Page 105 of Petals and Fangs

“Stop struggling and listen to me,” the man orders. He then wraps a blindfold around my eyes and covers my mouth with his hand. He carries me and then forces me to sit on a chair.

“What are you doing? Let me go!” I continue to struggle against his strength, but my attempts are futile.

“Lily Snow, you stupid girl,” I hear the man whisper, then he forces my head up in his direction. Everything is so dark.

“Who are you?” I demand, my heart pounding rapidly.

“You barely think, do you? You should have never set foot in this place. Who would come here and risk their lives for a vampire?”

I try to speak back, but I feel cold fingertips brushing slowly down my cheek, causing goose bumps to form on my skin. It is the hand of the vampire. It can't be otherwise.

“Now, where were we? Ah, yes. Your recklessness. It was so easy to get to you, Lily,” he snickers, and I feel his presence closer to my face. He grazes my skin with his sharp nails. It feels dreadful on my skin, and it gives me shivers.

“Nick. Please.” I beg, feeling as if I am about to cry. I almost immediately recognized him. His scent is stuck to me.

“You came to me so easily. So easily,” he whispers as he continues to caress my face, then removes the blindfold from my eyes.

“Nick, why are you doing this? I don't get it. Please, let go of me.”

“I'm not going to. You are here now, and it is going to be fun watching you die,” he replies, laughing at me.

“Why are you doing this?”

“Because I want you dead. And there is no better way than to do it right here, in this place, the very same place where my ruthless brother is going to die.”

“Ethan? What have you done to him, are you insane?”

“Nothing that you should care about, really.”

“He is your brother. God, damn it, Nick. What is this madness? What the hell is wrong with you?” I say as I try to break free from the ropes binding my hands.

“He should not have become the heir to my father's company. Never. I was supposed to be the destined heir. I have worked all my life for it. Ethan has never worked for it. It was given to him by default. My father's stupid wishes.” Nick says angrily, and walks over to the corner, picking up something heavy.

“I don't understand. How can you hate him so much? I thought you two were close. He is your brother, Nick,” I say, trying to get him talking.

“I can't even bear to look at his face. The only thing that I want is to kill him. I am glad he is going to die. Now, everything will be mine,” Nick says, smiling wickedly.

“But he is your brother. You two are behind the Rothschild Legacy.”

“Say what?”

“You are saving both races. Humans and vampires.”

Nick doesn't say a word. He walks over to where I am tied up and chokes me, lightly at first, but eventually harder.

“You have no idea what you're saying, you stupid girl. Do you think I chose to drink fake blood to survive? This is what Ethan has put me through. I cannot even stand the sight of him,” Nick hisses, still choking me.

“But he is your brother,” I say as tears begin to form in my eyes.

“No, he is not. Not anymore. I am going to kill him,” he hisses and runs his fingertips all over my bare skin.

“Nick, what are you doing? Please, get away from me.”

“You know something, Lily? When my brother told me about you two, the only question that roamed my mind was, 'How the hell did he do it?'. How the hell did he resist such delicate, creamy human skin?”

“Get away from me,” I scream as Nick trails his hands down my neck and chest, caressing me.

“I must admit. My brother is a very lucky man. He is going to leave this world, yes, but at least he's going to do it knowing that he got to have you first.”

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