Page 15 of The Crownless King
“Not hostage, baby doll.”
He answered lowly and she shook away her scattered thoughts, immediately slamming a shield up over her mind. Him having access to her thoughts would be dangerous. Her brows lowered and she pinched her lips to keep in all the vile things she wanted to hurl at him. Her mother’s safety was contingent on how she acted. And from the way he clenched and unclenched his hands, patience was not something he had in spades. Relaxing her shoulders, she took a deep, calming breath. With it came his scent and her body warmed. Damn this man. Why was her body betraying her like this?
“King Levi,” she started, working to put as much respect in her tone as she could. His smirk did not help. She smoothed out the expression on her face. “Is my mother safe?”
“I don’t hurt innocent people.”
“Now how I’m supposed to know that?” she snapped. She took a deep breath and corralled the magic that wanted to flare out at this man. “Can I see her, talk to her?”
“You and I need to get some shit straight first.”
She swallowed down a growl.It’s for my mother, she told herself.
“You’ve kidnapped me. What could we possibly have to discuss? Hell, you got the Akachi back and we’ve exchanged blood, you don’t even need to keep me here. You can call me to you at any point.”
That was probably what offended her the most about this agreement she’d bound herself in.
Anita had never liked living on the Chawi compound, and thus Amaya had grown up free of their restricting rules. From the moment she’d turned eighteen and the chaos magic started to eat away at Anita’s mind, there had been no one for Amaya to answer to. To make it to her late twenties just to turn around and be…beholdento another…
The vampire could call to her and Amaya would be forced to answer. Bitterness and anger stewed within her.
Levi smiled, madness swirling in his gaze. “Oh, but I want you here, baby doll.”
Faster than she could process, the king was in her face and space. He leaned over, nudging her head to get access to her throat. She stopped breathing, her heart rate accelerating.
“I decided the moment I saw you that I would have you.”
“I’m not an object for you to collect.”
He chuckled and rubbed his nose down the side of her neck. “Fuck, you smell amazing, babydoll. I know your pussy is fire.”
Amaya gasped and stepped back from him.
“You need to let us go so I can properly care for my mother.” She couldn’t help the tremble in her voice.
Just his presence this close to her was rattling her senses. The little bit of blood they’d exchanged was doing its job. She craved him. It was the bond…right?
“Need? No. Ineedto taste you.” He licked her neck. “Need to feel the way you’ll grip my dick, feel your curves against me. Those are needs, baby doll. Youwantto be released, and I don’t think I will. I think I’ll make you keep your word to me.”
Mad at the way her body melted for him, her temper rose. So badly she wanted to lash out with her power, but besides the fact that she didn’t know how he’d respond to the aggression, her magic was a passive thing. As offense, it was nothing. Dampening power and magic — what was that to a vampire when his strength was three times her own? She was sure he wasn’t interested enough in her to ignore an outright attack.
“You and your gold-fanged gang can’t just go around kidnapping people,” she breathed out.
“I haven’t kidnapped people, I’ve taken a thief into my custody. I can’t imagine the Collective would care about that.”
“Not that you would care either way.”
He shrugged, his eyes spearing her, seeing places within her that she kept hidden to the world. “Look at you, already knowing your man.”
Those words momentarily struck her mute. They stared at each other, a maniacal light shining in his gaze as it raked over her body.
“I have no intention in being food for you unless you plan to take my blood without my consent.”
His growl stopped her words and lifted the hair on the back of her neck. “I don’t have to take shit from no one. Ain’t never had to. You’ll come to me of your own free will and you’ll love it over here.”
Though his words held a hint of teasing, Levi’s eyes were hard, a flicker of a flame on the inside. He was mad as hell and she needed to tread carefully.
“Can I please see my mother?”
