Page 62 of These Wicked Desires

"Stop!" I step forward, reaching a hand out to Sam. "Stop hurting them!" Do I use my magic? Do I reveal it now or wait? Sam already knows I have power, so what would the harm be in trying to stop him?

Golden flames burn to life at my fingertips as I take another step forward. But before I can raise my hands to try to stop Sam, he pulls another syringe from his pocket and waves it in front of me.

“If you get any closer, you’ll find yourself just as useless as the others.” His eyes shoot to Kai in front of him. “And you’ll get to watch as I slowly squeeze the life out of the vampire.” The bands around Kai’s neck tighten with his words, and his tendons pop as he struggles to free himself and take a breath.

Cole's face is turning red. And Cade's eyes are unfocused and beginning to dim. All of their movements are becoming more jerky. Their fight is slowing. Even if they had been able to break free before, now they never will be able to.

Sam is going to choke the life right out of them.

Sharp, hot panic flares inside of me, making my heart stutter and my breath catch. "Stop! I'll go with you! Just stop hurting them!"

Ellis

My words are like a gunshot in the room. Kai and Cade both jerk toward me, but they are unable to do anything. Sam looks at me, his smile victorious.

"I knew I could win you over, doll."

"Let them go," I say, clutching my chest where my connection to them is pulling taut as they slowly suffocate.

The bands of magic disappear, but the creatures holding them remain. "I can't let them go yet," Sam croons. "But I promise I'll let them go once we're far enough away they won't cause any trouble."

I don't believe him, but at least they are no longer being choked to death. This gives them a chance to escape. And I know they will. They won’t stop fighting.

"Ellis, no!" Cade's words are raspy but forceful.

Kai growls, doubling his efforts to get free. "Don't fucking think about it, Ellis!" He blinks, and from one second to the next, his gray eyes turn crimson. The monster has arrived. But it's still not enough to break away from his captor.

I look at both of them and my magic sizzles against my skin. Sam tsks and moves before I can blink. The syringe is pressed against my neck, the needle not quite penetrating. I freeze.

“I’d rather not have to lock down your magic, but I will if you don’t behave,” Sam snarls in my ear. “Can you behave, doll?”

I nod, but I glare at him, letting him see all my hatred. I need to keep him distracted. Sterling and the others need more time. But I can’t let him hurt Cade and Kai. If I can keep Sam’s focus on me, Cade and Kai can free themselves. Then, after Sterling has had time to save Gracie, I can find the right moment to take Sam by surprise. And I will take him down.

So instead of fighting, I push my love for Kai to him, hoping he picks it up with his empath abilities. For Cade, I smile. It's small and shaky, but it says everything I need to say. Thank you. I love you.

Their fear and panic hurt more than anything. It cuts straight through me; burns with the heat of the sun, makes me want to tear my insides out just so I can't feel it anymore.

I turn away from their wide eyes, unable to look any longer. Sam grabs my arm and tugs me out the door. When I pass Cole, I nod at him, thanking him for everything.

He shakes his head. "Don't do this," he whispers.

I ignore his words, and the sensation of Cade and Kai's gazes on my back, and let Sam drag me down the hall. Their shouts and curses follow me like ghosts that will haunt me for the rest of my life. However long that is. Sam says nothing, but his fingers bite into my skin hard enough to leave bruises.

He leads me past the set of the stairs we used to get to the basement last time we were here. I force down a flash of panic as I wonder where he’s taking me. What if he takes me somewhere out of this building? At least if we're here, the guys will know where I am.

At another set of stairs, Sam drags me down, nearly pulling my arm out of the socket. The doors at the bottom open to a separate room, and my heart stops.

It looks like a medical chamber of some sort. A metal operating table sits in the middle of the space over a drain stained a suspicious shade of copper. Counters and shelves line the walls, various instruments I don’t look at too closely sitting on the white surface.

"On the table," Sam says, nudging me in that direction. I don't move, frozen to the spot, and Sam grabs the back of my neck and pushes me. "On. The. Table."

Gone is the handsome businessman. The monster has taken his place.

My arms and legs shake as I climb onto the metal surface and lie down. Immediately, Sam's magic binds me. I hiss through the pain, fighting back the memory of the last time his magic wrapped around my skin.

I debate the best time to let my magic free, but it doesn't feel right yet. There is nothing in my chest tugging me toward the golden flame I harbor inside of me. As hard as it is, I need to trust my instincts. And right now is not the right time.

Sam takes a scalpel from a rolling tray and his gaze roves over my body. The white fog. I need the fog I used to sink into to survive my encounters with him. I search and search for it, but I can't find it.

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