Page 47 of Blood Moon Heat

He’d decided to go after Mina. He’d known about her before we’d even walked into his office. This had always been the plan. Of course, it had. I spun and ran at top speed through the forest toward the city. How could I have been so blind?

My phone vibrated in my pocket, and I quickly pulled it out.

Wet coughing echoed down the line before I could say anything.

I slowed. “Pretender?”

“M-Mina.”

“Where is she?” I already knew, though, didn’t I?

“P-Prime… He came for her.”

With a snarl, I shoved my phone back in my pocket, ducked my head, and exploded through the trees. The prime had made his move in an attempt to control me. He’d taken my female.

He truly thought his position as prime would protect him. That he could commit the most heinous crime one vampire could commit against another, and that our ancient laws wouldn’t apply to him. He was so very fucking wrong.

His position would not protect him, not now. Not from me. He would die for this, they all would.

How quickly that death was depended on the condition my Lalka was in when I finally got to her.

Mina

“You’re still a virgin,” the prime said and licked his thin lips. “I can’t wait to taste you.”

I stood in a grand room, a formal living room, full of priceless antiques, art, and furniture that looked pretty but no doubt felt like a bed of nails to sit on, and stared at the terrifying male, swallowing down the acid curdling in my stomach. How could he know that?

“I can smell it, Mina,” he said as if he’d read my mind. “A female’s scent is different once she’s been claimed by her mate. His scent blends with hers. Once he’s been inside her, he seeps from her pores.” He licked his lips again. “Nothing tastes quite as good as virgin blood.”

A shudder went through me, and I curled my fingers into tight fists, my nails digging into flesh. “What are you going to do?”

“Oh, that will be a surprise, lovely Mina. Now you’ll go with Gretchen here, and she will prepare you for this evening’s festivities.” His red, glistening tongue slid along one pointed fang. “It will be a night none of us will ever forget.”

I turned to the female, Gretchen, when she lightly took my elbow. She looked pale, her gaze downcast. She couldn’t even look me in the eyes. She was just as terrified of the prime as I was.

As soon as she led me from the room, I grabbed her arm. “Please, you have to help me.”

Her eyes shot up to me, and she shook her head, tilting her head toward the room we’d just walked out of. The prime was old and incredibly strong, and going by the fear in Gretchen’s eyes, might still be able to hear us.

I shut my mouth and let her direct me down a wide hall, around a corner, then turning into another.

“Will you help me, please?” I said when I thought we were far enough away.

Her eyes met mine again, and they were filled with regret, and fear. “I’m sorry. He’ll kill me if I even try.”

Whatever this was, letting me go would put her in serious danger, would mean punishment or worse.

My mouth went dry, fear prickling over my skin like tiny pointed needles. “What is he going to do to me?”

She stopped by a door and quickly let us in. It was a large bedroom, as opulent as the rest of the house. I hated it. Gretchen started toward the open door on the other side of the room, and I grabbed her arm, stopping her again.

“Please. Tell me?”

Her gaze darted to the closed bedroom door, then back. “Tonight, the first night, y-you will be presented to the…the elders.”

“What will happen? Why am I being presented to the elders?”

She shook her head. “I’m not permitted to say, Mina. I’m so sorry. You will survive this. I promise. You will get through this.”

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