Page 4 of Lycan King's Captives
I shrink back in my chair, my heart racing as the man steps into the room. He is tall and broad-shouldered, with an air of authority that seems to hang around him. His eyes are like deep ice-blue diamonds, glinting in a way that suggests he can see right through me, and they glow with intensity as they scan the room. His large frame fills the space, and I’ve never encountered an aura so menacingly strong.
He moves gracefully across the room, and I can smell a unique scent emanating from him, almost musky, with hints of smoke and something wild. His movements are precise and predatory, each one calculated and purposeful. I’m fixated, unable to tear my eyes away from him.
“Prince Xandros, what a pleasant surprise,” Mal exclaims.
“Mal,” the man nods as he wanders over to the desk. Only then does his gaze shift in my direction, and I suck in a sharp intake of breath.
As he comes closer to me, my fear rises. I notice his tan skin stretched tight over prominent cheekbones and a strong jawline. His dark hair swept back off his face in a way that suits him well. It is then I realize what and who he is—the Lycan Prince, next in line to become King. The man sniffs at the surrounding air, his eyes tracking my every movement even though I dare not move an inch.
His eyes finally settle on me again, and a chill runs down my spine; despite knowing nothing about him or why he’s here, I know this man would be a force to be reckoned with if crossed. I brace myself for whatever will happen next.
“Who’s she?” Prince Xandros questions as he peers over at me.
“Working girl, I recently obtained to cover a debt.”
“How much?” the prince questions, and my stomach drops.
“800k,” Mal answers and my eyes go to him to see him chewing his lip.
“I sent Andrew for your money, but I don’t have all of it today. I was expecting you tomorrow,” Mal states.
Prince Xandros’s lips pressed together in a tight line, forming an expression that promises danger should I dare provoke it. “I’m sure we can work something out,” Prince Xandros says, his lips tugging up as he looks me over from head to toe.
The prince slowly advances forward until he is standing a short distance from my chair. He brushes a single finger along my cheekbone; I flinch at its warmth but cannot bring myself to look away from him. With a slight smirk on his face, he talks in a low voice that resonates deeply within my chest as fear envelops me. My stomach sinks like I swallowed a lead weight.
“I think I found a way to settle the rest of your debt Mal,” the prince murmurs. An ice-cold chill runs up my spine at his words, and my gaze frantically darts to Mal’s as panic sets in. This man will kill me when he realizes who I am and what my parents did to his aunt.
I close my eyes and take a deep breath. I have to find a way out of this situation. “What do you want from me?” I ask in a voice only slightly wavering with fear.
The prince smirks again and steps back, taking his hand away from my face. He gazes at me thoughtfully then says, “I think you already know the answer to that.” Deep down, I know whatever this man wants is beyond my power to stop, and he’ll take it and kill me when he is done... unless I find another way out.
“You want her?” The question slightly shocks him and me as well.
“Is that an issue?” The prince asks, raising an eyebrow at Mal. Mal quickly shakes his head and drops his gaze to the floor. “No, Your Majesty. If you want her, she’s yours,” he concedes. The man reaches for me; I stand before he can grab me. This seems to amuse him as he motions toward the door.
I have to find a way out of this situation, or else I will never see the light of day again. With that thought in mind, I start going toward the door—my only chance at freedom.
The prince’s eyes narrow as they follow my movements. No doubt he knows I was planning something; the question is, what? He steps aside, allowing me to pass him by without any further confrontation. As I reach for the doorknob, I sense his gaze on my back – it is like an invisible force propelling me forward as adrenaline courses through me.
I hold my breath and open the door, taking one last look at the prince before stepping into the corridor and running. I know the danger remains, but at least I’ve given myself a fighting chance.
With newfound determination, I run, shoving between people aiming for the front doors. Only they are cut off at the last second, and I am forced to detour through the kitchens, where the sound of clanking pans and hushed conversation reaches me.
Without losing a beat, I keep running. Noticing a door, my hands hit it, and it bursts open, and I am met with the cold night air.
I step outside into the freezing winter air and a flurry of snowflakes drift down from the sky. I shiver in my thin jacket that offers little warmth as the bitter cold envelops my body. The stars twinkle and taunt me as I glance around to find I’m in an alleyway. With a deep breath, I take off running down the street, desperately trying to put some distance between me and Prince Xandros, who is chasing me. I can hear shouting from the bar, and I don’t waste my time sitting around idle. Instead, I keep running, praying I can outrun them, despite knowing it is futile to try.
The cold winter air stings my face as I race down the snow-dusted streets. With a look over my shoulder, I notice the prince in pursuit, his long strides diminishing the space between us. Fear courses through my veins, and desperately I veer down another dark alleyway only to stop dead in my tracks when I see about a dozen figures lurking in the shadows ahead. They are vampires, and they’re blocking my path. With their eyes glowing blood-red and fangs bared, they advance toward me. Fuck. I peer around, searching for another escape; however, I find none when a growl fills the air, causing the vampires to freeze in place.
I see the prince and numerous guards entering the alleyway from my side. It’s clear they are not here to play games.
The vampires react quickly and charge toward the guards, not recognizing the prince for who he is. The prince lunges forward at full speed, tackling two vampires at once before they can reach me. His powerful claws rip through their clothing and skin while his razor-sharp teeth tear into their throats. Though outnumbered, he manages to fend them off until I can make a break for it once again; I don’t get far as I am cut off by the feral fighting. Fingers wrap around my arm, and I am jerked out of the chaos by the prince. His excitement at catching me is short-lived when he is tackled and his sharp claws slice through my arm like a hot knife through butter as momentum throws me from his grip. Stumbling, I barely catch myself before I faceplant the ground. My arm burns violently, as I clutch it trying to stem the bleeding. The sight of my arm is horrific, and I can clearly see the deep claw marks tearing their way across my skin. Blood is pouring out of the wounds, and stinging pain slivers up my arm. The pain and shock overwhelm me, and I scream.
After what feels like hours of chaos and confusion, I catch an opportunity to escape and seize it without hesitation. Quietly leaving the chaos and bloody fray, I sprint off into the darkness while they’re distracted and spot the forest at the end of the street. With a final look back toward the alleyway, the guards and prince are still battling. Adrenaline pumps through my veins; my mind is racing a mile a minute.
I race through the dense forest. As I run through the trees and underbrush, branches whipping my face as if urging me faster. Ultimately, all sounds of pursuit fade away into nothingness around me. For a while, I keep running out of fear until I’m deep in the forest, my heart pounds loudly in my ears, making me stagger. I try to catch my breath as the eerie quietness of the forest sets me on edge. At first, the pain in my arm was a slight discomfort; the pain progresses to an unbearable level, and my skin becomes red and hot.
My head is spinning, and despite the freezing cold weather, I am drenched in sweat. Moving slower, vertigo rushes over me, and I stop trying to catch my breath. I grip my bleeding arm as I assess the damage. I’ve heard Lycans are creatures that can transform humans into Lycans. Their bites contain powerful venom that causes transformation, effectively marking the person they change and making them their mate. Despite this, their scratches can be lethal because it’s toxic to their prey, which is supposed to stop them from getting far if they manage to escape.
