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  I started trembling. “You stay away from me.”

  He laughed. “You will soon come to realize I am the only friend you have here.”

  I’d thought he was the closest thing to a friend at Bella’s party and look where that had gotten me. “What does Bella want from me?”

  “She wants you to join her side.”

  “And if I refuse?”

  “You will not refuse.”

  I didn’t get a chance to argue as he stood and took hold of my arms. I had no energy to fight him. He reached for the cuffs and pinned my wrists in each one as I looked on helplessly.

  “I am going to get you more soup.”

  I closed my eyes, praying this was all a dream, a terrible nightmare that plagues you, but always promises escape simply by waking up. But I knew such thoughts were hopeless. This was no dream. This was reality, cold and stark.

  The door opened and Sinjin returned. He wasn’t alone. Ryder strolled beside him, acting as though he was late for one of our lessons, not as though he’d punched me in the face and then kidnapped me, or witchnapped me as the case may be. My stomach clenched at the sight of him, and all I could think about was that thing, sucking the life from me.

  Ryder wasn’t shy about his disloyalty. He strolled to my bedside and looked as if he were ready to bite into my neck the moment I came into view.

  “Keep away from her,” Sinjin growled.

  Ryder grunted, but backed away, taking a seat in the chair beside the bed.

  So, it seemed Sinjin was the alpha vampire between the two of them. I wasn’t sure who’d win if you pitted them against one another. Sinjin was taller, but Ryder was as thick as a wall and I’m not talking about his intellectual capacity.

  “I’m hungry,” Ryder groaned, never taking his eyes off me. “An’ she tastes real good.”

  “You are not to touch her again. You nearly drained her completely.”

  I felt utterly and completely invaded. I couldn’t help but wonder if Rand had any idea what had happened to me. Had he seen Ryder abduct me? Where was he, and was he trying to find me?

  “Ryder, come here,” I said with as much authority as I could muster which wasn’t much considering I was the one cuffed to a bed and on death’s door.

  Ryder chuckled. “She wants more.”

  “I want to ask you some questions.”

  “Be careful what you answer,” Sinjin warned the big and stupid oaf.

  Ryder neared me and leaned in too close. I could see the hunger in his eyes and prayed that Sinjin wouldn’t leave us alone. Ryder would kill me, I could see it as clear as day in the void of his eyes.

  “What happened to Rand?” I asked, forcing my mind off the devilish look in his gaze and his elongated canines.

  “He was busy with a wolf.”

  “Did you hurt him?”

  Ryder shook his head. “No, I didn’t do nothin’ to him. My orders was to get you an’ that’s what I did.”

  So, the bastard didn’t know what had happened to Rand. I could only hope Rand was safe. My second hope was that he was looking for me.

  Just as Ryder was about to assume the seat next to me, Sinjin pushed him out of the way. Ryder left the room, muttering something under his breath. Sinjin took the seat in question and spooned a portion of soup from the bowl, blowing on it with his cold breath. He fed me gingerly, and I was surprised such a horrid creature could take such care.

  “Are you just going to keep me here?” I asked, once I’d had enough.

  “Bella will decide when she thinks you are ready.”

  “Ready for what?”

  “You have your work cut out for you,” he said with a malevolent smile. “There is a waiting list of creatures who need to be brought back to life.”

  I laughed, a mirthless sound. “I’m not going to help her.”

  Sinjin frowned. “It is life or death, Poppet, you would be wise to do as she asks.”

  I faced him with ire. “Don’t call me that name ever again.”

  “If I recall correctly, it did not bother you at Bella’s party.”

  I gritted my teeth, hating him with all my being. “If it never bothered me before, it bothers me now.”

  Sinjin seemed deflated somehow, and it surprised me. If I didn’t know better, I would’ve thought my opinion of him actually mattered. But, of course, I was fooling myself. This creature was incapable of any human emotion.

  “Where’s Bella?” I demanded.

  “She will come to you when you are ready.”

  “I’m ready now. Send her to me, so I can tell her she’ll have to kill me before I’ll ever help her or you.”

