“It’s time to go,” Barrett said brusquely. “As you can see, he’s alive.”
“Barely,” she said, gaining her feet.” He can’t even move inside that tiny cage.”
“He’s a prisoner, not a guest,” Barrett retorted. “Let’s go.”
Stefan, I love you. I’ll be back, if he’ll let me.
You have saved me, my heart. I will see you soon, one way or another.
Smiling inwardly, she let her father lead her out of the prison.
Strengthened by Bryony’s blood, Stefan closed his eyes and drew his preternatural powers around him. Concentrating on the guard who stood watch outside the cellar door, he spoke to the man’s mind.
Come to me.He smiled wolfishly as the cellar door swung open and the man walked stiffly toward him.
Give me your arm.
His movements wooden, the man unlocked the cell door, stepped inside and dropped to his knees, then thrust his arm inside the cage.
Stefan bit him none too gently. The blood was not so sweet as Bryony’s but at the moment it tasted like the finest wine and he drank greedily. When he finished, he commanded the man to open the cage and release him.
“I can’t,” the man said, his voice flat. “Charles has the only key.”
“Where is he?”
“I don’t know.”
A brush of the man’s mind assured he was telling the truth. “Find him and bring him here.”
“Find him,” the man repeated.
“When you leave this room, you will not remember this conversation, or that I fed on you,” Stefan said. When he was sure the man understood, he released the hunter from his thrall and sent him away. Alone now, he swore under his breath. It might be days before Charles showed up. He couldn’t wait that long.
Closing his eyes, he focused on Bryony, her gentle touch, her sweet smile, the love in her voice, her courage in sharing her blood with a starving vampire. She was his and as long as he drew breath, no other man would have her. He grunted. Big words for a man chained in a cage.
She had wed Bloodworth, but they hadn’t consummated the marriage yet. That wouldn’t happen for another few days, but, by damn, if he had his way, it would never happen. Drawing on every ounce of preternatural power he possessed—both vampire and the dark magic bequeathed to him by his mother, he closed his eyes and concentrated on the chains that bound his wrists. A minute passed. Two. He pictured Bloodworth lying with Bryony, touching her, exploring her body, rising over her…
A howl of denial rose in his throat as rage exploded inside him.
The silver shackles shattered.
After that, it was easy enough to dissolve into mist and slip out of the cage and the cell.
After regaining his physical form, he flexed his arms and stretched the kinks from his back and shoulders. A thought took him to his lair at the Stone House to get cleaned up.It wouldn’t do to show up at the Barrett house in torn and bloody clothing.
But first he needed to feed, and then a day or two to gain control of his temper before he confronted Leyton Barrett. In his present mood, he would likely rip the man’s head off.
Chapter Thirty
Bryony sat on the edge of her bed staring at the floor. Her wedding was days away and this time she would have to go home with Bloodworth the Bald. The very idea curdled her stomach. As his wife, she would be expected to submit to him, to endure his mouth on hers, his hands touching places where no man had ever touched. To bear his children.
She let out a hoarse cry as she wondered again what her father planned to do with Stefan once her marriage had been consummated. Merciful heavens, why hadn’t she thought of that before? Her father would never let Stefan go. Doing so would be like signing his own death warrant. His and all the other hunters involved.
Rising, she began to pace the floor. What was she going to do?
What if she refused to consummate the marriage? Would Bloodworth annul the marriage? Or force her to comply?
And what difference did any of that make? Her father’s life would be in danger as long as there was any chance of Stefan escaping. As much as she loved Stefan, as angry as she was with her father, she would never forgive Stefan if he hurt her father. And the opposite was also true.
