Disgusted with myself, I push down the lustful feelings that are obviously an involuntary reaction to not being touched by someone for years. His hand that’s been fixed on my thigh now pulls at the high neckline of my dress, slipping beneath the fabric covering my right shoulder. Thane pushes the lace off in one smooth motion, and panic rises when I realize the next move he makes will leave me bare for everyone to see.
The crawling and tricks were one thing. That kind of humiliation I can handle. But being undressed in front of these monsters for them to gawk and laugh at is too much.
“Please don’t do this.” My voice cracks on the last word, and Thane’s dark brows pinch together. I know the last thing he expected me to do was beg, but he’s left me no choice.
He clutches a fistful of my hair, pulling me closer to him, and I close my eyes, holding my breath as I wait for him to rip the rest of the dress from my body.
Instead, a searing pain burns into the side of my neck. I want to scream and push him off me, but I can’t seem to do either. All I can do is sit on his lap, completely frozen as the burning sensation spreads like wildfire through my veins. As the seconds slowly tick by, Thane tightens his grip like a wild animal consumed by bloodlust.
Everything around us falls away, my attention focused solely on the agony coursing through my body. The pain is soexcruciating that it steals all of the oxygen from my lungs. It’s like every inch of me is being stabbed with tiny needles while my flesh is being burned away by acid. I’m almost certain there’s no worse pain in the world, and it’s only a matter of time until my heart gives out. As I wait for that moment to come, my head begins to spin, and the pain begins to numb, offering a rush of relief.
Suddenly, Thane pulls away, and I collapse into him, unable to hold myself up. He tilts my chin up, and my eyes fall to his mouth. His bottom lip is stained red with my blood, and he runs his tongue along the sharp tips of his fangs.
“You bit me,” I manage in a whisper.
“No, I marked you.”
His words sound distant, and I’m not sure I even hear them right as my eyes fall shut, drawing in a sea of darkness.
The late morning sun beams through the large windows, painting the room a golden hue. Everything feels a bit foggy and muffled as I rack my brain, trying to figure out how I got back to this room. The last thing I remember about last night was Thane sinking his fangs into my neck.
As the memories of the night begin to slowly resurface, I spring out of bed and sprint to the bathroom. Revulsion knots in my stomach when I realize I’m no longer wearing the lace gown. I look down at the slinky nightgown, wondering who in this godforsaken place changed my clothes last night. Just the thought that it might have been Thane makes me want to punch a hole through the wall, but the inferno burning upinside of me is smothered when I hear a knock at the door. I already know it must be Sienna. She’s the only one around here who would have the decency to knock.
“How was last night—” She pauses halfway through the door and grabs my shoulders, turning me into the light. “Alpha marked you?” Concern washes over her face, and it makes my stomach churn with dread.
I reach for the place I was bitten and rush off to the bathroom again. The collar is back on me, but even the thick metal clasped around my neck doesn’t hide the two puncture wounds.
“What does that mean? He marked me?”
“Umm…” She pauses, looking down at the floor. “You know how humans would brand cows?”
“He BRANDED me?” A flurry of emotions slam into me, and Sienna offers a sympathetic look that only makes me feel worse. “Will it go away?”
She shakes her head. “You see those lines that look kind of like bolts of lightning?” I lean forward closer to the mirror so I can get a better look. Thin black lines extend around both puncture holes, almost looking like veins. “Only the strongest vampires can mark someone. The longer those lines, the more powerful they are.”
“Let me guess, these are pretty long?”
“The longest I’ve ever seen, not that that’s saying much. I’ve only ever met one other marked human, and that was before the Last War when most humans didn’t know we existed.” She feigns a smile. “The good news is no one will mess with you now.”
“You mean no one but the cruel, all-powerful hybrid who now owns me.”
She grimaces at the thought and then quickly changes the subject. “You should know he had me change you out of your clothes last night. I tried to wake you, but you were out cold. I hope that’s okay.”
“Oh, thank God!” I rejoice, leaning into the bathroom counter. “I thought he might have—”
“Alpha?” She shakes her head. “He’s a lot of things, but a pervert isn’t one of them. Can’t say the same for the rest of the wolves around here, though. They take the saying ‘men are dogs’ to a whole other level.”
“Hmm. Good to know he has at least one redeeming quality.”
She laughs and looks at her watch. “Mannaggia, we have to get you ready for breakfast!”
“Please tell me it’s not some formal breakfast with the territory leaders,” I whine, following her to the dresser.
“Nope! Just you and your mortal enemy,” she quips, bumping me with her hip.
“Mortal, huh? Meaning he can die?” Her face tightens. “I’m joking,” I reassure before she goes into full panic mode. “I’m not dumb enough to think I could go up against him.”
“Good,” she says, handing me a black, full-length jumpsuit that looks like something a spy would wear. “Because he’s over 300 years old and has hundreds, if not thousands, of kills under his belt.”