  Sinjin frowned. “Be careful what you say, Poppet. If you do not help her, she will kill you.”

  “Well then, do it now because I’ll never help her.”

  “Do not be foolish.”

  “You think I’m not serious?”

  “I think you need to keep your courage to yourself. You do not know what Bella is capable of. If you knew what was good for you, you would do as you are told.”

  I narrowed my eyes. “I’ve had enough to eat for today, you can go.”

  Sinjin stood and left the unfinished bowl of soup next to my bed. He started for the door before he seemed to remember something and turned to face me. “Be careful, Jolie, I would hate to see something bad befall you.”

  Then he closed the door.

  EIGHTEEN

  I knew my respite from Ryder wouldn’t last long. With only Sinjin and Ryder watching me, it was a matter of time before Ryder would attend me alone. And, unfortunately, that day had come. At the site of him, my entire body stiffened, and I pulled against the cuffs that held me in my prison.

  “What do you want?” I seethed.

  I didn’t allow the fear to take control of me and, instead, forced myself to be angry, livid.

  He balanced a tray and slammed the door shut with the heel of his thick, black boot. The sound of the door slamming reverberated through my head like the dull blade of an axe. The walls of the room seemed as if they were closing in on me and although I’ve never been claustrophobic, I suddenly understood the anguish of those who are.

  “I’ve brought you somethin’ ta eat.”

  “Where’s Sinjin?”

  Ryder smiled as if he were privy to information I was not. “He had business with Bella.”

  His smile unnerved and irritated me. “Send it back. I don’t want you here.”

  Ryder laughed an ugly and abrasive sound that wreaked havoc with my nerves. He straddled the f a chair. “Looks like you don’t have much choice. My orders are ta make sure you eat all o’ that ‘fore I go back.”

  I narrowed my eyes, thinking that whether or not those were his orders, he’d use it as his excuse to stay. If I wanted him to leave, I’d have to eat whatever he brought and do so quickly. “What did you bring me?”

  He looked at the plate and rattled off the list of uninteresting items. “A sandwich, a pickle an’ some chips.”

  As he was listing my night’s dinner, it occurred to me that maybe I could get some information out of him. He wasn’t sharp like Sinjin, and I might be able to use that to my advantage. I glanced at the food, feigning interest. “What type of sandwich?”

  He shrugged. “Turkey, looks like.”

  I nodded. “What type of mustard? American or English?”

  He sighed and lifted the bread. “You sure are picky. Looks like English ta me. Got them little brown kernels in it.”

  I had him now. “Well, how did you find that? Must be tough to get English mustard around here.”

  He looked at me as if I were stupid. Wasn’t that the pot calling the kettle black…“We’re in England.”

  “Oh.”

  My heart swelled with flowers, chocolate cake, birds singing…anything else that’s heaven on earth. This was the only good news I’d had. Rand would have a better chance of finding me if we were still in his territory. I couldn’t suppress a smile as it crawled ou
t of my heart and landed on my lips.

  “You gonna eat or what?” Ryder asked, still eyeing me as if I were a ding-dong.

  I motioned for him to bring me the plate and peered over the edge. The food was just as bland as I’d thought. I couldn’t say I was a fan of English food.

  “I gotta feed you, you know?” Ryder asked with a wicked smile.

  “Hurry up.”

  He picked up the sandwich and held it in front of me. I went to take a bite, and he pulled it away with a demonic laugh. I swallowed against the outrage burning in me.

  “What are you, five?”

  He shrugged. “So touchy.”

  He brought the sandwich back and didn’t pull it from me when I moved in for a bite. I chewed the lump of food in my mouth and couldn’t say I tasted it. I could’ve been chewing cardboard for all I cared. The food was just a means to an end. I needed to get rid of Ryder and this was the only way. Once I’d swallowed, he picked up the pickle and held it in front of me. I took a bite then motioned to the glass of water on the bedside table. He dropped the pickle back on the plate and took hold of the water. I leaned forward and allowed him to empty the remainder of the glass into my mouth.

  “Why’d you do it?” I asked.

