Page 137 of Evil Hearts

The sun wasset to rise in an hour, which meant the anapriek would be dead in less than that.

The therion brothers had proven that they were capable of being enough of a nuisance for them to finally track down and kill, but the brothers were good at hiding. Moreover, the vampires were lazy; relying on fear and the loyalty that fear earned them to get what they wanted. They were no more hunters than they were bullies, and it was easier to bait a pair of dogs than to actually go out and track them. The anapriek—Gods!Her blood smelled divine!—was a difficult piece of bait to keep, though. Granted, they could’ve gutted the pretty little sprite and cast her guts across the hillside—surelythatwould get the yapping highlanders to come running—but the two had proven themselves strong enough in combat once before, and sacrificing their only real leverage at keeping the brothers in their human form was too great a risk. So long as the girl’s heart was beating they had a leash on their enemies, and so it would continue to beat until the time came that they were certain such luxuries would no longer be of use to them.

Declan’s golden eyes glossed over the mewling quim once more as she tugged and strained against the ropes that kept her secured to the log they’d embedded in the earth like a waitingpyre. Between the fear-laced blood coursing through her veins and the muffled squeals of desperation that oozed around the makeshift gag she was a picture-perfect sight to get the therion-scum to come running. However, it was also making her a picture-perfect entrée, and Declan was having an increasingly difficult time keeping his boys’ fangs—not to mention his own—sheathed and out of her throat.

“So pretty…” he mused, more to himself than any of his companions.

He was certain they agreed; their partially-raised plaids told him so.

Katarina’s whimpers were growing weak. Her desperation had dried up almost an hour ago, and the tugging pain of her restraints had dulled down to a constant ache. She’d run out of reasons to fight…

All but one.

Lachlan…

If only she could’ve offered him some greater explanation. If only she’d worked harder to show that she’d meant to offense.

Reflecting on her words—the implications laced throughout them—she could see how they could cut the pride of a man like him. He lived a simple-but-happy life of honor and independence, and she’d spoken so passively about leaving it all behind, and, in doing so, put a spotlight on his poverty.

No, she had nothing left to fight for at that point—no more fuel for her stifled cries—exceptfor her regret and the burning desire to have one final moment to set things right with her therion highlander.

Her Lachlan.

Hers…

How easy it was to still think of him that way; to see promise for the two of them.

To hell with it!she thought to herself,I’ll live in the damned cave if I have to! Anything to stay with him!

“You look like you’ve accepted your fate, I see,” the leader scoffed. “Though I won’t say I’m not disappointed, I’d certainly hoped that you’d lure them out. Don’t fret, though, you can die with some dignity knowing that those brothers are cowards.”

She narrowed her eyes at him and cried out against the gag.

“What’s that?” the vampire asked, stepping forward and yanking the gag from her mouth.

“They aren’t cowards,” she hissed. “They are brave and noble! Not like you! You’re just a scumbag terrorizing others to get what you—AHH!” She cried out as his hand crossed her face and she winced at the sudden throbbing she felt in her cheek. Holding her glare, she sucked a wad of blood from the tear inside her mouth and spit it at his feet. “There! A little snack for therealcoward!”

“You are a brave anapriek, I’ll give ya that,” he chuckled. “But maybe I should give you a little lesson in the food chain!” he motioned to the others, “Bring her down!”

Her eyes widened in horror as he began to unbuckle his belt, his kilt beginning to sag from his hips. Two of the vampires lumbered forward, smirking at the chance to finally do something other than stare.

“N-no!” Katarina whimpered, her struggles finding new strength as she pitched against her binds. “NO! DON’T! DON’T TOUCH—”

A howl cut through the night, stilling the crowd and silencing everything. Then, with the sound still piercing the vail of night, a second rose to join it.

Wolves…

… in the highlands!

Declan growled, cinching his belt once again and glaring at the two vampires, frozen in mid-reach towards their captive.

“Get out there, you fools! Find them!” he barked before casting his golden gaze up at her, “Looks like you might be right about them after all,” he grinned. “But remember this:”—he leaned in close, letting the stink of clotted blood on his breath fill her nostrils—“I was rooting for this all along!” He turned away and rolled his shoulders. “Soon those pests will be no more than pelts for my chambers, and then we’ll see to you!”

She watched as he started down the hillside to join the others, and fresh dread washed over her.

Would Lachlan and Munro be able to survive this?

They’d fared well with surprise and the dense woods on their side, but here—in the vampires’ territory—she couldn’t be so sure.

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