Goosebumps spread over her skin as she shivered. She was so cold. Her eyes were as heavy as lead. Her heart began beating faster, and her stomach clenched in panic when she realized she couldnât move. Where was she? Why couldnât she open her eyes?
The metallic smell of blood filled the air. Stale, as if it had been there for a while. Slowly being added to over the years. Multiple faded scents combined. The dank smell of mold almost overtook the blood.
Aoralia? Ember whispered into her mind searching for her friend.
We will get through this Ember. Relief flooded her body at Aoraliaâs voice, she was ok. Her mind struggled to grasp any threads that would tell her what happened or where she was. It smelled.... familiar.
A clang of metal alerted her to footsteps heading towards her.
Remember Ember, they do not know of me yet. You have your scent hidden. Do not reveal me. Aoraliaâs warning resounded in Ember. Even if she couldnât remember what happened, she could guess. She knew where she was. But they no longer know everything about her. The playing field was a little more even now.
The clunk of a metal object being moved informs her that the door is opening. She relaxed her stance, tried to calm her breathing and slow her heart rate. Maybe if they think sheâs asleep it will buy her more time. She willed herself not to react to anything.
Footsteps crept towards her, circling her body before coming to stand in front of her. A vile, putrid smell entered her nose, burning her delicate hairs that laid inside her nostrils.
Donât react. Do not react. She yelled at herself in her head. She wanted to vomit and break down all at once. After everything she had gone through, it just wasnât enough. She couldnât be happy. The world is cruel, giving her a taste at love, family, and happiness before ripping it away violently.
The intruder took a deep breath in before purring out. âMy little wolf. I should never have let you go. You will always be mine. No puny mutt will ever have you.â She could hear his teeth grind together at the thought of her with another. She could almost laugh. How can he possibly say he has a claim on her? He really is insane. She argued with herself to keep still, desperately wanting to lunge and sink her claws into him for talking about Jaxson like that.
Her light, her life. He would be going insane right now and she couldnât do anything about it. Fingers grazed her face, tracing the curve of her cheek, down her jaw to her neck. A hiss filled the room as he took in her mark.
He was angry. Who had the balls to mark what was his. He had let her go to live a life of solitude where she had no choice but to live. He watched her constantly with surveillance cameras like the stalker he was. He couldnât bear to never see her again. She was the best fuck heâs ever had. A tight little cunt, always struggling and begging, pretending like she didnât like it. But he knew better. She was just a little whore. But she would also have created a powerful offspring. If she hadnât killed it. He should have kept her as a sex slave, but he was so angry.
His eyes wandered the length of her body as she tried to control the shudder she felt. She could feel his eyes, even if she couldnât open her own. Her fists clenched involuntarily as she felt a hand grab her covered breast. Skimming the surface as it moved to the other. Then began traveling south to clutch at her pussy.
Her eyes snapped open. Only Jaxson can touch her like that. Dimitriâs eyes were fully enraptured by his actions and finally feeling what he lost five years ago, that he didnât see her awake. He didnât see as she moved slightly, tilting her head back. She snapped it forward colliding with his, watching as he fell to the ground in a heap by the impact, groaning in pain. His eyes snapped to her fiery gaze.
Her breath heaved at the want she had to rip into his flesh. âKeep away from me.â She growled out.
He smirked raising to his feet. âBut youâre mine.â A thundering, angry growl peeled from her lips at those words.
âI belong to no one but myself. And no one has permission to touch me but Jaxson.â Dimitriâs eyes flash red in anger, his fists clenching.
âMy mate.â She sneered at him, knowing it was riling him up. He clenched his jaw, seething in anger. He lunged towards her, backhanding her across the face. Her head snapped to the side.
âI will kill you before anyone else has you.â He grits out.
She snorts. âHeâs already had me, and you could have killed me five years ago but you didnât. Why?â She wanted to know why he always spared her life. Why he always claimed she was his.
He didnât answer. Instead, a dangerous glint appeared in his eyes. âYou know I hear once you mark your mate, they will feel everything that happens.â Her face paled slightly. Jaxson wouldnât be able to take that. Not with knowing she was gone and may not survive. He and Ares would go on a rampage.
A dark smirk overcame his face as he watched her change of demeanor. âYou know,â he purred into her ear, âthey say feeling your other half mate with someone else...is pure torture.â His hand roughly grabs her breast from behind, groping it as he talks. He laughs as she starts to struggle in her chains.
âNo!â Ember yanks the chains back and forth, thrashing to get loose.
âI bet marking over his would erase it. Or maybe I could just use a spell.â He sneered. No. This canât happen. She canât lose Jaxson. He was everything to her. Her light in dark times, her reason to live, her pure happiness.
Calm yourself Ember. He will not have us. I wonât let him. Save your strength. We need to keep him thinking we are weak until itâs time.
Time for what? Aoralia? Emberâs gaze snapped back to Dimitriâs as he bared his teeth at her, fangs growing longer as he gripped her neck and yanked her to his lips. He plunged his fangs into her neck, on the opposite side of her mark, taking deep drags of the drug he so dearly missed. Her blood was like no other. But this time it tasted.... off. Still good, but not quite right.
Ember screamed as his fangs embedded deep into her neck. The pain was excruciating. Her blood felt like fire running through her veins. She spasmed as the pain became greater. His hand firmly gripping her so she couldnât get away from him. She hung there in agony, waiting.
He retracted his fangs before licking up the trail of blood that was left. She shuddered in disgust.
âNow, letâs see what kind of pain you and your mate can take. Once you are broken and bleeding and begging for death, Iâll make you truly mine, and that mutt will feel you being ripped from him.â He grins evilly before storming out of the cell, slamming the door behind him.
A/N
I know Iâm evil. You will find out what happened in the upcoming chapters!