Master mistook her trembling as a sign the whipping was finally getting to her. She snapped her gaze back to him, glaring her hatred, making sure he saw there were no tears in her eyes. Even though her body wept with agony.
His lip twitched as he saw her determination, her refusal to show him the pain she felt with each crack of the whip upon her raw flesh. Then, he stepped forward.
"Give me that," he snapped, snatching the whip from the Bobby’s hand and shoving him out of the way. "I will break you, slave."
With Master behind her, her gaze automatically fell on Charlie's face. Something was off. His eyes weren’t glazed red like the others. His clenched fists shook at his sides, and he had murder in his eyes. Maybe, her murder. Then, why were his eyes still that vibrant blue?
She gasped, catching a scream in her throat as the whip tore through another layer of flesh. Her body clenched, and she finally shut her eyes, knowing if she didn't, the tears would stream down her face. Master gave her no time for recovery, the lashes becoming almost continuous.
"NO!" she heard Charlie and her father bellow together. She opened her eyes long enough to witness Charlie being held down by Katherine and Logan, struggling to get to her. Her father fought as Bobby and two more slaves dragged him from the courtyard.
“That son of a bitch! I’ll kill him for this,” her father roared as he was hauled away.
As Charlie's gaze found hers in his bid for release, she saw a single tear slide down his pale cheek. Her jaw went slack for a moment. Vampires were capable of tears?
Her line of thought ceased as another blow rendered havoc on her broken body. All she could do was close her eyes, and prayed she would pass out.
"Jack." It was her mother. "Please. She's had enough."
Master growled. "She's had enough when I say she's had enough." As he continued to lash through her, it seemed he’d never be satisfied.
But finally, the blows stopped, and her body slumped against the column, even that tiny movement sending waves of sharp pain through her. Master glared down at her, and she had just enough strength to lift her head, and open her tearless eyes.
Master’s lip twitched again as his cold gaze narrowed on her. "Take her to Lockdown," he commanded as he left, at last, dragging Mother with him. Her head fell forward as she finally let the darkness take her.
***
Charlie yanked his arm from Logan’s grip as they reached the door of his room. He had every intention of slamming the prick in the face, but he clenched his fist and exercised some control. Punching Logan would accomplish nothing but put Jack on alert.
If he hadn’t already done so. Giving her a book was beyond moronic. But he’d had this overwhelming desire to please her. And getting upset over a simple whipping? He cursed himself. He knew better, but her pain had clawed at him. Even though he’d kept his ass firmly planted on that bench. Trying to convince himself that the punishment didn’t matter. Her pain didn’t matter. She didn’t matter.
But when Jack had taken the whip himself, something had snapped. He had to save her, to stop her suffering. No matter the cost.
Thankfully, Logan and Katherine had been able to hold him back. Gods, why Nessie? Why had Fate chosen her for him? The one slave that couldn’t mind her place. And this uncontrollable connection with her could ruin everything.
He ground his teeth and glared at Logan as he stood waiting for Charlie to open the door and retreat to his own room. He slammed through the door and turned to shut it in Logan’s face, but Katherine had decided to come join them. Fucking joy.
Her bright red lips curved into a sly smile as she smacked her open palm on the door, holding it open. “Does my darling Charles have a shiny new plaything?” she chirped as she forced herself past Charlie and into his room.
He moved away from the door as Logan followed Katherine, who had settled on his bed as if she belonged there. Her spider web lashes batted at him as she patted the quilt next to her. When he gave her a droll look and remained standing, she pouted. With amusement still shining from her dark crimson eyes, she teased him. “Awwww, are you upset that we scratched up your new toy?”
He shrugged and drilled his gaze into her. “Why? Jealous?”
Katherine rolled her eyes at him, but he noticed her nails dig into the quilt a little deeper. “Why would I ever be jealous of that slave? She doesn’t hold a candle to me. She’s just a human,” she said, one hand gliding over the red crop top she wore. “We all know there’s no comparison.” Her gaze snapped up to his as she slithered off the bed and sauntered over to him. Logan scowled at her as she slid her red, painted claws over Charlie’s chest.
