Chapter Three
Starla sensed a change in her sister moments earlier. Frustration ate at her when she couldn’t reach her through the tentative link they’d established.
She and her captors drove for what felt like forever after they’d shifted and returned to the vehicle.
During the drive, two of the males switched spots with two new ones, giving Starla a bit of relief since the ones who’d left were complete assholes.
However, the males didn’t go far. The big truck pulled up next to them a short time later, then fell back.
She glanced back several times, watching as they followed them.
Thankfully, the new males weren’t nearly as evil in aura.
“Here, you’re probably thirsty.” He passed her a bottle of water. She lifted her hands to grab it. The male scrunched up his nose when he realized she wouldn’t be able to unscrew the cap. “Sorry,” he said, untwisting the lid.
Starla took a long sip, drinking over half the bottle in one long swallow. When she finished, he appeared stunned. “Thank you,” she whispered.
The other male beside him passed her a beef jerky without a word. She was grateful he’d opened it, so she didn’t have to rip into the plastic with her teeth. Both males turned around to face the front, leaving her to eat her meager breakfast.
When the vehicle stopped a couple of hours later, she wanted to ask to use the ladies' room, yet feared they’d demand to go with her. Luckily for her, the one who’d offered her the water told the group she needed to go without her saying the words. Her relief was almost palpable.
The big truck with the assholes circled the truck stop. She hurried inside, wishing Aurora would connect with her.
Hours later, they pulled into New York. She’d always wanted to go to the big city, yet her gut clenched with a sense of doom. She remembered her sister's warning that they could smell her emotions. With effort, she locked everything behind a massive wall inside her mind.
“Starla, are you okay?” Aurora asked.
“Sissy, they’ve brought me to some scary dude’s place, but he’s busy looking for someone. They said something about me being payment for a debt, and if I play nice, I might live through the night. I don’t want to die,” Starla cried.
“Did they take you inside a warehouse, or where are you?” she asked, sounding frantic.
“They brought me in through the basement and up some elevator that honestly looked like it belonged in a five-star hotel. If I weren’t aware that I was being sold or whatever, I’d have wanted to gawk at my surroundings. Even this office waiting room area is swank as heck.”
“Can you describe it to me?” Aurora asked.
Starla knew her sister well. She was in big sister mode and thought she was helping by talking to Starla.
For ten years, Aurora filled the role of mom and dad after their parents' deaths. She wished her sister didn’t feel the need to be in control all the time.
Still, now, after being kidnapped, Starla understood why Aurora was so protective.
She wanted Aurora to find a reason, other than living for Starla, to...live. She let out a pent-up breath.
“There’s a conference room through a set of double doors to the left of this office.
It’s all glass and chrome, with floor-to-ceiling windows offering what looks like a panoramic view of the city.
Magnus and Sterling both stood at the entrance, but neither came inside when we entered the office.
There’s a huge man they stopped to talk to in a tailored suit that probably cost way more than I will make in an entire year.
Oh, and did I mention he was drop-dead gorgeous, in that polished, privileged way—like one of those British dudes who speaks very formally and looks down their noses at us lesser folks. ”
“Um, who are Magnus and Sterling, and why are you speaking in an accent?” Aurora asked in a tone that dripped with authoritative censure.
“They’re two of the males who kidnapped me. They are actually nice, unlike the alpha and his beta. They switched places with a couple of the others when we drove.”
Aurora sucked in a breath. “Starla, do you like one of them? Has your wolf perked up around them more than the others?”
“Ew, no. They’re like, old enough to be like my funcles. You know, like fun uncles, only I’m not sure if I’d consider them fun at the moment?”
Starla stared at the male who entered the office.
Her mouth went dry. He was drop-dead gorgeous, well over a foot taller than her five-foot-four inches or close to it.
His hair was so dark it reminded her of a raven's wings.
And his eyes...goodness gracious, they were so blue she was sure the sky on the sunniest day paled in comparison.
He moved toward a set of large doors across the room after a cursory glance in her direction. She felt her heart break a little at the dismissal.
“Boss, you have guests in the outer office who would like a moment of your time.”
She listened and waited for whomever was on the other side of the big doors to respond. Even with her acute hearing, she heard nothing. The big male tilted his head to the side and then chuckled.
