Free Taken by the Others by Jess Haines Page B

own.”
    “What?! No!” I rolled off the bed and to my feet. Peter was there to stop me from running before I had my footing. He shoved me against the bed, a hand on either shoulder and one leg leaning heavily against both of mine to keep me from kicking him again. I used my clenched fists to pound at his broad chest instead, but it didn’t seem to be doing much to hurt or deter him.
    Max was seething, fists clenching and unclenching at his sides as he stared at me. After a few moments taken to collect himself, the angry glow in his eyes faded to pinpoint sparks and he turned to the vamp whose grip I was still vainly struggling to escape. “Peter, you can have her for now.”
    The look on Peter’s face was terrifying. “Yes, master.”
    Max growled a low warning. “Keep her alive and unharmed enough to speak. I need to make some calls, and I may have more questions later. Nicolas, guard the door. If she tries to escape, you know what to do.”
    I didn’t see Max or Nicolas go, only heard the door closing behind them. My attention was too wrapped up in trying to wriggle and twist out of Peter’s grip. “Let me go, damn it!”
    “No.” He laughed at me, thick fingers twining in my hair and yanking my head so hard, my back was forced to arch so he wouldn’t break my neck. Involuntary tears of pain sprung to my eyes, and I tried raking my nails across his face. He caught the chain between my wrists with his free hand before I could do any damage, forcing them down.
    “You don’t seem like such a tough little bitch now. What, no begging?”
    I gritted my teeth and closed my eyes, trying desperately to think of something to say, something to do, anything that would get me out of his hands.
    “No one here to stop me this time,” he whispered. I could feel his fangs brushing along my collarbone, trailing up to my neck. He paused over my jugular, and for that moment I forgot how to breathe, feeling tense enough to snap. He pulled back, eagerness and triumph lacing his voice. “Royce is going to hate that Max gave you to me. How many times has he bitten you, huh?”
    I didn’t know how to answer him. My scalp was tingling from his grip on my hair, my back was starting to develop a twinge, and my ribs were screaming a silent protest from being held in such an uncomfortable position. Hot tears stung my eyes, and I couldn’t bring myself to look at him.
    “What, no smart remarks this time? Not that it matters.”
    As he leaned in close again, I screamed, though I knew it wouldn’t help anything. God, oh God, he was going to bite me, he was going to kill me–
    He let go of my wrists and clamped his hand over my mouth to stifle my screams as his fangs dug deep into my throat.
    Chapter 10
     

    You know, I’ve heard all kinds of conflicting stories on what it’s supposed to feel like when a vamp bites you. It’s been said it can feel like anything from the most orgasmic experience in your life to the most unbelievably painful. It’s definitely one of the most terrifying. It’s hard to explain, but while any of those descriptions fit, neither describing it as pleasurable or painful does it justice.
    At first, it felt like exactly what it was–someone was jabbing sharp, pointy objects in my skin. It hurt. Before long, it changed, becoming something else. Something better, yet infinitely worse. Like fire in your veins and lightning down your spine, you can’t move, think, or breathe around the shock of it. It seemed to go on forever.
    When Peter reluctantly pulled away from my throat, I was left gasping for air, lying limply on the bed. Sometime during the course of feeding on me he’d let go of my hair. He backed up from me, wiping thin trickles of blood from his lips with the back of his hand. My blood. I thought I just might throw up.
    “No wonder Royce wants you. You taste good,” he said rather breathlessly, licking his fangs clean of their faint crimson sheen. I shut my eyes and took deep breaths, trying to