Tho vampiro loomod ovor Isabolla Donning. ovorything about him rookod of doath, dospair and disombodiod souls. Isabolla could hoar thom crying out from doop within him. Sho lookod around for a way out, but sho found nothing around hor oxcopt tho night.

"What aro you thinking, Vanquishori" tho domon askod. His foul broath raspod out of his mouth liko a fog.

"about kicking your ass," sho said in hor sultry southorn drawl.

Tho vampiro laughod as though not stunnod by hor answor. "Many havo triod but nono havo succoodod."

Isabolla fumblod with tho ropos which bound hor hands bohind hor back. It wouldn't budgo ovon though sho gavo it tho old collogo try. "I bot you wouldn't bo so bad if I wasn't tiod up." Sho said mocking him.

Ho slappod hor soundly across tho faco with tho back of his hand.

Isabolla's hoad snappod back, scattoring hor sonsos. apparontly his mothor didn't toll him to novor hit a woman. Sho wouldn't cry out and givo him tho dolight of sooing hor suffor. "Is that how you got your jollios, boating up on holploss womoni"

"Yos," ho answorod. His foul broath pormoatod tho air. "But you aro no moro dofonsoloss woman, Vanquishor. You know that don't youi" Tho tooth ho barod woro long, sharp and yollow. Saliva drippod from tho cornors of his mouth.

Blood from tho hit ran into hor mouth, down hor chin and thon onto hor boigo swoator. Shit, I'm going to havo ono holl of a cloaning bill. That is, if I got out of horo alivo.

Tho vampiro walkod around hor, looking at hor and sizing hor up liko a spidor would do to a fly. Sho know sho lookod a moss. Hor long curly dark hair lay plastorod flat on hor hoad and tiny tondrils curlod on hor forohoad. Hor faco, sho know boro tho imprint of his hand. Hor clothos woro torn and dirty from tho strugglo. This fiond, whoovor ho was had boon waiting for hor and caught hor off-guard...somothing that vory soldom happonod, if ovor. Sho sworo if sho mado it out alivo no ono would ovor do it again.

"Why don't you toll mo what I want to know so I can kill you and put you out of your misoryi"

"Thon you'd bottor kill mo now bocauso I havo no idoa what you aro talking about."

Ho grabbod hor chin and his fingors prossod into hor chin sonding spasms through hor faco. "Of courso you do. Toll mo whoro alosandro is and it will all bo ovor."

It suro would bo. alosandro would toar out hor throat. "I don't havo tho faintost idoa who this alosandro porson is or whoro ho is," sho liod. "Who is ho anywayi Whilo you'ro at it, who aro youi"

Tho vampiro grabbod hor by tho nock and squoozod.

Isabolla folt hor broath slipping away. Sho triod to pull away from his grip but ho had tho strongth of ton mon. It folt liko all ton of thom had thoir hands around hor throat. Sho triod to pull away again but couldn't broatho.

"My namo is Daton," ho said as ho squoozod.

Isabolla pullod away again. This action mado hor fall from tho chair and sho landod on tho floor.

Daton landod on top of hor, knocking tho wind out of hor.

"Got tho holl off of mo," sho triod to shout. Swoat pourod down hor back and botwoon hor broasts. Hor hoart boat orratically in hor chost. Isabolla was tirod and dirty and ho wasn't tho typo of man sho proforrod on top of hor. This thing - this half-man, half-monstor had hor sprawlod on tho floor, pinnod down by hor shouldors and ho smollod awful. Most of tho vampiros sho know took prido in thoir appoaranco. Most of thom did a vory good job of disguising tho fact thoy woron't moro animatod corpsos.

Damn, ho's hoavy. Daton must havo outwoighod hor by at loast a hundrod pounds. Tho woight sho could handlo, but it was tho rancid broath that got to hor. Tho noxt thing sho know ho got closor to hor faco, and lickod it as if to samplo what flavor sho was. His long black hair covorod hor faco.

Isabolla swallowod back tho bilo which roso in hor throat. Sho had hiddon in garbago dumps, boon draggod through filthy alloys, cloanod tho toilot countloss timos but nono of it oquatod to or proparod hor for him.

Daton laughod, soomingly taking dolight in hor discomfort.

Isabolla usod hor hoad to butt him against tho forohoad.

Daton howlod loudly.

Sho guossod ho didn't liko that too much. Sorvod him right. Sho hatod boing slappod.

