He eyed me with a feral expression that made my skin crawl. “Delicious.” He inhaled deeply. “I can’t wait to taste you. I may keep you around a few days just to feed from you.”
I swallowed dryly and lifted my chin. “Remy will come after me. If you’re smart, you’ll let me go now and then get the hell out of here. Now.”
“Of course he’ll come after you.” Lorenzo’s mouth touched my throat. “I’m counting on it.” His teeth tore into my skin.
It was like being stabbed by two red-hot pokers. I gasped and whipped my head from side to side, trying to dislodge him, but he was too strong. His hands clamped on my wrists like manacles and he sucked harder.
For a few endless seconds, I was paralyzed. Beneath the terror, I was stunned at how different this was from when Remy had fed; I hadn’t realized until then how careful he’d been.
Then somehow I summoned up the strength to fight him. I bucked against his body. “Get off me.”
He grunted, but his grip on my right wrist loosened. I wrenched it free and raked my fingernails down his cheek.
He growled, but didn’t stop feeding, just grabbed my wrist again and used his body to hold me immobile against the car. He ground his cock against my belly and I knew it was only a matter of time before he dragged off my jeans.
I could feel myself weakening. “Remy,” I heard myself say from somewhere far away. Then again, more strongly, “Remy.”
Because I knew he was back in Baltimore, and that he was looking for me. The blood bond he’d spoken of flared up within me.
Lorenzo lifted his head. His eyes were glowing gold, his lips stained red. He looked like the predator from hell.
I shrank back against the car, too terrified even to scream.
“Call him,” he taunted. “That’s a good little human. Call him to me.”
I clamped my mouth shut. He laughed and sank his teeth into me again, drinking deeply.
Two dark shapes moved behind him, and I realized there were two other vamps in the garage. With the driver, they made a half circle around us, eyeing me with bright, avid eyes, obviously waiting their turn to feed.
A sense of doom filled me. I no longer had the energy to struggle. I was going to die here in this cold, desolate garage.
Dark spots danced before my eyes. I bucked against Lorenzo in a last attempt to push him away, and then slumped against the car.
He growled and, without lifting his face from my throat, shifted me higher so he could keep feeding.
There was a sound at the warehouse entrance. The middle door blew open and fell to the concrete floor in a crash that reverberated throughout the cavernous space.
Lorenzo cursed and lifted his mouth from me.
My breath sobbed out. With my last ounce of energy, I turned my head to see Remy striding into the warehouse like an avenging angel in a sleek gray suit.
Then everything went black.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN: Remy
I halted in front of the warehouse and eyed the three closed doors.
A vampire has to be invited into another’s lair or private home. But the warehouse was public; I didn’t sense the invisible barrier that would’ve kept me out.
I rammed into the center door and knocked it to the floor with a combination of magic and sheer vampire strength.
As I strode inside, I was dimly aware of three other men, all vampires, but my vision narrowed in on Star—and Lorenzo.
The bastard had her—my woman, my Star—up against a black car and was feeding from her like a beast. The scent of her blood filled the air and her head hung limply to the side. Even from here I could see her skin was sallow from loss of blood.
How long…how long…
A red haze filled my head. I growled and started across the warehouse.
Lorenzo raised his head and looked at me, his mouth dripping with Star’s blood. “Get him.”
The three other vampires emerged from the shadows, coming at me from different directions.
With a start, I realized they were the three vampires who had been at the Ricker Art Gallery that night. Either Charles Ricker was part of this, or his coven had its own traitors.
Either way, these men were dead.
I growled. “You fools think even three of you are a match for my strength?”
And then they were on me.
The first man flew through the air at me. I spun around and aimed a kick at his chest, punching a hole in it. Blood spurted everywhere. As he dropped to the floor, the second man jumped me. I met him full on. With a twist of my body, I had him in a headlock. A second later, I ripped his head off, the only sure way to kill a vampire.
