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Throwing the man over his head, Sawyer tosses the guy toward the main aisle of the casino, where patrons watch in anticipation. I realize it was the guy from earlier who wanted me on my hands and knees. He was going to try to grab me, and Sawyer saved me.
I don’t even get a chance to move before a female donor in a two-piece bikini and a fluorescent green wig jumps at Sawyer, forcing him to catch her because he’s not the type to just let someone fall.
I frown as she plants a kiss on his cheek, ignoring the fact that he stretches away and treats her as if she might have a viral disease or something similar to the flu that went around a couple of years ago, killing many donors outside of the Aris Hotel where Alexander quarantined us.
“What a king! You saved our headliner! Let me repay you. Come on, you sexy beast of a man. Bite me. You know you want to. I can see the hunger in your eyes.” The performer bends her neck, exposing her throat to Sawyer.
Something unsettling crashes over me, flicking on the switch I’m pretty sure contains the detonator for my psychotic side. I never knew I could be jealous like this. And right now, I want to snatch the woman by her hair and yank her away.
And then I find myself doing as much, twisting my hand through her wig and dragging her off Sawyer.
Shocking pain sizzles across my neck, stopping me in my tracks.
My legs buckle and a screech, falling to the floor, unable to control my body.
The donor laughs and tips her head toward Sawyer. “She’s not so tough after all, is she? She doesn’t deserve to be yours tonight.”
Striding forward, she pulls a blade from a sheath on her glittery belt. She stands over me and grins. “You’re not worthy of being the headliner. I’ve been fighting and winning for a year. Just wait. You’re not taking my spot.”
She jabs her knife at me.
My dhampir nature takes over.
Not even the shock collar can stop me.
Chapter 14
HAYLEY
Killer
THE PAIN SHOCKING my neck only pushes me forward, and I straddle the performer and wrap my hands around her neck, choking her hard enough to make her eyes bulge. It’s as if I’m looking at myself from the outside, watching this monster version of me take control of my body as if I’m possessed.
No one runs to intervene. All the crowd does is gather around, treating this as another spectacle of a show with me in the middle.
“You’re far from worthy. He’s mine. He chose me. Do you understand?” I ask, my voice growling.
The performer’s eyes widen, a strange reflection flashing at me. I realize that along with my vicious nature, she can see the part of me that has been hidden all my life until Lawrence triggered it with his venom. She knows something’s different about me. It’s written all over her face.
She locks her fingers around my wrists, trying to stop me from choking her, but I can’t let go. I’m afraid if I do, she’ll yell out that I’m different. She might tell the whole casino the reason I’m as strong as I am is that I’m not a donor. Yet, I’m not a vampire either.
A cold hand grabs the skirt of my dress, dragging me away from the performer. My back slams against the hard floor, and I gasp as the air escapes my lungs. My eyes burn with tears born from my fear and anger. I need to do something. I can’t just act complacent.
“You bad, bad donor, Laura Rose. I have my eyes set on Violet, and it’ll be me who ends her life the moment I get the chance,” Killer snaps, her voice ringing through the air as she abandons me and towers over the woman. The performer cowers under the vampire’s scrutiny, her tough attitude vanishing as she faces someone who she considers a predator.
“It’s Velvet Rose, Killer Kassandra. Don’t call me otherwise.” For being so scared, the donor still manages to force her performance, though I’m not sure anyone apart from the two of us heard her. Killer seems like the type to cut out tongues for backtalk. “I was only trying to prove my place. You know I deserve to be the headliner. You’ve seen me.” The performer rubs her reddening neck, already starting to shift colors with the bruises my strength left behind in the shape of my fingers.
Clapping his hands, Lawrence grabs everyone’s attention. He hollers a laugh and pulls a cane from his pocket, thumbing a button to send it unfolding with a deafening click. I imagine he plans to hit someone with it. Whether it will be me or the donor performer, possibly Killer, I don’t want to find out.
Sawyer steps between me and Lawrence protectively, and he reaches out his hands and pulls me to my feet, surprising the hell out of me by swinging me onto his shoulder as if I’m just a piece of property to be tossed around.
And fuck. I love that he does it. I love that he growls at everyone nearby as he ignores the whole room. He strides back to his throne and plops down, positioning me on his lap.
He shifts my hair out of the way and brushes his lips to the back of my ear. “I need to bite you. Is that okay?”
Without responding verbally, I just nod my head, keeping my gaze focused on Lawrence, trying to figure out what he plans to do.
“It looks like the Carnage King has claimed the one he wants, which means one of you will fall before him. Who will it be? Who will face the consequences of failing to prove their worth?” He raises his hand and points to both the performer and Killer. I can’t believe he continues to act as if this casino is a stage. It’s as if his whole life is one big show for the masses, and I’m caught up like a little puppet within it because my strings tangle and try to strangle me to death in the process.
