Love Bites

“She has to agree.”

A low stream of curse words reached her ears. “This isn’t like with Emily. There is no choice here.”

The darker one’s fingertips tenderly sculpted her jaw. She couldn’t shrink back fast enough. “There is always a choice.”

“Damn you and your gentlemanly ethics, Kell.”

Ethics? Her mind screamed. Ethics? He’d had sex with her and bitten her and then he’d tied her up to a bed. What the hell was wrong with them?

“I can’t turn her without her permission. I won’t do it.”

“So instead you leave her writhing in pain! Does that make sense? Goddammit, you got a little pussy. It’s not worth risking our whole existence for. We both know what she is to you now.”

A long silence. “I’ll wait until our blood’s left her system and wipe her mind.”

“There are no guarantees. If something slips through—”

“You’re drugging me, too?” The tears pinpricking her eyes vanished in a wave of indignation. “This is why people won’t pick up hitchhikers!”

They stopped fighting and stared at her. The darker one, Kellan—the one she dimly remembered screwing brainless—reached out again. She recoiled, sure he intended to cop a feel. Instead, he cupped her cheek.

“Sydney, you remember?”

All at once, it flashed into her mind. Kellan and Lucas in her car. Wanting them both. Aching for them to make her forget everything but them and the pleasure they could bring her. “Of course I remember.” She spat out the words. “You nearly split me in two with that damn tool of yours, then you decided to turn my jugular into a chew toy. What kind of sick games are you two into?”

He moved closer and peered into her eyes. “Do you hurt? You must hurt,” he said before she could reply. “You couldn’t be free of pain without the change.”

She started to tell him she did hurt, thank you very much, and then realized the jagged knives that had been shredding her insides had retracted. Now she felt nothing but…sore. Even that sensation was disappearing.

“You hurt me,” she said in a clipped tone. “I hurt.”

“No, you don’t. Not anymore. Your eyes are clear. How?” He glanced back at his friend. “How could this be?”

“Hell if I know. I could ask Emily. She might know. Or she could look it up.”

“No.” Kellan’s heated response whipped through Sydney as he gathered a fistful of her hair. Before she could wrench her face away, he lowered his mouth to hers.

Their lips brushed and the strangest emotions surged through her chest. Warmth. Pleasure. Joy. Much to her astonishment, she kissed him back.

What the hell are you doing? He’s a maniac.

One who somehow calmed her fears, even as her traitorous system began to clamor for more of his taste. More of him.

He rubbed his tongue against hers, but somehow she knew the gesture was intended to comfort rather than arouse. His palms cradled her cheeks as he drew back a fraction of an inch. “I was so worried. I cannot lose you.”

Say what?

Sydney blinked at him and then shifted to look at his companion, who only shook his head. She wet her cracked lips and swallowed, trying to moisten her throat. “Lucas?”

He stroked a hand over her forehead. “Are you okay, Syd?”

Tears leaked from her eyes. He sounded so compassionate, not at all like a monster. Neither of them did. Her mind must be tricking her, just as they’d fooled her long enough for her to invite them into her car. Who were they, really? Who was she? “I…don’t think so.”

“Don’t be frightened,” Kellan murmured, wrapping his arms around her and pressing his mouth to the valley between her breasts. “We’ll take care of you.”

“I don’t need care. I don’t need anyone.” She wanted to fight, but she was so tired. So very weak. She felt as if someone had drained her of every drop of blood. “I can take care of myself.”

“No. Not anymore, you can’t. You won’t.” As he turned his mouth to her breast, she recoiled. But there was nowhere she could go. She was at his mercy—his victim.