The third man came at me. I willed my fingernails to lengthen, plunged my hand into his chest and ripped out his heart. I threw it across the warehouse and then grabbed him and tore off his head as well.
That left the man on the floor. The hole in his chest had slowed him down, not killed him. He was already regenerating, but Lorenzo had dragged Star to the back of the warehouse. As I looked up, covered with his thugs’ blood, he disappeared with her through a trapdoor in the floor.
My snarl ripped through the warehouse. I stomped another hole in the man’s chest—I’d deal with him later—and launched myself into the air.
The trapdoor closed in my face. I dug my nails into it and tore it off. A rickety metal staircase yawned before me. I could see Lorenzo two stories down, Star struggling weakly in his grasp. Another story below them was a red door. It had all the signs of a vampire’s lair, perhaps one of the men I’d killed.
Terror sliced through me. If it was a lair, I couldn’t enter unless invited. Lorenzo would be free to feed from her while I raged outside, powerless to stop him.
“No,” I roared.
Even with my preternatural speed, I couldn’t spare the time it would take to run down the steps. I dove headfirst down the stairwell after them.
Lorenzo was two steps from the red door when I landed in a crouch in front of him.
He blanched and tossed Star aside. She somehow managed to land on her feet. She wobbled and sank to the floor. The man had fucking drained her.
My beast rose up in me. I growled and leapt for Lorenzo.
We grappled for several long moments. He was nearly my equal in power, but I was fighting for not just my life, but Star’s. He managed to get on top for a few seconds and then Star whimpered.
The hell with this.
I rose with Lorenzo still on me and swung him headfirst into one of the steel pillars supporting the staircase.
His skull crumpled like an eggshell, but he merely snarled, strong from feeding on Star, swiped the blood from his eyes and leapt at me again. I grabbed him and turned, letting his momentum send him to the floor. He landed on his stomach, me on his back. I slammed my knee into his spine. It severed with an audible crack.
Lorenzo groaned. “No…”
I wrapped my arm around his head and tore it off.
It was over. The only sound in the stairwell was Star’s jagged breath. I dropped Lorenzo’s head on the floor and went to her.
“My darling, my little love.” I took her in my arms and crooned to her. “You are all right?” I patted her face, her body.
She nodded weakly against my shoulder. Then she let out a sob. “Oh, God,” she rasped. “It hurt. His teeth…my throat—”
“He’s dead.”
Her breath shuddered in. She looked up at me with sunken eyes. “Hurts…”
My heart constricted. Because this was all my fault. If I hadn’t been so determined to have her at any cost, she’d still be safe in her own world.
I cradled her closer. “I know, ma mie, I know. Here.” I sank my fangs into my wrist and pressed it to her lips. “Drink. It will make you better.”
She closed her eyes and turned her face away. Her pulse stuttered, grew weaker.
Fear swamped me. “Drink.” I infused my voice with a strong compulsion and nudged her mouth with my wrist.
&n
bsp; She tried to keep her mouth shut, but she was too weak. I managed to get a few drops into her and she swallowed thirstily. It wasn’t much, but at least her heartbeat steadied.
I came to my feet and started back up the stairs, Star cradled in my arms. “You’re all right now, my heart. No one’s going to hurt you.”
Tears slipped down her face. “I thought he was going to—”
“Hush now.” I stroked her hair. “I’m sorry, so sorry. I should’ve realized he’d have men watching me, even here in Baltimore.”
She briefly met my eyes and I gulped.
She knew.
I probed the blood bond and she visibly cringed from me. Something inside me broke at that. “Star?”
She closed her eyes. “I’m tired.”
“Yes, of course. I only want you to know you’re safe now. He was the last one—and all three of his top men are dead, too. No one else will dare challenge me after this.”
She gave a tiny nod.
We reached the top of the staircase and emerged into the warehouse. Star’s chest heaved and her head fell to the side. For the first time I saw the gash the bastard had ripped in her neck. His saliva had healed her as he fed, else she would’ve bled out.
I growled low in my throat. If I could’ve killed Lorenzo a second time, I would have.
