“Pleasure doing business with you, Granny.I’ll see you tomorrow night.”
Right before they exited, he turned.His forked tongue snaked out, flipping it salaciously at her like a deadly snake.A shudder of revulsion swept through her.
Marilisa hurried to lock the door and flipped over the closed sign on the door.Then she marched back to Adalyn and took hold of her hands.
“All right, we have to get you packed and out of the city.”
Adalyn blinked.“What?”
“You need to leave.I have some money upstairs that I can give you—”
“I can’t run, Marilisa,” she managed to force out.“You heard them.They’ll burn this place down and kill you.”
“I can handle them.”
“No, you can’t,” she said, shaking her head.“They weren’t bluffing.”
Panic caused the edges of her vision to blacken.
“Easy.Come on, breathe with me.In and out.In and out.”
She watched Marilisa and forced herself to follow along until the darkness retreated, leaving her feeling hollow and hopeless.
“I’m not going to let you take the brunt of my sister’s ugliness.There’s no running for me.I just don’t know how I’m going to get that much money in a day.”
The answer whispered in back of her mind, but she tried to ignore it.They stood there for a moment, in silence.Remorse filled her because she brought this mess to Marilisa’s doorstep.Her sister sold her out.Gave her away like she was chattel to discard.If those men took her, she knew they’d rape her over and over until she was dead, or too broken to care if death came for her.
Marilisa placed a hand on her arm.“I took you in because I saw the innocence in your eyes.The desperation.You ran to escape that fate, and unfortunately, you have to run again.This time, however, I’m going to send you to an old friend of mine far away who’ll protect you.”
“Only if you come with me.We can start somewhere new together.”
Marilisa cupped her face, smiling at her gently.Adalyn knew right then she wouldn’t leave this place behind.
“I’m an old woman,” she murmured.“I can’t leave.”
“It’s not worth your life!Please, Marilisa,” she begged.“You’re the only family I have.I can’t let anything happen to you.”
Again, the answer swept through Adalyn’s mind.
Marilisa sighed.“You’re not going to run, are you?”
Adalyn shook her head, and came to a realization that she would do anything to protect this sweet woman who took a chance and enveloped her with warmth and affection.With her decision, a sense of peace came over her.
“I’ll fix this.”
“How?”Marilisa asked.“You’re not going with those evil men.If you’re still alive after what they intend to do with you, they’ll start making money off your abused body.”
Adalyn had already come to that conclusion.She’d rather kill herself before being passed around, but if she did that then Marilisa would suffer.She’d never understood the term stuck between a rock and a hard place until now.
Her plan solidified.“I can’t let you be hurt.I don’t care about myself.”
“You should, because I care about you.”
“You mean the world to me,” Adalyn said, hugging Marilisa.“I know how I’m going to get the money.”
“How?You only have until tomorrow and I can’t liquidate this place that fast.”
“I’m not taking your money.”She licked her lips, almost scared to say it aloud.“I’m going to The Crimson Den.The vampires pay a lot for virgin blood.”
