Girl, Bitten

by Graceley Knox

  I avert my eyes to the floor, making him laugh at my weak attempt at defiance.

  “I’ll leave you to get cleaned up. I know it’s been a long night for you and I have some business to attend to.” He makes his way out, stopping only for a moment. “Oh, and if you should think about leaving, I wouldn’t. Not everyone in the coven is as . . . understanding as I am. You wouldn’t want to get hurt.”

  I flip him off, earning another laugh. Seriously? Did he just offer to give me some time to get cleaned up and then threaten me?

  Despite his warning, I search the room for any means of escape. I have to make it back to Arsen to understand what’s going on. The window is out of the question. Not only is it blocked by metal bars but beyond them, there’s nothing but a straight drop to a cold, unforgiving tar-covered lot.

  Calling the police wouldn’t help because they probably wouldn’t believe me and would likely get annihilated if they tried to take on a whole coven of narcissistic vampires. Plus, I’m quickly becoming something I don’t fully understand. I’d be labeled a potential threat as well.

  I sit down on the swiveling chair next to Niko’s desk in the corner of his room. Angry tears join the fearful ones as I think back to Arsen.

  The gentle strength in his voice as he told me he claimed me as his own echoes in my mind, sending a slow burn through my belly. He’s the same as Nikolai. A vampire. And from the sound of it, they’re bitter rivals only focused on getting rid of their competition. I’m just the poor victim stuck in the middle of a vampire turf war.

  Taking out my phone, I stare down at the glowing screen. Unlocking it, I scroll through some old photos before all of this madness. The smiles of my friend Jackson and I look back at me. Those days of pure innocence are long gone.

  Determination to escape enlightens me, and I walk over to the door, opening it as quietly as I can. This asshat of a vampire is not keeping me locked up like I’m a prisoner. This princess is going to save her damn self.

  Thankfully the hallway is empty and quiet despite the not-so-muffled sounds of wild sex going on in the other rooms. Nikolai’s probably entertaining one of the other vampire chicks I’d seen as we walked through this place. Blech.

  Hugging the wall as closely as I can, I creep around the corner, ducking into a broom closet when a rather good-looking, buff vampire walks by with his arm slung around a well-endowed blonde in clothes so tight, they are probably screaming to get off of her. After they pass, I continue sneaking down the stairs, stopping to survey the main room.

  There are a few vampires lounging around, appearing bored. Some sit on old couches, sucking face and drinking while others vie for the attention of their one-night stand of choice.

  My eyes fall on Nikolai in the corner, his feet propped up on a glass coffee table with a cigarette hanging from his pointer and middle fingers. On either side of him are two very attractive women, each trying her best to win his attention only to be ignored. At least until he leans over and gives a deep kiss to the one on his left.

  I roll my eyes. Business to attend to, he says? Must be nice to be a rich playboy who can get what he wants whenever he wants.

  “Hey.”

  I spin around to see another one of the vampires I’d glared at staring back at me with hungry silver eyes. “What’s a sexy little thing like you doing out here? Thought Nikolai took you to his room for the night.”

  My heart beats fast as I try to get away from him only to be grabbed and pulled against his chest. The commotion draws Niko’s attention and from one second to the next, he is up the stairs and slamming his fellow vampire against the wall.

  “You are never to touch what’s mine. Do you understand?” he asks. The severity of his voice sends shocks of fear up my spine. The other vampire nods and drops to the ground. “Good.”

  Once again, I am taken by the arm and led back to Niko’s room. He pushes me inside and slams the door behind him, the sound making me jump.

  “I told you, didn’t I? Not everyone here is as understanding as I am. The next time you want to try something as stupid as sneaking out, I’d rethink it.” He strolls over to where I stand with my back to the wall. He prowls toward me like a lion stalking its prey, and a fission of unease snakes up my spine. “I can see it’s going to take a bit more to keep you under control but no matter. I’m a pretty patient vampire but don’t think this means I won’t exert my authority. You’re mine, Sasha.” He runs a finger down my neck and glares into my eyes, his features harsh. “Like it or not, you’re mine.”

