Free Wicked Lord: Part One by Shirl Anders

him a
dubious scowl, while shaking his head, but he said nothing. Latham
knew better than to question him. Trinity was more than capable of
questioning himself over his motives. Why he was there in the first
place? Because his little virgin was hurt.
    He nearly shouted a curse, digging his hand
through his long dark blond hair. He'd not have her tied to the bed
and that was the only other way. Tied, she'd still move and tear
the flesh at her wrists and ankles. It was possible he had a way to
calm her if it became necessary.
    It was an extreme idea. Although with Beth …
and he caressed the intimacy of her given name in his mind, it
might not work as some of his vampire ways seemed not to affect her
like other humans. It would take more willpower than he'd used thus
far trying it, and if his “trying” didn't work she could be in
deeper trouble. Yet, Baptiste's experiments with vampire traits and
human reactions had shown the anomaly.
    He pushed the thoughts aside. He would
decide if the time came. He reached to button the jacket Christian
had given him. He didn't need his bare flesh pressed to her bare
flesh, he thought, watching the woman helper remove Beth's
half-corset. Beth's long, dark eyelashes fluttered, but she
remained with her eyes closed and he wondered what color her eyes
were as his gaze trailed down the full curves of her nude body.
    He wanted to be on top of her, spread over
the soft curves of her body, and he wondered if it had the most to
do with sensing and smelling the heady vapors of her virgin's
blood. Is that what made him hunger to thrust his hard shaft deep
inside her and hope she would clamp her legs high on his back,
while crying his name with hot tempests of passion.
    He hissed through his fangs, trying to shake
the vivid image taunting him, and he said curtly to Latham, "Warn
her brother about her screams."
    Ten minutes later, everything was ready and
Trinity climbed onto the bed. There was no graceful way to
accomplish holding Beth down to receive the stitches that her frail
human body needed. Nevertheless, he was strong — inhumanly
strong.
    They turned Beth onto her stomach. Doctor
Latham's servant sat on Beth's legs, while Trinity took Beth's
wrists above her head, holding them immobile with one hand. Beth's
long hair was twisted and tied on top of her head and he pressed
his other hand onto her shoulders and the back of her neck.
    Beth awoke screaming, feeling the pain of an
animal slashing her back again. Only she couldn't run away this
time. She couldn't move.
    "Maiden, be strong." Lord Trinity's voice
urged her, and the strong, growling sound of it caught her
attention. She wailed as another stab of pain lanced across her
back.
    "Trinity, help me!" she cried, trying
desperately to thrash her body away from the pain. Yet, she was
unable to move more than a few inches.
    " Keep her still," a voice ordered
sharply.
    "Beth, you must stay still." Trinity's voice
rumbled close to her ear.
    With her face turned to the side, she
unclenched her eyes seeing one of Trinity's yellow-stamped eyes
gazing close to hers. The pain stabbed again and she flinched with
more tears pooling, as he uttered, "Breathe through it,
maiden."
    What were they doing to her ? she
wondered, and desperation had her gasping a hard breath.
    "Stitching closed the animal's claw mark
across your back," Trinity's voice sounded next to her ear.
    She was startled that he answered her
unvoiced question, but then the pain bit into her back again and
she mewled bitterly against it. No, no, no , she screamed in
her mind as she struggled and begged with whimpers to escape the
pain.
    "Hellfire," Trinity cursed with a snarl,
then she heard him harshly order, "Hold, Dr. Latham."
    "But, I'm halfway through," the doctor's
voice sounded with tension.
    All Beth heard through the staggering pain
was, " Halfway through." She panicked, losing any courage she
possessed. She wrenched her wrists against the unyielding hand
holding them as she