Page 69 of The Huntress

“Wait a minute…Darius…” She slammed her fist on the wall, fury taking over her heart and squeezing.

The bastard had given her his blood, converting her. But… Her brow furrowed in confusion. Shouldn’t she need more than a sip to convert?

Horror pulsed through her, paralyzing her. Gabriel had been converting her day by day, distracting her with his animal magnetism.

Yes, they discussed it, but never had he said they’d start immediately. Oh, when he found her, she’d strip the skin off his backside. She paced across the room, too furious to stand still. Why hadn’t he just told her? Why hide it from her? It wasn’t as if she would’ve said no. Before she died, she wanted to see Val one last time, and he had no right to risk her life like this.

He hadn’t considered that it might kill her. The arrogance of suckbloods, doing what they wanted regardless of the consequences. So much for my-heart-is-involved nonsense.

Had he meant it, he’d have told her. Hell, at least asked her for permission.

She curled her fingers into fists, her fingernails forming crimson crescent wounds in her palms, only to fade. Staring at her healing hands, her instincts roared their unhappiness. What was wrong with this image? She scowled and studied each hand.

Shit.Her watch was missing. Panic struck her hard, snatching her breath. She spun on the spot, searching the floor of her cell, hoping it had come off here. Her heartbeat thumped in her ears competing with her ragged breathing, ramping up the adrenaline punching through her. In a surreal moment, she paused to admire her new ability to sense the change in her blood, to feel it rushing along her veins.Holy crap!It amazed her that Gabe could hear her voice above his rushing blood.

When the panic bombarded her tremulous control, she drew in a deep breath, searching for peace. Okay, so…trapped, check. No escape, check. No way to let Mike know where she was, check.

She glanced at the rat, which hadn’t moved, silently observing her, unafraid of her antics. Was she dreaming? Having a nightmare? She squeezed her eyes shut and pinched herself hard. She winced, peeling her eyelids open, and sighed…not a dream. She was awake, naked, in a basement, and a vampire youngling. The shit had finally hit the metaphorical fan.

Think!

Mike had her signal until where she’d lost her wristband, not that she knew where that was. It could be close to her location or nowhere near here. She’d called Leo, but she wasn’t sure he’d heard her, so there was no guarantee he could help her.

“Any other ideas, George? Any idea how to thwart an immortal psychopathic suckblood?” she asked the rat. Yes, she named him George. How could she not name a rat that seemed so…aware? His nose twitched, and he dipped his head.

“Thought as much. You don’t happen to have a bottle of spring water hiding anywhere on your person?” She giggled and clamped her mouth shut against the rising hysteria.

She wouldn’t lose her shit, not until she’d exhausted all options.

Leaning against a wall, she placed her bare backside on the dirt floor. Preferring to be comfortable rather than demure, she bent her knees. George scampered up her calve to rest on her knee.

“At some point, you’ll have to leave me, George. Handsome buck like you must have a wife and pups waiting for you.” George tilted his head, and she found herself smiling. “Not a single doe has snatched you up? That does surprise me.”

A sob escaped her in that unguarded moment. She didn’t smother it, not needing to. “Oh, George, what am I going to do?”

The rat’s head shot up, then he scampered down her leg and through the hole. His abandonment hit her hard, the silence of the cell crushing her fragile control.

The sound of a wooden step creaking came from behind the solid door.

Chapter Twenty-Six

HUNTS

BloodtrickledfromLeo’snose. He’d been at it for hours. His skin had taken on a gray tint, but Gabriel didn’t dare stop him.

Elongating his teeth, he sliced his wrist and held it to Leo’s lips. “I offer freely,” he said.

The male drank but didn’t pause his search. When he’d had enough, he turned his head away. Gabriel licked his wound closed.

“I didn’t know there were this many rats, Gabriel,” Leo said, his voice hoarse from the strain. “They are well-informed. There is talk of a trapped human. A young rat has taken quite a liking to her.”

Gabriel’s heartbeat paused at this news, hope sparking to life where it had almost faded to nothing. “How do you know this? Is the rat with her?”

“No, he has returned from where he found her. I have mentally marked him, so when he moves, it will notify me. But…” Leo’s eyes opened, and he met Gabriel’s unblinking stare. “Something worried him.”

“Worried? A rat worries?”

Leo shrugged. “In their own way. A sense of foreboding.”

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