my
John leaned against the wall in the hall and closed his eyes. Funny, he felt the same way about them.
CHAPTER 4
It was hours later, or at least it seemed like hours, when Bella awoke to the sound of the mesh plate sliding back. The sweet smell of the
'Hello, wife.' The harness around her torso tightened as he lifted her out.
One look into his pale brown eyes and she knew now was not the time to push any limits. He was wired, his smile way too excited. And unbalanced was not good with him.
Just as her feet hit the floor, he jerked the harness so she fell against him. 'I said hello,
'Hello, David.'
He closed his eyes. He loved it when she said his name. 'I have something for you.'
He left the straps on her and led her over to the stainless-steel table in the center of the room. When he handcuffed her to the thing, she knew it must be dark out still. He got lax about restraining her only during the day, when she couldn't run.
The
With a moan choking in her throat, Bella backed away until her tether prevented her from going any farther. She couldn't watch the torture; she just couldn't.
The
Bella met the vampire's blue eyes. He was terrified, and she wanted to reassure him, but she knew that wasn't smart. The
And then he took out a knife.
The vampire on the table screamed as the slayer leaned over him. But all David did was yank up the male's sweater and slit it open, exposing his chest and throat.
Though Bella tried to fight it, bloodlust stirred in her gut. It had been a long time since she'd fed, maybe months, and all the stress she'd been under meant her body needed badly what only drinking from the opposite sex could give her.
The
'I figured you must be thirsty by now.' The slayer reached out and rubbed her mouth with his thumb. 'So I got this for you to feed from.'
Her eyes rounded.
'That's right. He's just for you. A present. He's fresh, young. Better than the two I have in the holes now. And we can keep him as long as he serves you.' The
His hand clamped on the back of her neck and he kissed her, licking at her with his tongue. Somehow she kept her gag reflex down until he lifted his head.
'I've always wondered what this looks like,' he said, eyes roaming around her face. 'Is it going to turn me on? I'm not sure whether I want it to or not. I think I like you pure. But you've got to do this, right? Or you're going to die.'
He pushed her head down toward the male's throat. When she resisted, the
'That's my girl. If you'd gone willingly to him, I think I would've beaten you out of jealousy.' He stroked her hair with his free hand. 'Now drink.'
Bella looked into the vampire's eyes.
The male had stopped struggling and was staring up at her, his eyes about to pop out of his skull. Hungry though she was, she couldn't bear the idea of taking from him.
The
She opened her mouth, her tongue like sandpaper from the thirst. 'No…'
The
Tears speared her eyes at the violation she would perpetrate.
'I'm so sorry,' she whispered to the chained male.
Her head was yanked back, and the
'You do not apologize to that.' He clapped his hand on her chin, digging his fingertips into the hollows under her cheekbones. 'I'm the only one you worry about. We clear? I said,
'Yes,' she gasped.
'Yes, what?'
'Yes, David.'
He took her free arm and bent it behind her back. Pain shot into her shoulder. 'Tell me you love me.'
From out of nowhere, anger lit off a firestorm in her chest. She would
'Tell me you love me,' he yelled, blasting the demand into her face.
Her eyes flashed and she bared her fangs. The instant she did his excitement shot out of control, his body starting to tremble, his breath falling into a fast pant. He was instantly primed to fight her, aroused for the battle, ready as if he were erect for sex. This was the part of the relationship he lived for. He
'I. Despise. You.'
As he lifted his hand and made a fist out of it, she glared up at him, steady, calm, ready to take the hit. They stayed like that for a long time, their bodies suspended in twins arcs like a heart, tied by the strings of violence that ran between them. In the background the civilian male on the table whimpered.
Suddenly the
'Holy shit,' someone said.
The
The guy started laughing and then said the three words that triggered everything that followed: 'I'm gonna tell.'
David went after the other
Bella didn't hesitate as the first cracks of the fight rang out. She went to work on the chains that bound the civilian's right wrist, flipping the clips free, unraveling the links. Neither of them said a word as she freed his hand