Page 52 of Prey

Even though there was something off with her mood, I gripped her fingers tighter. She pushed her door open and the large bed came into view. Immediately, I felt a blush surface. God, had I really slept in between her and her men in that big thing? Heat flushed my cheeks. I had, and it had felt like the most natural thing at the time.

“So, tell me, what do you feel like doing tonight? You name it and I’ll make it happen.” Her smile was forced as she walked over to her closet, throwing the door open.

“Anything I want?”

My question had her pausing and looking back over her shoulder, suddenly beaming at me.

“There’s a mischievous you within that question, Tessa. I like it. What do you have in mind?” The smile faded and her head cocked to the side as she came back to me. “What is that on your neck?”

My hand rose, pushing beneath the denim collar of the jacket I wore over my dress.

“What was that?” she whispered.

I lowered my hand, pulling back my hair and turning my face so she could see.

“Oh…Tessa.” Her eyes shot to mine as I let my hair drop. “Does he know?”

“No,” I said, quietly. “And I don’t want him to yet. Not until—” I cut myself off. “Marie, I need to speak to you about something I did today, but I can’t. I mean, it came out of nowhere and…”

“Shh.” Her fingers came to my lips. “I already know. You’re doing the right thing.” While we held each other’s stare, I felt her fear concerning the situation. It took me a few seconds to nod past it. Marie let her fingers slide down and she placed a quick kiss across my lips. I couldn’t help the weird heaviness that filled me as she spun around and walked back to her closet.

“I don’t know what I want to do tonight. Or if I want to dress up. I just feel so—”

“You have to dress up. It’ll make it more fun. We’ll go back out and you can sing with the vermin. Or, we’ll…” Tears filled her eyes as she turned and stepped closer toward me. “I know you’re scared and you want to talk about what’s going to happen, but we can’t. There are things I want to tell you, too, but that isn’t allowed.” She paused. “I have many gifts. One is seeing the future. And…I had a dream last night.”

I blinked past the shock.

“What about? This place? Marko?” I glanced back up. “Me?”

Marie grabbed a fancy red dress, not much different than the color of the one I was already wearing. “All. All and more. Let’s not talk about it. My skin grows cold at the thought. Come.” She pulled me toward the vanity that rested against her back wall and turned toward her men who were standing guard against the wall next to the door. Their behavior sometimes confused me, but I didn’t question it.

“Out,” she ordered. The demand was so different than the way she talked to me. There was another side of Marie. Marko had hinted as much, and maybe Marie’s intentions weren’t all good concerning me, but I couldn’t help but like the side of herself she displayed. And maybe she did like me a little. It appeared so.

My blood. The words barreled through and I suddenly knew. That had to be it. Did she want me that way? Julius had said no other vampire would have liked the taste, but maybe it was more the call than the actual feeding. The temptation of the smell. But would she do it just to experience the flavor, or would she do it to kill me, like Marko? My hand came out and I stopped before we got all the way to the vanity’s chair.

“Marie, what are you true intentions for me? I know you didn’t come to me just for the party. There’s something else.”

Her lips separated and she looked down at the dress in her hands. “You’re right. I wanted to…kill you. To get back at Marko in any way I could.”

“Do you still?”

Her eyes lifted and she shook her head. “No. I’d have you for my own slave if it were possible. Marko will not allow me to, so I’ll spend all the time I can with you before the end presents itself. For either you or him.”

I swallowed hard. “I die on Wednesday. Or, at least, he’ll try. I don’t have plans on dying anytime soon.”

Marie’s eyes flickered and they studied mine for a few seconds before her smile returned. “Wednesday…my money’s on you. And that’s all I’ll say. Now, let’s get you dressed. We’ll talk more later.”

I nodded, letting my denim jacket and dress drop to the floor. The atmosphere changed as Marie’s eyes traveled over the expanse of my neck, down to my chest. She stepped back, quickly turning to the closet. When she returned, she held matching lingerie. The strapless red silk bra was met with a pair of barely existent panties. With each article of my clothing that fell to the floor, I couldn’t stop the shaking. I pulled up the panties, slowing as I reached for the bra she’d sat on the vanity.

“So beautiful,” she said, shaking her head. “How I wish I could keep you.”

“If he allowed it…how would that be possible?”

To be a slave was something I had to do. I’d never be able to go back to living a human life after I knew of these ways. Of this place. To be Marie’s might not be so bad. We were friends, or could be, if we were given more time. And if I didn’t have this pull toward Marko, he wouldn’t want to kill me. I could live.

Marie’s hand pushed back the hair covering one of my breasts and my breath hitched as her fingertips moved down the center of my chest. Where I hadn’t expected to feel arousal, I did. My breasts began to feel fuller and I licked my lips, wondering what was going to happen.

“We’ve talked about this before, although you probably don’t remember. You’d have to take my blood, and I yours. My blood would fight against Marko’s. His would probably win.”

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