Page 6 of Trapped By the Blood Ruby

Laurent lifted the vial and drained it, letting the blood wash over his lips, his tongue, and down his throat. A rush of memories accompanied it. He swore, knowing immediately who it belonged to. Hassan Sadiq. His eyes closed briefly. He tossed the empty vial back at its owner.

“Hey, what the fuck, dude?! You going to pay for that?” The young man jumped off the couch and surged toward him. Laurent moved fast—inhumanly fast. He wrapped his fingers around the man’s throat and tossed him backwards onto the couch before fleeing the room.

“Hey! What the fuck?!” Several shouts followed him down the hall.

He strode into the kitchen, searching for Kath’ur. People stood about, mingling, mixing drinks. They stopped to gape when they noticed him. A few called out, but he ignored their words.

The demon’s scent grew more pronounced.

He entered the home’s kitchen where it was the strongest, tracking it across the room. Glass doors led out onto the back patio. Several figures lounged around the pool, illuminated by outdoor lights. He quickened his pace, reaching for the door’s knob⁠—

And froze.

A wave of Vanilla and florals struck him—the same soft scent from before. Only this time it was more potent. Poisoned by the sharp tang of something rancid. Fear. The primal part of him responded, shattering his logic and replacing it with instinct. He hesitated a second longer, eyes fixed on the figures outside, then changed direction. Kath’ur would have to wait.

He’d found something far better.

With his vampire speed, it took seconds to climb the back stairs and reach the door at the end of the hallway.

“No, stop,” a voice cried from the other side. Female. “You’re hurting me! Daniel, stop!”

“Be still!”

He twisted the knob with enough force to rip the metal free, and strode in.

What he found made him snarl. Daniel—presumably—was pinning a female to the bed. His female. Laurent ripped him off and flung him across the room.

She gasped, her eyes going wide, then scrambled upright, inching off the bed to stand.

Daniel struggled to his feet, swaying drunkenly. “What the fuck, man?! Get out!”

Laurent darted across the room. It took less than a millisecond to eliminate the obstacle before him. Daniel dropped to the floor, his neck twisted at an unnatural angle.

Behind him, the female cried out. “Oh my, God! Is he...? Did you...?!”

The scent of her fear intensified—everything about it wrong.

She inched backward toward the door, eyes wide. The predator in him exploded to the surface. He blocked her retreat, taking hold of her face, locking onto her eyes. “Don’t worry about Daniel,” he willed, using some of his magic to calm her. Her muscles relaxed, though her eyes remained wary.

Then he inhaled deeply. How could he not breathe her in? Her scent heavy, saturating the air, invading his senses, his mind. His head fell back in appreciation of his good fortune.

“I haven’t smelled something like you in centuries,” he growled, triumphant.

The demon he’d been hunting for weeks suddenly seemed insignificant compared to the treasure before him. He took a moment to study her. She was dressed in a blood red gown, as if she’d wrapped herself up just for him. How delightful. Her thick black hair nearly swallowed the light. Her eyes, bluer than a glacier, stared at him. But it was her skin, her flushed cheeks, her swollen lips, her heaving chest, her lush breasts accentuated by her corset, that left him struggling for control.

She exhaled and he scented alcohol on her breath. How unfortunate. He’d found himself a useless party girl. But what did it matter?

Most men would take a single look at her and want what was beneath her dress. Him? He wanted what was beneath her skin. Wanted it more than he cared to admit.

“What a precious little flower you are.”

Her brows furrowed.

Where had she been hiding all this time?

“I should get back to the party,” she said uncertainly, trying to pull free of him. His grip tightened, keeping her face framed in his palms.

“Back to the party?” His voice dropped low. “Oh no. You’re coming with me.”