“I’ll come back later to remind you why,” she whispered as she stepped around him toward the open doorway.
“What?” Logan’s angry glare passed over Charlie. “You will not come back later!” He roared as he followed Katherine out of the room.
Katherine snorted. “Oh, really? Who’s gonna stop me? You?” She jabbed a finger into Logan’s chest and laughed. Glancing back at Charlie, she blew him a kiss just before he slammed the door shut on the crazy bitch.
CHAPTER FIVE
Nessie remained in Lockdown for three days. And her bracelet didn’t buzz one single time. She felt pretty good considering the beating she’d received. Apparently, the peace and quiet had worked its magic on her body. And probably not having blood drained from her everyday helped, too. Too bad she couldn’t think of a less painful way to get thrown into Lockdown.
“You look well.”
She jumped, turning to catch Charlie’s smirk before it disappeared behind a mask of humorless boredom. He threw something her way, and she caught the clean set of clothes before it landed on the dirty floor.
“Time to go,” he stated, turning away from her. What was his problem? Didn’t like having to come fetch the slave? Rolling her eyes at the back of his head, she turned her back on him. As she swapped clothes, a smile broke across her face. Her back barely tingled as she stretched her arms overhead and pulled the clean shirt on.
When she turned, Charlie was staring at her. Those big, blue eyes narrowing on her. He tilted his head. “How did you heal so quickly?”
Nessie shrugged and crossed her arms over her chest. “Well I did get to keep all of my own blood for a few days. Maybe that helped.”
He quirked his brow, shrugging before he turned to leave. She followed him upstairs. He left her at the kitchen, disappearing down the hallway toward the East Wing. She stepped into the kitchen, where her mother bombarded her with a tight embrace. "Mother, my back," she groaned, feigning pain to get the wench off of her.
"Oh, I'm sorry, dear," she sputtered, quickly releasing her and patting her cheek before returning to the whistling kettle.
Nessie looked around the large kitchen, frowning. "Where's Dad?"
Mother shrugged her shoulders without turning. "I haven't seen him since this morning."
She quirked a brow. That was unusual. Despite Mother's infidelity, her father always made sure to greet her at sunset before they were required to begin their daily duties.
Mother set a steaming cup in front of her. Nessie wrinkled her nose, and her mother glared, pointing down at the mug. She debated telling her mother to shove that mug where the sun ---
A scream pierced the quiet kitchen and all thoughts of tea were forgotten. Nessie was the first to run into Missy, one of the other house slaves. Her innocent thirteen-year-old face was horror stricken. She was running from the East Wing feeding room. Nessie caught sight of Charlie coming from the feeding room, his hand covering his eyes. The girl's wide, brown eyes found hers. Tears streamed down her face as she took Nessie's hands.
"I'm so sorry. There was nothing I could do," she stammered between inhales, her body heaving as her hands shook. Nessie glanced up, catching Charlie’s deep frown and wrinkled forehead. She tensed at the sight.
Nessie felt her mother brush past her, and Charlie tried to stop her from entering the feeding room. Wh
en her mother's shriek rattled her ears, she rushed to follow her. Nessie stared up at Charlie’s sad eyes, her own narrowing as he stood blocking the doorway.
“What happened?” she growled. Charlie sad eyes studied her face before he sighed, stepping out of the way.
Nessie struggled to breathe. Oh, gods, no. Please no.
Her mother had collapsed onto the floor, sobbing into her palms. Blood splattered across the cream sofa and loveseat, pooling on the floor in front of the sofa where her father lay, motionless. She knew he was dead before her knees crashed beside him, cradling his nearly-detached head in her lap and trying not to vomit. Blood still leaked from the gaping hole in his throat, his eyes open and empty. No sparkle of affection when he looked at her. No glint of amusement at his own humor. Just...nothing. He was gone. Forever.
"Get this cleaned up."
Her gaze lifted as she felt the tears threatening to spill from her eyes. Master came through the doorway that led to the attached washroom, wiping his hands on a red-stained rag. Her blood boiled as a wave of rage swept over her, her vision zoning in on him. He took her father from her.
