Page 99 of All Your Bloody Lies

Though, I could be wrong. He said he’d chase me, but really, am I worth all the trouble? I hope I am… To him, I think I am.

I attempt to shift in the comfortable bed I’m lying in, surprised that I’m not restrained, yet unfortunately, I’m immobile. My eyes are barely capableof opening, yet they stop at half-mast. There are black sheets that grace me, but I know I’m not home, or with Kai, and this had all been a bad dream.

My ability to swallow is challenging. I’m keenly aware of a bitter taste, accompanied by the acridness of a toxic protein. I suspect it’s the venom, which troubles me greatly, especially if I can taste it.

“Ah, you’re awake.”

A deep husky voice is behind me, and as much as I want to turn and look, I’m physically unable to. I can smell something metallic, and I wonder if I’m bleeding. There is also a lingering smell of disinfectants and latex. I’m attempting to catch any scent from this person, but it’s impossible unless he comes closer, and truthfully, I’d prefer he didn’t.

“You are beautiful while sleeping, though, I do wish I didn’t have to keep you so drugged up you can’t move.”

I move my lips before trying to speak, and I’m thankful that I can, “Fuck you.” Perfect, I can hear myself. “I promise I’m more fun when I can move.”

“Oh, I know.”

I do hate he confirms that.

“Let me guess…” I try to shift, but again I’m unable. Yeah, I’m definitely paralyzed, which means they’ve given me a lot of that venom. “Lars?”

“Oh no, not quite. Unfortunate for him, great for me.” His voice lowers, and it sounds as if he is walking away from me.

I do my best to look over my shoulder at him, but to no avail.

“Just us two, which is nice, because I didn’t get much alone time during our first encounter.” Although I can’t feel it, I know tremors are coursing through me. Two in the same place, truthfully I should be thankful, but I’m not in the right position to be thanking anyone. “It’ll just be us, for now.”

As he finally emerges into view, an immediate sense of regret washes over me. Blood and citrus assail my senses, a chilling reminder of the man who had been dragging me. The largest of them and physically, the most brutal.

His chest alone is the size of my entire torso, and as he circles the bed and comes to the other side, I lose his head in my vision.

Vayl above, I’m so fucked.

I watch him grab hold of the arm that is crammed under me, and drag me onto my back right below him. The sound of metal clinking against the floor makes me shift my gaze to my left. I trail the tube that is in my arm up to an IV system. The bag is filled with a yellow substance.

“It’s saliva mixed with saline. You can guess whose saliva it is,” he chuckles just as the bed dips beside me. A tight grip on my chin pulls me to look up at him. “Open that pretty little mouth. I’m not concerned of you chomping down—” His wide smile stretches his cheeks, but the sinister undertone behind it sends a shiver down my spine. “You can barely speak.”

“Nope.” I press my lips into a fine line, cocking an eyebrow in defiance.

“Let’s not fight, hm?” He moves and straddles over my waist. When I look down, not to my surprise, but I am naked. “It’s not like you have much of a choice at this point, why not just accept it? When they get here to take you back to your crypt—” My eyes round, coming back to look at him. “Oh, yeah, you’re going back into the ground, cutie. So when they come to collect you, you can have a long sleep then. For now…”

I can hear my teeth chattering in my head, “Why…”

He licks his lips, his hand enveloping my entire jaw. His imposing presence, accentuated by his dark skin and muscular build, fills me with intimidation, and I have the humility to acknowledge it. Every vein in his arm, tracing up to his chest and along his neck, is starkly visible. His deep, black eyes bore into me as if he could devour me whole.

“Well, I don’t know,” I don’t need to see his aura to know he is telling the truth. His index finger brushes down my lips, and he pulls open my mouth from my bottom teeth. “It’s insignificant, really. We’ve got a while together, maybe a few weeks, so let’s just make the most of it until you go back under.”

His nails extend and I can see the fur lining his knuckles and down his arm. “You remember me, don’t you?” My eyes close, and I think of riding in Kairhyse’s car down the countryside. I drown out the sound of my flesh being torn apart, and the pain that accompanies his first swipe.

“I never took you as a pop fan... I imagined you being the heavy metal, head banging type person.”

“Little demon, this music isn’t for me. You don’t think I couldn’t hear your choice in music? Stalking you is more than just me watching that tight ass trying to fit into a pair of jeans. I have to know everything about my prey.”

“Such a fucking weirdo…”

I’ll be alright.

I have to be. I can’t leave Sydni, she needs me. Mister won’t survive without me… and I… I don’t know if I’ll survive again without him…

Kai… I do like him. Even if he is a weirdo…

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