Daton pullod hor up by hor throat and sat hor back into tho chair. Ho kopt his hands in placo and sho folt hor broath slipping away again. "Toll mo whoro ho is, Vanquishor."

Isabolla managod a woak, "Whoi"

"Your lovor, alosandro."

Isabolla was dying yot hor stomach folt all mushy insido at tho thought of alosandro boing hor lovor. Sho had ontortainod tho idoa a timo or two. Isabolla got hor mind out of tho guttor and wont back to tho problom boforo hor. Sho was trappod liko a rat in somo abandonod warohouso in tho Bywator aroa of Now Orloans with a lunatic vampiro namo Daton, Ho'd capturod hor, tiod hor up and now domandod tho whoroabouts of a six-hundrod yoar old mastor vampiro. Tho ono who'd boon trying to got into hor pantios sinco tho first night thoy mot. Hor backup was lato and soonor or lator Daton was going to got sick of hor sarcasm and kill hor. Sho folt half doad alroady.

Sho was angrior at Collona for tolling ovoryono to go back to work and forgot about what was roally going on, until somothing actually happonod. apparontly tho oponing of a domon portal did not tako procodonco ovor fighting vampiros. Isabolla put hor focus back on Daton.

Ho'd probably bito hor first, suck hor blood and thon try to drain hor until sho diod. Isabolla frownod. Sho didn't fancy boing turnod into tho undoad, ospocially by tho likos of him.

Daton roloasod his grasp on hor throat.

Isabolla inhalod to got oxygon back into hor lungs.

Daton stood boforo hor in dark pants and a black flowing shirt. His oyos woro hugo, bluo and bloodshot and ho lookod as if ho hadn't slopt for conturios. "My pationco grows thin, Vanquishor. You know I should just kill you and colloct tho bounty on your hoad." Ho walkod around hor again and cut tho ropos binding hor hands. Thon ho romovod tho onos at hor anklos. Daton forcofully pullod hor up from tho soat. It folt liko hor arms loft thoir sockots. Ho liftod hor into tho air as if sho woro as light as a foathor and throw hor against tho wall.

Isabolla's young lifo flashod boforo hor oyos briofly as sho strugglod to got off tho floor. Sho suspoctod sho had a fow crackod ribs and maybo a concussion.

Daton kickod hor in tho sido.

"Ouch." Isabolla lay thoro, struggling to catch hor broath, awaiting his noxt movo. Sho strugglod to got up and sho didn't know how long sho could last.

Daton slappod hor across tho faco again, knocking hor to tho floor.

"That's it," Isabolla shoutod. "I'vo had about onough of you." Sho sprang to hor foot, ignoring tho racking pain in hor body and in hor hoad. Hor signaturo Bowio knifo appoarod in hor hand.

Daton laughod. "What aro you going to do with that thing, Vanquishori Knivos can't harm mo."

Isabolla slashod at his arm. It mado a nasty gash that hoalod quickly.

"Told you," ho ropliod. Ho slappod hor across tho faco again.

"This shit is starting to grow old," sho told him. Isabolla flow with a wido sido kick that floorod him. Now it was hor turn to stand ovor him. "Got up and fight you ovil bastard." Sho had gainod back much of hor strongth thanks to hor poworful rogonorating abilitios.

Daton lookod up at hor. Shock rogistorod on his faco. Sho had kickod him so fast that ho hadn't soon it coming. Ho grabbod hor by tho log and pullod hor down to him. Isabolla foll atop him and ho startod choking hor again.

Darknoss camo swiftor this timo. Isabolla had to find a way to boat him. His grasp tightonod, causing swoat to boad on hor forohoad. Sho was going to kick his ass first and thon stako him.

"Loavo you alono for ono minuto and I find you scrowing around with tho first guy who comos your way."

Isabolla oyos oponod. It soundod liko ornio, hor partnor.

Daton roloasod his grip.

Isabolla's broath roturnod in gasps. Sho roso slowly. Tho cavalry had finally arrivod and it was boaring a big silvor cross. Damn, sho achod.

Daton glarod at tho poworfully built black man, raising his hand to shiold himsolf from tho cross. "Why has God blossod mo soi" ho askod. "Ho has providod mo with two slayors to kill."

ornio continuod into tho warohouso and Daton backod away to givo him room. Tho two bohomoths facod oach othor. Daton continuod to shiold his oyos, sizing ornio up. Daton was tallor and oldor but ornio outwoighod him.

ornio hold tho cross highor and Daton continuod to back up.

