Page 21 of Captive Hybrid

‘I will not be lenient,’ Callen drawls. ‘Now, answer me.’

Bitten, he said. By he didn’t specify, either. ‘Yes,’ I say, my lip curling upward so he knows I’m playing him, too. ‘You didn’t say by who or what.’

Something like amused contempt twists his lips, and I either regret the daring response or am proud of it, I can’t decide. ‘Let’s try this again. What location are we at?’

Callen’s lips purse, amused. ‘We’re several hours from Wolf Grove, in a spelled underground catacomb we affectionately call the Tomb.’

I blink. For the first time, solid information. Callen loosens his grip, settling outside my cell, sitting cross-legged right outside the bars. ‘Have you ever been bitten by a vampire?’ He smiles, titling his head back in a disarmingly attractive way. Until his fangs protrude from his lips.

‘No, I have not. Why was I brought here?’

‘Because this is where Drusilla used to live. It’s always been her favourite home. It’s protected. And because she wants to use you like a chess piece.’ He pauses, gaze measuring. ‘Do you care if your mate dies?’

I swallow. ‘It’s my turn. Why not kill the pack in the blast?’

Callen smirks. ‘Because then Drusilla doesn’t get to chase them. And because Alaric, that righteous, pain in the ass, Wolf Origin, would come after her for that. This way, she gets to trick him.’

Alaric.My grip on the book tightens.

‘Do you care if your mate dies?’ Callen asks again. ‘Because I don’t see why you would.’ He reaches through the bars. I blink in surprise when he strokes his knuckles down my cheek. ‘He rejected you,’ he croons. I pull back a little, but he just smiles.

He’s right. Mordecai did reject me. ‘I do care.’ I can’t explain it, and it’s more than the bond.

Callen’s dark eyes widen a fraction. ‘How loyal.’ I swear there’s a note of awe in his voice. ‘How lucky the wolf is, to have a mate like you.’

I assume he’s being a sarcastic asshole, or referring to the unique nature of my blood, so I toss a glare at him. ‘What are Drusilla’s plans for Mordecai? Godric mentioned a war—’

Callen tsks me. ‘Uh-uh. Greedy.’

I huff. ‘The first one.’

He shrugs. ‘Don’t know.’

I narrow my eyes.

‘Honest, I don’t. You can have another question.’

‘The war, then… What are her plans?’

Callen smiles wickedly. ‘To win.’

I stare at him. ‘Well, that’s a bullshit answer.’

He cackles, sending chills over me, slapping his knee with a hearty whack. ‘Perhaps! But it’s true.’ He leans forward. ‘Would you ever want to be bitten?’ His eyes are so dark they swallow all the light around us, sucking in the light of the candle. His pupils are dilated.

I shuffle backward. ‘No. Why are you playing this game with me? Don’t you have better things to do?’

Callen smirks. ‘Better? Probably, yes. As to the why. When you live a long time, Zenna, anything new becomes a little more interesting.’ He reaches through the bars again.

I snap back faster this time. ‘Don’t.’

‘Hmm.’ He stares at me thoughtfully for a moment, licking his lips. ‘Are you sure you would never want to? Is it the pain you’re afraid of, or being used? Or, you know, dying?’

I dart my gaze down as my cheeks heat. I’ve been bitten by a cat—that was my ‘yes’—but what he’s talking about is different. Honestly, I’d always imagined Mordecai’s lips on my skin, marking me as his. ‘No.’ To the first part. My voice comes out breathy.

Callen doesn’t call me on the lie. Instead, he nods to the tray of untouched food and drink. ‘You should nourish yourself. Keep your… strength, or what little you have of it, up.’

I swallow, not quite understanding.

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