freed his hardness. Taking it in her hands, she stroked it, and just when she was about to straddle it, he pushed her back.
“Suck me,” he instructed.
With a slow smile, she slid off his lap and knelt between his legs.
The moment her mouth encased him and she drew him in, he came. He grabbed her by the hair hard and held her mouth in place. At first, she moaned in pleasure. I never wanted to throw up so badly in my entire life. I bucked and writhed inside, and still, I could do nothing. I couldn’t even close my fucking eyes.
He knew it, too. The sick, sick bastard knew it. I’m pretty sure that turned him on as much as the woman had.
I knew the exact moment he decided to kill her.
He thrust once more, yanked her up by her hair, and stared into her eyes for a split second. Her large breasts dangled. She threw a leg over his arm, hoping there’d be more.
There was, but not what she’d imagined.
He changed; I saw nothing but the look of terror in her eyes.
Then, he covered her mouth with his hand and plunged his fangs into her chest, ripped into the cavity, and entered her heart. It pumped for nearly a full minute, warm blood squirting deep into his throat. Before the last beat, he flung her from him. Her body crumpled to the floor, her face turned just enough to stare lifelessly at him.
At me.
He rose, belted his pants, lifted his zipper. Without another glance he walked right past her body.
In the small foyer, he stopped, looked left, and stared directly into a mirror.
“That was for you, Riley Poe,” he said, his voice making me physically shake inside. “I thought of you while I came.”
In my dark purgatory, I screamed, kicked, swore, cried.
He laughed.
“Dusk, girl. Don’t be late. And don’t goddamn bring anyone with you, or your little friend will die way worse than this one did today.”
“Riley!”
My eyes fluttered open, and I stared into the dark brown orbs of Preacher’s worried gaze. “Girl, what you doin’ on the floor? Git up now,” he said, grasping my arm and helping me to stand. He peered at me. “You seen somethin’ bad, right? I could tell on your face, baby. You seen somethin’ bad.”
I nodded. “I did, Preach.” I hugged him. “I hate this. It’s got to end,” I said, holding back tears.
He pulled away and looked at me for several seconds. “It’s goin’ to, baby girl,” he said. “I promise you dat. But you gonna have to pull some strength from down there,” he said, tapping my heart. “I talked to Gilles. I know dat Valerian monster has Nyx.” He stared hard at me. “Dem Duprés, and dat Noah—dey on dere way now. You watch yourself till dey git here, dat’s right. Now I gotta go back to your grandmodder. I don wanna leave her alone wit all dis goin’ on today. Might take her to da Dupré House.”
I hugged Preacher again—maybe for the last time. “You go take her there. I’ll keep my cell on me, and I’ll call Gilles if anything goes on. Promise.”
“Okay, baby,” he said. “I trust you, and I know you been trained good. Be careful.” And with a final glance, he left my apartment.
With a silent prayer, I begged whomever to keep my surrogate grandparents alive and well.
For a second, I could do nothing more than stand in the center of my apartment and try to think. Not an easy task when your best friend was being held hostage. But I had to clear my mind. Quickly, I strapped on my sheaths and blades. Then, I sat, but for only a few minutes. I put my head down on my kitchen table, my mind a jumble of wires. Then I found myself at the top of a castle wall walk, peering over into the trees and forest beyond. My palms gripped cool stone, and, as I looked down, I noticed the dragons winding around both of my arms. I wore a bejeweled shift; if I didn’t know better, I’d think it some sort of a medieval wedding gown. It was the first piece of clothing from my dreams that wasn’t sexual. Amazing.
Why would I be wearing a medieval wedding gown?
“Ah,” Victorian’s voice said, softly, sexily, “because it is what you secretly dream of. Marriage”—he leaned over my shoulder, brushing his mouth against my ear—“with me.”
“No, I do not,” I insisted. “Why am I here?” I asked. “This is not the time for one of our visits. What is this, your home? In Romania?”
He now stood beside me, looking out over the landscape. “Yes, it is. Beautiful, isn’t it?” He was silent for a few moments, scouring the land before us. “As beautiful as you, I imagine.”
“Victorian,” I began, “don’t.”
“Don’t what, love?” he asked, then chuckled lightly. “Don’t for a second think I’ll give up my pursuit of you, Riley Poe. Never have I wanted another so fiercely. And I am used to getting everything I want.”
Now I chuckled. “Yeah well, you can’t always have everything you want, Vick.”
“Why not?”
With a heavy sigh, I turned to him. “Because you just can’t. That’s why.” The present returned to me, and I looked hard at him. “Why can’t you help me? You know what sort of trouble Nyx is into now, and yet you’ve made yourself scarce at the most crucial of times. Why is that?”
He looked down at me, his dark, liquid eyes troubled. “I am in transit; it is difficult for me to connect. I am sorry.”
I nodded and rubbed a rough patch of stone beneath my fingertip. “Everything is fucked up. Valerian recognizes me. He has even seen me in a storefront reflection, and in a mirror. He’s captured Nyx and is tormenting me, threatening to kill her. I can’t stand another second of it. If anything were to happen to her—” I sobbed. I hadn’t meant to, but it escaped.
“Christ, Riley. Don’t weep. Please,” he said, and grazed my wet cheek with his knuckle. “I am trying my best to get to you. Please, hold on just a little longer.” He leaned close to me and sniffed my hair. “What else has my brother said to you?”
“He wants me to meet him at dusk, at this club,” I answered. “I’m pretty sure he wants to trade Nyx for me. I’ll do it; he has no idea what sort of a fight I can put up.”
“Do the others know?” he asked, worry lines etched deep into his face. “Are they aware of matters?”
I shrugged. “Probably by now they are. I’ve turned my phone off to rejuv myself before the big fight tonight.
“That comforts me little.” He put his hands on my shoulders and turned me around to face him. “Don’t do anything foolish, Riley. I’ll be there, and I’ll make it better. Do you understand?” he asked.
I nodded. “Yes, Vick, I understand. Seriously. I got this.”
Victorian then leaned his head close to me, and brushed his lips against mine—not kissing, just very, very close. “No, Riley,” he whispered, “I do not think you do. But I will make sure you obey my every command this night. “ ’Tis the only way.”
I jerked awake. Immediately, I glanced at the clock.
An hour before dusk.
Hurriedly, I got ready.
This time, the hunt, the evil, would end.
