Page 14 of Blood Claims
“I can feel your reluctance to let go, sweetheart,” he grumbled, running the back of his fingers down my cheek in a tender gesture, despite the bite of his words.
“Please let me go,”I pleaded softly, making him sigh.
“I think we have both expressed how that isn’t ever going to happen, but I will at least allow your troubled mind some space,” he said, pulling his arms away and allowing me to move. Although when I tried to take one of the seats they had started in, hands framed my waist before Tal forewarned,
“Not that much space.” Then he pulled me back, so I was once again sitting between them.
“So, no space at all then,” I snapped, making Victor lean close and warn,
“You could quite easily be back in my lap, so give me a reason and push it, sweetheart…please, I dare you.”
I huffed, folding my arms across my chest and staring straight ahead, making Tal chuckle.
“Now are you going to tell us where we are headed or do we take this question to your roommate and see what else she knows?” Victor asked, making me gasp before turning accusing eyes to him.
“Wait… what do you mean by what else she knows?!” I asked, my panic making my voice turn high pitched.
“How else do you think we found you?” Victor replied calmly, making Talon add,
“Oh yes, your little goth friend was very helpful and even our buddy Andras took a shine to her.”
I found my anger and snapped my head around to face him so quickly, it nearly gave me whiplash.
“What the fuck did you do to her?!” I shouted, because just the idea of that big brute being anywhere near had me panicking.My reaction made him lift his hands up in surrender and added to this was a smirk that I wanted to slap off his face!
“What did we do?” Tal teased, making me tense all over, along with balling my hands into fists at my lap. Something his brother took note of, because he immediately grabbed my hands and forced my fingers to straighten as he told me,
“Calm yourself, Firefly, we did nothing to harm her but just so you are aware, we would not have offered such careful treatment of her had she been connected to anyone else.”
I closed my eyes, taking his threat as serious as it sounded.
“I didn’t want her brought into this,” I told them both, making Victor scoff.
“Then next time don’t force our hand by running…nor by making me repeat myself,”he added. I shivered, and it had nothing to do with the opposing caress he gave my hand and all to do with the contradictory threat in his tone. Because I knew what he was saying. If I didn’t tell them where the dagger was, they would use Stacey as a threat against me. Which wasn’t something I could ever allow to happen. Which also meant that I had no choice but say goodbye to the only leverage I had.
That plan of escape was getting smaller by the second as I told them…
“I will tellyou where the dagger is.”
5
CROSSING LINES
The rest of the car journey was spent in silence. Well at least from my side anyway. They tried a few times to break my stubborn silence, but with my mind in turmoil, I was left to stew on this new situation alone. Because before all this, their dominant behavior had only ever affected my life. But now with them crossing that line and using my friend as leverage, it was unforgivable.
Because this wasn’t love.
This was control.
Which didn’t sit right with me and never would. A lesson they would soon learn because I refused to acknowledge either of them, despite their touch never leaving me. Whether it was my hand being held, my wrist being stroked, or my neck finding Tal’s nose breathing heavy against it, they were always connected to me.
Their coaxing words were now empty. Their spell on me unravelling like a thread that had been torn free, the other end left in the place where they admitted their greatest crime against me. That they had brought my friend into this and that…that couldn’t be undone.
A spell that had once had a firm hold on me, was now nothing more than a fading echo…one I refused to chase.Which meant that by the time the car pulled up outside my apartment, I was left fearing for my friend’s life, hating myself for bringing this to her doorstep.
“Come on, Sweetheart, let’s get this over with,” Victor said, holding out his arm so I could exit the limo first. Which was when I broke my silence and told them both venomously,
“If anything happens to her, I will never forgive either of you.”
