sire’s
manipulations. Instead, he stood obediently as the shame of
powerlessness washed over him.
“And you like when he does this?”
Shyly, she answered, “Yes. I love him.”
Relieved and thrilled by her answer, Brandon
opened his eyes and saw Arden’s innocent face beaming from her
admission. Gradually, the pain that had forced his eyes closed
ebbed away and he found the strength he needed to protect her.
Running his hand over her cheek, Vasilije
thanked her and turned to Brandon. “You’re right. She’s
perfect.”
Relieved she’d passed his sire’s test, he
looked over at her beautiful face staring straight ahead.
“So I’m going to take her.”
Brandon whipped his head around to face
Vasilije. “No! She’s mine!”
“As your sire, I have right of first choice.
You know that. And as I watched that beautiful mouth pledge her
love to you, I couldn’t help think how much I wanted that mouth
filled with my cock.”
“No! Don’t do this!”
“Why not?”
“Vasilije, why would you do this? I’ve been
obedient and loyal all these years. I’m alone, unlike you, and I
want her for me.” Brandon dropped his gaze to the floor. “Don’t
make me beg. Please.”
His sire’s mouth twisted into a cruel smile
and Brandon worried he’d lost her. His mind raced through his
choices. He could try to get her out, but she remained under his
power. He had only one choice—kill his sire.
Brandon looked over at her, his heart full
of sadness. He couldn’t lose her! If having her meant killing
Vasilije, then that’s what he had to do. Slowly, he moved toward
him, unsure of how he’d do it, but sure he had to.
Desperation raced through him as his heart
pounded against his chest. So many times for so many reasons he’d
obeyed Vasilije, even when every fiber of his being had told him
not to. He’d allowed him to lord his power over him, never
possessing the strength of will or the true desire to defy him.
Until now.
Rage like he’d never harbored for anyone
surged within him. His hands began to shake in anticipation of what
he knew he must do.
I can’t let him have her.
Frantically, his eyes searched the room for
what he’d need to do the deed. He zeroed in on a small antique
table pushed into the corner.
Vasilije’s attention was focused on Arden,
but Brandon knew his power. Only a fool would underestimate his
sire. But he had to get to that table.
Lightning fast, he lunged toward the corner
of the room, catching him by surprise just long enough to reach his
goal. Smashing the table off the wall, he hurriedly broke off one
wooden leg as splinters flew everywhere.
He grasped the makeshift stake tightly in
his trembling hand, raising it as he prepared to plunge it into his
maker’s heart. Vasilije stood facing him, the smug expression still
on his face.
“You can’t do it, Brandon. I’m your
sire.”
“Don’t you mean won’t? It’s never been that
I couldn’t but that I wouldn’t. But I can’t let you have her,
Vasilije. I love her.”
“What a ridiculous idea! You act as if
you’ll only have one like her from this point on. Have you learned
nothing in all the years with me?”
Brandon glanced over at Arden, who sat
silently still under Vasilije’s spell. All he wanted was her. No
one else had ever made him so completely happy. He wasn’t like
others of his kind who collected women for their selfish pleasure.
All he’d ever truly wished for was that one soul to share his years
with, to erase the loneliness he’d lived with for so long.
And now he’d finally found her and Vasilije
would take her from him to add to his menagerie of playthings.
“Let her be with me or I swear to God, I’ll
stake you.”
“God? Now you bring God into it? Christ,
Brandon. You sound like a simpering human.”
As he spoke, Vasilije inched closer and
closer to him.
“You’d kill your sire for one woman? What
has happened to you?”
“Release her now and I’ll take her away from
here.
Landon Dixon, Giselle Renarde, Beverly Langland