  Chapter 8

  Hell. That’s what it feels like. Hell.

  In an attempt to get in my good graces, Nikolai has agreed to let me go to school but one of his vampire minions follows me wherever I go. Honestly, it feels like I’m being smothered. I’m never alone. The looks I get from my schoolmates at the strange men and women constantly following me around grate on my nerves.

  Even when I’m trying to listen to the dry-as-hell lecture about business ethics and its importance in the world of research, I can’t ignore the burning glare in the back of my head of whoever’s assigned to be my babysitter for the day.

  Unfortunately, the first stop each day is the labs where I have to undergo tests to see how far along I am in the change. The closer I get to full on joining the fang club, the more frequent the tests become. I hate getting poked and prodded like a pin cushion, so my mood is somewhere between pissy and downright dangerous. Let’s just say I’m underwhelmed about the destination my self-proclaimed ‘master’ is sending me to.

  “Sasha!”

  I stop walking when I hear the familiar and comforting voice of my best friend. Jackson jogs up to me with his hand raised in a wave. We hug each other after having been apart for so long. God, a familiar face is a welcome respite from the endless glares at Niko’s compound.

  “Hey!”

  “Where have you been? Are you, all right?” he asks.

  “I’m sorry, I took a break for a few days like you suggested.”

  “Wow, that’s the first time you’ve ever done something I said to,” He elbows my arm. “Are you sure you’re recovering okay? You don’t have lasting brain damage?”

  “I’m doing just fine, asshole,” I swat at him, laughing before brushing a strand of hair away from my face.

  Jackson scratches the back of his head. The same funny, crooked grin from my childhood curling its way across his lips. “Yeah. I’ve been worried.” He eyes the vampire trying to hide his presence behind a nearby tree.

  “I promise, I’m okay.”

  “Look, I don’t know how to say this, Sasha. But we need to talk.”

  “About?”

  “I’ve been looking more into Arsen. And I’m not liking what I’ve found.”

  I glance back over my shoulder. It’d take a miracle but somehow, I need to ditch my tail and find someplace Jackson and I can talk without being disturbed or overheard. Without thinking, I take Jackson’s hand and power-walk as fast as I can toward the library.

  From my previous excursions, I knew it would be easy to buy some time since the whole building was a labyrinth of books and winding rows and halls.

  “What the hell are we doing, Sasha?” Jackson asks, both confused and clearly amused.

  “Just trust me.”

  We run up the stairs and through the security scanners at the opening of the library, giggling like maniacs. Once I’m sure we have some time and my tail is long gone, I pull Jackson into one of the isolated meeting rooms the clubs often use to talk about what their next events would be.

  I lean over, trying to catch my breath so I can speak coherently. “I don’t have a lot of time. What did you want to talk to me about?”

  “I’ll leave my question about why we just ran from that guy for later. Arsen’s bad news. According to what I’ve been able to find out, he’s some kind of big street boss or something in a war with a rival gang. I don’t think you should get mixed up with him.” Jackson keeps his voice low like we�
�re sharing state secrets or something.

  He’s not telling me anything I don’t already know. Nikolai spent a lot of time trash talking Arsen and telling me how bad he is. Problem is, the jackass clearly hadn’t looked in a mirror in a while. Pot meet kettle.

  “Thanks for letting me know, Jackson. I promise I’ll be careful but I think I can take care of myself.” I’m trying to appease him and back off a bit on the big brother act. Despite my annoyance at his actions, my initial instinct is to trust Arsen.

  Jackson grips my shoulders, his eyes locked on mine. “I don’t think you get it, Sasha. These are some dangerous men you’ve gotten mixed up with. I just want to make sure you’re okay.”

  I shove him away, my frustrations from the past few days coming out. “I know they’re dangerous, okay! I get it! Not like I can do anything if they decide to do something against me. Stop thinking you have to be my damn dad!”

  Jackson’s eyes widen at my sudden outburst. He looks angry but I don’t care. He has no idea what I have to go through every single time I go back to Niko’s compound. I feel like a fucking lab rat returning to my maze in search of that piece of cheese at the end.