  “Do what?”

  “Betray Rand and me?”

  “I was workin’ for Bella all along.”

  I nodded, I’d figured that much out already. “And Gwynn?”

  He grinned, his fangs threatening. “She works for me, too.”

  I steeled myself against the worry that gnawed my stomach. Rand had considered Gwynn to be one of his closest allies. I could only hope he’d realized she was no good. He had to know she was no good, I reasoned with myself. He’d definitely realized Ryder had taken me, and Rand was the one who’d told me of the incredible bond between a vampire and his progeny. He knew.

  “I don’t want anymore,” I said.

  “I’m ‘sposed to make sure you eat everthin’ on that plate.”

  I shook my head, suddenly becoming furious. “Tell them I refused. You can go now.”

  Ryder nodded, but didn’t leave. He put the plate next to my bed and focused on my neck, making me shift uncomfortably under his intent gaze. “You look like your health is comin’ back,” he said with a sneer. “You lookin’ mighty good.”

  I knew where this was going. For as feeble as I’d been when I’d sparred with Ryder in the past, I would be one hundred percent helpless in my current state. The only way I’d be able to defend myself would be with ugly words, and I didn’t imagine that would do anything to thwart him.

  “I will scream if you touch me.” My voice was as cold as a tombstone.

  He laughed. “I’ll just cover your mouth.”

  He stood and pushed aside his chair. It clattered to the floor, sounding like a skeleton collapsing. I tugged against my cuffs as the emotionless steel just chafed my wrists. I had to face the fact that Ryder would do whatever he wanted with me.

  So, I played my last card. “I’ll tell Sinjin if you touch me.”

  He leaned close, so close I could smell his breath—a bitter smell like walking into a damp closet that’s been sealed off from fresh air for years. It was the smell of death.

  “Then I’ll come back when you’re asleep and I’ll kill you myself.”

  He grabbed hold of my head and yanked it to the side, his eyes roving my exposed neck. I whimpered, trying to pull my head down, but his brute strength was too much for me. He leaned down and inhaled, as if smelling my blood through my neck. I was about to wail out when his hand cupped my mouth. His hand was so big, it covered my nose and mouth, and it was all I could do to get a breath.

  He leaned down, and I closed my eyes tightly. I thought he’d bite me, instead, his cold tongue darted out and licked my neck. I shivered in disgust, and he pulled away, smirking down at me. “I can’t leave no mark else Sinjin gonna know what I did.”

  My eyes widened, and a glimmer of hope lit within me. Did that mean he was leaving? He wasn’t going to feed on me? He pulled his hand away from my mouth. “Stay the hell away from me,” I whispered.

  Ryder laughed and leaned over me again. He grabbed hold of the bottom of his shirt and ripped it, his shirt screaming against the brutal treatment. I’d fare much worse. He approached me with the long piece of fabric, and I made the mistake of opening my mouth to scream. All it did was made the job of gagging me that much easier.

  Knowing it was futile, I strained against the handcuffs anyway. He jerked the blanket away from my lower half, and fear beat a wild path through me. My entire body trembled as I glanced down at myself, noting my sports bra and stretch pants. I wasn’t wearing much and my lack of clothing would make Ryder’s job that much easier, whatever it was that he intended to do.

  He lunged for my legs, but since they weren’t restrained, I kicked at him with all the pent-up frustration and fear that had been living within me these last couple of weeks. I kicked out with such strength that the cot bucked up. Ryder took a step back as an evil smile captured his broad and ugly face. When he came after me again, he was prepared and grabbed one of my legs, forcing it down with intense pressure until I thought he might break my ankle. I managed to land the free leg right into his nose, and he reared back, his hands covering his face.

  That was when I knew I was in deep crap. He dropped his hands and his canines were longer than they’d been a minute ago. His eyes glowed with a fierce and unnatural quality as he faced me with pure hatred. “You gonna bleed for that.”

