Page 60 of Auctioned for Her Blood
I feel like I’ve been transported to a parallel universe I don’t understand, but as I wade through all my thoughts and insecurities, one thing clarifies in my mind.
“Zuben would never hurt me,” I tell Ryker. “If he wanted to hurt me, he would have already.”
“It’s not just him I’m worried about.” Ryker shifts on the bed. “I might be a pirate, but Zuben works with some seriously shady vampires. DEFTA is one of the oldest and most powerful vampire syndicate in the new world and—”
“Syndicate? As inmafia?”
He shrugs. “Not all vampire syndicates are run like crime organizations. A lot of them are more like corporations or clubs to protect their members, but DEFTA is different.”
“Different how?”
“DEFTA’s enemies have a habit of vanishing. Especially over the last seventy or eighty years since the current CEO seized power.” He looks away for a moment. “Now that humans know about vampires, DEFTA’s made deals with the police, they’ve given up vampires who refuse to play by their rules.”
“And then the policestakethese vampires?”
He nods. “But even setting DEFTA’s responsibility for those murders aside, their so-called business dealings are super shady. Zuben wasn’t lying when he told you I’ve stolen from them, but not more than what’s been taken from me.” Ryker’s brow furrows as if he’s remembering some dark event from his past.
Then he takes my shoulders and looks into my eyes. “Ember, if Zuben knows what your blood can do… Or worse, if hisbossknows, then you arenotsafe. DEFTA will take you. They’ll use you.”
He pulls me into a tight embrace. “As soon as the sun sets, I’m taking you away from here. Somewhere no one can find you. I’ll keep you safe.”
My entire body tenses in his arms. I spent my childhood hidden away and now Ryker wants to trap me again? And worse… “How do I know thatyou’renot planning to use me too?”
He leans back from me, hurt flashing in his eyes. But then he shrugs. “You can’t know that, Ember. Not for sure. But since I’ve already drunk your blood, seems I can face sunlight already, so what benefit would there be to my keeping you just for that?”
“I don’t know…” I swallow hard, wanting to trust him, but I need reassurance. “You could loan me out to your friends, sell my blood.”
Did my own mother sell my blood? Is that why she took vials of it from me?My gut contracts but I don’t have time to tend to the wounds caused by my mother. I can see on Ryker’s face that I’ve hurt him again.
But before I can say anything to fix it, his expression goes blank and he leans back and shrugs. “You’re right. You have no reason to trust me. None at all. All I can offer is my word. Guess you’re going to have to roll the dice.”
Taking my hand, he puts it on his chest and presses it against him, and I swear I can feel the thump of his heart in my palm. “But I swear to you, Ember, I will do everything in my power to protect you—both from Zuben and DEFTA.”
“But Zuben wants to protect me from you. Are you really a pirate?”
He grins. “My little dove, I am and have been alotof things—few of them good. In truth, I am a bad, bad man, bad to the core, but I swear on my life I will keep you safe.”
Looking into his eyes, every part of me down to my soul wants to trust him—so badly. I’ve already trusted him with my body and with secrets I’ve never shared with anyone.
“You’re wrong,” I say softly.
“About what?” His head tips to the side.
“About being bad.”
His lips part like he’s about to speak, but I raise my hand.
“When we met, I thought you were dangerous, but you’re not. You’re sweet and kind and gentle—”
“Not always.”
He acts so quickly I don’t feel the movement, but find myself on my back, under him on the bed with his hardness pressed between my parted legs.
I gasp as my hips rise against him. My body clearly trusts him, even as my mind is unclear.
“It’s best you know the truth about me.” His expression is dark as he holds himself over me, pinning me down. “Donothave any delusions about me, little dove. I amnota good man. And Zuben was one hundred percent right about one thing. I am dangerous.”
I suck in a ragged breath, my body responding to the sensual pressure and his overpowering strength. My heart is racing. I’m shocked, but also more turned on than I thought possible. “Maybe I like it.”
