Kace grabbed him by the fabric of his hoodie, lifting him up as if he weighed nothing and hauled him far gentler than he should have against the wall. Hunter fought, his fist caught immediately in Kace’s spare hand while his kicks barely landed.
“You really think so?” Kace pulled him closer until they were almost nose to nose. He didn’t want to hurt him, just scare him enough to realise that if he went into a cage or a ring, he could be killed.Wouldbe killed. “You’re too impatient.”
Hunter breathed heavily, his face red with irritation. He set him down, and when Hunter didn’t step away Kace carefully placed his hand on his shoulder. Shifters were a tactile Breed, needing the physical connection to calm their animals. Kace was the opposite, but he couldn’t stand there while Hunter was breaking.
“Don’t do something stupid because you feel the need to prove yourself.”
Hunter rolled his shoulder, dislodging Kace’s hand.
“You’re not ready. Not yet, but you will be.”
Hunter stepped back, pulling his hood up to conceal his face. “Whatever.” He disappeared in the same direction as Axel, and before Kace followed he smashed his fist into the brick.
Chapter9
Eva
Eva concentrated on the knife beside her plate, the sharp edges tempting beneath the flickering candlelight. It cast slight shadows, and Eva found herself wanting to reach forward as if she could hide in the little marks of darkness.
“Eat,” Augustine demanded, watching her while he slowly savoured his breakfast. “We have a busy day.” Cutlery scraped across expensive china. “While you may not require physical food to survive, you should appreciate life’s pleasures. Now eat.” His tone left no room for negotiation.
And still Eva ignored him, looking out the window with a pained hiss. She had been beaten to unconsciousness by Augustine’s lackeys, the evidence marking her pale skin. The bruises weren’t as dark as she expected they would if she were human, but the twin holes that remained from Augustine’s strike were entirely unhealed, painful with every subtle movement.
Vampire healing, what a load of bullshit.
“It seems you haven’t learnt your lesson the first time,” he said, swirling the dark red liquid in his glass. “Did you want a repeat?”
Eva couldn’t bring herself to eat the food, her stomach in knots and hungering for the blood that was only across the table, something that would have made her shudder only months before. “Why am I here?” she asked finally, her voice harsh with the tightness in her throat. This was the third time she had been forced to attend a meal she refused to eat, wearing a dress Augustine had chosen. It was black, skin-tight that barely reached her knees with a slight sweetheart neckline. It bared her arms, as did all of the clothes she had peeked in the wardrobe, showing off the tattoos that were a blatant reminder that she was property.
Augustine settled back in his chair, giving her a measured look. “You need to feed regularly, it’s why you haven’t healed,” he said instead of answering, gesturing to her bite. “Although, I do enjoy seeing my mark on such a beautiful woman. Vampire blood isn’t sufficient, we don’t have the right enzymes which was why even when you were feeding from that man of yours, you were still weak.”
Eva chewed on the inside of her cheek, gaze dropping back to the knife that was so close to her hand.
“Do it and you’ll know more pain than you could ever imagine,” he said calmly, bringing his blood back to his lips, his eyes flicking behind her.
Eva didn’t have time to brace herself before an arm was held across her chest, a wrist pressed against her mouth. Her fangs punched down, ambrosia coating her tongue as she moaned, unable to stop the sound as she sucked on the flesh as if it were a lifeline.
“As you can see,” Augustine began with an amused tone. “I control when you eat, and whether you heal.”
Eva bit down harder, using the sharp pain as a distraction as she reached for the knife, the edge slicing the arm pressed against her chest before she was shoved forward, a solid weight pinning her against the table. The knife was pulled from her fingers as if she were a child, her movements tight as she tried to fight.
“Enough.”
The pressure lasted for a second longer before she was released, the presence behind her stepping back. Slowly sitting up she met Augustine’s eyes, proud that she didn’t flinch at the unwavering attention. Flesh had ripped when the wrist had been torn away, and Eva spat it across the table. It almost made it the whole way, landing just past the condiments.
Augustine didn’t drop the eye contact, a smile creeping along his face. “I wonder what would happen if I gave you to all my men at once? Let them train you until you’re my pretty, submissive toy. Then maybe you’ll be more agreeable.”
Dread speared through Eva, the flash of warmth from the blood turning to ice.
“As if you would allow anyone else to touch something that’s yours,” a feminine voice chuckled from behind her, so high-pitched it must have been fake.
Eva straightened further, turning her head as the beautiful woman who had tattooed her arms appeared. She was tall and slim, with hair as black as the night. It was perfectly straight, and hit just shy of her lower back.
“Have you told Dutch of your new pet?” Her words were sharp despite the alluring smile that tipped her lips. “You know how jealous he can get.”
Augustine’s eyes darkened. “Go,” he demanded of the security, the door clicking closed a second later. “Why are you here, Hana?” he asked, his question directed at the beautiful woman.
Hana’s shoulders tightened, but her face was soft, almost suggestive as she pouted. “I was just curious about your new whore.” She reached for Augustine’s glass, her tongue a burst of pink as it licked across the rim.
