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I wanted the pain to stop.
I wanted to die.
The fire withdrew from my body in an instant, replaced with a tingling sensation that soothed every hurt like a healing balm. I breathed deeply, my body limp from the shift.
Samuel slid his hands into his pockets again, smiling down at me with the same grin he’d used to ply me when him and Saint had kidnapped me. The same gentle charm that had given me a false sense of safety, had relaxed me into the idea of marrying him to save my family. It was more terrifying than when he’d revealed his monstrous side to me.
“Now, I have to tell you, I rather enjoy using my powers like this,” he said, his tone casual. “But, I’m also an agreeable male.”
James walked into the room, not even blinking at the position I was in on the floor. He handed Samuel a piece of parchment. He took it, gave his uncle a nod, and the vampire left, shutting the door behind him.
Samuel turned the parchment to me, and I recognized our official betrothal agreement. “Sign this. Become mine officially. And all this will end.”
The iron chains made my muscles weak, made my power leak out of my body like water through a drain. They clanked as I reached up to take the document from him. His crimson eyes were hesitant as I took it, watching me with a predator’s gaze as I poised my fingers to rip it to shreds—
The room spun like a tornado had crashed through and swept me up in its center. My brain spun like a top, making me heave again and again.
Samuel snatched the paper away from me.
The spinning stopped, the dizziness only lingering for a moment before he healed it away.
“I know a thousand different ways to poison your body,” he said, setting the parchment down on the end table next to him. “And a thousand ways to heal it.” He leaned over me, swiping some hair off of my face. I didn’t even have the strength enough to bat him away. “Do you really want to play this game with me?”
I narrowed my gaze up at him, my chest heaving as I caught my breath. “I’m the best at playing games,” I said, my heart in my throat. I wished Hawke was here. I wished I’d let him slice into Samuel’s throat when he’d wanted to. I wished so many damn things. But one thing I knew for sure, I would never sign that contract.
Never give him the satisfaction of owning me.
Only one vampire owned me, and he would tear Samuel to pieces once he figured out what he’d done to me.
All I had to do was survive long enough to watch my villain come burn the world for me.
“Do your worst,” I said.
Samuel sighed. “Let’s begin.”
Acid swam through my veins, the electricity of it so strong my back bowed off the floor.
19
Hawke
“Don’t even think about it.” I flung my arm out and grabbed Ajax by his Kevlar. “Those cuffs don’t come off until we know what’s going on.” Just because Saint had been imprisoned here didn’t mean he wasn’t the asshole we thought he was. He’d still kidnapped Avianna.
“That’s enough.” Saint pulled back from Dagon’s wrist.
“You’re still starving,” Dagon argued, but he wavered on his feet as he sealed up his own wound.
“And you’ll be on the floor if I continue.” His heartbeat steadied, but the guy still looked like shit.
“I’m going to see if anyone will willingly donate,” Ajax told me. “We can’t get answers from him if he’s dying.”
I let him go, but kept my eyes trained on Saint.
Ajax disappeared from behind me.
“Don’t think badly of him,” Dagon said to Saint. “I know Ajax would offer, but something tells me the rest of us are going to need to be at full strength. Avianna is about to sign the betrothal contract to Samuel.”
“Fuck.” Saint’s head hit the stone wall as he closed his eyes.
“Remember her, do you? The princess you helped kidnap?” It was all I could do to keep from reaching for a blade. This asshole deserved to be carved up piece by piece, just like his brother.
Saint’s eyes opened slowly. “You have every right to want to kill me.”
“Well fucking aware.” I holstered my Sig. He wasn’t going anywhere with those cuffs on. Not yet, at least.
Ajax brought in three separate witches from the queen’s guard and Benedict crammed into the room next to me, his gaze narrowed on Saint as I filled him in.
Feed after feed, Saint lost the pallor to his skin. His cheeks filled out. His eyes somehow looked even more menacing. Just because we’d fed the monster didn’t mean he wasn’t still a monster.
“He rebounds quickly,” Benedict muttered.
“He’s a hunter from highborn blood.” Dagon leaned back against the wall next to us. “Give him a day and he’ll be back at full strength.”
