Chapter Twenty-Six
Nita drove along the back roads of her home, staring out the windshield.
Miles sat in the passenger’s seat, holding her at gunpoint.
She could feel his sickening gaze, sliding up and down her nude body. “Where are we going?”
“You’ll see when we get there. Take a left here.”
Doing as she’d been instructed, Nita turned off the highway, maneuvering the car down a long, winding drive.
A cabin came into view a few seconds later with two cars parked out front.
She put the car in park and turned to face Miles. “Now what?”
“Get out,” he demanded, waving the gun for emphasis.
Several burly-looking men filed from the cabin to stand at attention on the porch. Nita recognized them as members of her pack.
“May I at least have a shirt to put on?” she asked through clenched teeth.
“And spoil all the fun? I don’t think so. Now move.”
Nita gathered as much courage as she could muster and climbed from the car.
Whistles and catcalls erupted from the porch, instantly humiliating her.
With as much dignity as she could muster, Nita marched toward the cabin with her head held high.
“Inside,” Miles demanded, the cold steel of his gun touching against her back.
Nita stepped over the threshold, taking in the room with a quick glance.
Miles shoved her forward. “First bedroom to the left.”
Stumbling toward the hall, Nita stopped at the door to the room he’d indicated. Nausea rolled through her gut as she took in her surroundings.
Chains hung from the corners of the four-poster bed, leaving no doubt about his intensions.
“You’re going to rape me?” she asked in a wooden voice.
“Don’t flatter yourself, vampire lover.”
Relief was instant.
“I’m going to finish the ritual and become your mate. Whether you survive matters not. I’ll be the Kiana alpha, no matter what the outcome is.”
So much for relief, Nita thought as he gave her another push.
She staggered toward the bed, refusing to give him the satisfaction of hearing her beg. “You’ll never lead the Kiana, Miles. You don’t have the balls.”
A fist slammed into her jaw hard enough that Nita saw stars. She landed on the bed, blinking back tears of rage.
Miles flipped her over and locked her wrists inside the cuffs. He then moved to her feet and spread her legs apart before securing her ankles in the same fashion. “Comfy?”
“Fuck you,” Nita snarled, tasting her blood on her tongue.
“Maybe later, if you behave.” Miles laughed and strode from the room.
Nita tested her bonds. He’d locked her in tight enough she’d never be able to escape.
After everything she’d been through, Nita couldn’t believe it all came down to this. She would die at the hands of Miles Castro, leaving him to lead her people.
If she had any people left, she silently acknowledged. After the battle she’d witnessed back at the Seekers’ lair, she wasn’t so sure.
Her mind drifted back to Vlad. Though she never saw him in the midst of the chaos, she had no doubt he’d been injured. She’d smelled his blood.
The tears Nita had fought so hard to contain welled up to spill down her cheeks. What if he hadn’t survived?
The thought of losing him brought a pain with it so great it felt physical. When had she fallen in love with the Impaler? And she did love him. Of that, she had no doubt.
“Miles?” Nita yelled, pulling against her bonds. “Miles!”
The door cracked open, and Lester, a man she’d grown up with, stuck his head inside. “He ain’t here.”
“Where is he? I need to speak with him at once.”
Lester shrugged. “Said something about going to pick up the Shaman.”
“Will you at least cover me up?” Nita asked, mortified that he stared at her.
With a sigh of resignation, Lester ambled into the room, grabbed a blanket off the back of a chair, and tossed it over her before turning to go.
“Lester, wait.”
He stopped but didn’t face her.
“Why are you doing this? We’ve known each other since we were little kids. Your mom used to bring you over on Sundays for playdate. Yolanda and Mom were close friends.”
His shoulders stiffened, but he continued staring straight ahead. “That was a long time ago.”
“What would Yolanda think if she knew you were involved in this?”
That got his attention. He slowly swiveled toward her. “She’ll never know about it. The chances of you making it out of here alive are one in a million.”
“And you’re okay with that?” Nita pressed, keeping her tone soft.
“It doesn’t matter what I’m okay with, Nita. I need the money.”
Nita blinked. “He’s paying you?”
“I’m done talking.” Lester spun toward the door and jerked it wide.
“I’ll double it,” Nita rushed out before he could leave. “I’ll double what he’s paying you.”
Lester’s head dropped forward in defeat or impatience, Nita wasn’t sure. “I can’t. As long as Miles lives, my family would never be safe.”
“Then we’ll kill him.”
Lester laughed without humor and stepped into the hall, pulling the door closed behind him.
“Lester?” Nita called to no avail. She would get no help from him. Miles had threatened the guy’s family, assuring his cooperation and his loyalty.
Switching her focus back to Vlad, Nita concentrated on the pull she’d felt from him upon entering that clearing. The smell of his blood, the strange feeling that had settled inside her chest.
She relaxed her body and let her eyes drift shut.
Tuning out the sounds coming from the other room, Nita centered her thoughts on the one being that could help her. The one man she trusted with her life. The creature she been unconsciously falling in love with. Her fate. Her destiny. Her Impaler.
“Vlad…”