Torrence took her downstairs. Not just to the basement, but down a good three levels. They entered a room lit with torches. A room with a dirt floor and a golden throne. A room with an opened sarcophagus that waited, half in the earth.

Blood stained the dirt. Human bodies-at least seven-littered the floor.

And the Born Master waited.

He turned at their approach, moved his body in a slow glide like a snake.

His skin was golden, his hair black and loose around his shoulders. His face wasn't handsome-it was absolutely perfect. Sensual lips, sculpted cheekbones, strong nose-the guy could have been some kind of cover model-

If he weren't the leader of the dead.

Time had frozen him young. He barely looked twenty years old, but his glittering black eyes reflected the centuries he'd lived-and the evil he'd wrought.

He smiled when he saw her, lips curving back to show his white fangs. "Ah, my little cop." His voice held no accent, but was a deep, echoing rumble. "I've been waiting for you, dreaming of you, for so many years."

She'd didn't want this guy so much as thinking about her. He lifted his hand to her cheek, touched her-not with claws but with soft fingers.

She expected to be repulsed by his touch. Instead, her heart began to race and a strange hunger swept through her.

What the hell? Thrall. The answer whispered through her mind. Nassor was an ancient. He'd be able to control her, make her feel anything he wanted.

Oh, shit.

His nostrils flared as he stared down at her. Then his eyes lifted to Torrence. "You tasted her."

He sounded seriously pissed.

Torrence gave a jerky nod.

Nassor smiled. Maya let her gaze drift over him, helpless against the draw she felt for the Master. There was a red line circling his neck. Puckered skin. A scar-but vampires didn't scar.

Not usually.

The guy had almost gotten his head chopped off. The wound had nearly killed him, and, judging by that scar, he still hadn't fully healed.

Or the scar would be gone.

Nassor was dressed in a pair of dark, flowing pants. His chest was bare, completely hairless, and Maya saw the second scar that lined his chest. Right over his heart.

Because he'd been staked.

Staked and nearly beheaded-and he'd still lived.

Killing him was going to be damn hard.

"We have something for you," Torrence said, bowing his head slightly.

Nassor's lips locked in a snarl.

Oh, yeah, seriously pissed.

"Bring him in!" Torrence ordered, and she glanced back, watching as the vamps forced Adam into the room. "As you wanted, we've brought you a dragon."

Nassor's long tongue swirled out, licked across his lips-as if he were already tasting Adam. "A pure-blood?"

Torrence hesitated.

" Is he a pure-blood? "

"Yeah," Adam snarled, "I am. Now get the hell away from my woman!"

Nassor's teeth snapped together. His stare drifted back to Maya. "Yours?" He shook his head.

"Sorry, my Wyvern, but the little cop has been mine for five years." He leaned in close to her, his nostrils widening as he caught her scent. "Picked just for me-and only me."

Her nipples tightened. He was creeping into her mind, planting images, fantasies. She tried to resist his sensual pull, hating the power of his thrall.

"I've handpicked every member of my family," he said. "Every. Single. One. All chosen because I wanted the strongest, the most powerful, and the deadliest for my clan."

A warning whispered through her mind. A foreboding. She didn't want to hear what he was-

"The minute I saw you, patrolling in that filthy park, then fighting with every breath in your being, I knew you were for me." He lifted her hand. Brought her palm to his lips. Kissed her.

Then sank his teeth into her flesh.

Adam snarled.

Maya stiffened her body, fighting the need snaking its way through her.

His head lifted. Her blood stained his lips. "I could feel the darkness in you. Just waiting to come out." He smiled at her. "A killer, waiting to be set free."

No.

"You're just like me," he whispered. "I know it. The darkness in us-we're the same."

Screw that.

"When your mother died-"

How the hell did he know about that? "Weren't you happy? Didn't you enjoy the feel of her blood on you?"

Cold water iced her veins. She fought his thrall, tried to gather her strength. She wasn't like this sick bastard. Not one bit.