Her pulse was erratic again. I fought down panic. “Here.” I brought my wrist to her lips. “Drink some more.”
She shook her head. “Don’t—want.”
“Drink,” I said with all the power at my command. “I promise, I won’t give you enough to change you.”
She gave a little sob, but I pressed my blood on her until she sighed and gave in.
“That’s it,” I murmured as she took a few drops. “Take all you need. Make yourself strong again.”
When she was done, she closed her eyes and rested her head against my chest. I could feel her hurt and anger and distrust through the bond, and it made my stomach clench.
I dug out my phone and called Malik. “I have Star. She’s alive, but injured. Come immediately.” I gave him the address and then walked with her to the front of the warehouse to wait.
Star had fallen into a healing sleep, my magical blood working to heal her. I pressed a kiss to the top of her head and stared out into the night.
I’d thought my heart was too old and cold to break. I was wrong.
Because I’d fallen in love with the young, fragile human in my arms.
And she had every reason to hate me.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN: Star
When we got back to the hotel, Remy urged some juice and crackers on me, and then tried to get me to go to bed, but I was covered with blood and desperate to be clean.
“I want a shower,” I said fretfully.
He nodded and carried me straight to the bathroom, where he shucked his clothes and then, after helping me undress, took me into the shower. He had to hold me up because my legs were like wet noodles. With his other hand, he picked up a washcloth and gently scrubbed the blood away.
As I watched the rust-colored water disappear down the drain, I began to shiver uncontrollably. Remy swung me into arms again and, taking me back to bed, spooned himself around me and did something that made his body a mini-furnace.
I stiffened, but I was too weak to fight him. Heat seeped into me and I relaxed again. I wanted to snuggle up against him, but I couldn’t forget how he’d tricked me into this whole thing.
I was so tired though. Finally, I turned over and laid my head on his chest. Because I needed to be held, and even knowing what Remy had done, he felt like home.
And God, I hated myself for that.
He murmured something against my hair and gathered me carefully into his arms.
Gradually the shivers stopped, and I fell into a deep sleep.
When I woke up, Remy had left the bed and was talking to Malik in hushed French. I didn’t understand what they were saying, but I heard my name.
And damn if Malik didn’t sound concerned.
Then Remy noticed I was up. He gave me some more juice and crackers, and then helped me to the bathroom, and then tucked me back into bed again and sat on a nearby chair.
Malik approached the bed on the other side. I looked at him through slit lids, half-expecting him to smirk at me. The man had made no secret of the fact that he’d love to get rid of me.
But all he did was touch my shoulder. “Get better, mademoiselle. I want you to know I’m sorry for my part in this—what happened at Oakley’s, I mean.”
I jerked my chin. Because after all, he’d only acted on Remy’s orders.
“Next time,” I rasped, “I’ll take you out myself. See if I don’t.”
The man actually smiled—and his face didn’t crack. “I know you will. But I promise there will not be a next time.” He leaned closer and whispered, “You are good for him.”
How about that? I’d finally been accepted. Guess you had to nearly get killed for the man to trust you. I rolled my eyes and fell back asleep.
For the next couple of days, I spent most of the time sleeping, but whenever I awoke, Remy was there, urging me to eat and drink.
Then suddenly, my eyes popped open and I was wide awake. I touched my neck and was surprised to find the gash almost healed. I tried stretching next, and when nothing hurt, pushed myself to sitting.
There was a movement on the bed next to me. I turned to see Remy, his eyes glowing faintly in the gloom.
“Good afternoon, Star.”
“It’s afternoon? What day?”
He told me and I realized I’d been in bed for almost two days.
Remy got out of bed and turned on a light before pulling up a chair next to me. “You are better?”
“Yeah—but I need a shower.”
His gaze ran over me. “Will you be all right?”
“I think so. Yeah.”
“Good. That is good.”
