Page 82 of Bound By Blood

He trapped her gaze with his. “Don’t be afraid. I’m not going to hurt you.”

She wanted to argue, but she was helpless to resist his compulsion.

A wave of his hand opened the car door. “Get in.”

Her movements were jerky, like a puppet’s, as she climbed into the front seat.

Zack closed her door, then went around the front of the car and slid behind the wheel. “Give me your keys.”

She handed them over without a word.

“Relax …” He searched her mind for her name while he put the car in gear. “Lavinia. We’re going to go for a little drive, and then I’ll take you home.”

She stared at him, unblinking, as he drove out of the city, then turned off the highway onto a dirt road.

She was trembling uncontrollably now.

Zack swore softly as he put the car in PARK. His hand curled around her nape, drawing her toward him. “Lavinia, listen to me. I’m not going to hurt you, I promise.” He ran his fingertips down the length of her neck. “Do you believe me?”

She shook her head.

She had a strong will, he thought irritably. Too strong to fully succumb to his suggestions. Well, he knew how to take care of that. He drew her closer, felt her body tense as his fangs brushed her tender skin. One bite, one taste, and she surrendered her will to his, a sigh of pleasure rising in her throat as he took what he needed.

And wished it was Kaitlyn in his arms, her blood chasing away the cold, filling the emptiness deep inside.

Chapter Thirty-Two

Awareness returned slowly. Feeling as though she was swimming through a sea of thick black molasses, Kaitlyn fought her way up out of the smothering darkness, then lay there, feeling weak and disoriented.

It took three tries before she could sit up. When the dizziness passed, she noted that she was in the same room as before, on the same disgusting mattress. Her eyes felt gritty. There was a horrible taste in her mouth.

How long had she been here? Where was Nadiya? Where was Zack? Had her parents stopped looking for her? No! They would never stop looking, and neither would Zack. She had to believe that, had to keep hoping they would find her.

When she stretched her legs, her toe hit something on the floor beside the mattress. Looking down, she saw a wooden tray. A tin plate held two slices of bread and a hunk of cheese. There was also a cup of water. She had no appetite for food, but she drained the cup and wished for more.

She looked at the bread and cheese again. She wasn’t really hungry but she picked up a slice of bread and took a bite. Who knew when they would offer her nourishment again? Surprisingly, she discovered she was hungry, after all, and she wolfed down the bread and cheese, then licked her fingers.

How long were they going to keep her here? How long did she have before Nadiya came to exact her revenge? And how, exactly, would she do it?

Kaitlyn bit down on her lower lip to keep from crying. She couldn’t die, not now, now when she had just found Zack. She wanted more time—time to get to know him better, to discover what it would be like to make love to him all night long, to explore him from head to foot and every masculine inch in between. She had saved herself for the man she loved. Surely fate wouldn’t be cruel enough to let her die before she discovered what it truly meant to be a woman.

“Zack.” She whispered his name into the darkness. She was a vampire. She was strong enough to endure this. But the thought of never seeing Zack again was more than she could bear. Curling up on the mattress, she whispered his name again, and let the tears flow.

Zack was on his way back to Wolfram when he heard Kaitlyn’s voice. He came to an abrupt halt. Kaitlyn?” Dammit, had he only imagined it?

Closing his eyes, he again opened his vampiric senses, seeking the blood link that bound him to Katy. It took several minutes but gradually, the link between them stirred, solidified. Zack breathed a sigh of relief. She was alive. His mind brushed hers, seeing what she saw, feeling what she felt.

She was in a dark place. A basement. Shackled to a wall. She was cold and afraid. Crying softly.

Kaitlyn? Katy, can you hear me?

There was a long moment of silence and then her voice, filled with hope.Zack?

Do you know where you are?

No.

Is Nadiya there?

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