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A snarl rips through the air and cuts through my very soul but not because I’m afraid. It’s because I’m familiar with it. It’s Sawyer.
One second, I’m on the man’s shoulder, and then in the next, I land on the floor again. I scramble away, watching as Sawyer’s massive form blurs in front of me as he attacks the strange vampire. My heart flutters at the sight of him. He found me. I knew he’d find me.
An alarm blares through the casino, and the lights turn off. I scream out Sawyer’s name and try to run to him, but someone grabs me by my waist and drags me away.
“Are you fucking insane?” Cooper asks, his deep voice laced with his anger. “You could’ve been killed.”
I thrash in his hold. “Let me go! Take me back!”
“You’re fucking crazy!” Cooper hollers, spinning around and jetting through another door, taking me deeper into the hotel portion of The Whiskey.
Shrieking at the top of my lungs, I call out for Sawyer, hoping he can hear me and that he gets to me quick enough.
Cooper slaps his hand over my mouth and growls in my ear, silencing me the best he can. “Shut up, Hayley. If you know that guy and you want him to live, you need to shut your fucking mouth before someone hears you.”
I still at his words. Why is he telling me this? Why does he care?
“Please, just be quiet. Security is flooding the place now. If they catch us out here, we’ll lose any freedom we currently have. Do you want to find out what it’s like to join the herd?” His chest presses against mine with his deep breaths.
I realize my legs wrap around him, but unless I fight him and throw myself back, he has a tight hold on me.
“Please, Cooper. Sawyer can help us. I’m sure the rest of the Bella Crew is here as well. If you can take me to them, they can help you too. They can get us both out of here.” My voice shakes as I beg him, praying with everything in me that he listens to me.
“No one can help us, Hayley. I’m sorry. If Sawyer is in The Whiskey, there’s no leaving. I’m sure Lawrence will either kill him or force him into the herd. He would have to have something useful to him otherwise to bargain with.” Cooper strokes his hand up and down my spine as if the gesture will somehow settle my nerves.
“You don’t know the Bella Crew. They’re some of the most powerful vampires in all of La Vega.” I lick my lips, trying to get my heart to calm down.
“If they’re not a coven, then they aren’t as powerful as you believe them to be. I know the leaders of La Vega, and they’re not a part of the leadership. They can’t help us.” Again, Cooper shoots me down.
Anger rolls through me, and I dig my fingernails into his shoulders. I wiggle and squirm, hoping it’s hard for him to keep a hold on me. If only my movements didn’t backfire. Because Cooper growls and adjusts me, and I feel his body arousing from my closeness as I rub against him.
“Hayley,” he mutters, shifting me to his hip. “Stop it.”
I flick my attention to his and freeze. His eyes no longer show the emerald-green depths of his irises. They’re now solid silver again. He’s losing control. If he loses control...
“Cooper, don’t hurt me. Please. If you’re that hungry, I give you permission to bite me. I don’t want you to lose control. I can see it in your eyes.” I inhale and exhale a couple of short breaths.
He flashes his fangs. “No. Just be—”
The lights flicker on overhead, showing off the dirty storage room around us. Cooper tenses and sets me on my feet behind him, straightening his back and blocking me protectively.
The lock on the door clicks, and it slowly creaks open. I grab onto the back of Cooper’s jacket, steadying myself. My legs weaken with fear, and I brace for an army of vampires to come in here to tear me apart.
“You have a lot of explaining to do, Cooper.” Lawrence’s guttural voice booms through the small room, turning my body cold. “Security caught Hayley running at vampire speed on camera. I had to kill one of my best men and put two others in the fucking herd. Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t put you there too.”
Cooper doesn’t respond right away, his whole body rigid. He’s afraid too. It’s as if I can smell his fear.
“I’m sorry, Lawrence. I was working with Hayley, and fear set her off. It seems that her power derives from her instincts.” Cooper steps a foot away from me.
“So, would you consider that progress?” Lawrence asks, standing tall in an attempt to peer at me.
“Yes, sir. Now that I know how to bring out her dhampir nature in particular, we can work with it.” Cooper swivels and peeks at me from over his shoulder.
Lawrence flashes his fangs. “There still must be consequences.”
Nodding, Cooper says, “I understand and will accept my punishment.”
“Not for you, but for Hayley. I want you to show her what happens when she disobeys you or breaks one of the donor rules around here. It’s of utmost importance that no one knows she is a dhampir.” Lawrence materializes in front of Cooper, close enough to reach over and grab me by the throat. “Do you understand, Hayley? You’ll now have to wear your collar. I can’t have you running around here. You caused a lot of trouble and must pay for it.” Lawrence retrieves the metal collar that he put around my neck to take me from the Bella. I don’t even get a chance to fight him off or resist before he flicks and locks it around my throat. “Now for her punishment. I want you to give her three lashes.”