“Would you like me to tell the guests that you’re busy inspecting tonsils, Boss?”
“Savage, they’ve got that girl with them. The one they brought for you as a gift to repay their debt. She’s young and looks...”
Starla tensed, but then he disappeared as if he’d never been there.
Aurora popped into her mind. “Are you safe?”
“Weirdly, yes. These males all seemed to be on edge, waiting for some big bad guy to return. I really need to go pee, too.” She did her best to keep from fidgeting. The expression on the other male’s face as he’d glared at her made her heart ache.
“Do you know who the male they’re waiting on is?” Aurora asked.
“No, but he has these guys seriously on edge. Sis, if they hadn’t kidnapped me and you know, planned to give me away to some big baddy, they’re really not terrible.
I sense a lot of goodness within them. Their inner thoughts are kinda funny.
” Honestly, who were they to consider anyone a bad guy when they kidnapped her and tried to kill her sister?
“Wait. You can hear their thoughts?” Aurora sounded slightly incredulous. Starla didn’t like that her sister didn’t believe her.
Their link snapped closed without warning. She didn’t get the sense that anything bad happened, though.
She shifted into a more comfortable position.
“Why the fuck do you keep moving around? Do you need me to tie you up?” Garrison snarled.
Before she could answer, the door opened.
“Starla,” Aurora cried, releasing Savage’s hand.
“Aurora,” A large man growled, reaching for her sister.
“That’s my sister.” Aurora pushed him away from her.
He stumbled back, eyes wide. Starla jumped to her feet, happiness flooding her.
“Everyone, freeze,” the male ordered.
Starla felt her sister’s arms go around her, but her body couldn’t move. Her heart beat too fast. She tried to move, to break free from the fucker’s spell or whatever he’d done that held her captive. It was as if he’d enclosed her in stone.
The entire room stood unmoving, except for her sister Aurora. Aurora’s mouth opened and closed, horror mirrored what Starla assumed matched her own face.
“What did you do, Savage?” Aurora yelled, holding onto Starla’s arms as she glared over her shoulder at the male, who must be named Savage. Starla thought the name fit the beast.
Savage had one hand on his chest, the other hung in a loose fist at his side. “How are you able to break from my order?”
“Release my sister at once, Savage, or so help me I will...I’ll hurt you,” she promised, ignoring his question.
Starla wanted to cheer and tell her sister to kick the male in the nuts, but then she remembered who the male had to be. He was the one Garrison brought her to...to be his blood slave. Oh god. He’s a vampire for crying out loud.
“Vita Mea, I have only halted their ability to make foolish moves that could set me off. Right now, my emotions are a little...unpredictable.”
Aurora glared at him, then motioned toward Starla. “Release her, right fucking now.”
“I will release her, but not the others for now.”
The stiffness left Starla as quickly as it hit her. She couldn’t control the shiver that went from her head to her toes as all sensation returned to her limbs. Her head snapped up.
“Eat a bag of dicks, asshole,” Starla snarled, flipping Savage the bird with both hands.
Savage’s eyes widened, and then his head tipped back as he laughed. She narrowed her eyes, ignoring the way her sister seemed to melt at the male’s laughter.
“Little girl, I’ve eaten a lot of things, but a dick has never been one of them. Of course, I could be persuaded to add a certain—”
Aurora crossed the several feet separating them, her hand covering his lips before he could finish what she was sure was a suggestion her sister would be embarrassed to have come out of his mouth.
“I will cut you,” Aurora warned.
His eyes glittered in the bright room. Ugh, Starla wanted to roll her eyes at the duo, but she was also happy her sister seemed to have found her mate.
“Ah, sis? Do you two need a room?”
“You make me lose my head,” Aurora groaned, taking a step away from Savage.
“That makes two of us,” he agreed.
Savage sighed and ran his hand through his hair.
“Starla, this is Savage. Ah, this is...”
“I am Savage Rossi. This is my territory, and your sister is mine, little one. As such, you are under my protection as well.”
Starla’s mouth dropped open and snapped shut. “Um, say that again? First of all, buddy, I refuse to be a sister wife. Second of all, this is not an episode of Wicked Mormon Wives or some shit.” Starla growled, shocked her sister would think it was okay to share.
Aurora’s eyes widened, and then she laughed.