Chapter 24 #2
“Laurie?” My voice was feather soft. He blinked. “Was that supposed to happen?”
The way his bite had felt, the pleasure, my orgasm, the physical reaction he had to drinking from me.
“I have to go,” he rasped again. He seemed to struggle with himself, jaw clenching. His breathing gradually slowed, and when he spoke again, his voice was steadier. “The others are waiting.”
“Okay. But you’re still holding onto me.” My lips were so close to his they nearly brushed his as I spoke. I was still clutched in his arms, and no part of me was frightened by it.
His tongue darted out, licking his lips, nearly licking mine.
He gave his head a tiny shake, then set me down and stepped away. I wanted to run right back into his arms, but I pushed that dangerous thought away.
He said nothing else, simply watched me a moment longer before disappearing through the library door.
I stared at the empty place he’d been and wondered if I had imagined that entire encounter.
My hand lifted to my neck. The skin was smooth.
Zola’s words came back to me, that a vampire’s saliva could heal the bite they inflicted.
Heat flushed my cheeks with embarrassment. I rubbed my thighs together, still aching with need. Did he know? Had he felt my orgasm? Tasted it in my blood? I placed my hands over my face to cool my skin.
When I finally regained my courage, I walked back to the entry hall and found it empty. My heart didn’t slow. I’d given Laurent my blood when I’d sworn I wouldn’t, but if it would help get Zola back, it was worth it.
That’s why I’d done it. Right?
I sank down onto the stairs, waiting. I didn’t know how long it would take. I’d sit here all night if I had to.
I leaned my forehead against the bannister. My eyes drooped. I let them fall closed for a moment—
“You should be upstairs resting, Miss Shaw.” Vittorio took a seat beside me.
My head jerked up. How long had I fallen asleep for? I glanced down at the watch on Vittorio’s wrist. It was thirty minutes past one. They hadn’t been gone for more than two hours.
“You didn’t go with the others?” I suppressed a yawn.
“I stayed.”
“Oh.”
“It’s late. Why don’t you go upstairs and get some rest.”
“No. I… I want to be here when they get back.”
“All right. Shall I make you some tea while you wait?”
“That… I would love that, thank you.”
Vittorio departed, heading down the side to the kitchen. I waited, trying not to let my mind run away with itself. I couldn’t picture a life here without Zola. She had become my rock. I needed her so that she could fuss over me and call me darling.
A clatter echoed from the kitchen.
I frowned, peering down the hall. “Vittorio? Everything all right?”
Glass shattered. My hand tightened on the bannister and I jerked to my feet. “Vittorio?” My voice was hardly a whisper.
The shadows across the hall writhed. The hairs on the nape of my neck lifted. There was another clatter, as someone cried out. I tried to move, but couldn’t get my feet to comply. The shadows opposite me coalesced into a figure.
“This was almost too easy,” a male voice chuckled. “I didn’t believe the rumors, but here you are. An amplifier.”
“Don’t come any closer,” I squeaked, as if my demand meant anything.
The man—some sort of humanoid creature—laughed. As he came into the light, it was like looking at a nightmare. His skin was leathery and black. His arms and legs spindly, not quite properly proportioned, with knobby joints. He had slits for a nose.
I sucked in a breath. I’d never seen a demon.
“You can come willingly or not. But either way, I’ll be taking you.”
“Laurent will never allow it.”
He laughed, wheezing. “Laurent isn’t here. We made sure of that.”
The demon surged into motion, crossing the entry in the time it took me to open my mouth and scream. I found my feet again, scampering up the stairs.
He lunged, wrapping his hand around my ankle and jerking me backwards. I fell hard on the stairs. A sob escaped my chest, tears blurring my vision. The demon hissed dragging me toward him.
No! I wouldn’t go through this again. I wouldn’t let someone take me.
I kicked downward and heard a satisfying crunch. The demon snarled and the grip on my ankle loosened. I struggled free, a relieved sob breaking loose. I scrambled up several more stairs on hands and knees—
A body slammed into me. I cried out, struggling against my captor’s hold. “Enough!” he hissed, fingers twisting into my hair. He jerked me backwards and I screamed. I caught sight of his face. Blood poured from his slitted nostrils. “I will make you hurt for that you little bitch.”
