Page 9 of Rejected Mate

CHAPTER FOUR

“Getoutofmyway.”

I stared Ares down, willing him aside with my determined gaze. I’d had one chance at escape, and he’d ruined it. And here he was, blocking me from my freedom and from the chance to perhaps come back with reinforcements to free everyone.

Ares didn’t seem impressed with my ferocity, however. His voice was level as he addressed me.

“I smelled blood and heard a commotion and came to see if I could help.”

Huh? He’d been able to smell that from outside the room? He was a vampire, so I supposed that made sense. It just highlighted how little I knew about my enemy.

“You have some blood on your hands,” he went on, “and I sense more in the room. What’s going on?” His dark eyes searched my body, looking for wounds.

I tried hard not to shiver as he regarded me, doing everything in my power to keep a clear head, since I knew he was doing everything in his power to draw me to him.

His ability to enthrall had to be powerful. Even now, as he peered over my shoulder, I felt drawn to him. The pull in my chest rivaled that of a full moon, but there was another sensation too. Somethingmorethan just attraction to his physical beauty, which was exquisite—those deep dark eyes that peered into me, those full red lips, that perfect physique. They were enough to knock the panties off any hot-blooded girl. But as if that weren’t enough, there was also a raw animalistic hunger that captured me when he was near. One that made my head swim, my legs tingle, my mouth water.

It had to be magic. There was no other explanation.

I cleared my throat. “We don’t need anything, thanks. So I’ll just be going.”

When I tried to slip around him, he put an arm on the door frame, blocking me. “Are you sure? There seems to be a problem brewing on the other side of the room.”

His eyes darted up, and I spotted my chance. Dipping down, I slid under his arm and tore out into the hallway before he could stop me.

“Wait. Wren!”

I didn’t stop. Bare feet slapping on the shiny tile, I sprinted down the hall as Ares called out to me again. I had no idea where I was going, but knew there had to be an exit around here somewhere.

The hallway had doors on either side but, sadly, no windows, and trying the doorknobs was out of the question. I had no time for doors that might be locked. I needed a clear shot to the courtyard, and once outside, maybe my shifting powers would return. Even if they didn’t, I felt the outdoors would provide me with some advantage.

When the hallway banked right, I went with it—

And ran straight into Ares.

“What the hell?!”

I was too surprised to do much more than smash into him and curse.

He moved like lightning, one hand shooting forward to grip my wrist in a firm but gentle way. “You keep running like that and you’re bound to wear yourself out before the games even begin.”

“Let me go. I’m getting out of here, and you’re not going to stop me.”

I expected another fight, but instead, he dropped my arm. “Be my guest.”

I tried not to let the shock register on my face. Instead, I focused on the set of doors behind him. Circling around the vamp, I ran at them, yanked on the handles, and threw the doors wide.

Fresh night air greeted me, as did a second-story balcony. I stepped forward. I could make that drop and be out across the garden in no—

Once more, I ran headfirst into something hard, except this time it wasn’t a sexy vampire but some sort of invisible barrier. The collision startled me, as did the fact that I was no longer standing in the doorway. I’d been thrown back, nearly crashing into the far wall before I could get my feet under me. Shaking my head, I tried to clear my vision as I stared at the open doorway.

Ares leaned against the doorframe and crossed his arms over his chest. “A magical force field placed there entirely for your protection.”

“Save your lies,” I spat. “There’s no way out,” I added under my breath, hopelessness settling heavily on me.

“The force field blocks all windows and doors, as I’m sure you can guess,” Ares said. Making sure I was watching him, he strode through the barrier and turned to face me. “They only work on shifters. Vampires can come and go as they please.” He gazed at me smugly as he tilted his head up to the moonlight. “Nice night out here.”

Infuriating jackass!

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