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She tried to slam the door in his face, but his foot was faster, jamming it open.
He pushed her inside, slammed her against the passage wall, a gloved hand swiftly covering her mouth.
“Aw, has your dumb orc boyfriend gone and left you all alone,” he breathed in her ear.
Shona jerked her head free enough to sink her teeth into his palm. Matteus ground out an expletive then laughed harshly. “In a bitey mood are we, my little dove? Would you like a little bite in return?” She felt the graze of his canine against her neck and whimpered in fear. “How deep shall I go?”
For a moment she froze, knowing what Matteus was capable of.
He sniffed her, his breath hot. He smelled of alcohol. “Ahhh, you’re menstruating. How delicious. Won’t we have some fun later.”
Panic setting in, Shona yanked her face out of his grip. “Get away from me.” Somehow, she managed to wriggle out of his grasp and ran into her office. Where was her phone? All she knew was she had to call Tor, or Ivy.
But Matteus was faster. Skimming through the air, he caught her and wrapped his black wings around her.
“There’s no escaping me, my love.” He purred and started to hustle her back toward the door. Two huge wolf henchmen strode in.
Matteus dropped her in front of them and she crumpled to the ground, trying not to sob with frustration and fear. She wouldn’t let him have that.
“Tie her up, put her in the boot of the limo,” Matteus ordered the wolves. When they seemed to hesitate, he snarled, “Fucking jump to it, we need to get out of here before we’re seen.”
She hoped against hope that she could stall him. “Where are you taking me?”
“Somewhere I can keep you safe from brutish orc kind.”
As the wolves opened the boot of the Mercedes, he brushed her cheek with a gloved finger. “You have brought this on yourself, my love.” The mean twist of his mouth, the ugly light in his eyes—how had she ever loved this creep? “I will not stand by and watch you sullied by an orc.”
She made to struggle, to scream, but a henchman gagged her, while the other tied her hands tightly behind her back.
Matteus’s smile was full of malice as he crossed his arms and watched. “That scumbag orc will be ranting and raving and hollering, oh yeah, you bet he fucking will. But he won’t find you. Not where I’m taking you, my dove.”
It seemed like they drove forever. Despite being locked in the boot of the car, it didn’t take long for Shona to realize they were not heading to Matteus’s mansion on Motham Hill. The roads were too long and windy. Time stretched on in the darkness, her body buffeted with the curves and bumps in the road. She tried desperately to plan her escape. But how did you even start, when you had no phone, no means of contacting anyone?
Telepathy?
She kept sending desperate messages to Tor.
Tor, Tor, Tor.
Please, please find me.
But as the drive went on and on, the alarm bells just grew louder and louder. It made no sense that they’d be traveling so far. Vampires were not allowed in the valley, except with occasional work permits. And sure, Matteus could catch planes over the mountain range to sell his fashion brand in faraway cities, but there was no way the Counsel of Towns would allow him to drive freely into the human zones this side of the mountains.
Would they?
She felt like she didn’t know anything anymore. If they were prepared to sell a whole island to Tor, why not sell land to vampires?
In the end, she just had to stop thinking and focus on her breathing, otherwise she’d descend into full blown panic. If she lost it, then Matteus would have won.
And she would be at his mercy.
It seemed like it was never going to stop, the pain of having her arms tied behind her back, her low belly ache getting more unbearable, a gag stretched across her mouth, until suddenly the car halted abruptly, followed by the sound of car doors slamming.
The boot opened and Shona was pulled out and stood on her feet. Roughly, her wrists were untied, the gag ripped off. Blinking in the light, she was finally able to look around. It was full daylight, sunny, probably around lunch time. They were parked in the sweeping driveway of a grand house, built of sparkling jet-black stone. Marble pillars flanked the glossy black front door. Behind the house rose the sharp foothills of the ranges, dusted in pine trees until the peaks became bare granite. In front stretched ornate gardens, fountains, orchards, even a vineyard. And beyond that, she could see breathtaking views of the valley. She could make out Twill, in the distance, and her heart lurched with longing for her home town. Her parents.
Even further away, a misty veil of smog was all she could see of Motham City. It looked so far away.
Shona bit the inside of her lip to stop herself from weeping.