  “I’m just trying to help.” He shoves his hands into his pockets and looks away from me. “You don’t have to be such a bitch.”

  “So I’m a bitch because I’m not doing what you want and leaving Arsen alone? That’s who this is about, right? Arsen?” I raise a brow, waiting for his response.

  Jackson grits his teeth. Yeah, I’d hit that nail on the head. “It’s not only about him. You’ve been acting strange lately. Disappearing for long periods of time and not answering anyone’s calls. That’s never been like you.”

  I think back to the photos I’d looked through after Nikolai dragged me out of Arsen’s compound. About the time before I was bitten by a jackass of a vampire. Of course, Jackson would think I’m insane if I try to explain it all and I don’t want Jackson to be put in danger simply because I want to go back to the way things used to be.

  “I just needed space for a while. I mean God, you’ve been overbearing since the end of high school. I told you Jackson, as sweet as you are, we’ll only ever be friends.” It’s a shitty thing to say, and I know it, but he’ll forgive me. Hopefully. And it will keep him away from me for a while and safe.

  He’d done so much for me when my parents had died and I’d landed in foster care, alone in the world and shaken to my core.

  “That was low, Sasha. Don’t you think I know that? I’m okay with it, really. I just don’t like the way Arsen looks at you. Like he’s planning to take a bite out of you or something. The look in his eye is almost inhuman.”

  You have no idea. Of course, it isn’t Arsen who bit me and turned me into something else. Arsen was kind to me. He treated me like a real woman. In a way, I felt loyal to him.

  “Sasha, stay away from him. I’m begging you. Don’t be so damn stubborn and fight me on this!”

  That’s it! He doesn’t understand and there’s no way I can explain it without putting him in danger. To avoid saying something that would hurt him further, I walk out of the room, waving over my shoulder, leaving him calling out my name and getting shushed by the librarian.

  Once outside, I find myself in front of a very angry vampire. I didn’t really feel like dealing with another confrontation so I just followed him to the waiting black car to take me back to Nikolai’s coven.

  The whole ride, I did nothing but stare out of the window at the passing scenery. My mind drifted to back to Jackson. Try as I might to explain it away, I was a complete bitch to him. He was only trying to look out for me like he always does but he was stubborn and hard to get along with sometimes, too.

  Guess I can’t blame him. I lean against the heel of my hand. My thoughts switch back to Arsen and the way he looked when Nikolai took me away. I sigh.

  Sheesh, how I miss the days when things like vampires were nothing but a myth.

  The car pulls up to Niko’s coven where the vampire of the hour stands at the door smoking a vapor cigarette and waiting for me. He’s wearing leather bands around his wrists and a low-cut V-neck revealing the details of his chest under the tight material. Seems to be his go-to outfit of choice.

  When I get out of the car, cotton candy meets the fresh smell of rainfall from the night before.

  “Have a nice day at school, babe?” Niko blows out another billow of the sweet-smelling vapor.

  “Really? Babe?” I wave my hand in my face to get the sickening cloud out of my face. My senses had begun getting more heightened lately so the smoke made me sick.

  Nikolai chuckles, taking it out of his mouth and putting it back in his pocket. I adjust the backpack on my shoulder and push past him, our bodies brushing briefly. It was enough to make my skin crawl at the same time it brought me comfort. The opposing feelings only angered me off more.

  “Rough day? You look pissed.”

  “Yeah well, getting treated like your personal pet project will do that to someone. Not to mention I’m constantly being follow around by a looming shadow. Doesn’t exactly earn me any friends. Here by the way,” I push a piece of paper in his chest, forcing him to back up a foot.

  He looks at it carefully then hands it to the bodyguard he’d assigned for the day. “Still no indication as to why you were able to cure me. The change is coming along nicely though. You were actually able to push me back.”

  A growl rumbles in the back of my throat. Like what he said was just a compliment? I hate him for what he did to me. What he’s still was doing to me. Instead of fighting, I storm off to my own room Nikolai had given me and slam the door.

