And now, as the door to my cell opened, I knew this was my shot. My only fucking chance to make this right, to get out of here with Celia and her sister and prostrate myself at my brother’s feet. I’d serve him the way he deserved, the way I hadn’t up until this point.
Two guards walked inside my cell, and then the big bald head of Keno caught the small sliver of light. I held back a smile. This was what I’d wanted, to face the vampire who’d robbed me of my revenge and struck the woman I loved.
I sat on my pallet, forcing myself to appear weak, tired, near death. Keno wouldn’t be fooled for long, but he was in front of me now. That was all I needed.
Three on one. The odds weren’t in my favor on a regular day. But I was fueled with Celia’s blood, and it thrummed through my body like a live wire. I’d never felt this strong, but then I’d never fed from a dhampir before. I could barely contain myself sitting here, knowing Celia had left my cell and I hadn’t been able to protect her. Where was she now? And so help him if he had touched her…
The two guards flanked the door as Keno stepped in front of me. His gaze tracked over me, and I relaxed all my muscles, slumping my head between my shoulders. I didn’t meet his gaze, playing the part of cowed prisoner.
“Celia is a weakness for you, yes?” Keno sneered.
I kept my focus on his scuffed and dusty boots. And I remained silent. She was a weakness. And I wanted him to know that—for once, my weakness for her would be my advantage. I needed him to believe I told her the truth.
“You see a simple, pretty, delicate human. You could have been smarter if you’d been more ruthless. If you’d been willing to be a little harsher to the girl. Instead you were weak. I have a hold over Celia. She will do anything to save her sister, and so she sold you out to save her own kin.”
I closed my eyes so he wouldn’t see the victory shining out of them.
“I’ve been wanting to draw your brother from his fortified walls. You played right into my hands, and so did he.” He stepped closer. “I will clip his wings, and slit his throat while you watch. Then I’ll breed Celia in front of your eyes. And then I’ll burn you limb, by limb, by limb. Just because I can.”
He’d do it. I could hear the conviction and hatred in his voice. I swallowed, and bided my time. Soon. So soon, I just needed him closer….
With a painfully tight grip on my hair, he wrenched my head back, surely to force me to look at him. I kept my eyes squeezed shut as his words flew spittle into my face. “I can’t wait to hear you scream, just like Celia did when I fucked her ten minutes ago. Right after she betrayed you.”
My eyes flew open, and Keno registered shock at the sight of me—the pure power shining from within. Before he could protect himself, I tore the weakened chain from the wall with a roar. The links lashed out, wrapping around the two guards. I stood and with a swift kick to Keno’s midsection, sent him sprawling back into the guards. I caught the other end of the chain and tightened it around the three vampires.
I grabbed both ends with one hand and swung, sending the three of them sailing into the back corner of the cell. I didn’t have time to deal with them. More guards would be coming, and once the element of surprise was over, the three of them would overpower me. Already Keno was ripping the chain off his body, red eyes promising to send me straight to hell.
I sprinted for the door, sliding out into the hallway and slamming it shut behind me just as a body crashed into the other side. I slid the bolt across it as fists pounded on the other side. It wouldn’t hold them for long—even now the hinges were rattling. I needed to get Celia and get the fuck out of here. Keno would be dealt with later. He didn’t have his soldiers, only a handful of guards.
I took off down the hallway and bounded up a flight of stairs at the end. I could sense Celia, and I ran to her as if she’d left breadcrumbs behind. The connection we’d forged in that cell was the ticket to getting us out of here. I wasn’t sure if Keno was right, if he’d actually touched her. I was shaking with rage, wondering what condition I’d find her in. I had to remain calm, though. My emotions had been what got us into this mess. No matter what Celia’s condition was like, I had to remain focused on the mission and get us out of here, not return to the cell and pound Keno with my fists.
I turned the corner of a hallway, knowing Celia was close. A guard stood outside a room with a large sheet of glass. He saw me coming, and confusion passed over his face before he withdrew a weapon. I heard pounding, but ignored it, because I knew in that room was Celia. I could feel her.
