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“I agreed to try this life of yours, brother," Ian moved to stand behind me, and Isaac and I stared at each other. Tears started streaming down my cheeks when Ian moved my hair back. "I was willing to try feeding on animal blood and being—like you. We'd be together, and eventually, I'd get you to become the real you again, but that won't happen with her around."
"Marissa wasn't a threat to our bond, Ian. You'd always be my brother, but I grew tired of living the way we did, killing, being feared, and existing for centuries being tools for others. We weren't loved by anyone. Some royals feared us, and others tolerated us because we were effective killers. We were no better than untamed vampires."
"Ian," Isaac said weakly, blood spilling onto his chin when he coughed. "There's nothing wrong with wanting to be more than what others say you are."
"You left me!" Ian shouted. "You left me, Isaac. I've been searching for you for centuries, and you've been living well while I've been hunted.”
Ian gritted his teeth. “I agreed to try things your way, and you've marked someone else. You won't let go of this fake life with her around, and you'll just find someone else like her again. So I'm going to take everything from you. You'll watch me make her mine, and then I'll kill her.”
"Ian, please," Isaac begged. "She told you she has someone. She has nothing to do with us. You and I can leave this place and this country. Just let her go."
"No," Ian replied. "No, because now I know you'll always pick someone else over me. I could compel her to kill you. How great is it that I'm the only twin that got that ability but doing that wouldn't hurt enough, would it? Maybe I won't kill you after I kill her. I'll trap you somewhere, brother, force you to rot in agony, unable to die unless you kill yourself!”
Ian licked my neck, and I squeezed my eyes shut, shivering, and he laughed.
“Don’t touch her!” Isaac shouted with more strength than I thought he had. “Hurt her, and I'll never forgive you."
"Oh fuck you," Ian grumbled. "I don't want your forgiveness. When I'm done, you're going to want mine."
When Ian walked away, I sighed, screaming for Dorian in my mind, but I wasn't telepathic. That wasn't going to work. I could only pray, to any god listening, to get Dorian here in time. There was no reasoning with Ian. I wasn't going to try and end up upsetting him even further.
"I'll do what you were afraid to," Ian growled while holding his belly. "You should have mated with her before the hunter slid back into the picture, and now I'm going to do what neither of you has." He grimaced. "I just need a snack first. Oh, and Marian, I know your little boyfriend will be coming for you. He won't make it in time."
***
After Ian left the room, Isaac started coughing. Blood flew from his mouth, and I looked around the room frantically, looking for anything that could help me get free. The windows were covered with cardboard, and the walls were bare and peeling.
I couldn't tell exactly where we were, but I could hear city noise in the distance.
Dorian would surely follow my scent. So, where the hell was he?
The ropes were wrapped around my chest and ankles, and my arms were tied to the chair. I wiggled my feet, arms, my entire body, trying to get the ropes to loosen, when Isaac grumbled for me to stop.
“Stop,” he whispered. “You’re going to hurt yourself.”
“Do you think I’m going to sit here and let that maniac turn me into a vampire?” I said low.
"Why are you in Nor Valley?" Isaac asked, and I gave him a dead stare. "He said Dorian will be coming soon. Were you here with him? If not, he really won't get here in time."
“He will,” I shot back. “We were at Golden Sailor.”
Isaac fell into a coughing fit again, and blood began to drain from his mouth.
“What’s wrong with you?” I grimace. “What did he do to you?”
He didn't answer, and I figured he had passed out. Dorian was coming, but I wasn't going to sit here and wait. I continued wiggling my body, the rope on my wrists burning, but I persisted. I was moving around so hard my chair started rocking from side to side.
I squealed when it tipped over. I fell on my side, the wooden chair's arm and back broke, and I went still.
It was an old thing and, to my luck, was brittle.
Isaac looked up, and I stared back at him, hope in his eyes while it surged through me like a drug. My adrenaline spiked, and we both smiled.
"Hurry," he whispered. “Untie yourself. He's feeding, and it won't take long. You need to run. Marian."
The rope around my chest loosened, and I wiggled until it was loose enough for me to pull it off. I untied my other hand and then my legs and got up.
“Now I need to get you down,” I mumbled while scanning Isaac’s body.