  It wasn’t until later in the evening Nikolai knocked on the door. Honestly, I didn’t want to entertain his company but didn’t have much of a choice. His coven; his rules. Anyone who dared challenge him met the business end of his fist.

  “Come in.”

  Nikolai struts inside, shirtless, a wide grin on his face.

  “Could you be any more obvious in your advances? I mean, really. What do you want, Niko? I have an exam and a research paper to plan for.”

  “Just wanted to make sure my girl was okay,” He closes the door and sits down on the bed. “Of course, there’s the little matter of your running off today and leaving the guard I put on you in the dust.”

  There it was. That famous ulterior motive. “I wanted some personal space to chat with a friend without prying ears. Besides, I went right back to my babysitter and I’m here aren’t I?”

  Nikolai sighs. “This is true but what you did is unacceptable. I’m debating on what to do to make sure you don’t do it again. How would it look if Arsen or one of those loyal to him found you? Odds are you would’ve gone with them willingly.”

  Ugh. I don’t answer him. He’s so jealous. Yeah, Nikolai was good looking. Yeah, Nikolai is smooth but he’s dangerous and possessive. And not in a cute playful way. There’s something more to Arsen though. I could imagine myself with him. Maybe even falling in love with him.

  Nikolai spins my chair so I face him. “Don’t do it again, Sasha. I mean it. I’ve warned you before. You’re mine and I’ll kill anyone who dares touch what’s mine. Human, vampire, shifter, I don’t care who they are.”

  My heart pounds in my chest as he leans in close to my face. The smell of his breath is a mix of dangerous musk combined with the sweetness of his vaporizer. His gaze fixed on me, studying my reaction.

  A soft smile rolls across his lips. “Besides,” He caresses my face with his fingers. “How am I going to make sure my girl is safe if she runs away from me?”

  It takes every ounce of control I have to force myself not to slap him.

  Arsen, think of Arsen. I force my mind to focus on Arsen’s words. His promise to protect me. No matter what, I wouldn’t give in to Nikolai.

  I can’t.

  And the next chance I get, I’m hauling ass out of here.

  Chapter 9

  Every corner in the labyrinth
makes my heart jolt and my throat close. I had been lucky, every new corridor up until now had been deserted, but the closer I get to the surface, the more likely I am to run into Nikolai’s guards, and I have no idea how to reach the light of day.

  That’s the worst part of being the ‘guest’ of a master vampire. I don’t really know for sure if it’s day or night, or how long I’ve been down here. Every new hallway looks the same as the one before, dirty stone floors, cobbled stone walls, and strings of hanging lanterns hanging from the high arched ceilings, casting their soft yellow glow in the darkness.

  Don’t lose your shit, Sasha, a little voice in my head spurs me to action and I duck around the corner, almost crying in frustration as I hit my third dead end in the hour that I’ve been searching.

  I glance down at the analog watch my mother gave me for my high school graduation, an expensive rose gold with Roman numerals and a tiny diamond in the face. But I would give anything for her to have given me a cheap Timex with a calendar instead of a diamond, or better, my phone.

  Not that it had helped. When I’d first awakened on the king-sized bed and looked around, my phone had been on the table at my side. Nikolai had caught me trying to call the police and informed me that we were too deep underground to get any signal. It hadn’t stopped him from taking it, and my purse, when he’d left.

  I backtrack quickly, jogging to make up the time I’ve lost as my mind keeps wandering back to my room. I retrace my steps back three turns and go right, instead of left, praying the sensation of walking uphill isn’t just my imagination.

  But with each step, my feet continue to feel heavier, and within yards, I’m exhausted and must sit and rest, my sweaty back pressed against the cool stone wall. Get up. Get UP stupid, they’re going to catch you. I know I’ve got to move, but my body is as heavy as the stone around me and I can’t stand.

  I can feel my mind being pulled back into the daydreams I kept catching myself in as I sat in a heavy wingback chair by the fire in my room. The stone across from me starts to waver and shift, until a doorway appears in front of me.