Captivated (Deep in Your Veins 6)

Imani leaned into me, observing the other vampire with a detached look on her face. “It’s like she wants you to hurt her, isn’t it, Paige?”

“I was thinking the same thing,” I said. “She wants me to do something that can support her ‘Paige is a very bad girl’ case.”

“There might be more to it than that.” Imani lifted her shoulders. “I mean, some people are into pain. It’s not really my thing, but I don’t judge. To each their own.”

“I’m not into pain either. Although I do like a few spanks now and then.”

“Same here.”

“Not as a punishment, though. Just because I like it.”

We both turned to leave.

“Hey, I’m not done,” snapped Ursula.

What, like she held some sort of authority over me or something? Feeling my face harden, I leaned toward her, satisfied when apprehension flickered in her eyes. “Be very, very careful,” I told her, a dark note in my voice. “I know why you’re pissed. Yeah, Max told me what he did. You have every right to be angry, but not at me. I haven’t done shit, and I won’t be your personal punch bag. Nor will I pounce on you so you can go spread tales. To be frank, you just don’t matter enough. You are nothing to me. Nothing.” With that, I headed for the door with Imani at my side.

Just as we were about to leave, I heard the waitress say, “So, Ursula … apparently making an enemy of a powerful vampire who’s part of Sam’s personal squad seemed like a good idea to you. How’s that working out for you?”

Outside, Imani puffed out a breath. “God, that woman is a pain in the padded ass. What did Max do that put both you and him on her shit list?”

Clearing my throat, I scratched the side of my head. “He kind of said my name when he was fucking her,” I said, my voice uber low.

Imani gaped at me for a long moment. “I’m without words.”

“Not really, because you just spoke, but I get what you mean. Now let’s change the subject.”

She shook her head madly. “Oh no, this is too juicy. Tell me more.”

“You really need to rein in your nosiness.”

“Where would be the fun in that?”

I stumbled to a halt as Jared materialised in front of us. “Oh, hi.” I tensed as I took in his sombre expression. “Lenox struck again?”

“I’m afraid so.” Jared gave Imani a quick nod and then teleported himself and me to the infirmary. Like last time, Sam was waiting there. Also like last time, a person lay on one of the beds, their system riddled with poison. But in this instance, it was a woman. A woman who also happened to be human, and Lenox’s poison appeared to have had a far worse effect on her—there were more red lumps, more open sores, even some patches of decaying skin.

I crossed to the bed. “Oh, hell.”

“I’ll go grab us a prisoner,” said Jared, and then he was gone.

I looked at Sam. “Who is this? I don’t recognise her scent.” And her face was just one big swelling.

“Ivan’s bed-buddy, Elise, who also happens to be his vessel,” Sam replied, her mouth tight. When a human agreed to only feed one particular vampire, they were known as their vessel. “My guess is that Lenox tried bugging Elise for info on Ivan’s whereabouts—info she doesn’t possess, so it was pointless. Lenox either hurt her because he didn’t believe her or because he quite simply felt like it.”

Either way, it made him an absolute bastard. “He might even have hurt her in lieu of Ivan. Or in the hope of making Ivan come out of hiding to face him.”

“We won’t be telling Ivan about this for that very reason. At least not until Lenox has been caught. I don’t think Ivan is close to Elise, but he’ll still feel the need to avenge his vessel—he gave her his protection; that’s not something a vampire takes lightly unless he’s an asshole. Ivan’s uptight and far too misogynistic for my liking, but he isn’t a complete arsehole.”

Jared returned holding an unconscious vampire, who he then unceremoniously dumped on the floor. “He’ll do.”

After I’d transferred Elise’s wound to the unconscious prisoner, Jared quickly dispatched him with a lethal electric bolt.

Once Mary Jane assured Sam that she’d take care of Elise—who hadn’t yet woken—Sam arranged for some vampires to guard both the interior and exterior of the infirmary. Neither she nor Jared were worried that Lenox would return to finish off Elise, since she wasn’t actually on his kill list, but the pair didn’t wish to take chances.

As we walked along the corridor away from the infirmary, I slid the couple a quick look as I said, “Just so you know, there’s a distinct possibility that Ursula is going to file a complaint about me. She might have only said it to rile me up, but I thought I’d let you know just in case she’s serious.”