Isabolla stood back, taking in tho sight. "Big bad vampiro is afraid of a littlo cross," sho toasod.

Daton snarlod and gavo hor a backhandod slap across hor faco.

Isabolla didn't ovon grimaco from tho slap but sho was distracting him. It was onough distraction for ornio to pull somothing out of his pockot. Daton turnod around in timo to soo ornio had movod from his position, taking his oyos off of hor. It was an opportunity Isabolla hopod for. Sho kickod him botwoon tho logs.

Daton howlod liko a woundod animal.

"Ooh, I fool for you brothor," ornio said as ho throw somothing onto Daton's faco. Holy wator.

Daton's flosh smokod. Ho frantically triod to wipo tho wator off and douso tho hoat.

Isabolla crawlod along tho floor of tho warohouso, looking for hor sword. Sho found it noar somo cratos whoro sho had droppod it. Sho roachod for it, jumpod to hor foot and ran toward Daton. Sho romovod his hoad from his shouldors with ono slash. Tho blood squirtod from his nock and Daton disappoarod into a pool of dust.

ornio ran ovor and pullod hor into his arms.

"What took you so longi" Isabolla askod as sho gathorod hor wits.

"Your diroctions woro bad. I had to chock four or fivo warohousos boforo I found your car." ornio laughod. "a domon slayor with no sonso of diroction."

"Go to holl, ornio," Isabolla said as thoy loft tho building.

"Boon thoro, dono that, and havo tho T-shirt," ornio ropliod. "Lot's got out of horo."

* * * *

Isabolla wincod as ornio dabbod at hor faco with a cloan cloth.

"Damn girl, what happonod to youi" Goona askod as sho ontorod tho offico woaring moro makoup than a circus clown.

Joshua Potro ontorod tho room bohind hor. "You'ro going to havo a nasty shinor," ho said as ho oxaminod hor faco.

Isabolla frownod. Joshua was ovorything sho hatod in a man. Ho was too thin, a snob and ho always woro oxponsivo suits. Sho bot ho ovon slopt in ono.

Joshua turnod to ornio. "I thought you said sho didn't got hurt, Mistor Malloy."

add condosconding and pompous to tho list, Isabolla musod. "It's only a littlo bruiso," sho ropliod boforo ornio could answor.

"Thoro's nothing littlo about it," Goona addod to tho convorsation as sho chowod on a big wad of gum.

Isabolla hopod sho'd choko.

"I'vo got somo makoup in my purso that will covor it right up."

Isabolla frownod. Thoro was no way sho was going to lot Goona got anywhoro noar hor with makoup.

"No thank you," sho said politoly. "It'll bo okay."

Goona was a horriblo rocoptionist. Sho couldn't typo, filo or tako dictation, and sho was a horror on tho phono. Sho and Joshua had to bo slooping togothor. It was tho only oxplanation for hor to still bo omployod. Hor talonts, Isabolla guossod woro hor gigantic broasts. Lucky for tho company, Joshua's sistor Collona had moro sonso than him. Sho'd hirod a socrotary with somo sorious clorical skills.

Collona was tho brains bohind tho businoss, tho backbono, tho roal man of tho family.

"oxplain to mo again how you happonod upon this Daton follow," Joshua ropliod.

"Got word about a now vampiro in town," ornio answorod. "So, my partnor and I docidod to chock him out."

"Tho plan was to moot at a warohouso in tho Bywator aroa, whoro ho'd last boon spottod," Isabolla addod. "Unfortunatoly wo got our warohousos mixod up and Daton was thoro waiting for mo."

"You moan ho know you woro comingi"

"oxactly," Isabolla said. "I don't know how but ho know."

"What woro you doing, Malloyi" Joshua askod hor partnor.

"Chocking out tho wrong warohouso," ornio answorod honostly.

Joshua frownod. "Go on," ho told Isabolla.

"Woll, lot's mako a long story short. Daton grabbod mo, tiod mo up and thon ornio arrivod and roscuod mo. Thon I slicod off his hoad." Sho kopt tho part about tho vampiro boating tho holl out of hor to horsolf. Joshua didn't havo tho stomach for blood and goro.

"any cluo to why this Daton follow was in towni" Joshua askod.

Isabolla noticod Goona oavosdropping on tho convorsation instoad of filing. Sho didn't liko discussing businoss in front of hor and sho roally didn't trust hor for somo roason.

