Excerpt of Savannah Past Midnight by Christine Edwards

Closing in from behind, one of Tristan’s guards threatens, “Release her now. She’s coming with us.”

He twists us around to face them and I watch Colton smile a malicious grin, one of a fearless killer, before he lands the two giant vampires with, “You just try and take her from me.” I’m stunned to see a glimmer of excitement in his eyes, as if he would almost welcome the violent altercation.

I speak low and quickly, “Don’t do this. You don’t know what they’re capable of.”

I know I can get out of here, but now I need to try and get him out of here as well. Damn it!

His eyes never leave theirs as he says, “Think that’s the other way around, wildcat. Time we bail. This place has always been a den of fuckin’ wannabe assholes, anyhow.”

As fast as a whip he lashes out with a powerful haymaker that catches the first of Tristan’s men square in the jaw. It hardly fazes the vampire—only causes him to stagger back two steps. Both of them lurch for us as we spin around, the bouncer blocking our way.

No time! Need to move fast!

“I’ll handle this.” The words fall from my lips as I kick the bouncer backward through the set of swinging glass doors. Any humans who see the act will most likely be too drunk or high at this late hour to process it. Even if they do, it would have appeared to be a fast, bad-ass martial arts kick that caught him right in the chest, nothing more. There is no way for them to measure the inhuman power behind it.

We leap over his splayed out body as Colton shouts, “My ride is right behind yours! Go!”

I jump onto my bike and take off as Tristan’s furious guards race out onto the sidewalk, fighting their way through the crowd of bystanders. I can hear Colton’s engine behind mine, knowing that he’s made it. Not until we’re three traffic lights away do I pull over to the curb. He rolls up beside me on his low-slung chopper that perfectly suits his huge frame.

I lift my visor to meet a glacial stare as he asks angrily, “You wanna give me some idea what all that bullshit was about back there?”

“No. I don’t. It was my personal business.”

The muscles in his neck and shoulders go rigid as he grates out, “Your business, huh? Woman, I about capped three guys in a packed nightclub just to get us outta there safely, so I think the very least you can do is give me a fuckin’ explanation. The cloak and dagger act is wearin’ thin, sweetheart.”

He’s leaning forward, nostrils flared. Most women would be terrified, but I’m unbelievably aroused.