Page 52 of Bradi

“You’ll come with me.” When she didn’t respond to his command, he put the knife to her throat and sneered at her. “He promised I could have you.”

Who? The question was on the tip of her tongue, but she knew better than to ask it.

Marisa stiffened as he jerked her to her feet. Wanting to run, shout, anything that would grab the attention of the villagers, she twisted slightly, preparing to run.

Peter seized hold of her hair and yanked her back to him. His hot breath hit her cheek as he spoke. “I will gut you, Marisa—know that. And when your screams bring Bradi, the others that lurk around me will hold him down and make him watch as I cut you to pieces, then we will tear him limb from limb. It is as the Master wishes it to be.”

The Master?

It hit her then who he spoke of. “Stegian,” she whispered.

“Yes.”

*

Bradi took another sip of wine and rubbed his temples. If they continued to sit in here spinning their wheels, they’d be too old to go after Stegian. All he wanted to do right now was attack and assure that his family was safe. He needed to get back to his pregnant wife. He needed to be near her, not hashing out more plans.

Kill the evil vampire.

Seemed simple enough to him.

The door to the conference room burst open and all eyes went to it.

When Bradi saw Pheebes standing there, he knew that something was wrong. “What has happened? Is it the baby?”

Pheebes paled and shook his head.

“Then speak,” Christian commanded.

“She is gone.”

“Who is gone?”

“The doctor. She was hungry, so I went to retrieve something sweet for her, and she was to go to Lorelei’s, but she never arrived,” Pheebes said, hanging his head in shame. “The men are tracking her scent as we speak. I did not stay to see what they found. I thought that you would want to know.”

Bradi couldn’t move, couldn’t breathe. Christian grabbed his shoulder and it was all the jolt he needed to run out the door.

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