I tackled the guard, only vaguely feeling the hot slice of the knife on my hip. We fell to the ground on a thud, and I wrestled him for the knife. He got a punch into my ribs, but I slammed his wrist down on the ground until the bones cracked and he dropped the knife with a cry. I grabbed it and slit his throat. I stood, heaving with exertion, while the blood still poured from his wound, and his eyes still glared at me as the life left them.
I turned to see two sets of eyes peering at me through the glass. Celia. And the younger one who looked so much like her must be her sister. I pressed a series of buttons on the side of the door until a lock clicked. The door flew open and then two sets of half-human bodies slammed into me.
“Idris!” Celia cried.
My hands roamed her body, cataloging her injuries. “Are you okay? Did Keno touch you?”
She shook her head at me as tears leaked from her eyes. She grabbed her sister’s hand. “No. I told him what you said, and he left immediately. He’d promised when he came back, though…” She shuddered. “If you’d failed, I don’t even want to know what he would have done to me.”
“Well, we aren’t in the clear yet,” I said, thankful Keno had been lying. He’d wanted to hurt me, get a rise out of me. And he had, but I’d been planning on that escape anyway. He’d only made me angrier—and stronger.
“I know how to get out of here,” Amelia said. “We’re in Mission Woods.”
Celia whipped her head to me. “What if the sun is up? How will we escape?”
“You’ll still escape,” I said. “Don’t worry about me.”
“Idris!” she snapped.
“We’re not arguing about that right now, not when we don’t even know what time it is, all right?” I nodded to Amelia. “Introductions can wait until we’re safe. Show us out.”
After about ten seconds, I was done with Amelia leading the way. Their human speed wasn’t enough for me, not when I was sure more guards that Keno still had on the compound would be after us. I picked both of them up under my arms and told Amelia to tell me where to turn and which stairs to take.
The entire bunker was underground, and I ran up so many flights and went down so many tunnels, that I was dizzy. Finally, we reached a heavy metal door, which was thankfully guard-free. I pushed it open and stumbled out into moonlight.
Beautiful, blessed moonlight.
I set the girls down and fell to my knees, heaving the fresh air, letting it fill my lungs. I knew we didn’t have time to waste, but I took five seconds to relish in the success of our escape.
Well, it was successful so far. But a large boom from below us that shook the earth under our feet let me know that Keno was coming with manpower and firepower.
Celia and her sister were dirty, shaken, and scared, but we had to keep moving. It took me a minute to get my bearings, and after studying where the moon was in the sky, I oriented myself on our location in Mission Woods. It would be a trek to get to the Gregorie compound, and I wished that Athan was actually coming. Instead that’d only been a bluff to send the Valarian soldiers far from the bunker.
If Keno believed Celia, then the soldiers were heading in the wrong direction, believing Athan would be approaching the bunker from the south side instead of the east. If we made a beeline for the Gregorie compound, we’d avoid t
hem.
“I’m going to carry you two again. Not the whole way, but we need to get as much distance as we can quickly. Okay?”
Celia nodded, and before my eyes, she took deep breaths, shoring up her strength. “How do you want us?”
“You on my back. Amelia under my arm. I’ll go as long as I can.”
Celia nodded. “Okay.”
“Okay.” I pressed a kiss to her forehead, inhaling her sweet scent. She clung to me for a brief moment. “You’re so brave, little one.”
“I’m trying, Idris. I’m trying so hard.”
“Just a little longer.” I pressed her to me and felt Amelia’s eyes on us.
Celia looked into my eyes. “Just promise me, no matter what, you keep Amelia safe.”
“Cel—”
“Promise me.”
I swallowed, even though I had a feeling of dread that this promise would come back around to haunt me. “I promise.”
With that, Celia climbed onto my back. “Then let’s go.”