A whimper fell from my lips. “Vittorio—!”
The back of his hand collided with my face making stars explode across my vision. “Time to go,” he hissed, dragging me down the remaining stairs by my hair.
Anger and terror surged through me as I clawed at his wrist, fiercer than anything I’d felt since the witches. “Stop!” The single word came out powerfully, and something shifted in my throat as I said it, a warm vibration I’d never felt before.
The demon froze. I gazed up at him, blinking. Surprise flashed across his features, his eyes widening. He jerked, but didn’t move. “What did you do?”
“Drop my wrist.” My voice resonated as if the words came from somewhere deeper than my chest. Gaping, I watched his hand obey.
“Stop this,” he hissed.
“Back up. Now.”
He stepped away. His motions were stilted, as if his body tried to fight the order. There was no time to question what was happening. For now, the only thing on my mind was survival.
“Good. Stay there.”
The demon jerked to a standstill, his eyes bulging.
Another commotion sounded from down the hall. His eyes flashed in that direction. He looked ready to bolt, and maybe he would. But if he did, we wouldn’t get any answers.
“Sit on the floor,” I commanded. It felt natural, like something I’d always been able to do but never tried. “And don’t go anywhere.”
He dropped into a sitting position, a look of fury morphing his features. “What are you?”
The question made my stomach drop. An hour ago, I thought I knew. “I’m an amplifier,” I said, licking my lips. “Is this not…normal?”
The demon only stared at me.
“Why are you here?”
“My master commanded me to take you.”
“Clearly. But for what purpose?”
“You are an amplifier.”
“For what purpose?” I said more firmly.
“I—don’t know.”
“To use me?”
“I don’t know,” he repeated.
“Who—“
“Miss Shaw!” Vittorio rushed into the entryway, disheveled. His clothes were torn and spotted with black blood. He jerked to an abrupt halt, eyes darting between me and the demon, who was now sitting on the floor.
“What… What…?” He sputtered.
“I told it to sit.” I shrugged.
“You… You...told it to sit?” He blinked. His wide, disbelieving eyes darted between us.
“Yes. Obviously.” I motioned with my hand toward the sitting demon before lifting my chin. Vittorio was beside himself. There was genuine fear in his eyes. Something in my chest warmed. He’d been worried.
“You told it to sit,” he repeated.
“Should I…not have?”
“Miss… Miss Shaw,” he sputtered.
“I was just about to ask him why he was here.”
“I think that is obvious,” Vittorio tsked. “You are an amplifier and he wants your blood.”
“Okay. Well, do you have a way of capturing this thing? Maybe we can put him down in the cells? Or I can just leave him sitting here.”
“I…” He blinked, then shook his head. “He just did as you asked?”
“I didn’t ask. I commanded.”
Vittorio only stared at me.
“I wonder if it works on vampires, too,” I said aloud. “What do you think?”
Vittorio only stared at me like he didn’t know who I was anymore. That made two of us.
A wicked smile pulled at my lips. “Sorry in advance but, go stand by the front door.”
Vittorio’s eyes widened. He walked halfway across the hall, his motions stiff, like he was being controlled by a marionette, before shaking himself free of my compulsion. Interesting.
“Did you just…?” He spun toward me. I’d never seen him so lost for words.
I motioned. “The demon?”
“Right.” Vittorio moved quickly. One moment the demon was there and the next, he was unconscious on the floor.
Vittorio hauled him up over his shoulder.
I followed after them, descending through a panel in the wall leading to the cells.
I shivered, trying not to let the memory of this place overpower me.
Vittorio dumped the body unceremoniously onto the floor, grabbed the shackles anchored to the wall and secured them in place on the demon’s wrists. When he was finished, he closed the cell door. We stared at the unconscious demon in silence.
A commotion sounded upstairs. “They’re home,” Vittorio said, spinning and urging me back the way we’d come. I ascended, my heart in my throat. There was no telling what we would find.