"I loved the taste of my mother's blood," he told her. "I cut her throat when I was a boy and I laughed as she bled."

Maya swallowed.

He turned away from her and began to pace alongside the torches that lined the far wall. "I sent Tyrus to you. Ordered him to change you. So few females can survive the change-their bodies are too fragile-but I knew you'd make it." He paused, glanced back at her with admiration on his face.

"You killed him, even as you drew your first new breath of life."

Her hands tightened into fists. Fragile, her ass. Weapon . Where was-

"I know you've been quite the bad girl while I've been away." He shook his head and glanced toward Torrence. "Killing more of your own kind. Your own family."

Her family-her mother-was dead. This SOB was not part of her family.

"I'm going to give you a choice, love."

She wasn't his love. She was the vampire who was going to make certain he went to hell.

"You can die. I'll let every vampire in this room drink you dry until only a shell remains of you."

Not the option she'd like. "Or?" Her voice came out husky.

"Or you can give me your allegiance. Join me, be the mate I've waited for, wanted all these years."

Yeah, and after he screwed her, Nassor would still probably kill her.

Choices, choices. Maya spared a quick glance for Adam. He was surrounded. If he had a hope of changing, she'd have to get those vampires away from him.

And she knew just what she had to do.

She wished she could risk sending him a mental call through their blood link, but Nassor was so strong, he might pick up on it and she couldn't risk tipping off the bastard. Maya stared into Adam's eyes. "Sorry, Slick. Guess it's the end of the road." She tried to keep shields up in her mind, not wanting Nassor to know what she planned.

His lips tightened.

"Pity I never got to see if you looked like my tat." It was all she could say, but she hoped he got her message.

She sauntered across the room. The torches blazed on either side of Nassor's perfect head.

She stopped in front of him, bared her neck. "I'll choose to live."

The Born Master had his hands on her.

Adam watched, fury burning through him as Nassor pulled Maya close and sank his teeth into her throat.

No!

The vamps around him loosened their hold as they watched Nassor feed. They were obviously anticipating a damn good show, and by the way Nassor's hands were caressing Maya's body, they'd get one.

The edge of her shirt rose as Nassor's fingers trailed up her back.

The dragon tattoo stared back at him.

Pity I never got to see if you looked like my tat .

Well, she was about to find out exactly what he looked like, if the vamps didn't kill him before he changed.

Nassor gulped down her blood, sucking strongly and swallowing thickly.

Adam's claws shot out and he wanted so badly to rip the bastard apart.

The Born Master lifted his head.

Maya swayed before him, putting her small hands on his chest for balance.

All eyes were on her.

Adam began to call the dragon.

Maya slid her body around Nassor's. Rubbing, teasing. Blood dripped down her neck.

She stood behind the master now. Her hands slid up his chest. Her claws scratched his skin.

She stood on her toes, staring at Adam over Nassor's shoulder. Her eyes were black but bright with the flames that surrounded her.

And her face was hard with anger– rage .

He knew her next move even before he saw her fingers rise.

Maya! The scream blasted in his mind.

Her hand closed over the nearest torch, jerked the metal post up, and slammed the fire into Nassor's back, then his head, his pants-

The Born Master screamed, shrieking in pain and fury as the flames burned his flesh.

The vampires lunged forward.

Maya grabbed another torch.

She wasn't going to have much time.

But he'd only need a few moments.

The smell of burnt flesh seared her nostrils. She hadn't killed Nassor, just hurt him like hell. A pain, unfortunately, that wouldn't last long enough.

The vampires swarmed him, some throwing their bodies onto his to stop the flames that were eating away at his pants.

When they finally stepped back, Nassor lay huddled on the floor.

Blisters covered his upper arms. His hair had been burned away. His pants hung in tattered clumps, exposing flesh scorched bright red.

He shifted and she saw his back-the burns that ravaged his skin.

He rose slowly to his feet.

Maya lifted her torch.

"That wasn't smart, bitch."