"You killed him!" Her body crashed into his, taking both of them to the ground. She hadn’t planned on attacking him. Gods knew it was probably the dumbest thing she’d ever done. But in that moment, with her father’s dead body behind her and the tears streaming from her eyes, she didn’t care. A hot, red blanket of rage had descended upon her and she could do nothing but obey its violent call. Kill him.
Master's face contorted in shock and rage as he slammed against the floor, the rug sliding across the room. She raised her arms, but before she could bring her fists down on his ugly mug, someone snatched her off him. Throwing her body into a violent fit to get loose, she yelled, “You killed him, you bastard!”
Master got to his feet, brushing himself off as if she were dirty. "You will regret this defiance, girl," Master growled as he got in her face.
She stopped her struggling as she snarled at him. "Regret this, you piece of shit." She smashed her foot into his groin, drawing a howl from him.
"Take her back to Lockdown, now!" Master yelled, his eyes flashing death at her. She had probably signed her own death certificate with that low blow, but she didn't care. She was done caring.
It was Charlie that dragged her from the room as her mother watched, hovering over her dead husband's body, her face drenched in tears. She didn’t utter a word. Did nothing to stop her own daughter from being hauled away, most likely to await death.
"I hate you!" Nessie screamed as Charlie tore her from the room.
***
Shit, shit, shit. Charlie paced his room as he waited for dusk to fall. Nessie was a dead woman. No way would Jacques allow her to live after that foolhardy stunt. What was she thinking? Attacking a vampire was dumb to begin with. Attacking a vampire like Jacques was suicide. He shouldn’t care. Really. He’d seen Jacques murder innocents before, right? Why should she be any different? She didn’t matter to him anyway. She didn’t fucking matter.
Jacques’ furious bellow had Charlie dashing out the door and down the hallway. Peeking around the corner, he saw Nessie’s mother, Eva, curled on the floor, her face buried in her arms.
“What is wrong with your family? First, your decrepit husband threatens me, and then your defiant child attacks me. Me! Her fucking Master! You’re lucky I’m not adding your head to a pike alongside them.” Jacques’ face flushed red with fury. “But you are mine, woman!” He kicked Eva in the stomach, making her grunt and groan. “Mine!” He crouched, yanking Eva’s head up by her hair. Streaks of tears and blood covered her usually-beautiful face. “I refuse to allow your family to ruin my reputation. Slaves do not threaten and attack their masters. She will join her father at dawn.”
Eva choked on a sob as Jacques threw her back to the floor. “No, please. Please, Jack.” She tried to crawl after him, but each time she moved, she clutched her stomach groaning loudly. Jacques sneered at her before turning, the heel of his boots clicking down the stone floor as he stomped away.
Son of a bitch. Charlie hurried to her side when he was sure Jacques wouldn’t return for another go at the poor woman. She gasped, her head snapping around to him. “What do you want?”
Vengeance, he thought, crouching down next to her. “Your daughter needs to be dealt with.”
“No! No, please don’t kill her!”
“Shhh! He’ll hear you. Is everyone in your family stupid?!” he snapped.
She clamped her lips shut, first smart thing he’d seen all day.
“Good. Now, listen carefully. I cannot believe I’m saying this, but I can’t let Nessie die.” Just the thought of it made his chest feel like it would shatter into oblivion. “So, if you want her to live, you’ll do as I say, understood?”
Eva gave a stiff nod, wincing. He held his hand out to help her to her feet, and he led her to her room before continuing.
“I am aware that you and Jacques have a certain...relationship.” Eva pursed her lips, but nodded again. “I am going to need you to keep him, um, entertained until dawn.”
Eva’s eyes widened. “He just beat me. You expect me to perform after that?” she screeched.
“Do you want your daughter to live or die?” he asked. “And if you get us caught, I swear I will knock you out and claim you tried to seduce me. And we both know how possessive Jacques is of you. So keep your damn voice down.”
She snapped her mouth shut, bowing her head.
“Just answer the question.”
“Fine. I’ll do it. I don’t know how -”
“I don’t care how. Just figure it out so I can get your daughter out of here with her head still attached.”
