Page 69 of Auctioned for Her Blood
“Shit.” Gracen shrugs, stepping away from me. “What the fuck do I care? Have at it.” Clearly saving me is not worth angering this monster vampire.
The monster strokes his cock, grunting, making his threat even more solid—and larger. Closing my eyes, I crouch into a ball.
Think.
I undo the straps of my heels. If I get the chance to run again, at least I’ll be able to move more quickly. But I know enough about vampires to realize I can’t outrun him. Or overpower him. There must be another way.
I’m in a dungeon that seems to be a prison for vampires—and bears? To survive, I need to stand up to the prisoners. Act tough, like Gracen does. But that idea seems a million miles out of reach.
“Hey, Psycho.” The one called Corney draws my attention back to the group. There are at least a dozen of them now.
“Let me go first,” Corney says.
“Why the fuck would I do that?” Psycho asks, and then he grunts, tugging on his cock with so much force I wonder if he’ll pull the thing off. A girl can hope.
“If you tear her up,” Corney answers, “no one else gets a turn.”
“Again, who the fuck cares?” Turning toward Corney, Psycho points his stiff member toward him. “Maybe I’ll take your ass first. Get me warmed up.”
Raising his hands, Corney backs away. “Okay. Okay. Never mind. It was just an idea.”
Psycho turns to face me, giving me a look that chills my already broken body and freezes my ability to move. Not that moving would do me any good. His eyes are full of a hunger that’s so different from what I saw in Ryker’s before we had sex.
It isn’t desire, or even lust in Psycho’s eyes. He’s regarding me coldly, like meat.
And I suppose, to him, that’s what I am.
Is this how I die?
My determination builds, heat and light rising inside me, like I’m lightning getting ready to strike.
Straightening my legs, I raise my hands toward Psycho, prepared to fight for my life.
He shifts back, as if pushed, and his eyes fill with shock.
It’s almost like something pulled him away from me. Something unseen. I have no clue what it was but I’m grateful.
But even more than grateful, I’m drained, exhausted from fear, adrenaline, and dehydration. My tongue feels like sandpaper in my mouth, and I struggle to stay on my feet.
“Get away from her!” A voice yells. “Leave her alone.”
Through my fog of confusion and fear, my defender’s voice sounds familiar. But it isn’t Ryker.
Zuben pushes through the crowd, moves behind me and places his hand on my stomach—possessively.
I retract from the too intimate touch, but that just pushes my spine against Zuben’s body and his hand’s pressure is constant and firm.
“Hey, handsome.” Gracen smiles as she eyes Zuben, her gaze sliding up and down him as she walks around us. “You’re fucking cute, newbie. What are you packing down there?” She traces her hand down to her crotch. “Wanna go somewhere and get better acquainted?”
Zuben ignores her, keeping his focus on Psycho. “This human is mymate,” Zuben says firmly. “We were arrested together. She ismine.” He says this last word with force and gives it even more weight by pressing his hand even more firmly against my belly. Heat radiates from his large palm and long fingers, easing just a tiny bit of my fear. But should I fear Zuben?
Psycho’s eyes narrow as he considers Zuben’s false claim. “You took a human as a mate?” His tone makes it clear that the idea is revolting.
“Yes.”
“Is that why you’re in here?” someone asks.
Stepping forward, Gracen touches Zuben’s shoulder, tracing her hand over the shape of it under his wool suit jacket.
