Claimed by Gauge (Raiden Warriors #4)

PROLOGUE

Zephralena ran with her hands held out in front of her, almost blind in the thick fog. A roar of rage followed, sending her heart racing into her throat. She tried to swallow it down, but her mouth had grown too dry.

“There is nowhere for you to run, Lena,” that horrid voice said.

“You belong to me now, only me. The vampire Hunter can’t save you.

Your clan can’t save you. Your father won’t be able to hold me prisoner forever.

You know this. My essence still lives within you.

I will find you in person just as easily as I find you in your dreams. Come back to me willingly, convince your father to release me, and I will be lenient with your punishment. ”

No, no, no! she screamed in her mind, not daring to answer.

She’d made that mistake once before, and Ngozi had taken advantage.

He’d been fishing for a way inside then, but once she opened that door, he crashed through her mind, causing incredible pain.

Making threats. Threats she knew he would back up if he ever found her.

“Oh, Lena,” he said, his deep, threatening voice right behind her. “You poor, pathetic creature. The daughter of an alpha serpent. I thought you would be so much stronger. You’ve been a terrible disappointment.”

“So leave me alone!” she screamed. “Find someone else to torture!”

He chuckled, his large hand closing on her shoulder. “You know I can’t. A Raiden warrior may claim only one mate in his lifetime. Unfortunately, I claimed you.” He jerked her around, but she still couldn’t see anything through the fog.

Zephralena knew she couldn’t afford to show her fear, though she suspected Ngozi could sense it anyway.

He was right. They were connected. She would never escape him, not unless he let her go.

“Release me!” she demanded, proud her voice didn’t tremble.

Ngozi would take advantage of any weakness shown.

“I’ll speak with my father. Perhaps he’ll return you to your own people. ”

“Never,” he hissed. “I will never release you from our bond.”

Zephralena slumped, knowing it was true.

Ngozi had once been crown prince of the Raiden House of Nekbet.

But Ngozi wasn’t sane, and the king had been forced to strip him of his title.

Nicolai, his younger brother, became the new heir.

Nicolai and his human mate Abby had been the ones to try to help her escape Ngozi’s claim. But it didn’t work. Not completely.

Ngozi would always haunt her. Her only hope was to leave the planet, put distance between them. Find a new place to live.

“If you try to leave me, I will hunt down and kill everyone you love, Zena,” Ngozi snarled. He jerked her up against him. His evil black eyes with the red vertical pupils were the only part of him to come into focus.

Zephralena screamed.