I picked Amelia up, and with Celia’s arms around my shoulders, I sprinted into the deep woods.
Chapter 12
Celia
This all felt a bit crazy and out of control. Before we left, we’d shoved our pockets full of cereal bars that Amelia had squirreled away in her room. She didn’t always eat the food they gave her, but she was smart enough to keep it with her rather than letting them take it away.
I wasn’t sure how long we’d be out here, on the run, so I was glad we had food. And Idris…well, he had me.
I held him tighter and marveled at the feel of his strong body cutting through the trees and underbrush with ease. He didn’t seem to tire, and we’d been going for a good hour. I was sore as hell from hanging on, but I didn’t dare make a peep. While he did have vampire strength, he was still carrying two humans—the least I could do is hang on. I locked my arms and ankles and closed my eyes.
Keno had been thrilled to hear what I’d told him. He eagerly deployed his soldiers, muttering about taking down the Gregorie king. And then he’d left, saying he planned to go visit Idris himself. That was when they’d thrown me in with Amelia, where I was so sick to my stomach, I could barely think.
Amelia had noticed my trembling, my near panic attack, but I couldn’t say anything, knowing we were being watched. So all I could do was hold her, and in turn, she’d stolen my heart, her sweet little voice lulling me into some sort of peace.
When I’d heard thumps outside, I’d been fucking terrified, until that door opened and Idris was in the hallway.
Then the beginning circle of yellow began to appear on the horizon, and I realized it wasn’t Idris’s stamina I had to worry about. It was the fucking sun. We had to find cover, quick. Idris saw it, too, because he cursed under his breath and began to sprint faster, which I didn’t even think was possible. I glanced around, but all I could see was trees, trees and a rocky rising to our left. Idris took a sharp turn, heading right for it at a blinding speed.
“Idris!” I said, not understanding why we were approaching a rock face without slowing down.
Then he stuck his wrist out, the wall shimmered, and Amelia screeched as we walked right through the wall. It sealed up behind us and we were plunged into darkness. Inside a rocky mountain. What the hell?
Loud breaths filled the silence, echoing off walls I couldn’t see. Idris helped me off his back, then he said in the darkness, “Don’t move. I’ll get a fire going.”
I reached out and my fingers closed around a hand. Amelia’s. We stood huddled together in the dark while shuffling sounds came from all around us. Finally, a light sparked, a little bit of fire illuminating Idris’s face as he blew on a pile of brush. Once it was ignited, he dropped a couple of twigs on top, then a larger branch. Still crouched by the fire, he beckoned to us. “Come on over.”
I wasn’t cold, but I drew Amelia over to the fire. I gathered some leaves and brush and drew them into a pile so Amelia could lie down.
“We rest here, wait for nightfall, then we head the rest of the way to the Gregorie compound. We’ll be safe there.”
“And we’ll be…welcome there?” I asked.
He didn’t even flinch. “Abso-fucking-lutely.”
Well, that answered that. I looked at Amelia, and her eyes were closing even though she valiantly tried to keep them open. “It’s okay,” I said. “You can sleep.”
She drew her hands under her head and sighed, letting her eyes fall closed. Within minutes she was asleep, her breaths deep and even. I watched the flames flicker over the shadows on her face. She was so young, so peaceful. I wondered if she had the veil, too. Would Keno have put her through the same thing? She’d most likely hit puberty. I could see the faint straps of a bra beneath her shirt meaning…well, she could birth children for whatever Keno was planning. I shuddered, unable to imagine the horrors he would have put us through.
Well, he could still put us through them. No, no, I couldn’t think about that. I had Idris.
I turned to find him watching me where he sat with his back against the wall, knees drawn up. His eyes burned as bright as the flames. For a moment I didn’t move, caught in that wicked gaze. Then I shifted closer to the fire. “When I left that cell, I wasn’t so sure I would see you again.”
He didn’t say anything, only watched me steadily.
