Dread Nemesis of Mine by John Corwin Page A

could strap down a hundred people in this place,
judging from the length.
    "There are those greater even than us who may
have a say in who rules, however," the vampire said, eyes focused
on something I couldn't see.
    "Daelissa," I said. I knew she was involved
in this mess. With my mind recovering from the horror of Maximus
feeding on my blood, another thought occurred to me. "Where's my
sister?" Cold dread laced my skin and plunged into my stomach. Please let her be okay.
    His eyes snapped to me. "Your sister?"
    "Where are you keeping her? Did you hurt her,
you son of a bitch?"
    Maximus regarded me for a long moment, one
eyebrow arching. Understanding lit his expression. Then he threw
back his head and laughed.
    Bastard! Suffused with rage, I
struggled against the bonds, but the diamond fiber resisted.
Frustration welled in my chest as Maximus's laughter echoed across
the large room. I loosed my inner demon and let it feed on rage, my
helplessness. My desire to crush Maximus to a pulp. Stars of pain
burst into sight as horns erupted from my forehead. My body
swelled. And suddenly, I couldn't breathe. I felt my neck bulge
against the straps, biceps and wrists straining at the material. As
my body attempted to manifest into full demon form, it was choking
me to death.
    The world disintegrated before my eyes and my
inner demon gave up. Woozy from lack of oxygen, my head lolled as
far as the restraints would allow.
    "Not going to work, little spawn," Maximus
said, still sniggering. "And here I thought you knew how strong
diamond fiber is."
    "I will kill you," I said, in a
rasping voice. "Laugh all you want, you filthy, leeching parasite,
but I'll kill you and save my sister, you perverted sack of
douchebaggery."
    The vampire roared with laughter. "That's a
good one. I'll have to save it for later." He reached out and
casually slapped me on the cheek. "Because I'm feeling mildly
compassionate, I'll tell you this, boy. I don't have your sister.
The joke's on you."
    My mouth dropped open but no words came out.
Something in the vampire's eyes told me he wasn't lying. Why would
he at this point? I lay completely at his mercy. The bastard hadn't
been laughing because he had my sister—he'd been laughing because
he didn't. I'd been lured down here. Tricked. Not even my demon
form could get me out of this mess, and if the Templars tried to
save me, Maximus's minions would tear them apart with enchanted
bullets.
    Maximus tsked. "Poor little spawn. Looks like
Daelissa played you for a fool." He shook his head, speaking in the
mocking tone people usually reserved for babies. "Don't worry too
much. She does it to everyone, even me. I suggest you rest. I'll be
hungry again in a few hours, and you'll need all the energy you can
muster to replenish the blood I took earlier." He winked and walked
behind me. A door squeaked open. For the first time since
awakening, I sensed another cold presence outside the door. A
female presence. My lips curled into a tight smile and it was all I
could do not to laugh. Maximus was an idiot and I'd be out of here
in no time.
    I waited until Maximus's footsteps faded down
the hallway before making my move. Closing my eyes, I extended a
tendril toward the female vampire standing guard outside. I felt
her cold aura. Overwhelmingly positive emotions welled from her,
mostly adoration mixed with lust. Apparently, she wanted to break
her off a piece of Maximus. All the better for me. I could
manipulate most females into sexual feelings, thanks to my incubus skillz , but with her already feeling the way she did, luring
her in here to cut me loose would be a snap.
    Equalizing my emotional state with hers took
a moment, because I wasn't feeling particularly lustful or happy at
the moment. I eased my tendril into her aura, opening the channel
to feed.
    Alarm spiked. Anger quickly followed. The
door banged open and a woman in her early twenties stormed in and
stood over me. Long brown hair, matted and tangled, framed a