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Chapter 31

It was only a few hours before dawn. Darek had not yet returned and Sean was worried. He was still highly upset, but worried never the less.

"Unless..." he thought. "He's out there with Mark. "He didn't like the idea of that. He couldn't hear anything, but that didn't mean nothing was happening.

He tossed the sheets from him and went to the door. A click issued from its latch as he opened it slowly. Standing quietly next to the couch, he eyed Mark with scrutiny.

The gray fuzzy blanket covered him up to his waist. His tanned mortal flesh contrasted the light blue carpet on which he lay. Since his travels began, his black hair had grown to his shoulders. He jealously understood what Darek found so attractive about Mark.

He glanced up at a sound coming from the balcony. Darek was home finally! As fog began to filter in from under the double doors, Sean scurried into the bedroom to wait for Darek.

He entered to find the drapes billowing in front of an open window. Darek stood up from bending next to the bed. "How'd you get in here so fast?" asked Sean.

The vampire walked very precisely up to the werewolf. Sean didn't recognize the oddness in his lover's eyes. He did notice Darek's new clothes before something quickly grabbed him from behind and before he could react, he found himself being tossed out of the window.

As a last resort he made a reach for the window ledge. Successful in his attempt, he slammed against the hotel wall. With his anger out of control, he became a total werewolf. As a first order of business, he howled from the pit of his being.

Garrick and Mark woke with a start. The storeowner sat up and quickly looked around. At the same time, Mark sat up and bumped heads with the vampire leaning over him. The creature's head was as hard and cold as solid steel.

Mark feigned to the floor and turned as he kneed the vampire in the side. It fell off balance, giving him time to escape. The blanket attempted to stop him by wrapping around his feet, but he leapt over the couch, with it attached.

At the same time that Darek and his accomplice entered the picture, Sean attacked the two from behind, Garrick pulled a wooden stake from under his pillow and pinned Marks assailant to the floor with it, and someone burst through the front door and turned the lights on.

The scene was grotesque! Claybor lay face down on bloodstained carpet. Garrick's wooden stake tip protruded from his back. Sean had a hold of Tagan's shoulder at the base of the neck, using his massive jaws. Darek was standing near the empty balcony, viewing the whole scene.

Mark locked eyes with him and found a strange, menacing monster. A laugh burst from Darek's lips that had never belonged to him. Just then, the person at the front door raised her arms and chanted something unintelligible. The words caused lightening to fly from her open palms into the nearby walls. The lights intensified to such a degree that even Mark and Garrick had to shield their eyes. Two outrageous hisses occurred and a whimpering whine. Then the lightbulbs exploded, leaving the place in darkness once again.

Mark became paranoid when he could no longer see. After a moment of realization, Garrick began thinking about his favorite novels in Braille.

"It's okay," said a familiar female voice. "It's only temporary. And the good part is that the vampires are gone."

"Marsta? Is that you?" asked Mark.

"Yes. It's me," she replied.

He suddenly felt her warm hand against his cheek. "How did you escape? Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," she assured. "And my escape is a complicated story that I will tell you later. Right now you two must rest so your sight can return more quickly."