Page 66 of Blood Owed (Blood Mafia 1)
I’ve never been so happy to hear Grayson’s voice. The man choking me squeezes my neck even tighter. I make a pathetic gagging noise and kick at him. His hand slaps my foot away.
“What do you want, Grayson?”
I hear a dark chuckle and shoes crunching over broken glass. I’m assuming it’s Grayson that’s come closer, but I can’t see him as the man is holding me facing the other direction and I’m trying not to die.
“I think what you meant to say is, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to make Demetria mad. I had no idea she is under Mateo’s protection, please don’t kill me, Grayson.”
“What?” the asshole asks, loosening his grip enough that I fall to the floor. A broken piece of porcelain digs into my palm and pierces my flesh.
“You heard me.” Grayson’s voice is low and there’s power coating his words, almost like a physical wave of dominance washes over me.
“Mateo’s protecting this bitch?”
“Jackson,” I hear the nice guy scold the jerk. “Sorry, man, he’s had a couple of drinks.”
I finally catch my breath enough to glance over my shoulder. Grayson’s eyes flit to mine, take in my haggard appearance, and darken to black.
“Grayson, man, please, he didn’t know.”
Grayson tips his head and stares at the one that tossed me around, the movement is predatory and even though he’s not watching me, my heart skips a beat.
“The last vampire who made a mess of Mateo’s restaurant ended up being tortured for five days. What do you think happens to the vampire that destroys the restaurant and hurts his woman?”
Now isn’t the best time to point out to Grayson that I’m not Mateo’s anything, but for the record, I’m not his woman.
He moves before either vampire can, snapping their necks with two quick jerks of his hands and flitting to me in the next second. He wraps his fingers around my arm and helps me stand, brushing broken bits of plate and glass from my leggings.
“Are you okay?” he asks me, keeping his voice low.
“Yeah,” I croak out, glancing at all the vampires and humans watching us.
The woman whose table I was tossed into is crying. Her date hugs her and glares at me like I asked to be attacked by a vampire.
A waiter comes over and starts to clean up and a man dressed in a nice suit walks over, nodding at Grayson before heading to the couple.
“I want a refund—” I hear the man begin but tune the rest of what he is saying out.
“Let’s get you upstairs.”
I nod and let him lead me out of the restaurant. “Wait, my food.”
“I’ll get you new food, Demi. We have to go now, you’re bleeding all over the place.”
When I look down at my hand, I see that I am in fact bleeding all over. The gash in my hand is deep and blood is dribbling over the tile floor. Grayson rushes me toward the elevator.
“Where are we going?”
“To Mateo,” he says, glancing over his shoulder.
A few patrons have come out of the restaurant. Based on their black eyes and sharp teeth, I’d wager they’re vampires. “What’s wrong with them?”
Grayson sighs. “Come on, you piece of shit.”
He completely ignores my question, grumbling about the slow elevator instead as the vampires continue to inch closer.
“Grayson,” I whisper. “They’re coming closer.”
The elevator dings. Grayson shoves me behind him. When the doors open, I practically sprint inside. Grayson follows and jams the close door button. I hear them coming closer, their shoes tap against the tile.
