Page 108 of Map of Pain
That should have killed him,Nick thought with growing dread.That should have—
“Not bad, Nicholas.”
Nick watched in horror as Shaw steadied himself, smiling. There was no blood on his lips, no signs of pain or distress.
And his sclera were black.
“Especiallyone-handed,”Shaw continued, his canine teeth split and extending into sharp points as he spoke.“But you’ll have to try harder than that.
Vampire,Nick’s mind supplied with terrible clarity.Shaw is a vampire.
“Surprise, Nicholas,”Shaw said, his words carrying a patient amusement.“Did youreallythink I’d let a little thing like death stop our reunion?”
Chapter forty-one
Parasites with delusions of grandeur...
Luka
The moment the second nail slid free, sensation flooded back through Luka’s nervous system like lightning. He remained perfectly still on the van floor, testing each muscle group systematically while listening for Owen’s return from the diner.
Fingers first—they flexed, no lingering paralysis. His toes responded to mental commands. Arms could lift, though his shoulders achedwhere the nails had pinned him. When he tried to sit up, fire shot through his spine, but he could move. He was healing.
Not fast enough,his beast whispered.Find Nick. Protect our mate.
Luka forced himself to remain motionless despite every instinct screaming at him to tear through the diner after Nick. The wounds in his back were closing, vampire healing sealing the punctures the nails left behind. But he needed morestrength. More time to healbefore facing whatever Shaw had waiting inside.
The sound of approaching footsteps made Lukago limp, returning to the exact position he was left in when the nails were removed. To an observer, he’d appear ashelplesslyparalyzed as before.
The van doors creaked open wider.
“Miss me?”Owen’s tone was thick with frustrated energy, like a caged predator denied his favorite prey.“Shaw’s got Nick all to himself right now. Private reunion. Very touching.”
Luka felt Owen climb into the van, his boots clanking against the metal floor. The operative’s scent was sharp with agitation, sexual frustration,violence looking for an outlet.
“You know what I hate most about you freaks?”Owen continued, settling onto one of the wheel wells.“You think you’re so much better than us. So evolved. But you’re just parasites with delusions of grandeur.”
Owen’s restless energy filled the van. He stood again almostimmediately, pacing in the cramped space,clearlystruggling with having to wait for his turn with Nick.
“I’ve been looking forward to getting my hands on Nicholas again for months,”Owen said, his words taking on a dreamy quality.“Ever since he ran off to play house with you, I’ve been planning what I’m going to do to him. All those sessions where Henderson held me back, telling me to be gentle with Shaw’s favorite toy. He was such a romantic about it.”
The casual cruelty in Owen’s tone made Luka’s fangs extend, but he forced himself to remain still.
Kill him.
“But Henderson’s not here anymore, is he?”Owen’s laugh was ugly.“Nicholas took care of that. So now there’s nobody to stopme from showing himexactlywhat happens to Society hunters who betray their brothers for a monster’s cock.”
Owen crouched close enough that Luka could smell the excitement rolling off him in waves.
“Want to know what Nicholasreallyis, bloodsucker? He’s Gianmarco’s blow-up doll. Shaw’s pet project. A broken little boy who spreads his legs for anyone with enough authority to command it.”Owen’s tone dropped to a whisper.“Including me.”
Kill him,Luka’s beast snarled.Kill him now.
“The old onereallydid a number on him, you know?”Owen continued, his words taking on a sick fondness as he ran his fingers through Luka’s hair.“One minute he’d be planning my fucking murder, and all you’d have to do is say two little words and he’d melt into that pathetic little boy. One time, I popped off his toenails and you know what he did? After he finished screaming and sobbing? He thanked me and asked me to hold him.”
Owen’s touch became more possessive, his fingers trailing along Luka’s arm with deliberate violation.“But you made him forget his place, didn’t you? You made him think he was worth something more than being a convenient hole for his betters.”
Owen was getting careless, letting his guard down while he indulged some sick desire to continue Nick’s humiliation even when he was absent.