Ah, so she wasn't his "love" anymore, huh? Too damn bad. "What can I say?" She asked. "I've got a shitload of darkness in me and I just live to kill-kill-kill." Maya smiled. "And for the record, I choose option three, the one where I don't have to fuck you, but I do get to send you to hell."

He lifted his hand, pointed one blistered finger at her. "Bleed her dry."

A growl of hunger swept through the crowd. Fangs glistened.

"And bring me the dragon-I need to-"

A howl echoed from upstairs. Followed by another, another-

About time.

Her knees trembled as relief swept through her. Now if Lucas would just hurry his ass up and get the pack down there-

"What the fuck is that?" Nassor snarled.

Her smile widened. "My backup plan." Her fingers were locked tight around the base of the torch.

"Upstairs!" He screamed the order to Torrence. "Kill any damn wolf you find."

Torrence jerked his hand up, and half the vampires ran ahead of him, charging for the stairs.

Good little soldiers. They'd make great prey for the wolves.

And suddenly, her odds were much better.

"You could have been a goddess," Nassor grated. "Now you're going to die, begging."

"Ah, and here I thought you knew me so well." Maya took a step forward. "I never, ever beg."

"You will," he breathed the words-then he shot forward and the other vampires attacked.

Lucas stared up at Torrence, muscles quivering, fangs ready. He could all but feel the vampire's neck between his teeth.

The blond vamp is mine. He sent the mental order through his pack.

Growls answered him.

Then the pack charged.

And blood soon filled the hallways.

Her right arm was burned, scored with blisters and red flesh. They had her pinned on the ground, and their hungry breath battered her skin.

Nassor stood above her, a satisfied smile on his no-longer-perfect face. "Ready to beg?"

One of the vampires bit her, his teeth tearing across her wrist.

Pain lanced her. "N-no."

"Fool." He bent and his fingers wrapped around her throat. "You could have ruled at my side, now you'll die at my feet."

Her lips trembled. She tried to smile as another vampire sank his teeth into her shoulder. "B-

behind…y-you…ass…hole…"

His eyes narrowed and it seemed to take a moment for her words to register, then he released her and spun around.

She craned her neck, still wrestling with the others, and fought to see-

The two vampires who'd had the sense to stay back and guard Adam lay on the ground, completely still, and Adam, he was-

Huge.

Dark green, with a body covered in thick scales. His claws-no, talons –were longer than her hands, and sharper than knives. His legs were as large as tree trunks. Hell, maybe bigger. Tall, thick spikes began at the back of his head and lined his backbone, ending at his swirling, powerful, and distinctly pointed, tail.

His wings-batlike, with piercing talons on the tips-had spread wide, touching the tall, cavernous ceiling and the dirt floor.

His head looked like a serpent's and his teeth seemed to explode from his mouth-just as sharp as those talons. His eyes blazed with green fire and his fist-sized nostrils flared, sending puffs of smoke billowing around him.

Oh, shit.

The vamps were gonna die.

Her smile rose fully. Her eyes stayed locked on his. "A-Adam…"

When his mouth opened in a roar, and the scent of brimstone filled the room, she knew the battle was over.

The vampires ran, fighting each other as they fled for the door.

He snarled. His tail slapped against them, the sharp tip piercing straight through two vamps and ripping out their hearts.

Fire scorched three more, a blaze that blasted from his mouth. Then his tongue, notched in two like a snake's, licked across his lips.

The room was hot now, as fire chased up the walls.

Sweat coated her skin. Maya tried to push to her feet. Adam could stand the heat, no question, but she couldn't say the same for herself.

Nassor grabbed her, jerking her against him and holding tight. His body shook against her and she could smell his fear, even over the flames and death.

"H-he won't hurt you," he said and his claws were around her neck, again.

Maya dug her own claws into his arm.

"Stay away from me!" Nassor shouted to the dragon.

She wasn't sure the beast understood. Was the man gone completely, and only the dragon remained? If so, then if she didn't get out of there, fast, she would join the dead vamps on the floor.