He didn’t wait for her to respond, leaving her to tend her wounds and figure out her battle plan on her own. He had his own plans to re-evaluate thanks to a defiant woman he couldn’t keep himself from.
“Hey there, loverboy.”
You have got to be fucking kidding me. Kat waltzed down the hallway in a red teddy that left nothing to the imagination.
“Hope you’re all rested up,” she purred, wiggling her eyebrows.
He sighed. “What is with you and that color? Do you own clothes that aren’t red?” After today, he didn’t want to see anything blood-colored for a long while. And he was vampire. That said something.
She gave him a giant pout, running her fingers over his chest. “What? You don’t like what I’m wearing?”
“I don’t give a shit what you wear, Kat.”
“What the hell does that mean?” she shrieked, dropping her hands in a huff.
“Why don’t you go show Logan that outfit? I’ll bet he’ll love it.”
Her mouth gaped open. “You want me to go to another male?”
“If it means you’ll leave me the hell alone, then yes,” he said, shrugging.
“What the hell has gotten into you? You’re a completely different person since you’ve gotten back from council.”
“Maybe all those ancients taught me that I’m too good for you.”
She gasped and...CRACK! Her hand slammed across his cheek before she turned on her heel, strutting away with her nose in the air. Well, that little obstacle was taken care of.
Once inside his bedroom, he caught a glimpse of his bloodied cheek in the mirror. It seemed he couldn’t get away from the damn stuff today.
CHAPTER SIX
Nessie clutched her stomach as it growled...again. Shut it, you. She didn’t care about food at the moment. Even though she hadn’t eaten since receiving her birthday gift. No food. No water. How she wasn't sprawled out on the floor, weak and moaning in pain, she had no idea. Perhaps Master planned on starving her to death. That would be a kindness uncharacteristic of his reputation. He certainly hadn’t been that kind to her father.
Her eyes were finally dry. Red, and puffy as hell, but dry. She had no tears left. Depleting years’ worth in a single night should have exhausted her. Must be the aura of ine
vitable death surrounding her that kept her from passing out in a heap of grief.
Her eyes darted to the door as she heard footsteps approaching her cell. Her heart raced at the sound, and her palms grew slick with sweat. The lock clicked open just before a dark head of hair popped through the opening.
"Get out,” she snapped. Charlie was the last person she wanted to see. Well, almost. Her fear evaporated, loosening her lips more than it should have. Master wouldn’t delegate her execution. No, she was sure he’d want to experience it firsthand, up close and personal. Sick bastard.
“Now is that any way to talk to your rescuer?” He pushed the door wide open, leaning against it with his arms and legs crossed.
Now, he was just being a prick. No way was a vampire coming to her rescue. “Do I look like an idiot?”
“Not particularly, but you can prove me wrong later.” He pushed off the doorframe and walked towards her. She backed up, matching him step for step until her ass flattened against the cement wall behind her. Damn, that was cold.
He went to grab her arm, but she pulled it away. “Don’t touch me,”
“Then I suggest you follow me.” His face got within inches of her own. Way too close for comfort, and he had her backed into a wall. This was not good. Her body began to shake, and her heart thumped in her ears. Apparently, the fear hadn’t evaporated completely.
“Why would I do that?” Her lips were still awfully loose though. And awfully close to his.
He rolled his eyes, sighing. “We don’t have time for twenty questions, woman. Either follow me, or I’ll carry your ass out. Pick one. Quickly.” His face pressed forward another inch. Suddenly, she could see the silver that swirled in his stormy blue eyes. Mesmerizing. Whoa, what the hell? Mesmerizing? Where the hell did that come from?
She shook herself and clenched her teeth, her palms sweaty again. This was definitely not good. Because what choice did she have really? Stay here and die or...what? Charlie was the only alternative. And honestly, choosing between Master and Charlie. No brainer. Maybe Charlie would at least kill her quickly out of mercy. He at least pretended to be her friend all those years ago. More than she could say for any other bloodsucker around here. “Fine,” she ground out. “Lead the way.”
First Kiss of Freedom: A Vampire Shifter Hybrid Romance (The Whitemoon Warriors Series Book 1) Page 3
