Blood Rayne My newest story.

The sound was coming from the dark alleyway.

Rayne Castle stood at the opening of that self same dark alley, the street light above her playing in the thick blackness of her silky hair. She closed her pale blue eyes for just a moment; letting her other senses tell her what her eyes couldn’t.

She heard three, one was breathing quickly, fear making him or her hyperventilate. The other two weren’t breathing. Those were the two she concentrated upon. She stepped lightly into the alley, opening her eyes to let them guide her way now that she could see in the dimness of the shadows.

The victim, a frightened college student was huddled in a corner, her back pack pressed to her chest, doing her best to stay out of reach. The two vampires were playing with her. They weren’t hungry. They were bored and hunting was something to do to take the edge off. Rayne could see they weren’t hungry, they eyes were clear, their fangs still hidden.

“Come on, babe, come out and play,” one said, not hearing Rayne as she stepped up behind him. It took little more than a second for her hands to come out, grabbing his chin with one hand and yanking hard. His neck broke with an ease that spoke of long practice. He fell to the ground, and she stepped on him, her three inch silver tipped spiked heel going cleanly into his heart.

The burst of flames and then ashes was his partner’s first clue that his buddy wasn’t playing anymore. He turned, seeing Rayne and the small pile of sparks and ash that was all that was left of his friend. “You bitch,” he growled, his face changing as his fangs grew. “Are you ready to die, bitch?” he growled, taking his first step toward him.

Rayne calmly lifted the crossbow she held, letting loose the wooden bolt. It shot through the vampire, tearing through his heart and leaving a gaping hole. “I am a bitch,” she said, reaching out and grabbing hold of his chin as he quickly burst into ash and sparks. For a single instant, she held his skull in her hand and then it too was gone, leaving her holding nothing more than a small pile of ash. She let it fall to the ground.

“A-are t-they dead?” the girl asked, startling Rayne.

“Yeah, that’s what happens when they burst into flames,” she said sarcastically. “Usually they run,” she said, turning to look down at the girl.

“W-who?” she said, her voice shaking as well as her body.

“The victims,” Rayne said. “Specifically…you.”

“I-I wanted to thank you.”

Rayne took a better look at the small girl. She wasn’t as small as she seemed. “Don’t you know how dangerous it is in this neighborhood?”

“There was a party,” she said, shrugging.

“Well if you’re going, shouldn’t you go?”

“I don’t think I’m up to a party now.”

Rayne glanced around, hearing the sound of an engine and seeing a long, low riding black Monte Carlo pull by the alley. She groaned, rolling her eyes and pushing her hair off of her forehead.

“Then you should go, girlie. I’ll walk you out to where you can get a cab.” She started down the alley, her long strides easily eating up the distance. She heard the girl squeak behind her and stopped, waiting for her to catch up.

Rayne sighed. “Come on,” she urged the girl. She yanked up the zipper of the form fitting black leather vest. Ducking her head, she grabbed the girl’s arm and hurried her down the sidewalk, glancing back once and sighing with relief. The Monte Carlo was no where to be seen.

It took all of ten minutes to shove the girl in a cab and send her on her way despite her effusive amount of thanks. Rayne sighed. Her feet hurt, her head was buzzing and she was so tired, she just wanted to go home and climb into bed. But she couldn’t, not yet.

“Rayne!”

Her shoulders lifted at the sound of her name shouted in that no nonsense voice. She turned, seeing the Monte Carlo pull up to the curb next to her. The window was down and Donovan’s head was out the window.

“You look like a dog when you do that,” she said, letting the sarcasm drip from her tongue.

“And you look like someone from a bad Vampire movie. Black leather? I always thought you had more taste.”

“And I always thought you had a brain. What the fuck do you want, Donovan?” She lifted one foot, wiping the blood that was on the silver heel off with her fingers.

“You are supposed to be working for me,” he grouched. “You haven’t check in with me in two days.”

“It would have been three if you hadn’t found me,” she said, cocking a hip and giving him a look that held little in the way of respect.

“Well we did. Now, are you taking the bodyguard job or not?”

Rayne rubbed absently at the scar on her shoulder. “You need to know now?”

“Callan Wolfe is a big man, kitten. When he looks for a body guard for his youngest daughter, you don’t make him wait for an answer.”

“Donovan, you call me kitten again and I’m going to take that ugly tie and string you up to a light post with it.” She sighed. Freelancing by killing off the vamps she found at night didn’t pay the bills. But the idea of pandering to a ditzy rich bitch didn’t sound any better. “There’s nothing else?”

“Sorry, kit…Rayne. Callan Wolfe wants the best.

“Fuck!” she growled. “She’ll be in town starting when?”

“You got the weekend off, toots, and then they want you there on Monday. You’ll go to the airport and pick her up off their private jet.”

“Fine,” she snapped, turning on her heel she started down the sidewalk. Donovan followed her, waving for his driver to keep up with her.

“Where are you going?” he called.

“Out to kill something so I don’t kill you,” she snarled back at him. “You’ve got your answer, leave the details on my voice mail.”

She stomped off, ducking down an alley.

“Rayne?” he called. “Dammit Rayne,” he shouted. “You don’t use your voice mail!”

My favorite part of writing besides the royalty

checks is definitely seeing the new covers when Alessia gets done with them. She does such a wonderful job that it is amazing, every new one is just a thrill for me. I think I need to get laid...lol.

This is the cover for A Fall From Grace which will be out in June, I do believe.

I hope you'll look for it.

Danielle