I let go of the dagger and slid my hand up his body, pressing my hand over his heart. It beat hard and quick beneath my palm. He must be as nervous as I was. I held his gaze; my pulse whooshed in my ears. “I had that opportunity before and didn’t take it. And the story of how I found out is that I picked up on his behaviors, sneaking out, agitated when he didn’t have blood, but I think the most damning were the fangs when he kissed me.”
“Oh, I love that,” Mars chuckled.
“Love is such a fascinating human emotion,” Quinton purred. “You covet him the way I covet blood. I see it in your eyes.”
“Fascinating indeed,” Mars added, looking me up and down. “With vampires it’s possession and need of a human and their blood. We do become attached to certain sources but there is no love. But for a ducai to desire the very thing that would kill her is strange. I can’t understand it, but I see it.”
Vander slipped his hand under the coat I wore and rested it on my lower back. “I need her to come back with me,” Vander said. “As she is. I want her. She’s mine. I’ve done everything you’ve asked and never asked for anything in return.”
I gulped, glancing between the vampires. If they tried to turn me and it didn’t work, they would surely kill me. I inched closer to Vander. My breathing became erratic.
“I suppose if she does turn on you, Vander, it’s your life that ends.” Quinton lifted a shoulder. “You can keep your pet.”
Belladonna didn’t look pleased as she licked her top teeth. “Keep her, but if you ever ignore me again, I will take her from you, and you will watch as I bathe her in blood.”
My breath hitched. For the first time since Vander had freed me from the cage, true fear turned my blood cold. I’d felt safe with Vander beside me, but if Belladonna wanted to, she could walk right up to me and slit my throat, and he wouldn’t be able to move. He couldn’t stop her.
All vampires were frightening, but Belladonna was truly evil.
Vander’s hand slid around my hip and gripped me. “That won’t be a problem, my queen.”
“I know.” She stared at him and his hand suddenly lifted to my throat. His chest heaved up and down. Sweat beaded on his temple and he squeezed. His eyes widened with true terror.
What was he doing? My heart hammered, and I gripped his wrist with both hands, trying to push him off. “Vander, you’re hurting me.”
“My queen, please stop. Please. I will do whatever you want.”
Tears made my vision blurry. His hand trembled and his face twisted. She was making him do this. He squeezed harder, cutting off my air.
“Kill him, girl. Save yourself,” Belladonna said. “Pull that dagger and use it. I will let you leave unharmed. You can go home. I give you my word.”
My vision swam, darkness closed in around me. I couldn’t breathe.Fight, Vander. Fight her.I pictured us together in our room, lying in his bed that night in the cold where he kept me warm. Where his touch was gentle and sweet. I wanted him to see it—feel it. If any of it was real, he wouldn’t kill me. If I was really his heart like he said, he could fight. I shoved that image toward him. I imagined him kissing me at The Nightcap, telling me I was his heart. I pushed the feelings that had swirled around us to him. Even if vampires couldn’t feel love like they said, I knew Vander feltsomethingfor me.
His grip started to loosen, the agony on his face softened ever so slightly, but too late. My legs gave out.
“Belladonna,stop!” Vander snarled.
The kings started to laugh. The music, the voices all sounded muffled, like my head was underwater. I was going to black out.
“Well, she does love you,” Belladonna’s voice cut through the kings’ chuckles.
Vander suddenly released my throat and caught me around the waist before I fell to my knees. I gasped, dragging in deep breaths. Tears slid down my cheeks. He pulled me against his trembling body, all but holding me up.
“I need your assassin skills to take care of someone this week,” Belladonna said casually, as if she hadn’t almost forced him to kill me. I clutched at the front of his shirt and pressed my cheek to his cool chest. The room tilted and spun. I blinked, trying to focus on Belladonna and the kings. Their wicked smiles made me sick. My ears rang louder, drowning out the music.
His deep voice rumbled against me. “Give me a name and I’ll take care of it.”
“Meet Dahlia and Adonis in three days. Usual spot.” Belladonna waved us off and then curled her fingers to one of the men who’d been massaging her when I’d first come in. “Take me to my room.” They helped her stand and guided her down the steps.
Vander swept my legs up into his arms and cradled me against his chest. He dipped into a bow. The twins stood at once. “Our birthday party is coming up. Do make it, Vander. All the blood you could ever want, and you’ll have your pick of the women to bed. I wouldn’t bring your assassin thrall. Belladonna seems a little jealous of how much you like her.”
“I wouldn’t miss it.” His voice was strained and a little shaky. I wrapped my arms around the back of Vander’s neck. We finally escaped that horrid room and stepped into the dark corridor.
Chapter 30
The low light from the sizzling torches cast long shadows. The music faded, and soon it was only his boots slapping the stone. Without a fight, I let him carry me into a room. My throat burned and the skin on my neck was sore. I knew he hadn’t wanted to hurt me and I hated Belladonna even more for it.
He shut the door and locked it. A single candle burned on the lavish vanity with gold fixtures and a gilded mirror above it. The room was large for a toilet chamber, and cold, like the rest of this godforsaken castle. He set me on the counter beside the sink and took my face in his hands. Tears rimmed his eyes. “Are you alright? I didn’t want to hurt you. She made me do it. I tried to stop myself.” His voice wavered and he pressed his forehead to mine. “I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry.
