They snickered as Eleanor lost another element of her control, her hands splaying from fists to squeezing her breasts. “Dunno, depends how much of a show we’re about to get.”

“Vow you won’t touch her, and I promise I won’t kill you.”

The copper-haired one raised his gun. “Yeah, good luck trying to kill us, mate.”

“I killed four of you with my hands tied. I wouldn’t fucking push me where this woman is concerned.”

Looking back at Eleanor, her skin pale and washed out, her lips bright red from being bitten, her nipples peaked, and lust gleaming on her inner thigh, I pushed damp hair behind her ears and cupped her cheeks. “I’m going to keep you safe; I swear it.”

Her eyes flashed open with grey lightning bolts. If her body didn’t portray her need, her gaze was excruciating hunger. “Sully...”

Her hands landed on my wrists as I held her cheeks. Her touch was fire, her skin was fire, her very fucking soul was fire, and I threw myself into it. If she could survive what I’d done to her, then I could survive taking care of her.

With a heart-breaking groan, her hands slipped from my wrists and slid down her front. She hung her head in utmost shame, burying her face into my palms as she lost the final battle and reached to administer self-pleasure.

I caught her hand.

Not to prevent her from a release she so badly needed, but to protect her from the motherfucking bastards behind me.

“Come on.” Hauling my rapidly failing frame upward, I bent and somehow found the energy to pick her up. Hoisting her higher into my arms, I glared at the two men. “Stay there.” Not waiting for their reply, I strode into the master bedroom.

I tripped as my leg reminded me that stitches, glue, and nanobots couldn’t repair a harpoon hole in just a few hours. That I was pushing myself to a limit I might not return from.

The bed beckoned.

The moment Eleanor noticed it, she bucked in my embrace. “Yes, oh, God. Please. I need it. I’m not feeling...” Her eyes snapped closed before flaring wide again. “It hurts, Sully.”

Fear filled me. “Hurts? What hurts?” I almost dropped her as she spasmed again.

“Everything.” She stiffened as her fingers pinched her nipples and her legs scissored in my hold. “My blood, my breath, my heart.”

“Your heart?” I laid her gently on the bed, my voice snappish with worry. “What’s wrong with your heart?”

Please don’t be like the others.

Please!

Her ability at conversation broke. She writhed on the white sheets, her thighs parting wide, exposing every delectable inch of her.

My cock thickened, despite all the shit going on. She grabbed my hand, guiding it to her glistening pussy. I denied her, tugging back all while she dragged me forward.

I couldn’t touch her. Not while her life still hung in the balance.

Wait a little longer, Jinx.

A cough sounded behind me.

Yanking my touch from Eleanor’s greedy grasp, I spun around.

The two assholes hadn’t obeyed me. They’d followed and stood on the threshold of the bedroom, gawking at Eleanor, seeing every indecent part of her.

She didn’t care her most intimate places were on erotic display.

But I fucking did.

“Come another step closer...I dare you.” My fists clenched into stones, planting myself in front of her exposure.

They crossed their arms, slouching against opposite ends of the double door entrance. The short one licked his lips. “Looking is free, and fuck, she’s worth looking at.”

I bared my teeth, wishing all over again that I had elongated canines that could rip out his jugular. “Come another step, and it will cost you your life.”

The copper-haired one smirked. “The promise of over a million bucks will keep us right here. We won’t come in, but we’re not leaving either.” He waved his gun, my faulty stare making it flicker. “So...give her what she wants.” His head cocked, trying to see around my roadblock. “She’s gagging for it. Might as well fuck her.”

The short one shifted, his hand rearranging the front of his pants, clutching his disgusting hard-on.

It took every restraint not to murder them where they stood. I took a step toward them, my blood boiling, feeding yet more false power to my sadly depleted muscles.

But Eleanor cried out, a frustrated snarl tangled with a miserable whimper.

Her voice was a collar, yanking me back to her.

Dismissing the bastards without another thought, I turned to her, and my heart splattered cold and terrified on the floor.

She looked so, so white. Her usual island-glow horribly lost amongst the deathly pallor creeping over her. Even her lips were turning a nasty shade of purple, red gallantly clinging even as blue did its best to paint.

“Jinx.” I snatched the spare cream-coloured blanket from the bottom of the bed. Covering her, I rubbed her arms, encouraging blood flow to heat her up. “You’ll be okay—”

“I won’t fucking be okay!” She tried to kick it off. “I need, Sully. I need. God, I need.”

Fucking hell!

No more elixir.

No more fucking drugs.

I was burning every goddamn orchid and smashing every corrupting vial.

If she died because of this—if she took her last breath because of me...I’d never fucking forgive myself.

Violent guilt punched me as Eleanor shoved off the blanket and arched her spine. Her stretch accented every curve and shadow, intoxicating and inviting men to devour.

Her hand flopped to the side, imploring me to join her on the bed. “Sully. I need you inside me.”

The men chuckled. “Gonna fuck her, mate? She’s still begging. What sort of twat denies a woman when she begs?”

I swallowed dagger shards as I weighed up what the hell I could do.

Relieve her and run the risk of company? Don’t relieve her and run the risk of her dying?

Shit!

“If you don’t fuck her, I volunteer.” The short one increased his voice. “Need a cock, pretty girl? I have one for ya.” He grabbed his crotch with a sickening grin.

Eleanor’s grey eyes flashed to him.

I froze, hoping to hell I wouldn’t see an invitation there. That she wasn’t so far gone to offer herself to him right in front of my miserable face. That she’d screw a goddamn stranger because of her elevated lust.

If she did...that was a punishment I deserved.

If she welcomed him to take her...that was my penance.

I’d made her become this wild.

She was this creature because of me.

And the reality of the situation smashed through the rest of my fucked-up morals, forcing me to admit that I couldn’t do this anymore.

I couldn’t be this asshole who played with other’s lives.

All lives mattered.

Not just animals.

Human too.

And I’d been exploiting them.

I’d abused them for my own gains.

I’d killed without a second thought.

I’d farmed out their bodies because I didn’t give a shit.

But watching Eleanor slowly fade before my eyes—to witness her vitality snuffed out by a drug that I’d created...fuck, I can’t.

How could I ever feed a woman elixir again?

How could I accept money from men who were exactly like me with their empty hollow hearts?