“What is the meaning of this?” Joseph demanded as he rose to stand behind his desk.
“We had a disagreement, and he believes you’ll kill me over it,” Killean replied with a scathing look at the man he’d hauled in here.
“I did what you commanded me to do, sir! He” —the man pointed a finger at Killean, but when Killean growled at him, the guy quickly lowered it— “was taking his sweet-ass time.”
“I won’t be commanded by some pawn,” Killean said, and when he stepped closer to the man, the Savage edged away.
While here, Killean would do as told when it was necessary, but to survive in this world, he had to take a stand. Joseph wouldn’t expect him to meekly take orders from someone who didn’t possess his kind of power or breeding; it would raise suspicions if he did. In this treacherous, unfamiliar world,everymove he made could be the wrong one.
Killean stared at Joseph while he waited to see if he’d played this hand right. For all he knew, Joseph had sent this man to ruffle Killean’s feathers and bait him into a trap. But had the trap just snapped closed and killed him or set him free?
Joseph smirked as he returned to his seat and rested his hands on his stomach. “Leave us, Andre.”
Andre looked like Joseph had told him to fly away as he started to sputter a protest.
“Get out!” Joseph spat, cutting off anything Andre was trying to say.
Andre scurried past Killean and out the door; it banged shut behind him.
“I won’t tolerate insolence here,” Joseph said.
“Understandable, but I won’t tolerate these newbies thinking they can order me around. I am a powerful, centuries-old purebred, and they are simply a means to an end for whatever you’re planning.”
“True,” Joseph agreed as he leaned forward. “Our breeding is far superior to theirs, but they are a necessity.”
“For what?”
“You are far from ready for that information.”
Killean’s teeth ground together in response to Joseph’s condescending words. If the other Savages wouldn’t pounce on him and tear him apart before he could flee with Simone, Killean would go for Joseph in the hopes of putting an end to those plans. But he’d never survive this place, and he’d never learn who was really behind whatever Joseph was doing here.
“Why did you want me?” Killean asked.
“We are going to hunt!” Joseph declared, and settling his hands on the desk, he pushed himself to his feet. “We must both be well fed for tomorrow.”
“And why is that?”
“Because the hunters are ready. Tomorrow night we will be taking some of them out and setting them free to slaughter.”
Joseph strolled out from behind his desk and clapped Killean on the shoulder before leading him toward the door. Killean’s skin crawled at the contact, but something more had the hair on his nape rising. He had to figure a way to save Simone before tomorrow.
* * *
Hungry.So hungry.
Someone had taken a match to her veins, and as if gasoline instead of blood filled them, they’d set those veins afire. She couldn’t think about anything other than the flames devouring her and her burning hunger. Yanking on her chains, she tried to break herself free, but they wouldn’t let her go.
The chains rattled; she jerked more angrily as strange noises filled her ears. Was she making that sound? She scented blood. Was she tearing her skin? Did it come from someone else? Whatever the answers, she didn’t care as she sniffed at the air like a hound on the scent.
Blood. Blood. Blood.
Her head throbbed; her vision blurred. She was dying, but she couldn’t die. She could only feel and suffer andhunger.
Nearby steps caused her head to tip back. It took a few seconds, but her gaze finally settled on the scarred man with the deep brown hair.Name? Can’t remember. Don’t care. Blood. He has blood! And his blood smells so good!
Her eyes latched onto his neck and the blood pulsing through there.NEED!
Something pierced her bottom lip, but the temporary discomfort was nothing compared to the inferno raging through her body.
