By The Moon (Live By Night #3)

Chapter Twelve

T he door banged open and Skylar walked in, dragging a chair behind him. He smirked at Jerome and placed the chair by the side of the mattress then closed and locked the door. Sitting on the chair, he watched Jerome and smiled.

“They’re looking for you but they won’t find you.”

“Louis will. We’re mates. He won’t give up until he finds me.”

“Then he’ll have a long hard life searching for someone he’ll never find.”

“Why do this? What have I done to you? I’ve only just met you.” Jerome watched Skylar who leaned back in his chair, smiling. He’d met him once, spoken to him maybe three times at the party, so why had Skylar kidnapped him?

“You have what I want.”

“What?” What was he on about? What did Jerome have that Skylar wanted? “I don’t have anything. We just met.” What was he going on about?

“Louis.”

Jerome’s eyes widened. Louis? “We’re mates. No one comes between mates.” He knew that much thanks to Louis, so why would Skylar take him, knowing Louis would never be with him? “I’m the only one for him. You know this. Mates don’t cheat.”

“Mates can and have cheated. Rare, but it does happen, and while he’s depressed because he can’t find you and you’ve cut him off, I’ll be there to help him pick up the pieces.”

“That sounds… he’d never do that. He waited years for me. He’d wait even more to find me.”

“You think you’re so special that no man will turn Louis from you? I’ve known him for years. I know what he likes, what he doesn’t like. I know his friends. I’m a vampire so I know the life he lives. You’re human. What can you possibly give him that I can’t?”

“Blood,” Jerome whispered.

“One slight issue that I plan to resolve. Once you’re dead, the bond between you dies and he’ll no longer need your blood. Problem solved.”

And Louis would die too, or had Skylar forgotten about that? “You’re going to kill me?” Jerome pushed back on the mattress until his back was flat against the wall. “Why can’t you let me go?”

“Louis is mine. He’s always been mine and he’ll be mine again. You showing up threw a wrench in our relationship, but once you’re dealt with we’ll get back to how we were. I’ve known him all my life, in every sense of the word.” Jerome knew what he meant. Louis and Skylar had had sex, maybe even had a relationship, but that was in the past. Jerome was now and always.

“Killing me won’t make Louis fall into your arms. He loves me.”

“Love is such a fickle emotion. I’ve seen you humans fall in and out of love as often as you change your underwear. Pathetic, really. Rarely do two humans commit to each other and stick to it. It’s not like that for vampires. We make a promise to each other and keep it. We work through our problems, we don’t walk away when things are a little rough. Humans.” Skylar spat the word. “The world would be a much better place without you screwing everything up.”

Louis! Where are you?

Jerome winced and Skylar laughed. “Trying to reach him?” He tapped his head. “Not gonna happen. Some drugs are great for altering the brain’s chemistry.” He stood and pulled a hypodermic needle from his pocket and then lunged at Jerome.

Jerome barely saw Skylar coming before he was pushed into the mattress. He cried out when he felt the needle stab into his asscheeks and pushed back, trying to throw Skylar off. Suddenly the weight disappeared and Jerome lifted his head, seeing Skylar sit back on the chair.

“What did you use?”

“Like I’m going to tell you that.” Skylar chuckled as he shook his head. “I heard you were smart, intelligent, but here you are asking stupid fucking questions like that. What does Louis see in you? Why would you be his mate when I’m here? You’re a weak, pathetic, human. I’m a strong, smart, vampire. We’re worlds apart and I know which of us is better than the other. Still while you’re here, you have a hole I can fuck before I kill you.”

“Don’t touch me.”

“I already have.” Skylar leaned forward on his chair, resting his elbows on his thighs. “Who do you think stripped you naked? For all you know, I touched you all over, as much as I wanted to. You do have a nice dick. I can see why Louis would like that, but that’s all you have going for you. Oh, apart from the hole. That’s all humans are. A hole for us to fuck.”

“Don’t fucking touch me.”

“Like you have a choice. I’ll do whatever I want to you, when I want, and there is nothing you can do to stop me. I’ll hold you down, fuck you hard, make you bleed. Ruin you for any other man. Who’d want a used up hole like you?”

Standing, Skylar grabbed the chair and disappeared, leaving Jerome alone. “Let me go,” he whispered to the empty room. Skylar was insane. That’s all he could come up with. He’d taken Jerome because he was Louis’ mate, planned to rape him, and then kill him. All so he could comfort Louis and make a move on him? Start some relationship with him?

If they’d known each other for as long as Skylar had stated, then why hadn’t they had a relationship in the past? Or had it been just sex or a friends with benefits kind of thing? He needed Louis to find him now. No more waiting, Just pop in here and rescue him. It would all be done in seconds and Skylar would never know until Louis came back and punched the shit out of him.

Jerome wasn’t a man who condoned violence but right now he could well and truly get behind Skylar being punched. A lot. And he’d watch too. He would stand there and watch Louis go to town all over Skylar’s smug face. In fact, Jerome wanted to smack him one as well.

