Page 98 of Rogue Wolf

Or maybe they lost it when they died and returned as soulless creatures. It didn’t matter. She was human and had the best and the worst of all that. Fickle, sneaky, tricky, stubborn, smart, wily and full of the kind of bad decisions that just might save them.

Because all she had to do was grab the opal, grab Kodiak, and run. Anything pointy would serve as a weapon. Broom, broken chair. Fuck, she’d somehow make a Molotov cocktail and burn the place with herself in it if it meant killing them.

She’s do anything and everything she could think of.

Including biding her time.

The two vampires stood ready behind Kodiak. One held the chain, and appeared to suffer no discomfort from the contact. That same chain, wrapped around Kodiak’s wrists, left burns across his skin. The sight made her stomach churn nauseatingly.

What was it? Not metal, as in steel. Because this was hurting him and he touched all kinds of metal. Silver? Or something else? Something rare? Wasn’t there something in lore about silver bullets?

Tamaska eyed the surroundings, looking for hiding places, ways to fight. Exits.

Problem was they could move super fast, and sniff out a human or a shifter, so they could find her and Kodiak even if she managed to get him free and hide. And Amdis was here. How many other vampires lurked in the shadows?

Come on, you can get yourself out of this fucking mess.

All she needed was a brilliant idea. But until that happened she’d wing it and right now it meant stretching out the time. It had to be after midnight, so she hoped that helped in her favor. And the more she learned the more she had time to find a way out.

“I bet you thought you would always keep her safe.” Amdis walked up to Kodiak, staying just out of his reach.

Even with him chained and weak they seemed scared of getting too close. She looked at Kodiak but he was focused on Amdis, even though she couldn’t shake the feeling he knew her every movement.

“That I would never get my hands on her—or, should I say, sink my teeth into her?” He leaned close to Kodiak, deliberately baring his fangs while maintaining a healthy distance.

“But that’s exactly what I’ll get to do right now,” said Amdis, straightening and squaring his shoulders.

“Like hell, you will,” growled Kodiak, straining against the chain. Only for a moment, though, as the pain seemed too much, and he had to relent.

“She’s mine,” taunted Amdis, “and I will finally put a stop to this game of cat and mouse. Now, I can test my theories about the Blood Opal and her blood.”

“I don’t think he can touch me,” she suddenly blurted, needed to give Kodiak something to hang on to. “They tried to get me to touch them when they came to me earlier, and when I got here, Admis did the same.” She looked at the vampire. “You can’t, can you?”

“Maybe I’m waiting.”

“Or maybe,” Kodiak said, “you know if you do you’ll what…? Not die. But… I’m betting whatever you lured her here for works better if she intigated touching. Isn’t that right?”

“Shut your fucking mouth, dog,” Amdis said with a snarl.

This time Kodiak cut a glance at her. “Don’t touch him. Don’t touch any of them. Even in anger. If you only listen to one thing from me, Tamaska, listen to this.”

Amdis threw his head back and laughed. “But you don’t tell her to run, do you?”

Kodiak was right, because the resentment and goading in the vamp’s voice was thick like cake.

So she joined the verbal attack. They wouldn’t let her go, and Kodiak was right, she couldn’t let them try and manipulate her into touching Amdis.

“You promised to release him,” said Tamaska, holding her chin high. “That’s why I’m here. Let him go. Demand they let you go, Kodiak.”

"He’s got no power, tasty girl.” He glared at the shifter. “Do you?”

Kodiak shook his head but said nothing. His subtle, helpless actions wounded Tamaska. She’d never seen Kodiak submit to anyone, and had never thought she would.

“He’s stronger than you think!”

“I think your boyfriend here would have something to say about that,” said Amdis. “Considering his…unfortunate state.”

“I don’t know how many times I have to say it, but we had a deal so—”

---