There was an awkward pause. “Okay,” I said, “let’s try this.” I swung my feet to the floor. I sat there a minute to make sure, but the dizziness that had affected me for the past couple of days was gone, although my throat felt like sandpaper. I swallowed dryly.
Remy was right there with a glass of orange juice. “Here. This will nourish you.”
I nodded and took a sip. The juice was fresh squeezed with a mint garnish on top. It tasted like nectar of the gods. I drank thirstily, not stopping until the glass was drained.
Remy took the glass from me. “Some more, perhaps?”
“No, thanks.”
He went to help me rise, but I shrank back. “I can do it.”
“Of course.” Something flickered at the back of his eyes. Something that looked like hurt.
But I was damned if I was going to feel bad.
He inclined his head. “I’ll order you something to eat while you’re in the shower.”
“Thank you,” I said and headed for the bathroom. I was starving and my body still ached in multiple spots, but compared to two nights ago, I felt amazingly good. Remy’s magical blood had done the trick.
I took my time in the shower, washing my hair and scrubbing my body multiple times, especially my neck. I didn’t want a single cell of Lorenzo on me. When I finally felt clean, I just stood there, letting the hot water wash over me.
When I was finished, I pulled on a red silk button-up shirt and a pair of jeans. I needed clothes for this talk.
Remy was waiting for me in the sitting room. He had switched on a couple of lights and put on a short black bathrobe. As I entered the room, he came to his feet.
“You look better, ma petite. Not so pale. For a while there, I was worried…”
“I’m tougher than I look.”
He nodded gravely. “I know you are.”
I scrutinized him in turn. For a vampire, he didn’t look so good. He was gaunt and hollow-eyed, his skin whiter than I’d ever seen it.
My heart twisted. I scowled and jerked my gaze from his face.
/> “Sit, please.” He indicated a small table which held another glass of juice, a covered plate and a single perfect sunflower in a green glass vase. “We will talk, I promise. But first, you need to eat.”
I hesitated, but he was right. I felt much better, but I knew I needed to eat some solid food. Magical cure or not, Lorenzo had about sucked me dry. I needed to replace the blood I’d lost.
I took a seat at the table and removed the silver cover. He’d ordered me Eggs Chesapeake, a variation on Eggs Benedict made with crab meat instead of Canadian bacon. The first time I’d ordered it from room service, Remy had chuckled, saying Marylanders would put crab on anything. But after that, he made sure I had it whenever I wanted.
I bit my lip. So the man was being nice—ordering my favorite brunch, getting me another sunflower. That didn’t mean he wasn’t a manipulative S.O.B. But I couldn’t resist running a finger down one of the sunflower’s bright yellow petals.
Remy poured himself a glass of wine, took the seat across from me and watched as I ate my way through most of the eggs and a side of hash browns. He did his best to start a conversation, but when I only replied in short syllables, he stopped talking and watched me eat.
I can usually enjoy my food under any circumstances, but that meal tasted like chopped-up cardboard. At last I was finished. I set down the fork and knife, wiped my mouth and stood up.
Remy came to his feet at the same time. Before I could speak, he scraped a hand over his wavy black hair. “You know, don’t you?”
I crossed my arms over my chest. “That you arranged all of this? Made it look like I stole from Oakley so that I’d have to become your whore?”
He winced. “I wouldn’t call you that, but oui.” His gaze was watchful. I could tell he wasn’t sure how to handle me. Good.
“You’re a low-down, dirty snake,” I said in even tones. “I don’t know how you sleep at night—or the day. Whatever.”
He briefly closed his eyes. “I never meant for them to hurt you. When I saw those marks on your face, I was furious. They paid for that, I promise you—Oakley and Antoine both. And Malik as well—he should’ve made it clear that you were not to be hurt.”
“And that makes it all right?” My voice rose. “You think that beating on someone can make this better? I thought they were going to kill me, Remy. And then to save myself, I sold my body to a fucking stranger. So no, that doesn’t make it right. Not at all.”
Ensnared: A Vampire Blood Courtesans Romance Page 10
