vampires moved in around him.

He glanced up at the empty skylight to the night above. "Six to one… I almost feel sorry for you guys."

"You think you can take us?" one cackled. "Alone?"

They fell about, laughing.

"No," he snarked back. "Not alone…"

Abby dusted two of them before dropping down behind them, stakes unsheathed. She drove a stake through another before any of them turned.

"That's my girl," he purred, silver stakes replacing his gun and snaking out to dusting two.

The remaining one's eyes darted from him to Abby, deciding something. He threw something at King, powder, and dove for Abby.

She warded off his blows, blades ringing on glades as he slammed down on her. They fought into the next room, out of sight.

King rubbed his eyes. He couldn't see shit. But he could feel someone near him. He pulled a gun, swinging it towards where he thought they would be.

Someone slashed his arm, kicking his legs from under him.

He landed hard, his guns clattering away. "Fuck me." His brain went into overload, automatically shifting his senses from sight to hearing, smell. His instincts took over, his arm shooting left and connecting with a face. He swept down, tripping and kicking at the same time. He heard a crack and felt the heat as the vamp faded to dust. He shook his head but his vision wasn't clearing. He couldn't yell to Abby. Part of it was his pride, that he couldn't admit he needed help. He didn't want to be rescued by a girl – a fucking hot and able girl – but a girl nonetheless. But more importantly, he didn't want to distract her and put her into danger. So, he'd have to handle this alone. And hey, maybe if he was lucky, there weren't anymore and he could just chill and wait for Abby to find him.

Nails raked his chest, tearing the front of his shirt to shreds. This time he couldn't hold it it, "Fuck!" he yelled. There had to be at least two of them.

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Abby heard King yell but there was nothing she could do at the moment. She had three ganging up on her. She lashed out, slamming one in the chest and punching another as he tried to sneak up on her.

A ninja with a katana sword whirled it around, coming at her. She blocked the first hit, felt the tip graze her arm as it came around again and before the third could hit its mark, she staked him. As the second threw itself at her, she already had her bow out and dusted it. She threw a silver stake at the last one.

"Whistler!"

She started running.

As she came into the room, she almost screamed.

King was stumbling around, being randomly hit and thrashed by three female vamps. He was bleeding from multiple wounds and starting to move slower and slower.

"Hey!" she yelled, bowstring singing as one of the vamps turned to dust.

"I told them that I was a one-woman kind of guy but they wouldn't listen…" King quipped, turning towards her. His eyes stung like a bitch, and he still couldn't fucking see a thing.

"Get away from him," she said steely, ignoring him. She was focused on one thing and one thing only. The two bitches toying with her partner. Anger welled up inside her. Amazing how attached she'd become to the motormouth in such a short time. She threw herself at the first, all punches and kicks.

The vamp screamed and fought back but was dusted in minutes.

She turned to the second vamp, who had grabbed King by the throat. "Move and he dies," the vampress hissed.

"Try it, bitch," Abby snarled.

"I'm sure we could work something out…" King started.

The vamp backed towards the door. Abby followed.

"Shut up," she hissed into his ear.

Abby's eyes flickered to King's red and puffy ones. Her eyebrows jumped minutely.

"Evenings? Weekends? Didn't your mother teach you to share?" he added.

"Shut up!" the blond-haired vamp snarled, distracted.

In moments Abby had her bow out, strung an arrow and drove it between the blond's eyes.

King shook the dust off. "God. Everywhere I go the ladies want me… what's with that?"

"Must be your vulnerability that draws them in…" she said dryly.

"Because I'm so sweet," he retorted, "All that sugar- wait…"

She paused listening. "Wha-"

"Shhh… someone's-"

"Hello sweatheart…" A vamp grabbed her around the neck.

King had his gun out in seconds. He couldn't fucking see but that wasn't going to stop him from defending Abby. "Get the fuck away from her," he growled.

The man laughed. "What're you gonna do punk?"

"This." He squeezed the trigger and drove a sundog into the man's forehead, duplicating Abby's shot.

They stood for a moment, panting then King dropped to the floor.

She ran towards him. "Shit. King?" She dropped to her knees beside him. "Don't you dare die on me, Rookie."

He waved his hand around to find hers. "Whistler? I can't see shit…"

She took his in both of hers. "Shh, King… don't talk… let's- wait, you can't see?"

He rubbed a hand over his eyes. "Nope."

"Nothing at all?"

"Nope."

She stared at him. "But you just dusted that guy without even blinking.

"Yeah, blind faith, babe…"

She helped him sit up. "We'll talk about it later. First we have to get you back to Sommerfield." She pulled him up, careful of his wounds. "Up you get, big guy." She managed to half-carry, half-drag him back to the Highlander and got them inside. "Hang on. We'll be back before you know it." She started the SUV and squealed from the warehouse's parking lot. Glancing over at him, she found him pale and motionless, his face drawn, his eyes closed. His silence scared her. She reached over and felt his wrist gently for a pulse. It was there, faint but steady.

"It you wanted to hold my hand, you could have just asked…" he sniped, smirking. But after a few moments, it changed to a grimace of pain. She could tell that it was just a cover. His hand opened, warm and inviting.

She took it and squeezed. "Die on me and I'll hunt you down in hell and drag you ass all the way back here."

"Oh, that'd be reason enough for me, Hellion. To se you and Lucifer duke it out for my soul…" he cracked, leaning his head back. A small smile played on his lips.

She squeezed his hand again. "Stay with me King."

His reply was barely above a whisper. "Always."

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Well?