Page 13 of Savage Blood
Barric’s words were blades to my heart as their captiveshuffled forward. Dried blood stained her blonde hair, coated the side of her face, and speckled her tan sweater.
“Enid!” As I darted toward her, Jax gripped my arm and hauled me back.
My knees threatened to buckle under the weight of the realization crushing me, and every breath felt like inhaling glass. Enid was the shifter who starred in my recent vision as The Collective chased her through Blackwater Falls.
“Willingly give me your blood,” Barric said. “Or Saint’s mother will be my next sacrifice.”
Chapter
Four
My heart hammeredagainst my rib cage, and my muscles contracted, longing to attack the two assholes holding Enid between them. Wes and Torin wore identical grins as they forced the female shifter across the slick tiles.
“Let her go,” I hissed, attempting to jerk out of Jax’s grip, but his fingers dug in. “She has nothing to do with this. You don’t need her.”
Barric’s laughter grated on my ears, and he tucked the amulet back into his shirt as he crossed the room toward Enid. “Obviously, I do need her.”
Enid flinched as he stroked her cheek with his thick fingers and then yanked the cloth gag to her neck.
“You can’t hide in the Underworld forever.” She jerked her head back, and he released the gag. “When did The Collective become such cowards?”
The alpha slapped her, the sound ricocheting like a gunshot through the cavernous room. “You always had a smart mouth, Enid. We should have finished you the first time we hunted you down, but you got lucky.”
Saint’s mother wasn’t some delicate flower. He obviously got his strength from both his parents.
“It’s good to have you back, lovely.” Wes jerked her toward him, suggestively licking his lips.
My wolf stirred inside, but I couldn’t connect with her, even though my fury had reached a fever pitch. Could Fane feel it? Was he going out of his mind, unable to get to me?
“Do you always force yourself on women, Wes?” I snorted. “I guess you’d have to when there are no willing partners.”
He released Enid and darted toward me, but Barric stepped in his way, a low growl vibrating the alpha’s chest.
“What did I say, Wes?” All the humor had evaporated from Barric’s tone. “Tate is not to be harmed—unless I give the order.”
The tendons in Wes’s neck protruded, and the scars riddling his flesh shone white under the ornate crystal chandelier and the iron sconces along the walls. “You let Roxie torture her. Why can’t I?”
“Because Roxie knows when to stop,” Barric said. “You don’t.”
A shiver rolled down my spine at the thought of Wes torturing me. He would use methods Roxie wouldn’t dare. So would his son.
Barric rubbed the thick beard covering his jaw. “So, dear daughter, what will it be? Donate your blood and save your fated mate’s mother, or let her be my next sacrifice?”
“What about the cure?” I asked, propping my hands on my hips.
“Oh, sweetheart, that’s off the table this time.” He strode across the room, grabbed a chair from the table, and placed it in a corner. “You had your chance. You’ll have another opportunity to play for the cure again.”
Bastard.
“Don’t do it, Tate,” Enid shouted, her chains rattling as she struggled in Torin’s grip. “Forget about me. My life isn’t worth whatever he wants your blood for.”
She was wrong. I couldn’t stand by and watch them kill her. Not only would that eat me alive, but Saint would hate me.
And I couldn’t stand him hating me.
I gritted my teeth against the slew of insults I longed to shout at Barric. “One day, I’m going to tear your throat out. I promise.”
He tsked, a smirk crossing his lips. “Don’t make promises you can’t keep, Tate.”