  He was lightning fast. Within a blink, he had hold of my stretch pants. It only made me realize that he’d been playing with me earlier—toying with his prey before landing the deathblow. He pulled and the material was quick to rip under his immense strength. Angry tears boiled in my eyes as I attempted to bring my legs together. He held them easily, his fangs exposed, lips snarling, and eyes alive with hunger and lust. “Stop flinchin’ around. When we drink, we get mighty horny.”

  I closed my eyes against the tears. There was nothing I could do. The bleakness of my situation beat down on me, and I couldn’t control the river of tears that streamed down my cheeks. Ryder didn’t seem to notice or if he did, he didn’t care.

  He lay atop me and pushed my legs as far apart as they’d go, sinking his head between them. I felt the pierce of his teeth as they broke through the skin of my upper thigh and the resulting sting as my body protested his assault. He began to suck, making grunting and moaning sounds as if he were having sex with me.

  I screamed out against the gag, my shoulders heaving with sobs. I tried to fill my mind with as many thoughts as I could muster, just so I could ward away the sound of him drinking me and more so, the sound of him enjoying drinking me.

  I refused to look at him, but I could feel his eyes on my face. He enjoyed the pain he was causing me.

  I whimpered at the sound of him tearing at his belt and the zipper of his pants.

  Then I heard the sound that saved me from Ryder. iv height="0">

  The sound of Sinjin yelling for him.

  Ryder jerked away from me, stumbling to his feet while he threw the coverlet back over me, as if covering the evidence and tore the gag from my mouth. A thin trickle of blood coursed down his chin.

  My blood.

  Ryder faced me, and his eyes promised he’d pick up where he’d left off. Before I could say a word, he left, zipping up his fly as he went. My will to remain strong crumbled away, and I sank back into the cot, thinking only of my desperate situation as tears bled from my eyes.

  #

  “Good morning, Sunshine.”

  The voice interrupted my dreamless slumber and forced me to face the ugly world beyond the safety of my closed eyelids. “You certainly are sleeping late.” It was Sinjin’s voice.

  Relief washed over me. I opened my eyes and never would’ve known it was morning—the room had no windows and was lit by a single lamp, leaving the whole place in relative darkness.

  “Are
n’t you supposed to be hibernating?” I mumbled, barely able to get the words out.

  Sinjin laughed. “Vampires can be up any time of the day or night, as long as we are not in the sunlight.”

  “Oh.”

  His brows drew together, his gaze flashing over my body. “You are overly tired this morning?”

  I nodded, staring at the ceiling and hoping he’d read nothing in my eyes. The door opened, and I craned my neck to see Ryder casually stroll through it. My stomach dropped and my pulse increased.

  I hated him.

  “I’m to take over watch. Bella wants you,” he said, facing Sinjin.

  Sinjin looked at him with a sneer of disgust.

  “Don’t leave me with him,” I blurted out before I could stop myself.

  Sinjin turned to face me, his eyes riveted on mine. “Why? I will only be…”

  “Please,” I begged, a sob choking my throat. I couldn’t fathom being left alone with Ryder. “If Bella wants me to help her then you can’t leave me alone with him.”

  Sinjin’s jaw clenched and for the first time I saw true anger flash in his eyes. It wasn’t a pretty sight—it was a damned scary sight. “Why are you so afraid of him?”

  I made the mistake of glancing at Ryder who promised to kill me in no uncertain terms. The threat of retribution was in his eyes. “I…I just don’t trust him.” I couldn’t bring myself to go into the how and the why of it, having promised myself I would never revisit yesterday’s events. I would wipe them from my memory and pretend they’d never happened.

  Sinjin frowned. “It will just be a moment, Love…”

  And he started for the door. All I could see was Ryder’s smug smile and although I’d tried to blind myself against them, images of his head between my legs flashed before me. “Please, Sinjin, he bit me!”

  Sinjin stopped. For one long moment, he didn’t say a word. “I did not see any marks on your neck and Ryder always leaves marks.”

  His jaw clenched tight, his eyes issuing a warning of their own. The anger in his gaze scared the life out of me. He thought I was lying. Crap, now I had two vampires to worry about? Well, either way, I wasn’t lying. “He didn’t bite me there,” I said in a small voice.