The sight of the bites on Aida’s neck and wrists caused red-hot rage to boil within Mollie; it was so intense she thought she might choke on it. Her sister’s gushed words revealed much of what was done to her, but seeing the evidence on her hammered home how badly Aida had been abused. Mollie went to touch one of the bites before snatching her fingers back. They looked sore enough without her prodding at them.
“What did they do to you?” she whispered.
“The same thing that was done to you,” Aida said as she touched Mollie’s neck just above Mike’s bite.
“No,” Mollie whispered. “I think it was completely different; I gave willingly.”
Aida’s eyes darted to where Mollie had last seen Mike. “Tohim?”
“Mollie, we have to go,” Mike said.
Mollie took Aida’s hand and helped her rise. “We have a lot to discuss, but it will have to wait.”
“If he’s a vampire, we can’t trust him,” Aida whispered.
“Yes, we can,” Mollie insisted.
“No,” Aida said, digging her heels in. “You don’t understand, Mollie. They can make you see and do things—”
“I understand, but Mike’s not like that, and neither are his friends. He’s saved my life more times than I can count, and he helped me find you. They’re not all the same. Youhaveto believe me, Aida, because we can’t stay here. Thethingsthat kept you here are going to come back.”
Aida paled further when Mollie mentioned the return of the Savages. Having overheard their conversation, the other people were glancing distrustfully between her and Mike.
“Please, Aida, trust me,” Mollie pleaded.
Her sister relaxed a little before bowing her head and nodding her agreement. Keeping hold of Aida’s arm, Mollie hurried to join Mike where he waited in the doorway. He gestured them toward the stairs, and Mollie looked up to find Doug standing there.
“You okay?” Mike asked her.
“Yes,” Mollie replied, and the smile she gave him lit her beautiful eyes. “I can never thank you enough for this.”
Mike cupped her cheek in his hand before bending to kiss her. “Don’t ever thank me for it, Mollie. I will do anything for you.”
Mollie clasped his hand and rested it against her cheek as love swelled in her chest. So sweet, those words were spoken from his heart, and he meant them.
“Go on,” Mike urged.
Mollie nudged Aida, who was gawking at Mike like he was a talking dinosaur. He watched as they started up the stairs before turning back to the room.
The rest of the prisoners stood uncertainly within. “You can trust me, you can stay here, or you can take your chances on your own in the woods once we’re free of this place, but we’re leaving. Fair warning, the hunt is in full swing.”
“The hunt?” a woman asked.
“We’ll discuss it later,” Mike said. “You’re also going to have to travel through the woods barefoot, and if you choose to stay with us, youwillhave to keep up.”
He couldn’t leave them here, but he wouldn’t risk Mollie’s life for them either. They all exchanged looks before one of the women broke free and crept toward him. Two of the men followed her, and when Mike stepped back to let them climb the stairs, the rest of the group rushed forward.
When Mollie vanished from view, Mike’s chest felt as if a panther was stuck inside trying to get free. He kept himself restrained from shoving people out of his way and bolting up the stairs to get to her as he followed the last of the group up.
At the top of the stairs, he discovered the group had come to a halt ten feet away from Scott. Some of them gazed at the man as if he were the lowest form of life while the others radiated hatred.
“You!” one of the women screeched as she ran at him.
The slap she delivered to Scott’s face snapped his head to the side and echoed through the room. When she started kicking and punching him, Doug walked over, wrapped his arm around her waist, and pulled her away. The woman’s arms and legs continued to flail as she strove to break free of Doug. Scott’s head turned back, and he glared at all of them from a right eye already beginning to swell shut.
“What did he do to you?” Mollie whispered to Aida.
Mollie embraced Aida against her chest when her sister shuddered. Aida was five inches shorter than her and seemed far more fragile than she had before being brought to this island.
