Wait, for the right moment,I chanted to myself over and over.
Sherwood’s eyes pierced through me. Did he sense the rebellion burning inside me? Finally, after what felt like a year, he broke our stare.
“Let’s begin.” He bent his head, arching his neck slightly to one side as he brought his palm to his mouth to bite. His teeth latched and the vampire’s eyes fluttered closed.
This is it.My heart threatened to slam out of my chest.The best moment I’ll get.
Moving fast, I plunged my hand into my shirt and grabbed for the arrow. I ripped the chain off my neck and threw up a prayer to the ancients as I thrust the arrow tip toward Sherwood’s neck.
Chapter Thirteen
The silver pointpierced his exposed skin, cutting it like a hot knife slicing through butter. The vampire tensed and let out a groan as I retracted my hand.
For a second, terror ran through me. Sherwood hadn’t moved, he was still standing right in front of me, a tiny arrow sticking out of his neck.
My mouth dried up.It didn’t work. Any second now, he’ll overcome the silver and attack.I took a step back into the stone wall, the chain attached to my ankle clanging as I moved.
But then, something miraculous happened. At the exact spot where the arrow had cut through his skin, the vampire began to flake. His skin fell away, like snow, on the dark, bloodstained floor. A heartbeat later, other parts of him fell away too, turning to white ash.
Oh my god. He’s dying.
For a brief second, Sherwood seemed to come back to himself. His gaze locked on his deteriorating arm before dragging up to meet mine. He snarled, and knowing he was going to attack, I lunged forward and shoved him away.
For once, the vampire was too weak to retaliate. Sherwood fell in slow motion, as if he weighed nothing at all—as if he was nothing at all. The instant his body hit the stone ground, he exploded into a cloud of white ash. Silence rang in the basement as all four of us stared at the floor, shocked and relieved.
“Holy crap,” Robin murmured, breaking the quiet.
“Yeah . . . didn’t see that one coming,” Munchie admitted, his voice high.
A strangled laugh escaped me. I could barely believe what had just happened. I’d almost bound myself to a vampire.
“Breathe, Mar,” Robin said, his eyes leveling on mine. He knew that when I got really nervous, I giggled, and it often grew into hysterics. “We still have work to do.”
“Awww, shit,” Will cursed.
“Don’t get frustrated. We have the advantage of surprise,” Robin said, his voice soothing.
My anxiety eased and warmth spread through my belly. Robin’s ability to take charge of a room had always attracted me to him. I wanted nothing more than to wrap my arms around him and kiss him.
“Let’s come up with a plan. Thank the ancients the vamp sent the wolves away, the proud asshole,” Robin said, oblivious to the effect he was having on me. “First, everyone shift so we can get out of these shackles. Then return to your human aspect.”
My fox took over, and I slipped out of the shackles. As soon as I took human form once again, I ran to Robin. I’d been so wrong about him. He was good and giving and caring. Technically, still a thief, yes, but now there was a reason—and it was one I could justify. After all, we’d nearly lost our freedom and each other, which put a shitload of things into perspective.
Hell, the wolves outside the door might still kill us. If that happened, there was no way I was going to my grave without one last kiss.
Clearly, Robin thought the same, because when I leapt at him, he caught me smoothly. Our mouths crashed together, hot and hungry for each other.
His kiss lit all my nerve endings on fire and Robin’s hands cupped my ass, strong and possessive. My legs squeezed his hips, wanting to bring him even closer, and Robin released a deep, animalistic sound.
“Is this really the time?” Munchie groaned.
The tension between us shattered, and Robin and I burst out laughing, our mouths still hovering close. The scent of peppermint filled my nostrils, dizzying me. Although we didn’t want to, we broke apart, and he lowered me to the ground. I gazed up into Robin’s sparkling blue eyes; the corners crinkled with happiness.
“I don’t like it, but he’s right,” I whispered. “We have to get out of here first.”
“I know. I’m not the one who threw herself at me,” Robin whispered back with a sexy wink. Then, for good measure, he kissed me again. “Let’s figure out how to escape—”
A loud clanging came from the other side of the door, making my hair stand on end. We’d run out of time. Surely that was the wolves checking on Sherwood.
