Page 51 of Immortal Bastard

“Stay back or I’ll attack,” she warned, a courtesy he didn’t deserve, but she preferred to avoid contact altogether.

Still holding his hands in a gesture of peace, he spoke slowly, “I don’t want to hurt you, Delilah. I only wish to check on you.”

“You’re not my caretaker.”

“But I am.”

“Did they teach you to say that shit in captor school?” Her anger seethed like a building fire in her lungs. “Sorry to disappoint, but I’m not the Stockholm’s type.”

“I only want to mend this rift between us. If you could simply forgive me, we could move forward. I could show you around the farm, and you would see it’s not so bad here.”

The thought of leaving the house held promise. “Show me around?”

“Yes, at least give you a tour to the Schrock property lines. The Order’s land is enormous, divided between all the families. Being that it’s only my mother and I, and now you, occupying our parcel, our land’s rather spacious and underdeveloped. We have an open spread.”

She didn’t want to be included in his we. She could run away. She’d only need a distraction—

“If you run, I will catch you, pintura. I am much older and faster.”

Her eyes narrowed. He didn’t know the extent of her strength. He couldn’t feel the power coursing through her veins. Maybe she was different, special. Her muscles bunched and vibrated with the urge to move as indescribable energy buzzed through every nerve.

“Your new strength will bring many gifts, but my age will always put me at an advantage. I’m stronger with many disciplines you have yet to learn. With time and practice, your abilities will improve. I’m happy to teach you if you’ll allow me.”

Anything you can do, I can do better. I can do anything better than you…Arrogant much?

He viewed himself as her superior and spoke as if he hoped to be her master. Not likely.

“I don’t wish to master you. I only wish to help you. Your ability to protect yourself is important to me. Trust that I don’t want to suppress your autonomy. I want you to embrace your full potential and grasp the tremendous gift I’ve given you.”

I, I, I, I! Fuuuuuuuuck you, you Amish, sheep fucking vampire.

He growled and his eyes flashed silver.

Aww, poor widdle Dwacula. If he refused to get out of her head, she’d make her thoughts as inhospitable and unwelcoming as possible. She wanted him to suffer.

Am I not the obedient woman you hoped for? However will I learn my place, master?

His nostrils flared, and his fists clenched at his side.

He may be stronger, but she was no weakling. She would not be mastered.

The potency of her vehemence intoxicated her. Newfound strength pumped through her veins like heroin. Fuck him, and fuck his farm. If anything, maybe she’d meet a better mate, now that he brought her here.

Like a crack of thunder, a growl snapped from his throat, and he sprang, grabbing her by the shoulders faster than she could draw breath. She raked her claws down his face and he knocked her to the ground.

Snapping her teeth at him like a rabid dog, she tried to bite him. Snarls rent the air as they clawed at each other. Growls ripped from her throat in place of screams. They tussled, rolling over the planked floor, biting and scratching, hissing like animals.

Once he had her pinned to the ground, he snapped, “Enough!”

She tasted blood and took inventory of her body as she panted. Not a single scratch marred her skin. All the damage had been her doing, enough blood that it dripped from his face and pooled on her chest.

She thrashed and growled, arching up to bite him, but he maintained control, slamming her back down and demanding her submission. Outmatched, her fury subdued.

His expression bore no tells of anger, only hurt. He was injured. Bleeding. But it was not her delinquent behavior that upset him. It was her determination to hurt him.

She’d succeeded.

Shame overwhelmed her as she took in the damage she’d done. What was happening to her? She wasn’t a cruel person. She certainly wasn’t a violent one. The surface damage was only the start of his pain.

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