Page 103 of Blood Curse

“You caught me.”

“Stay back.”

“Gladly.”

Elias moved to Mara’s left side. He caught the guard’s wrist without trying to open her hand.

“We’re moving Mara,” he said. “Let your feet go with her if you can.”

The guard’s jaw clenched. “I can move my left one.”

“Good. Left first.”

Mara tried to step. The order to bare her throat kept her face turned towards me, while the hands on her arms dragged her shoulders in the other direction.

Pain tightened her mouth.

“Stop,” I said. “You’ll dislocate something.”

“Then stop trying to eat me.”

My body lunged.

I shoved my hand harder over her neck. My fangs scraped across the back of it without breaking skin.

Mara’s breath struck my cheek.

“Still you?” she asked.

“Yes.”

“Good. I prefer knowing who to insult.”

The dark-haired vampire holding her right arm made a rough sound. His grip had locked from fingers to shoulder. Another court member braced him from behind, taking some of his weight.

“I can’t let go,” he forced out.

“We know,” Elias said. “Keep talking if you can.”

“My hand is crushing her wrist.”

Mara twisted her fingers. “I can still move them.”

“For now.”

“Then we use now.”

She bent her knees.

The two vampires followed because their orders required them to keep hold of her. Elias moved with the guard. The woman behind the dark-haired man kept him upright.

They lowered Mara towards the floor.

The command dragged me down after her.

“Table,” I said. “Put it between us.”

Four vampires seized the fallen table. They shoved it across the stone. Its edge struck my thighs as Mara disappeared behind it.