Page 86 of The Monster and the Last Blood Match

Just as she came to that conclusion, the door to her room popped open. She scrambled to her feet, ready to tell the person to leave her alone. Then Roland walked in, closed and locked the door, and she knew immediately that she was royally fucked.

“Hello, pet.”

Reyna attempted to mask the fear rolling off of her. Roland was not like the other vampire, who had released her at the mention of Beckham’s name. Roland knew no fear. He had been toying with her for weeks, waiting for the right opportunity to strike.

“You’ve been playing cat and mouse with me.” He ambled forward slowly. He watched her with close attention.

“No, I haven’t.” She put conviction in her voice, but she worried it was lost. All she had was fear at this point. How could she escape Roland in a locked room made for this very thing?

Roland tsked her like a petulant child. “No lying, pet. I’ve been watching you. I knew I would find you alone eventually.”

He stepped even closer to her, and she hurried away from him. The deadly smirk on his face only increased with her fear. He backed her up until her knees hit the bed. She sat down heavily and scooted out of his reach.

“Beckham is probably looking for me,” she told him.

“No. He’s not,” Roland said with conviction. “He’s thoroughly occupied with Miss Sky and will be for some time, I assume. He always is.”

Reyna winced at the mention of Penelope and Beckham alone together. The worst of it all was that it was true. Beckham hadn’t even seen her leave when he drank from Penelope. He wouldn’t be looking for her, and Roland clearly enjoyed watching the realization come over her.

“But no worry.” Roland ran his hand down her arm. She felt sick to her stomach. “I plan to keep you occupied on my own.”

Reyna dashed to the other side of the bed and ran to the door. But before she had even made it past the bed, Roland grabbed her arm. She cried out as he held her in a bruising grasp before throwing her back against the foot of the bed.

He laughed. “You will not leave. I’ve ensured it.” His hand brushed her dark hair out of her face like a caress. She gritted her teeth. “Now, where were we? Oh, yes. Don’t tell me that you haven’t imagined this moment. I know I have.”

“I’ve never thought about you in that way,” she growled.

“You would think ofhimthat way, but not me?” he asked in disgust. “He has no interest in you but as a passing fancy. I find your will entertaining. A thing worth breaking like a prized stallion. Back home in France, we used to pay a pretty penny for a broken horse. I will see it done to you, too. Starting tonight.”

Reyna screamed as he lunged for her. She darted out from under his arm and dashed toward the door again. She grappled with the lock, but she wasn’t fast enough. Roland’s hand clamped down on her hair and wrenched her backward. She yelled as some of her hair was pulled from the root and her twist unraveled from its pins. As he dragged her by her hair across the room, she lost her footing and he dug in deeper to yank her along.

He threw her back on the bed and crawled on top of her. Tears streamed down her face from the pain in her scalp and the terror of what was to come.

“Look at the way you tremble and cry and taste,” he said, bending down and licking her tears off of her cheek. “Oh, I plan to savor your taste.”

His hands fell to her corset, and he ripped it open from top to bottom, revealing her breasts to him.

“Please, no,” she cried. “Please, please, no. No, no, no, no, no.”

“Oh, yes, you will be a delicacy.” Roland bent down and kissed her on the lips. She recoiled from his touch and refused to yield. “How I love this game, but I was told not to play with my food.”

Her head was jerked back, exposing her throat. His fangs bore down toward her. She felt the touch of his mouth on her neck. It was over. This would be her first vampire bite and probably her last.

Then time slowed. The door to the room burst open. Roland lifted his head to see who dared disturb his private room, and Reyna caught a glimpse of Beckham looming in the doorway. He was a murderous shadow in all black, his face a storm cloud ready to release.

“Let her go, Roland,” Beckham said, his voice low and dangerous.

Roland laughed, on the edge of madness, but he made no move to release Reyna.

“She ismine.”

“Then come take her from me,” he challenged.

Beckham took one deadly step forward, and Roland moved to puncture her neck. Reyna screamed, but before Roland’s fangs reached her, he was yanked off of Reyna and hurled across the room. His back hit the wall, and he landed in a crouch on the ground.

“You would fight me over her?” Roland asked.

“You leave me no choice.”

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