Page 77 of The Vampire's Mate

There were no windows in this part of the house, so I had to rely on my memory with my hands stretched out to either side of me. My right met the wall, grazing over the edges of picture frames. Halfway down the hall, my left dipped, falling over the ledge of the doorframe and meeting the wood of the bathroom door. I threw it open, not even caring what was on the other side. I just knew I needed to get to James. My eyes took longer to adjust to the dark than I cared for, but to my relief I was met with more darkness—and not a hunter in sight.

I continued down the dark expanse of the hallway, feeling out for the spare bedroom I knew was on the right; the one James converted into an office he never used.

Empty.

Which only left James’s bedroom. Either I’d find him in there—or someone else. I was really hoping for the former, because if he wasn’t in that room then I didn’t know where else to look. He could be anywhere.

My skin prickled as I approached the bedroom, goosebumps rising over my body.

I wasn’t sure how I knew, but I did. He was in there.

Instead of taking the careful measures I should have, my heart won out. I lunged for the door, twisting the knob and stumbling into the room. I couldn’t see much, but I could see enough. James lied on the bed. “Baby,” I said. “Please tell me you can hear me.”

Since vampires didn’t need to breathe, I couldn’t tell from his chest whether he was alive. Hell, I didn’t even know whether I’d be able to find a pulse. But what did I have to lose?

I cupped my hand around his neck, and that simple move let him know I was there. He flinched, and I could breathe a little easier. Though my relief was short-lived.

As soon as he came to consciousness, his face contorted in pain. “Wrists,” he strained through gritted teeth.

I leaned over him, running my hands up until I landed on something cold and metallic.

Chains.

No doubt silver.

“You have to get out of here,” James said.

“Not without you.”

“Ryder,” he said, a little more desperate. “Promise me, love. Get yourself and Kian to safety. I can manage on my own.”

Like hell.I ignored him, climbing onto the bed and throwing my leg over him, straddling his waist. I leaned over, feeling for the chains on either side. “You don’t get to make me fall in love with you and then leave me, James Campbell. You’renotgetting rid of me that easily.”

James choked out a pained laugh. “Stubborn ass.”

“Damn straight.Yourstubborn ass.”

I felt for the end of the chains to see if I could untie them. No such luck. They disappeared inside the wall to either side of the headboard. Damn, the creepy sister twins were more calculated and methodic than I’d hoped. How long had they been planning this? They’d watched us closely, knowing that James often spent the night with me and used that to their advantage to plan the ultimate attack.

“Wait here,” I said, pressing a quick kiss to his lips. “I’m going back to the garage to get something to cut these.”

“Not like I have a choice.”

I almost paused to glare at him, but I scrambled off the bed. I needed to be fast. Dani had said the house was a powder keg, but she wouldn’t detonate it while she was still inside, would she?

And a gut-wrenching cry made my heart plummet into my stomach.

Dani appeared in the doorway. “You can’t leave things alone, can you?”

My heart raced, thumping through my ears and making the cut on the back of my head pulse. “What did you do to Kian?”

“He’ll live, but only if he gets immediate medical attention. Tick-tock.”

I was getting dizzier by the second, but I refused to waver. “Bring it on bitch.”

I lunged, whipping out the carving knife I’d stealthily grabbed from the butcher’s block in the kitchen. My heroic effort was foiled when I tripped over something in the dark. I flew into the silhouette of Dani, pinning her against the wall. My right hand lashed out, and?—

Damn it.

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