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I don't know how the fuck I'm going to find her. Because while I can track pretty much any human, tracking a vampire is another matter. And I already know Dorian isn’t stupid enough to not have covered her scent. There's no telling where he took her, but I vow I will stop at nothing to find her.
I know that time is of the essence, so I call in several of my most-trusted men to assist me. Fortunately, my brother has many enemies, so it's not difficult to convince people to help me find him and take him down.
They're already been searching ruthlessly for him. It's just a pity they couldn't locate him before this happened.
First things first, though. I have to be at the top of my game when I begin this mission.
Ever since I brought Elena here, I've been basically living like a vegetarian, surviving on prepackaged blood from a blood bank. I need a fresh kill or two to put me back in my prime.
“Tonight, we hunt!” I tell the league of vampires lined up before me like soldiers ready to go into battle. “Strengthen yourself up. Then meet me back here in the morning. There are no holds barred. Take Dorian by whatever means possible, but no one is to kill him. If you find him, you restrain him and take me to him. Is that understood?” My tone brooks no argument.
I know many of these men are itching for the chance to kill Dorian themselves. My brother has certainly left many enemies in his wake of destruction. It's not that I particularly want the honor or killing my brother myself. I just want to make sure I have Elena safe in my arms before Dorian meets his eternal death. I wouldn't put it past him to put her in an obscure location where no one will ever find her if he dies.
Every man in the room nods in assent.
“We’re officially at war.” I don't tell them it's over a woman—or a human one at that—but I'm sure they already know from the way Jerry has apparently been out blabbing my business all over the fucking world. I know truth serum is powerful stuff, but the betrayal still burns my ass.
I curse to myself. I should have mated her when I had the chance. Then this never would have happened. I never would have had the threat of Dorian claiming her as his own looming over my head. No, she would be enthralled to me and unable to be claimed by him or any other vampire. We would have that special connection where I could locate her, no matter where she is.
I'm kicking myself for trying to be so noble now. I see now the safest thing for me to do would have been for me to take her, and I can't even pretend that it would have been against her will because I remember how she quaked in my arms. She would have been a very willing bed partner.
I'm just a fucking fool. That's all there is to it.
If I didn't already know I was in love with her, I do now because I never would have made such a foolish lapse in judgment otherwise. I guess it's true what they say. You become a fool when you fall in love.
I firm my jaw as panic at what could happen to her crashes through me once again.
Make no mistake. Once I find Elena, Iwillmake her mine in every way, and if she comes to hate me for turning her into a monster, then so be it.
At least she’ll be safe from my brother—and all others who would take her from me.
Twenty-Nine
Elena
As soon ashe hangs up the phone with Stephan, Dorian starts striding over to me purposefully. He takes my face in his hands. I panic when I see his head looming down closer toward mine.
“I thought you said you weren't going to take me against my will?”
“I'm not,” Dorian tells me as his eyes begin to glow brighter, “but I never said I wouldn't have a taste of my soon-to-be queen.”
I know he's not talking about a taste of my blood because from the way Stephan explained it to me once I'm bitten and/or my virginity is taken, it will start the change in me. Therefore, he must be talking about my lips.
My panic only increases at the thought of his lips replacing the feel of Stephan’s on me. Stephen has kissed me so many times since that first kiss, and I don't want to erase the memory of his lips on mine. “Stephan never kissed me without my consent,” I blurt out.
Just as I intended, those words make Dorian pause. His face pulls down into a long frown. “I see.” His eyes bore into me. “Then give me consent. I promise you won't regret it.”
His voice is dripping with innuendo, but I shake my head stubbornly. “No, I don't even know you.”
A frustrated growl climbs up his throat, and his hands tighten on my cheeks. His lips lower so that they're just a hair's breadth from mine, yet not touching them. They’re close enough where I can feel his hot breath fanning against them. “I'll make you forget all about Stephan. If you let me taste your sweet lips, if you let me make you mine, I promise you'll forget he ever even existed. You won’t be able to remember his name by the time I’m through with you.”
Denial surges in my veins, hot and heavy. Despite Stephan not telling me about his powers, I feel completely loyal to him.
“You're completely conceited, aren't you?” I make my voice dry with the irritation I feel.
Dorian's frown deepens before he warns me, “You realize I hold all the power here. I can take your lips by force, and no one would ever know.”
“Your brother would never do that,” I murmur gently.
