Page 38 of Nyte

A backhand across his chest sent him tumbling backward. Though futile, it had been enough to steal Merick’s attention. His fangs withdrew from Summer’s neck, spilling droplets of her blood all over the floor. As Merick lifted from Summer’s unresponsive body, his erect cock shone crimson in the darkness, slapping against his thigh. Eyes blazing with hunger and intensity locked Cy in their sights.

“Well, if it isn’t Lord Haven’s fearsome slayer,” he gloated, shoving himself back into his leather trousers. “Should have expected you’d want in on the action. I’ve seen the way you’ve been looking at my pet.”

Cy searched for a weapon. Anything that could be used against this vampyre. Finding nothing, he resolved to use his fists. This was so stupid; he’d likely die for it. But he couldn’t let Summer be murdered in front of him.Not again.

“Don’t fucking touch her,” Cy hissed, but Merick only laughed.

“Don’t touch her? But she’s mine. I paid for her.”

“You’re hurting her.”

“She’smineto hurt. She’s just a pet. Like you. I think it’s time you learned your place.” The vampyre dove at him so fast. Too fast.

Ducking, Cy surged to the right, grasping hold of a nearby blanket and throwing it over Merick to disrupt his trajectory. It wasn’t enough to stop his forward charge, and before Cy could lunge away, Merick knocked him to his back on the ground.

All around, the pets scrambled from their beds, hurriedly extricating themselves, shrieking in fear.

Merick was on him, holding him down. Glaring at him. Smiling. “I knew what you were as soon as I saw you. You have that arrogant look of one who tasted freedom. Of one who’s killed vampyres. You’re a slayer. Being back here, under the Dominion must grate at you.”

“Let me go,” Cy growled. “Haven warned you not to touch me.”

“Haven isn’t here. He doesn’t give a shit what happens to you. And you’re a fool if you think otherwise.” Merick nosed into the crook of Cy’s neck as though smelling the blood that coursed through his veins. With sudden and enormous force, he grabbed a handful of Cy’s hair and lifted him off his feet. Thrusting him forward, he threw Cy with all his might so he landed in a heap against the opposite wall.

The pain that radiated down his spine was enough to take his breath away. Cy clenched his teeth as Merick stalked toward him.

“You do have some fight in you, don’t you? God, it’s so refreshing. Humans are so easy to kill these days. They lack the hard bodies they once had, the drive to fight. But you, you remind me of times long past. You remind me of a real fight.” Merick was halfway across the room, closing the distance between them when suddenly, he stopped. Glancing down at Summer’s unmoving body, he grinned and snatched a handful of thick blonde hair, pulling Summer to him. Hanging limp in Merick’s arms, Summer’s eyes closed, chest barely moving with each labored breath.

“No!” Cy cried out.

Merick bit down hard on Summer’s neck. Blood gushed. Summer jerked, but her eyes didn’t open.

Cy stumbled to his feet, despite the pain. He needed to stop this. Summer was dying.Dying.But before Cy could get to her, Merick ripped a large chunk of Summer’s flesh from the column of her throat. Blood and skin and viscera splattered over the cold floor. Summer slumped in a heap as Merick released her.

Cy screamed. And charged. He threw his body at Merick with all the strength he possessed. The vampyre laughed as he stumbled backward, wrapping a hand around Cy’s neck and shoving him back to the ground in the same movement.

Hatred was his lifeblood. As Summer bled out on the floor, Cy could think of nothing else but destroying this vampyre, tearing him limb from limb. “I’ll kill you!”

“Ooh, what fun. I might even let you land a few blows just for the sport.” Merick cackled, lunging and grasping Cy by the ankle. Cy was strong for a human, but Merick was so much stronger, using only minor strength to tug Cy forward and prevent him from crawling away. With his free foot, Cy kicked, aiming at the vampyre’s face, at any body part within reach.

Merick caught his shin, shoving it down hard, before crawling up his body to pin him to the floor. His hips settled over Cy’s, as he pinned Cy’s arms to the floor. Though Cy struggled, it was no use.

“You have no idea how badly I’ve longed to taste you. Ever since I saw you. Wanted to tear into that tight, meaty flesh. You don’t look like the other humans. You’re stronger, thicker. I bet your blood tastes so fucking good.”

He leaned in. Cy could smell the tang of blood on his breath. Summer’s blood. He wanted to gag.

“It’s a pity Haven didn’t enter you in the fights. I bet it would have been such excitement. To see you starved and desperate, fighting for your life, tearing the life out of the other dogs. I’d bet all my money on you! I bet you’d go absolutely feral, fighting for your life.”

Cy reared up and spat in Merick’s face. The vampyre hissed in disgust, pulling a hand away to wipe his face. With his freed arm, Cy struck the vampyre square in the nose. It was like punching a boulder. His hand felt like it would shatter as it reverberated off Merick’s face.

Merick smiled down at him, slamming his fist into Cy’s eye socket before pinning his hand back to the ground again. “You’re so feisty! I adore your struggle. Mmm, it makes me so hot.” He began to grind his hips down over Cy’s groin, his cock still hard and erect. Panic surged through Cy like lightning.

“Fuck you!” He fought beneath Merick but to no avail. It ached to think that in another life, under different circumstances and better armed, they’d have likely been an equal match. If he’d been armed, Cy would have killed Merick easily—and enjoyed every minute of it.

“Other way around, sweetheart. I bet you have pretty holes. I’m going to stick my cock in every single one of them. What Lord Haven doesn’t know won’t hurt him, will it? Besides, it’s not like he’ll ever come to visit you. You’ll likely get so lonely all by yourself, cooped up inside these walls without your pretty pet friends. I’ll fill you up so deep you’ll feel me in Hell. You like that, slayer?”

Cy detected the wary, frightened eyes of the other pets. They huddled under blankets, keeping silent. Watching. Afraid to make a sound and turn the violence on themselves. So be it. Cy was used to having to fend for himself. But, this would likely end in his death. He’d acted foolishly, impulsively. Now, his escape was only a fleeting memory—an impossibility. He wouldn’t survive this night, would never see Jax or the outside world again. Still, the absolute anguish of seeing Summer butchered in front of him ached inside him. He wanted to fight, to kill this vampyre. So he’d fight until the end.

Merick opened his mouth to expose shining white teeth. With a hiss, he plunged forward and wrapped his jaw around Cy’s neck. His fangs sank down. Cy felt the warmth of his own blood pulsing into Merick’s waiting mouth. Though he struggled, pleasure began to overwhelm him. Fuck why did it always feel so good? He reviled against it, writhing beneath the vampyre’s larger form, but to no avail. His eyelids drooped closed.

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