Page 162 of Trapped By the Blood Ruby

Zola was left behind with the others. The last thing I saw was her knees buckling. I had to swallow down bile to keep from vomiting. She’d be okay, right?

I allowed Lio to lead me through a door along the nave’s perimeter and down a set of stone stairs. Only a faint glow seeped from the bottom, but not enough to see well. The stairs were narrow, almost too small for my feet. I tripped twice, only to feel Lio’s hold on me grow tighter, more intimate. I wanted to scrub clean every place his hands touched. I didn’t fight against him because every step was one step closer to Laurent. The pressure in my chest thrummed harder. He was nearby. It was that relief that kept me going, keeping me focused.

We reached the bottom of the stairs, spilling out into an undercroft. I blinked against the harsh cool glow of electric torch light on power cords, taking everything in. Tears welled in my eyes when I saw him, lit up like a beacon. A sob fell from my chest, caught by my gag.

He saw me too. His rasping voice murmured a single, defeated word. “Lily.”

My chest squeezed painfully.

Laurent sagged in his chains, his moonlit white hair crusted with blood, clothes stained and near unrecognizable. Beside him, Marco was dead, or close to it. My throat closed until I couldn’t swallow. Seeing him like this, so different from his usual put-together self, was a heavy blow.

“Laurie!” His name came out garbled against the gag. Footsteps on the stairs sounded, but I was barely aware of the new additions to our reunion. Zola was tossed onto the floor at Laurent’s feet, barely moving but alive. The press of bodies near the stairs narrowed my options drastically. I fussed with the tie to my bonds, but didn’t pull it free. I had one chance to get this right, and the odds were against me.

A feeling of helplessness settled over me⁠—

“Your bitch of a daughter did exactly as I requested,” Lio purred, walking around Laurent.

A faint groan sounded. Not from Zola or Laurent. My eyes snapped to Marco. He was staring at Zola, his chest beginning to rise and fall more rapidly as he saw her sprawled on the ground. Oh…oh no.

A lightbulb went off in my head. All the times I’d seen Marco watching her. Caught her offering him a coy smile.

“That’s enough from you,” Lio tsked. He shot forward and wrenched Marco’s head back. In a single blink, he ripped out Marco’s throat and spat blood and flesh on the floor. Marco sagged, going lifeless.

“No!” I cried, the sound a garbled whine.

I caught a glimpse of Laurent’s face—raw grief and fury warring in his silver eyes. Even chained and broken, his rage at Marco’s murder was terrifying. “Lily, you never…never should have…come.” His words sent me to my knees. There wasn’t anger there. He didn’t seem strong enough for the emotion.

“Ah, but she did, and here we are.” I watched as Lio moved to Laurent, sinking his fangs into his neck before he fed.

43

White hot pain shot through Laurent, followed by fear. Not for himself. He didn’t give a damn about himself. There was only one person in this world that mattered to him now.

Lily was on her knees, watching. He was overly aware of her presence. Hot shame coated his skin. He didn’t deserve her. He never had. This proved it. He couldn’t protect her, couldn’t even protect himself. It was humiliating, especially for someone like him.

“Stop,” he thought he heard Lily beg through her gag. Lio must have heard too because he did stop. Laurent wanted to beg him to continue, if only it kept Lio’s focus off his little flower.

“What was that, pet? I’m afraid I can’t decipher your words.” Lio released him, stepping around Zola’s limp body. He sagged uselessly against the chains.

It took every ounce of willpower to lift his eyes to her. Lio had gagged her, which meant he knew her ability. A renewed sense of fear surged to the surface. “Re…release…her. You…have me.”

Lio glanced over his shoulder, barking a laugh. “Nice try, sire.”

Lily fussed with her wrists, with the bonds holding her. Already, he could see red welts appearing where they chafed against her skin. He’d kill Lio—make him suffer for this. He’d take his time, too.

A loud crash sounded above.

The undercroft fell momentarily silent. Lio cocked his head and listened, then surged toward Lily. His vampiric body was across the floor in a blink, hand reaching for her hair, wrenching her head back. She cried out, pain lacing her voice. Laurent growled as red hot fury lent him a momentary surge in energy. The emotion came instinctively, a reaction to protect the woman he loved. The woman he felt so much for.

“What do you think that was, hmm? Did you come here alone, pet? Did Zola follow my instructions?”

Lily’s eyes were wide, darting around the room. She mumbled something against her gag. An answer? Laurent couldn’t be sure, but it sounded a lot like fuck you.

Part of him swelled with pride. The other part of him, the one possessing common sense, flinched. Her words would only rile Lio and make things worse.

“Oh, we’ll get to that soon enough. Now answer my question. A nod—yes or no. Did you come alone?” His last words were bitten out with vehemence. Another crash sounded above, followed by shouts. Lily merely whimpered. “Useless,” Lio spat, shoving her away. She jerked, then repositioned herself on her shins. Lio whirled toward the vampires in the doorway. “Get upstairs and take care of it. He can’t have that many vampires left in his family. End them and return to me.”

While he spoke, Lily began inching closer to Laurent and Zola, still unconscious on the floor. The other vampires disappeared, leaving them alone. This seemed to displease Lio—as if he’d hoped for an audience. His expression shifted between indecision and lust as he eyed Lily. She froze, as if sensing his gaze.