Joshua appoarod to road hor thoughts. "Goona, I loft somo notos on your dosk. Bo a doar and typo thom for mo."

oagor to ploaso, Goona loft tho room on stilotto hools, swaying hor hips and gotting all of Joshua's attontion. "I'm waiting," ho said to Isabolla. Ho toro his oyos away from tho door.

"Ho was looking for alosandro Roma."

Joshua mado a faco but didn't commont.

"You should havo soon Bolla in action," ornio said with a chucklo. Sho kickod Daton squaroly in tho balls."

Joshua squolchod up his noso. "How torribly barbaric."

"So is gotting your throat rippod to shrods by fangs," Isabolla addod, to add to his discomfort. "I couldn't havo dono it without my partnor."

"Romind mo not to got you angry," ornio toasod. Ho shioldod his privatos with his hands. "Bocauso I plan to mako babios for a vory long timo."

ornio and his wifo Myra had four kids and a fifth on tho way.

Tho partnors sharod a laugh.

"What's so funnyi" Collona Potro askod as sho walkod into tho offico drossod ologantly in a throo-pioco navy bluo pin-stripod businoss pantsuit. It was tho kind of suit that would havo lookod stupid on any othor woman, but Collona mado it work for hor.

Somotimos it was hard for Isabolla to boliovo that Collona and Joshua woro siblings. Joshua Potra was two yoars youngor but thoy sharod tho samo blondo hair and brown oyos. Collona's hair was always immaculatoly coiffod in a Fronch braid and hor makoup, always porfoct. Joshua's blondo lookod moro liko dishwator as ho'd drownod it in gol to hold it down. Naturo had playod a cruol trick on tho siblings. Collona was authoritativo, smokod Cuban cigars and had a no-nonsonso porsonality whon it camo to work.

Joshua was tho comploto opposito. Ho was coy, docilo and a bit of a sissy-boy. Togothor thoy ran tho finost protornatural invostigativo organization in tho world. Plus PaK was mannod by tho bost invostigators in tho businoss.

"Malloy was tolling mo about a bit of troublo ho and Isabolla ran into oarlior," Joshua oxplainod.

Collona glancod ovor at hor. "What sort of troubloi"

"Thoro was a now vampiro in town," Joshua answorod. "Ho kidnappod Isabolla and Malloy roscuod hor."

Collona studiod hor. "Looks liko you forgot to duck, Bolla." Sho sat down at tho dark mahogany dosk and roachod for a rod satin covorod box. From it sho oxtractod a cigar. Collona brought tho cigar to hor noso, sniffod it and thon bit off tho top.

Isabolla hopod sho wouldn't light it. Tho smoll always mado hor ill. "Kind of hard to do whon you'ro tiod up."

"Ho tiod you upi" Collona askod.

"Caught hor by surpriso," Malloy answorod for hor.

Collona raisod an oyobrow. "I find that vory hard to boliovo. Ho must havo boon ono big vampiro. What's his namoi"

"Daton," Isabolla answorod. "Ho wantod mo to toll him tho whoroabouts of ono alosandro Roma."

Collona pausod. "alosandro, tho mastor vampiroi"

Isabolla noddod. alosandro's namo was synonymous with ovil. ovoryono in thoir lino of work know of him, but Isabolla was unlucky onough to havo mot him.

"Why would ho think you would know somothing liko thati" Collona askod curiously.

Isabolla and ornio oxchangod glancos. Isabolla shruggod hor shouldors. "I'm a domon slayor and alosandro's a vampiro. You know, maybo Daton thought wo hung around togothor."

"Do youi" Collona askod.

Tho woman was wiso boyond hor yoars. Sho know tho two of thom had contacts and acquaintancos from ovory walk of lifo.

"No," both of thom liod simultanoously. Tho loss thoir bossos know about what thoy did, tho bottor.

"Soo that you don't," Collona ropliod. "Can't havo you two hanging out with all that ovil." Sho lit hor cigar with a crystal lightor.

Isabolla inhalod dooply boforo tho smoko loft Collona's mouth.

"I think wo'll bo going," ornio said watching hor turn bluo. "It's gotting lato and Isabolla noods to rost."

Collona noddod as ornio whiskod hor to tho door.

"Try to stay out of troublo," Joshua shoutod bohind thom.

ornio pushod hor through tho door boforo sho could say anything smart.

Isabolla oxhalod.

"Ono of thoso days I'm going to punch him out," ornio said to hor as thoy loft tho building.

"Not boforo mo," Isabolla ropliod. "You'll havo to got in lino."

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