Nick thought about fighting him, but what good would it do when he wasn’t at full strength? Instead, he got into the nearest of the cars and screeched away. Keen to get away from vampires, Sovereign and Sydney.
Nick checked back to see if anyone had noticed him gone, but none of the cars had moved. All he could see were the lights of the motorcade and vast amounts of sand. Just as the hint of relief crept into him, he saw Nightingale a few feet in front of him. Covered in blood splatters, the vampire looked at him through those sinister red eyes and Nick floored the accelerator.
The vampire did not move save for when the car was a mere foot away from him and then he heaved a kick straight for the bonnet. The force burst the driver’s airbag into Nick’s face as the car slammed to a halt. Through his blinding headache and swirling vision, he knew he had to get to his feet. He had to get out. Inside he was dead meat. Outside at least he had a chance.
Nick pushed the door open and collapsed to the dirt, coughing and reaching for anything he could use to pull himself up. He was confused, disoriented. He didn’t know which way was up or down. Heaved to his knees and slammed to the side of the car, Nick was both where he wanted to be, upright, and where he didn’t want to be, in front of the vampire, but not on his feet.
“G’day, Fido,” the vampire said gleefully, lowering himself to his haunches.
The vampire jerked his head up as Nick heard a crunch above him from the roof of the car. “How ya goin’, sea hag? Miss me?”
Melina had leapt on to the roof and snarled down at Nightingale. “Let him go…Nick, run!”
She didn’t give Nick any time to respond or move, launching herself directly into the vampire’s arms, wildly swinging with both fists. Nightingale walked towards the car and slammed her back down on top of the dented hood with a crash.
Nick’s vision cleared enough to see what was actually going on. Nightingale was over her, and…kissing her? She was thrashing wildly under him, but he seemed too strong.
He lifted his head slightly. “Oh now now, come on…” he said in a soothing purr, planting another kiss on her mouth. His tone was that of one calming down a ranting person, when the ranter was clearly overly protesting something they might want to happen. He lifted his head again and licked his lips. “Spicy. Matches the hair.”
Melina shouted insane curses at him, in both Australian and Spanish, but was cut off by a swift headbutt, silencing her. He turned to Nick who still hadn’t moved, and with a mere flick, tossed her unconscious body several feet over his shoulder. “Yup,” he said, adjusting his belt with a nod. “She wants me.”
“If you’re gonna kill me, just do it.” Nick cringed through the pounding in his head.
“Now that’s a bad dog, Fido. Why would I go to all this trouble just ta off ya? Nup. Big Dog’s got a question. All that you said about this bird ya chasin’. I heard ya say she was preggo. That bullshit?”
Nick considered the question. Was he for real? “No.” Nick shook his head. “It’s true.”
The vampire lowered himself again to speak. This time his voice was deeper. “It yours?”
“What difference does that make? Yes, it’s mine. That’s why I’m trying to get to her!”
“How ya gonna get past that?” he asked, pointing up.
“I have no idea, but I’m going to try. It’s probably suicide and pointless, but I don’t care.”
The vampire pursed his lips slightly, as if deciding something. “Rightio,” he said, rising and holding out his hand. “We’re gonna do this, but afterwards you owe me a favour, right? Let’s go.”
“What are you talking about?” Nick asked, taking the offered hand.
“Today is your lucky day. You’ve just secured the services of the Scarlet Fiend. The Blood Hound. The Big Dog. Penetrator of Poon. Licker of Labias. Connoisseur of Cunnilingus. The Twelve-Incher Rib Tickler. Magician of Mounting and so on and so fuckin’ forth,” he finished with circles of his hand.
“Um…why would you help me?” Nick asked.
In response, Nightingale held Nick’s jaw with both hands. Nick’s first instinct was to back away, but it wasn’t long before Nightingale let go of him, saying with pursed lips, in a tone used on a puppy, “You are just so cute.”
Nightingale moved across to the passenger side of the car and gave a brief attempt at getting in. Given the cars compact design, and his extraordinary height, there was no way Nightingale could sit there. Nick was going to suggest the back seat, but before he could speak, Nightingale had ripped the passenger seat out of the car, called it a piece of kraut shit, and got in, sitting in the back anyway.
“Ah…shit. Forgot somethin’,” he said, getting out again. He reached down for his briefcase full of money and turned to Nick. “Reckon I can get her tits?”
“What?”
Instead of answering, Nightingale looked out towards Melina’s prone form, lowered his stance, measured himself, and tossed the case like a
