Page 102 of Magic and Muffins

I rushed toward the portal,intending to push all the way through it this time. Instead, I rebounded hard and landed on my ass.

The portal no longer had any give and was a solid sheet of fog-filled glass.

Kicking off my heels, I stood again to the sound of Vivian’s distorted laughter.

He held up the rock he had taken back. “Without this, you’re stuck until your lovers come to open all the portals.”

I was terrified but also furious. Mostly with myself. I’d stupidly believed that Vivian hated Orphia enough not to help her open the portals, but failed to realize he’d want the same outcome on his own. What vampire wouldn’t want access to an all-you-can-eat human buffet?

“They’re smart enough to know that freeing me won’t save me once the portals are open,” I said hoarsely.

“Are you sure?”

He rolled the stone over his fingers, back and forth, teasing me with the solution to the problem he’d made. I needed that secondary key to my freedom. With it, the portals could stay safely closed. I just needed him to give it to me.

I hit the portal with the side of my fist this time, but the portal didn’t even react.

“So close, Everly. Just a little more,” he taunted.

We both knew that, no matter what I did, I couldn’t get to the stone. Fisting my hands at my sides, I glared at him.

“The fae and their trinkets,” he said as he continued to roll the flattened stone along his fingers. “Have you had enough of them yet? I heard you and Shepard played at Effora’s for hours the other day.”

My hate for Vivian climbed. For Effora, too, but she wasn’t here, rubbing what happened into my face.

“She’s desperate for Shepard to take her the way he took you. Aggressively. Deeply. From behind.”

I hit the portal with the flat of my hand like I was slapping Vivian’s face.

He laughed and moved closer. “That’s it. Embrace the fear and anger. Show me how you really feel.”

I realized that was my ticket to getting out. Vivian craved fear. It was his catnip. He’d said as much to me each time I’d encountered him. If I gave him enough of it, he wouldn’t be able to stop himself from coming after me. Did I want to drive him crazy enough to pull me out of the portal? Not really. I knew what would happen next if he did. But I also knew that what would happen after the portals were unlocked would be much worse.

So I gave in to the fear and the anger just like he wanted and beat my hands on the portal while cursing at him.

Vivian laughed and turned to face the phone attached to the tripod. “Did you see the pretty ring she’s wearing, Shepard?”

I froze in disbelief. He was recording me.What had I done?

The phone hadn’t been there when he’d pushed me in. He must have set it up while I was distracted with the portal. He’d only needed a second.

“I know you won’t be able to resist saving yourmate, so I’ll save you the hassle of trying to find her. Follow the GPS and claim your prize.”

I wailed, “No,” as he ended the video.

“Aw. That’s perfect. You’re a born actress,” he said as he sent the video. “Take a bow. Your performance is about to get a standing ovation. Once your boy toys get this video, they’ll rush in to save you. Don’t worry, my hemoglobin honey cake.”

“Why are you doing this?” My answer and frustration gave my voice some volume.

“Do you really have to ask? I thought you were smart, Everly.”

“Pretend I’m dumb.” I felt rather dumb at the moment. I was now trapped inside a portal. “Enlighten me.”

“So sweet that you want to understand my desires. It’s simple, my ambrosia artery. Revenge. You and your love nuggets killed the only man I loved.”

“He killed himself,” I said.

Vivian’s face transformed between one instant and the next. The web of black veining around his eyes almost reached his twisted mouth as he snarled, “He was given no other choice. Do you think your precious wolves would have let him live?”

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