Page 12 of Beautiful Heart

A moment later, a group of large, stinking bodies surrounded her. The two standing in front were the men who had run from Livingston. Other men closed in around her, pressing close.

“Bitch, you owe us,” Dirty Blond said, grabbing her arm. “And now you owe us twice.”

The men started shuffling their feet, forcing her to move with them toward the alley entranceway. She tried to shift her grip on the cane, hoping to hurt at least one or two of them, but a large hand wrapped around her wrist and squeezed.

“Drop it,” a low growl ordered in her ear.

She tried to hold on, but he seemed to know exactly where to squeeze in order to get her fingers to go numb and lose their hold on the cane. She cried out as the cane dropped to the ground with a clatter.

The hand on her wrist didn’t loosen and another man grabbed her other arm as they worked their way into the alley. Once off the street, the men broke out of the tight circle.

Gerri figured she didn’t have anything to lose, so she started screaming. “Help! Help! Fire in the alley!”

“Shut the fuck up, bitch,” the big man, who looked like a gorilla, said. He reached out and slapped her, causing her to scream again in pain as her head whipped to the side.

“Hey, don’t hurt her, or the cops will chase us outta here,” Dirty Brown said sharply.

“Let ‘em try,” Gorilla number two responded as he dragged her further down the alley before shoving her face-first into a recessed doorway. “Haven’t had me some pussy in ages and this bitch smells real good.”

They dragged her backpack straps down her arms, tossing it to one of the others standing further away, who opened it and began to dig through the contents.

At that moment, Gerri was sorry she hadn’t taken Livingston up on his offer to drive her. When one of the men grabbed her shirt at the back of her neck and ripped it all the way down her back, she regretted not believing the vampire’s claims that they were mates. If only there was a way to call to him for help.

She decided to try one more time, refusing to go down without a fight, even though it might mean her death. “Help! Fire in the alley!”

In the next second, a red-hot fire poker entered her lower back causing her to gasp at the pain. What had they done to her?

“Why did you do that? We didn’t get to fuck her,” someone behind the two gorillas asked.

“We’ve got to fucking shut her up or someone’s gonna come snooping around.”

“I didn’t think we’d kill anyone. I’m outta here,” another voice said.

“Me, too. You guys are fucking nuts.”

Gerri sagged against the door, feeling the warm blood flowing out of her back, down over her ass and leg. Closing her eyes, she gave into the knowledge that she would not be leaving this alley alive and wouldn’t see Livingston again. She sniffed back tears, not wanting to show weakness.

The sound of several sets of feet pounding down the alley barely registered. Then the rough hands holding her up and forcing her into the door were gone. She was falling backward, but she didn’t hit the ground. Strong arms caught her and then she was cradled against a large, familiar-smelling body and he was carrying her somewhere.

“Oh, my princess, what have they done to you?” Livingston’s deep voice flowed over her like warm chocolate syrup.

Forcing her eyelids up, she looked into Livingston’s worried eyes. “Stabbed in back. Dying. I’m sorry,” she whispered.

His expression turned grim and then he climbed into the back of his car. “Gerri, you don’t have to die. Say yes, and I’ll turn you. You’ll be a vampire and my mate, but you won’t be able to go back to your life.”

Though she only had a few seconds to consider, her heart overruled her head. Looking into those beautiful eyes that now glowed with red fire, she whispered, “Yes,” just before darkness dragged her under its spell.

****

Though he wanted to chase down the animals who had touched and hurt his mate, Livingston had to take care of his woman. If he didn’t do something immediately, she really would die.

Laying her facedown across the back seat, he knelt on the floor beside her. Using his handkerchief, he wiped the blood away from the wound before he began to lick at the skin over her kidneys, savoring the sweet taste of her blood. He continued until the blood flow slowed, stopped, and the tissues around the wound began to heal themselves. Soon all that was left was a bright pink scar on her skin, which he knew would fade by morning.

Turning her onto her back, Livingston moved to the seat and cradled her on his lap. The wound may be healing, but her pulse continued to grow slower and fainter. His beautiful mate had lost too much blood before he’d gotten to her.

“I’m sorry, my princess. I had hoped to spare you this, but it can’t be helped. I hope you won’t hate me once you’ve recovered.”

With that, he brushed her braid behind her right shoulder. Pulling back the neck of her shirt, he licked over the spot where her neck met her shoulder. The taste of her skin pulled at him.

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