Page 47 of Chain Me
I floated, suspended on a wave of ecstasy only his blood could bring. Magical, bubbling ecstasy. Comforting. Suffocating, like the world had been boiled down to a single essence, mine alone.
But eventually, I had to resurface.
And reality held no such joy.
Dublin was already jerking his arm away as if my skin were poison. In the same motion, he rebuttoned his cuff link and slipped his suit jacket on. Armor, I suspected. Strong enough to cage in the emotion spilling from his eyes like fire—rage.
His mouth opened and closed with a sharp snap. Then he turned away, tearing his fingers through his coifed hair. Beyond him, an unfamiliar room unfolded, composed of dark walls and wooden floors polished to gleam.
At least it seemed unfamiliar at first glance.
The light fixtures caught my attention within seconds—silver, shaped like snarling serpents coiled around bulbs that cast pale light. A certain venue came to mind, one I had tried to visit mere weeks ago while searching for Dublin, only to find that it’d vanished.
The Den.
“Look at me.”
My savior stood at the foot of the surface I was resting on—a large bed shrouded in black. The sole piece of furniture, it dominated a relatively bare, but no less elegant, room. Ebony walls displayed little decoration, devoid of any windows. Almost as if to make up for it, an eye-catching chandelier dangled from above. Matching the style of the other lamps, it consisted of an array of coiled, silver snakes.
Memories stirred on the periphery of my psyche, each one more dangerous than the last. The only way to vanish them was to focus my attention on the man eyeing me as though he wished more than anything to take every drop of his blood back.
“Are you that determined to die?” His hair hung loosely, framing his thunderous expression. Dressed in a mixture of black and scarlet, he resembled the Devil more than ever. Hungry for my soul. “If so, admit it now and I’ll do it myself.”
“N-No.” I swallowed as my gaze lowered to the knife still brandished in his grip. “I…I’m sorry—”
“Sorry?” He snatched my hand and only then did we both realize I still had something clasped within it.
The necklace. It slipped from my fingers and landed on the bed, caked in fresh blood. Even so, I could finally make out the four letters scratched into its surface—MERO.
I started to reach for it, but Dublin snatched it first. His hand shook, his eyes wide and unfocused. It wasn’t a spare, I suspected. He eyed it the way one might a ghost. A remnant from his past he hoped to never see again.
“Dublin!”
I jumped as a door in the far wall flew open, revealing a panting woman who raced inside. Yulia, barely recognizable in a red dress that hugged her slender shoulders. Her dark hair rested atop her head, coiled in an elegant coif—a night-and-day contrast to her usual style.
Stopping short, she noticed me and sighed in relief. “Oh, thank God! You found her. Is she all right?”
“She’s fine.” Dublin didn’t even look at her. He glowered, holding my gaze in a way that nothing—not even fearing for my life—had ever made me feel. Miniscule. With a subtle flick of his wrist, he tucked the necklace into his suit pocket.
“I’m so relieved.” Yulia braced a hand against her chest. Then she stiffened and her gaze darted to the doorway. “But you need to get her out of here.Now, before he—”
“Oh, I don’t think you’ll be leaving any time soon, Dublin.” Another woman entered the room, letting out a chilling, girlish laugh that set every nerve in my body on end. Loose curls spilled down her shoulders like fire, enhancing the less vibrant scarlet of her dress.
Her name easily came to mind.Saskia, Dublin’s main adversary in the inner workings of the club he had once traded my soul to. Anemia.
“Oh, you’ve thoroughly done it now.” She cocked her head in my direction as a smile played over her ruby-colored lips. “In fact, I do believe you’ll both be joining us for this evening’s activities. YouandEleanor.”
“No.” Dublin lunged toward me and grabbed my arm, yanking me upright.
Still dizzy, I staggered after him, fighting to keep my balance. Luckily, his blood was already replenishing my weakened muscles. I remained standing at least as he started for the door, dragging me in his wake.
“We’re leaving—”
“He’s already on his way,” Saskia crooned. “After all, youdidcall him.” She tapped her chin with the tip of a manicured finger. “Or should I say you barged into my establishment, threatened my Mikhail with bodily harm, and demanded I summon him for you or—and I’m paraphrasing—you’dkill me with your bare hands?” She smiled, but her eyes blazed with barely concealed fury.
Sure enough, a man was lurking in the doorway, just beyond the reach of the lights. Handsome and pale, his name came to me instantly.Mikhail.His mouth lacked the smug sneer I remembered, however. Scarlet smears painted his face and his neck in a startling contrast to his dark suit and his ivory shirt. Blood, I suspected. From a wound that had already healed.
“So yes, you will stay,” Saskia said sweetly. “Andheshould be arriving within minutes. Actually, he’s even called ahead to request your presencepersonally.”
