The silence from downstairs told her that Carl wasn’t coming to her defense. Maya feared the worst for the sweet butler who’d only ever treated her with the greatest respect. “What did you do with Carl?”
His facetious grin confirmed her worst suspicion. “Dust to dust, ashes to ashes.”
Maya swallowed hard. She was alone in the house with him. Yvette, the only other person who knew she was alone, was tied up somewhere, Carl was dead, and Gabriel was with the witch. Ricky would instantly know when Gabriel was approaching the house, so she couldn’t expect any help from him either.
She was on her own. On her own with a madman – no, make that a mad vampire. A madman she could defeat with her new strength as a vampire, but looking at Ricky’s strong physique she’d bet her last paycheck that he’d take her in a fight.
Maya let her eyes travel around the room, trying to find anything she could use to her advantage.
“What were you trying to gain by turning me into a vampire?” She had to make sure he continued to talk while she tried to figure out a way of how to get away from him.
“Your undying love and devotion, of course,” he teased lightheartedly, “but I’ll be happy with just your body, your legs permanently spread for me.”
“You sick bastard. You really think I’d spread my legs for you?”
“You did it for Gabriel,” he shot back, hatred suddenly flooding his voice. “What has he got that I don’t, huh? He sure hasn’t got it in the looks department. And he’s no charmer either. I’m just as rich as he is, and I’m far better looking. Is it because he lets you drink his blood?”
Maya gasped. She hadn’t realized he knew.
“Oh yeah, don’t look so surprised. You really think I don’t know what’s going on here? I can smell him on you. You’re positively reeking of him. But don’t you worry, a few days with me and his smell will be gone. I’ll make sure of it, even if I have to drain you of the last drop of blood and replace it with mine.”
“You wouldn’t dare!”
He jumped and stood only inches from her now. His breath ghosted over her face, and she felt bile rise. “Wouldn’t I?”
“He’ll kill you.” She knew Gabriel would – whether she was still alive by then, she wasn’t sure, but she knew Gabriel would not stop until Ricky was dead.
“He’ll never find us. We’ll be long out of the country by the time he even knows you’re gone. And then we start our life together, just like we would have if those idiots hadn’t interrupted us when I turned you.
You would have woken up in my arms and looked up to me as your protector. But I’ll rectify that. You will be mine, and nothing in this world will stop me from making you mine. Don’t you ever forget that.”
The threat hung heavy in the room, poisoning the atmosphere around her. She understood only too well how serious he was. Not even rape was beyond him. She could see the madness in his eyes. No, he wouldn’t stop at anything.
That’s why she had to stop him.
Determination spread within her, and her mind cleared itself of everything else but the thought of getting away from him. Just the way she approached any research problem, she assessed her options one by one and determined the probabilities of succeeding. Her mind raced from one scenario to the next, her heart pumping rapidly to provide her brain with the needed oxygen.
Sweat built on her brow, but she ignored it. Let him think she was scared: it would only serve her purpose. She was beyond fear now – she was in survival mode, and instinct and logic were her best friends. The knowledge that he’d killed her two best friends fired her resolve.
“You killed my friends.”
“Useless humans. They knew too much. You have gossiped about me to them. Their blood is on your hands.”
Maya pushed the guilt away. Ricky was the culprit and she would not allow herself to fall into his trap. He was the evil one, and she would make sure he paid for his deeds. “I’ll make you pay.”
He only laughed at her threat. Then he turned serious again and gripped her arms. “I should like to see you try, but later. We’re leaving.
Now.”
She heard the faint beeping sound coming from the iPhone in Ricky’s pocket and knew Gabriel was on the move. And he knew it too.
The time for stalling was over. Maya tried to push against him and wiggle out of his hold, but he only tightened his grip on her wrists. He would break them if she gave him any more resistance.
“I’m stronger than you,” he gloated.
She knew that already. But she was smarter. Her gaze drifted to the fireplace where a poker leaned against the mantle. She concentrated on the long metal stick with its sharp two-pronged tip.
Then she funneled all her pain and the hatred for Ricky into her thoughts and directed them toward the poker, willing it to move. But it didn’t budge. Her forehead furrowed as she concentrated more. She had to succeed. It had worked in the bar when she was with Thomas. She knew she could do it, if only she could concentrate hard enough.
Ricky pulled at her arms. “Move!”
Maya didn’t obey the command and went rigid. A flash of anger washed over his face, before a wicked grin stole onto his face. “Fine, then how about this?”
Before she knew what he was about to do, he’d pressed his lips onto hers. Bile rose and anger churned in her belly. She clenched her jaw, keeping her lips firmly pressed together as
