AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Master, I—”
“Is this life I gave you worth so little to you? Are you miserable, Haven? Do you want to die so badly?”
Haven gasped as Thorne loomed over him.
“Have I not given you everything? A new life, better than the one you had before? And now you want to give it all up? And for what? So it can be easier for you to die?”
Haven shook his head, his mouth moving wordlessly.
“You break my heart, Haven.” He nuzzled into Haven’s neck before forcing Haven’s head to the side, exposing his delicate, pale skin. Baring his teeth, Thorne bit down with a wide-open mouth as blood gushed from between his stretched lips. Haven whimpered, struggling to pull away, but Thorne subdued him, wrapping his arms tight against his body.
Enough. Cy had had enough. Fueled by Dahlia’s blood, he sprang to his feet and dug between the mattresses to retrieve the knife she’d given him. Then, with all his strength, he lunged at Thorne, attempting to pull him away from Haven’s struggling form. As Thorne hissed in irritation, unlatching his jaw from Haven’s neck, Cy plunged the knife into his chest, right where his heart should have been.
“Cypress, no!” Haven cried out, but it was too late.
Cy’s miniscule weapon was as effective as a feather duster. As the dark-haired vampyre whirled around and wrenched the weapon from his own chest, he bared his blood-covered teeth and threw back his head in a scornful laugh. “You fool! Is this really the best a vampyre slayer has to offer? No wonder the Veritas grows fewer in number every day!”
No, this wasn’t right. Cypress was a slayer. He’d killed worse than Thorne in battle with less blood in his system. And yet, Thorne was unhurt, unbothered. Annoyed.
He flung his hand out and backhanded Cy hard across the jaw. Cy fell backward, landing so hard the air was knocked forcibly from his lungs. His body trembled and seized. He gasped to regain his breath as Thorne came to hover over him, looking down on him with self-righteous indignation.
“Master, please!” Haven rushed at Thorne, grasping his broad shoulders in hand. Cy’s heart panged. Haven was begging his master on Cy’s behalf, pleading to protect Cy from harm. But now, despite the power in Dahlia’s blood, Cy was immobilized. He could do nothing to prevent it as Thorne forced Haven back up against the wall, held his jaw tight, and then once again, plunged his teeth into Haven’s neck.
He drank for what seemed an eternity until Haven grew even more pallid than Cy had thought possible. Had Haven been human, he’d surely have been dead. His lips were tinged purple, his hands shaking where they clenched at his sides. His wide eyes had gone blurry and glazed as he slumped against the wall, held up only by the support it provided.
He was fading. And still, Thorne didn’t pull away.
“Stop...stop!” Cy gritted out. He could barely move, but still. He needed to stop this. He couldn’t watch Haven be drained in front of him. “You’re killing him! Stop! Can’t you see you’re taking too much?”
Against Haven’s neck, Thorne began to laugh. The sound of it stalled Cy in his tracks, sending shivers up and down his spine. Finally, Thorne drew back, exposing crimson-coated teeth, a dribble of blood running from his lips to his chin. “And wouldn’t he just love that? Foolish little human. I don’t intend to give him what he wants. What kind of punishment would that be?”
Slowly, he reached into the pocket of his jacket, retrieving a vial of crimson liquid. Blood? No. It was thinner, less viscous. It bubbled when it was jostled against the glass. Ambrosia, Cy’s subconscious supplied. Upon seeing the glass bottle, Haven stirred, attempting to pull away, weakened though he was.
“No, please. Master, I can’t—”
“You can and you will.” Thorne unstopped the bottle and held it out to Haven’s lips.
“It’s too much, Master. Please, not again.”
“Open your mouth, Haven.” Thorne’s fingers dug into Haven’s chin, prying his mouth open. He tipped the bottle and poured the liquid inside. “Swallow.”
Haven’s throat bulged in compliance, his eyes slipping closed. After a moment, his chest began to rise and fall erratically, sweat breaking over his brow. He let out a soft whimper that traveled to Cy’s groin. Stunned, Cy remained still, unmoving, watching it happen, knowing he should intervene.
“Master, please.” Haven’s fingers found Thorne’s wrist and brought it to his hardening groin. “It hurts. Please.”
But to Cy’s surprise, Thorne withdrew. “This is what your life would be like without me. You’d become a hungry beast incapable of restraint. I keep you satiated and satisfied. Safe and protected. I want you to feel what it would be like without me. Make no mistake, Gaius will drain you and leave you for dead. He’s a glutton. Ambrosia will be your only friend. Ambrosia will make you forget what it means to be human. Since that is your desire.”
He stepped back, leaving Haven blinking, panting, nails digging into the wall behind him for support. His arousal jutted out from beneath the fabric of his pants. He struggled to maintain control, one moment a man, the next a feral beast.
When Thorne’s eyes next flashed to Cy, there was malice within, a playful evil that danced in the dim light. “You wanted to defend his honor. Perhaps now you can fulfill one another’s wishes, vampyre slayer.”
“Master, please. Don’t leave me like this. Don’t leave me with him…Please. Not again.” Haven’s arms reached for Thorne. Tears ran down his face, and his entire body trembled. But still, Thorne remained out of reach.
“Afraid you’ll kill him? Bleed him dry? That you’ll have another Tobin on your conscience?”
Haven shook his head. “Please. I was wrong; I made a mistake.”
“You did. Now you’ll both suffer for it. I hope for your bleeding heart you don’t kill him.” He shrugged. “But perhaps his death would end some of our problems.”
