Free Taken by the Others by Jess Haines Page A

Royce’s in that he had a strong jaw and swarthy skin. However, his hair was dark brown, cropped short but still showing hints of curls almost as riotous as my own. His eyes were an odd shade of dark gray, crinkling at the corners when he smiled, and he was a bit shorter and stockier in build. His taste in clothes was impeccable; he looked sleekly sophisticated in a dark business suit. He didn’t look like evil incarnate, but he obviously had something sinister in mind since he shook his head at my request, politely refusing to let me out of this place.
    “You’ll have to excuse the drastic methods I took to have your company. I couldn’t be sure Alec wouldn’t spirit you away before I had the opportunity to speak with you.”
    I growled at him. “Max Carlyle, right?” He nodded, and I ground out, “Did Peter neglect to relay my message for you to just pick up a fucking phone and call me like a normal person? Or is the lack of consideration on your part a delightful little personality trait?”
    He laughed and shook his head, reaching out a hand to lightly brush his fingers through my hair. I jerked back from the touch. “Yes, he gave me your message. A phone call wouldn’t suffice for this. I want to know what happened the night Anastasia died. You were there. Tell me.”
    I shifted my weight uncomfortably and looked away. “She betrayed you. When she came back to New York, she joined up with a guy named David. He was a sorcerer.”
    He said nothing, simply stood quiet and motionless, waiting for me to continue. I wasn’t entirely sure I wanted to, but since the silence was getting awkward, I felt obligated to say something. “He made a thing to control the local Weres and vamps. I think it was called a Dominari Focus.”
    “The Dominari Focus? Go on.”
    “David’s plan was to use it to set up shop and settle down for a nice long eternity with Anastasia, using Royce’s fortune to live out their little twisted fantasy and the local Weres as bully-boys to make sure they stayed on the top of the food chain. With some help, I destroyed the focus, and Royce and the Weres got rid of Anastasia and David.”
    “I see. They killed her?”
    “Yes,” I said, wondering how deep of a hole I was digging for myself and for Royce by admitting as much.
    He voiced a soft “hmph” and stood there looking puzzled, one hand rubbing at his clean-shaven chin. Those unnerving gray eyes shifted back to focus on mine, and I quickly shifted my gaze away to avoid them. More out of habit than necessity when I was wearing the charm, but something told me it was a good idea not to take chances and avoid eye contact. “Was she under the influence of the focus at the time? Could you tell?”
    “No, she wasn’t. She and David were in on it together. They loved each other.”
    Apparently, that was the wrong thing to say. He reached out with that same impossible speed that Royce commanded to grab my shirt collar. He dragged me close enough to see the little pinpoints of red in his eyes and exactly how long his fangs were as his lips pulled back in a snarl. Petrified, I froze, unable to keep myself from staring into his eyes as he hissed at me. “She was mine. She loved me, not that talentless little spark.”
    Hoo boy. This could get ugly fast if I didn’t do something. “I–I’m sure you’re right–”
    “Of course I am!” He shoved me back, sending me sprawling on the bed as he started pacing back and forth. I twisted up to a sitting position as fast as I could, wondering what the heck I could do to placate the pissed-off vamp. “She loved me, and Alec took her away.”
    For a second, I had this hysterical thought that I was stuck in a bad movie. Come on, was he seriously spouting lines like that?
    Those hellish red eyes were once again suddenly, terrifyingly focused on me, frightening enough to kill even my perpetual sense of humor. “He values you. It doesn’t matter why, but since he does, I’m taking you for my