I scooted toward him on my knees. “So much could have gone wrong. Keno could have decided not to go. He could have locked me somewhere else, taken Amelia away.”
When I was close, Idris reached for me, tugging me into his lap. I gripped the edges of his shirt. They’d taken his long, beautiful coat, and now all he wore was a bloodstained, ripped T-shirt. He was still handsome, my wild and dark vampire.
“Don’t think about all that could have gone wrong,” he said. “A lot went right, including right now.”
His hands clamped around my hips, and his gaze dipped to my neck. He licked his lips.
“Idris,” I whispered. “Amelia is right there.”
“The cave goes deeper,” he said. “No one can get in here, and I”—a shudder ran through him—“I need you.”
His voice was like hooks in my heart, sinking in, tugging, capturing me and owning me. My body remembered his touch. It hadn’t been so long ago.
“I wish,” he said, pressing a kiss along the hinge of my jaw. “I wish I had time. I want to lay you out on a soft bed, make you come so hard you pass out, then let you soak in a hot tub. I’d point out the bruises I made in your skin, the ones where I gripped you too tight, because I need you that bad, and you need me back. I’d kiss those bruises, and you’d wear them with pride, because I put them there. Me. Only me. Because I’m the only one who touches you, Celia. You understand?”
I could only nod, because I did understand. All this time it was like my body had been lying dormant, only to come alive for Idris. I rolled my hips where they rested in his lap, and he moaned.
I cast a glance at Amelia, but she was asleep, the fire low. I didn’t want to leave her but…“Need you, Celia,” he mumbled against my skin, and when I felt the sharp edge of his teeth on my vein, I was done with hesitation. “Then take me.”
We were airborne in seconds, striding around a bend in the cave so we were out of sight. The fire reflected off the back wall, but it was mostly dark as Idris once again sank down with me on his lap. I loved this position—I could feel his hard shaft nudging me, and I ground myself against it. My blood felt like it was on fire, burning through my veins, eating away at my flesh. “Please, feed from me,” I moaned. It was like my body knew what I needed and directed my brain to do anything it could to get it. I needed Idris. His teeth, his touch, his saliva.
He didn’t keep me waiting, didn’t torture me. He pulled me to him and sank his teeth into my neck.
My eyes rolled back in my head, and I bit my lip to stop myself from crying out and waking Amelia. But it was damn hard when my entire body was singing. I ground my hips into Idris, and the feel of his hard shaft against my aching core was driving me insane. Feeding wouldn’t be enough. I needed him or I’d die. I knew that with a certainty that should have scared me.
Idris drank and drank, his arms around me growing tighter and tighter. He was growling now with every suck, an inhuman sound that turned me on more, vibrating down my spine to make me even wetter.
“Idris, please,” I whined, out of my mind with need.
With a snarling grunt he pulled me off his lap, and his tongue lapped the bite before he shoved me onto my back on a pile of leaves. He tore my jeans down my legs, and maybe I should have been frightened at the intensity of his eyes, the redness that seemed to shine from within. God, he was bigger somehow, his shoulders straining his shirt, his neck veins pulsing—actually pulsing.
But I wasn’t scared. Not at all. I only wanted him more.
He threw my legs over his shoulders and dove between my legs. His tongue surged inside me, and I arched my back, slapping one hand on the ground, the other across my mouth because a scream was rising up my throat. He didn’t stop, didn’t let up. He ate at me like my pussy gave him life, like he’d find the answers to all the world’s problems in the folds of my wet flesh.
I writhed on the floor, abandoning my desire to keep quiet. I couldn’t. All I could do was grip Idris’s hair and grind against his mouth. He nipped at me, and small sucks told me he was drawing blood along my inner thighs, and along the most sensitive parts of me. I loved every minute of it. Every flash of teeth sent me to a higher plane of ecstasy until I wasn’t sure I’d ever come back down. I didn’t want to.
I came on a cry, my hips churning against him as he nuzzled into me, his tongue, nose, teeth, and lips working me over.
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