Recovering from the surprise of Julian’s attack,Gerald lunged for Aida as Julian raced toward them. She squeakedand scrambled to get out of the way, but she wasn’t fast enough toavoid him grabbing her ankle.
Flipping over, she drew back her foot andkicked him in the face. Bone crunched, and blood poured from hisbroken nose. When the hand on her ankle clamped down, she couldn’tsuppress a cry at the bone-crushing grip. Despite the pain, Aidatried to kick him again, but he caught her leg and pulled hertoward him.
Julian released a sound that was half roarand half snarl and all murderous savagery, causing the hair on hernape to stand on end. She hoped that noise wasn’t directed at her.He hadn’t contacted her in over four years, but she’d done nothingto warrant such hatred.
He lurched toward Gerald as the vamp draggedher beneath him and spun to the side. Aida bit back a cry when herhead bounced off the floor, and stars burst before her eyes. Shehad to get away from this monster, but he’d decided to use her as ahuman shield as he kept her on top of him.
Julian dodged to the side to get at Gerald,but when Gerald moved Aida, he made it impossible for Julian toreach the asshole. He went to grasp her arm to pull her away, butGerald grabbed her hair and pulled it back.
“I’ll break her neck,” Gerald spat.
Julian yanked his hands back as he bared hisfangs. The helplessness filling him at seeing his mate abused insuch a way was pushing him toward a snapping point from which hewasn’t sure he could return.
Aida slid her hand into her pocket for herpepper spray, but as she was pulling it free, Gerald jerked her tothe side. Her hand was knocked from her pocket, and she fumbled tokeep hold of the can, but when his hand entangled in her hair andhe yanked her head back, the can slipped from her fingers.
It clattered against the floor as frustrationburned through her. But the loss of her pepper spray was the leastof her problems as Gerald’s hot breath warmed her neck.
Vampire!Her mind screamed at her. Andhe was going to bite her.No! No! No!
She tried slapping him over her back asmuffled noises issued from her. She recalled every bite she enduredon the island, every indignity suffered, and most of all, theexcruciating agony accompanying a vampire’s bite.
But instead of sinking his fangs into herthroat, Gerald rose in a movement so swift she barely felt itbefore she was upright and pressed against his chest. She squirmedagainst his hold, but when he released her hair to snake his armaround her neck and jerked upward, she choked and went limp.
Her toes scraped against the ground asinvoluntary tears slid from her eyes. Her breaths wheezed in andout as her lungs strained for air. She drove an elbow into hisstomach, but it was like hitting a wall, and her breath was cut offcompletely when he tightened his hold.
Her fingers dug into his flesh until hefinally eased his hold, and she wheezed air into her burning lungsagain. Her vision cleared, and she almost squeaked when she spottedJulian only a few feet away. At least she thought it was Julian; itwas practically impossible to tell through the red and black colorcovering his hands and face.
What the fuck?She’d seen a lot ofthings when it came to vampires, but she’dneverseenanything like that. What was he? Was he okay? What was happening,and why did she feel like she should understand all of this whenshe didn’t understand anything?
But itwasJulian. She hadn’t seen himin four years, but he was once her best friend. She had to believehe wouldn’t leave her to this monster and that he wasn’t becomingsome sort of monster himself.
“Come near me again, and I’ll kill her,”Gerald said as he pulled her back a few more feet.
Julian stopped stalking them and held hishands up as Gerald choked her until she couldn’t breathe again.“Stop hurting her.”
Gerald grinned at him as he eased his grip.Aida choked in a breath, and despite not remembering theirrelationship, her eyes were pleading when they met his. She wascounting on him to get her out of this; he wouldnotlet herdown.
Julian ignored the stench of rot wafting offGerald as he circled him, looking for a weakness. He couldn’t findone yet, but he would. There was no way this asshole was gettingout of here with her.
“Whoare you?” he demanded.
Gerald laughed, but there was no humor in itas his gaze ran over the color staining Julian’s skin. “Whatare you?”
“Not your typical vampire.”
With his strength, supporting her weightwasn’t a big deal, but she still wasn’t going to make it easy forthis guy. She gripped his forearm to help keep her chin up and herwindpipe from being crushed as she went limp in Gerald’s hold. Hedidn’t hesitate while he continued to drag her toward the backdoor.
“I can see that,” Gerald said. “But what kindof vampire are you?”
“I’m the kind that’s going to tear you apartfor touching her.”
Gerald’s smile remained in place, but hecouldn’t hide the unease in his eyes as he glanced at the back dooronly ten feet away from him. Then, the vamp laughed. “You stoppedher from killing you, but you won’t stop me from killing her.”
Julian’s throat went dry as his pulsethundered in his temples. Everything in him screamed to tear thisman apart, but he couldn’t go after Gerald without putting Aida atrisk. “You kill her, and you won’t make it out of here alive.”
“I didn’t say I planned to kill her now. I’mgoing to take her somewhere else so we can have a little fun first.There’s no way I’m not going to enjoy this tempting morsel before Ifinish with her.”
Aida remained unmoving as she tried to makesense of all this. She hadn’t seen Julian in years, yet somehowhe’d succeeded in stoppingherfrom killinghim?Thatmade no sense. She wasn’t exactly thrilled he’d decided to ignoreher all these years, and his rejection of their friendship hurtlike hell, but she wouldnevertry to kill him.
