Page 84 of Kentucky Nights
“You might want to watch how you speak to me. I’m controlling him. I have this nifty ability to speak to animals and people. I can control their every thought. See, the bull you’re impaled on? The only thought he has right now is killing you, and he will if you somehow get yourself free from that horn. No one is coming back. Everyone thinks the rodeo is canceled after that poor bull rider got kicked in the chest. He’ll live. I thought you’d want to know.”
“You controlled the bull to target him? For this? Why?” I spit out another wad of blood. If I were human, I’d already be dead from this type of wound.
“It was…fun,” he chuckles into Dru’s neck, moaning when he inhales her scent. “How have you denied her? How have you denied yourself? It’s a shame both of you have to die because of your mistake, Dad.”
I grit my teeth when I hear him call me by that title again. “It was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do. I wanted to give hera choice—Ah! Fuck!” I yell when the bull moves again from his command.
“Don’t move,” Dru whispers in a shaky voice. “Please. Please, I’m begging you. Stay still. Seeing you in pain is making me ache in my soul, please.” She sobs so hard, her shoulders shake. “I can feel you dying.” A dam of tears breaks away from her lash line, and the reflection of the neon lights shining down on the arena shines off her sadness. “It’s killing me.”
My own sadness almost breaks me. Tears burn my eyes, but I refuse to look any weaker in front of this crazed vampire.
“Romeo. Where are you? I need you. Someone has me and Dru hostage.”
I figured he’d be here by now. Something must be wrong.
“If you’re looking for your horse, he’s currently a statue inside your trailer. Did you know that ‘Cemetery Ophids,’ also known as ‘Stone Snakes’ thrive in Purgatory? It isn’t hard to find someone willing to smuggle out things that don’t belong here.” A sick grin spreads across his face, one of manic and instability.
“Don’t worry, Romeo can come back once he meets his Beloved. Stone Snakes are rumored to have been born from Medusa. I don’t know if I believe all that, but I thought, ‘How perfect. I only needed to use them on Romeo.’ Look how lucky I am? You proved yourself weak and useless. I thought you’d put up a fight. I didn’t have to search for any other method to kill you. All I needed to do was show up.”
No. I didn’t know that about Stone Snakes. I didn’t know fucking anything, and now it’s biting me in the ass. Mourning is proof on my face this time, knowing my best friend is a stone. I refuse for that to be his life. I’ll buy every horse in the world if it means there’s a chance he can wake up.
There are two things in this world that are off limits to others:
My mate.
And my horse.
“I’m going to kill you,” I seethe. “I’m going to rip your fangs from your fucking mouth, tie you to the back of my horse, and drag you across hot pavement until your skin is peeled from your bones. You won’t be able to heal because you’ll be wrapped in fucking silver!” I roar, almost pushing myself off the horn when he drives it back through.
“Kentucky!”
“Ah. Ah.” The stranger tsks, tightening his hold on Dru.
“It’s okay, Darlin’. I’ll be okay. We’ll be okay.” Somehow, I know that. I don’t know how or why, but I refuse to die now when I’m so close to living for the first time. “Who are you?” I finally ask him, hoping his name will tickle a memory.
“Oh, that’s right. I’ve made an entrance but not a name for myself. Apologies, Dad.” He pushes Dru forward, keeping her as a barrier between him and me.
She’d be the first to get gutted if he ordered the bull to attack. I have to remain calm. I have to be everything she needs. She deserves someone who can protect her, and I refuse for it not to be me.
“Louisville Reese.”
I can’t tell if I stop breathing because of what he said or if the wound is so bad, I’m dying.
“Oh, that last name rings a bell, doesn’t it? I see you wondering how it’s possible. Your thoughts are whirling.” He twirls his finger next to his temple.
“That’s not possible. She couldn’t have. Audrey wouldn’t have—” I stop myself from completing that sentence.
She would have hidden that from me. That’s the harshest truth of it all. If she could hide the most important part of herself, the part of her being a vampire, then she would hide if she were pregnant.
But why? Why would she hide that? She knew I wanted kids.
I’m so tired of her betrayal seeping further into me. If I had known about him, he would have had a chance of being a decent man.
Not…this.
“Audrey Reese, you know her, don’t you?”
“Audrey? Your maker?” Dru asks.