Louis? Sighing heavily, Jerome sat back against the wall and closed his eyes. He was thirsty, hungry, and wanted a shower. He hoped his dad didn’t know. Shaun would tear the place apart searching for him and then would demand Jerome never saw Louis again. That would never happen. Louis was Jerome’s other half. He’d waited for him even when he wasn’t certain Louis was a living, breathing man. Or vampire.

If only he could reach out to him to tell him where he was. But he didn’t know where he was. There was no sound so he must be in an area away from most people. A wooded area? A house in a field somewhere? Was he even in America? That made his breath catch and his heart skip a beat. What if he wasn’t anywhere near Louis? How could Louis find him if he was on another continent?

Pulling his knees up to his chest, Jerome wrapped his arms around them and bit his lip. He had to get out. He had to find a way to free himself. Glancing down at his wrist, Jerome studied it and sighed heavily. If he could get it off then he might stand a chance of getting out of the room he was being held in. When Skylar opened the door, Jerome could attack from behind and maybe he’d stand a chance of freedom.

What the hell was he thinking? He didn’t know how to fight, and it wasn’t like he’d be throwing a punch at an ordinary man. Skylar was a vampire and could do things Jerome couldn’t. He was fucked or he had to be incredibly lucky.

A loud bang snapped Jerome from his thoughts. He concentrated, closing his eyes to focus on any sound that he could hear. Funny how you close your eyes to concentrate on your hearing. After a minute, Jerome sagged. He’d hoped the sound meant he’d been found, but nope.

Skylar appeared in his room and Jerome screamed. Skylar stared at him. “Time to leave.”

“What? Now?” Jerome rattled the chain attached to the wall. “You need to release me then.”

Skylar narrowed his eyes at him, his lips thinning. “I know. I’m not stupid, unlike you.”

Jerome didn’t say anything but as soon as he was freed he kicked Skylar in the nuts. Skylar’s mouth opened, but no sound came out and he collapsed on the mattress. Jerome ran to the door and tugged on it but it wouldn’t budge. Running back to Skylar he kicked him over then rummaged through his pockets, trying to find the keys. When he found some, he kicked Skylar in the nuts again, wincing at the high pitched scream Skylar made.

When he got to the door, his hands shook so much he struggled to push the key in the lock. He managed to get one in but it didn’t work. He could hear movement behind him and whimpered as he tried another key. Hands still shaking, Jerome missed the lock, the key scraping across it before he managed to insert it.

“Bastard.”

The key turned and Jerome threw the door open but was hit from behind and thrown into the wall opposite. He lay stunned, hearing harsh panting next to him, and looked over to see Skylar lying on the floor. Kicking out, Jerome’s foot connected with Skylar’s shoulder and Jerome pushed up off the floor, staggering toward a light he saw ahead of him.

He staggered through a doorway and stumbled to a stop. The room was empty. There was no furniture, no window. The walls and floor were the same as the ones he’d been held in. Spinning around, Jerome noticed a door in the corner of the room and rushed over to it but never reached it. Skylar appeared in front of him and Jerome skidded to a stop, falling back on his ass.

Skylar’s eyes glowed, his lips pulled back revealing his fangs, hands clenched. “You fucker. You’re going to be sorry for what you’ve just done.” He stepped toward Jerome, then stopped tilting his head. “I’ll deal with you later. We need to go.”

Jerome scrambled back away from Skylar as he approached and kicked out, trying to hit him. Skylar growled and batted Jerome’s feet away as he tried to grab hold of him. Jerome knew if Skylar managed to grab him then he was gone. Skylar would move them to another location, maybe even farther away from Louis.

Louis!

There was nothing, but Jerome expected it considering the drug Skylar had injected him with. “Leave me alone!” Jerome kept moving away, glancing over his shoulder, seeing the space between him and the wall diminishing. Soon he’d have nowhere to go. He needed to reach the door and escape.

Skylar jumped toward him and Jerome cried out, crawling away on his hands and knees. Skylar managed to grab his ankle but Jerome kicked out, dislodging him. Whimpering, Jerome swung a fist out and hit Skylar’s shoulder but Skylar shrugged it off.

“I’m going to fucking kill you when I get my hands on you. Fuck torturing you and making you do what I want. I’m just going to rip your head right off.”

Jerome screamed and rushed for the door, knowing it could be his only way out. Maybe. He had no idea where the way out was but he had to do something. He wasn’t going to die. He had a life ahead of him with the man he loved and Skylar wasn’t taking that from him.

“Louis!” he screamed.

“Think he’s here? Think he’s going to help you? You’re going to be dead soon enough and I’m going to be the one to help him get over it.”

“Fuck you! You’re fucking nuts!” Jerome lashed out, trying to keep Skylar away. He had to fight. He had to survive so Louis could find him

Skylar lunged and grabbed Jerome’s ankle then grinned. “He ain’t gonna find you, bitch. You’re mine.”