Blood Type (Blood Type 1)

“No. He would never do that!”

Reyna crossed her arms. She didn’t have to listen to this. All she wanted to do was get back to Beckham. Everett’s words were laced with jealousy or prejudice or whatever the hell his problem was. But he didn’t know Beckham. He wasn’t like all the other vampires she had met. One bad action didn’t make him bad.

“I hope you’re right.” Everett rested his hand on her shoulder comfortingly. “I don’t want to argue with you. I just want you to be safe. I’m not sure Beckham is going to keep you safe.”

“Well, you don’t know him.”

Reyna pushed his arm away and walked toward the door. His time was up. The panic in his eyes about her leaving wasn’t helping anything. She was going to leave whether he thought it was a good idea or not.

Everett stepped in front of her. “Reyna…”

“Take me back to Beckham’s or get out of my way.”

“You can’t leave.”

She glared at him. “Like hell I can’t!”

She tried to push past him, but he grabbed her hands in his and shoved her backward. She stumbled a few steps. Her feet nearly left the floor but she righted herself. Her eyes rose to Everett’s in confusion. He had pushed her!

“Reyna, I’m sorry. I want you to stop and think about this.”

“I appreciate you taking care of me. I do. But I won’t let Beckham think I’m angry when I’m not. And you can’t stand in my way of doing that.”

“I understand,” he said. His shoulders slumped and he looked resolved. “But it’s almost curfew…”

“Why are you stalling?” she asked.

“Stalling?”

“If you’re not stalling, then let me leave.”

Just as the words left her mouth, the door burst open. Reyna screamed as a group of men in all black stormed the apartment. Everett lay sprawled on the carpet, but they paid him no mind at all. Two of them rushed straight toward Reyna. She screamed again and tried to run away from them, but she was both uncoordinated and slow with the aftereffect of the bite still in her system. She tried to fight the guys off, but she had no luck.

“Everett!” she cried. Tears streamed down her face in a panic.

“This her?” one of the guys addressed Everett.

He stood smoothly from the floor and dusted off his black shirt. He nodded once. “That’s her.”

“What the hell? Everett?” she asked, shocked and confused. What the hell was happening? Were they speaking to him? Why were they holding her?

“Reyna, I’m sorry,” Everett said softly.

Her arms were jerked behind her and knotted in place with a heavy black cord.

“Everett, please!” she pleaded. Tears streamed down her face. She couldn’t believe this was happening. “Did you do this? Who are these people? What are they going to do with me?”

He stepped in front of her and their eyes met. “I regret that you had to be involved, Reyna. But it’s for the benefit of everyone.”

“What is? Please, no. No. You can’t do this. Let me go!” she screamed.

“Take her out, guys,” Everett said.

Reyna let loose a bloodcurdling scream. It was cut off mid-scream as one of the guys behind her landed a swift blow to the back of her head. Her mind went hazy again.

“Beckham,” she whispered before she blacked out.

Chapter 35

Drip. Drip. Drip.

What was that noise?

Beep. Beep. Beep.

Reyna took in a shuddering breath, but it made her head pound. Everything made her head hurt. In fact, her whole body ached.

She tilted her head back and rested it on a cushion. Slowly, she dragged her eyes open. It felt like only seconds ago when she’d had to force herself to open her eyes in a strange place, but she was certain she had never been here. Wherever here was.

It was a white room. In fact, it reminded her of the Visage hospital she had first walked into when this nightmare had begun. Her pulse quickened with her anxiety and the beeping next to her increased in tempo.

Yes. This felt like a hospital.

The beeping was her heartbeat.

The drip…

She glanced over and realized that an IV was hooked into her arm. At least she had been asleep for that. She gagged at the sight of it and turned away. Her fear of needles hadn’t abated even with her recent bites.

She forced herself to look back at the IV, and she tried to claw it out of her arm. She doubled over at the sight of the thing. It was too much.

Where the hell was she? Who had taken her? Why was she here? When would she see Beckham again? She had an endless array of questions.

The sound of the door handle turning pulled her from her depressing thoughts. The person who stepped into the room made her start. She never would have guessed.

“Mr. Harrington?” she asked.

She wanted to feel relaxed in his presence, but she remembered the evil glint in his eye. The thirst for power. The need to be in charge. He was a man not to be reckoned with, and she had no idea why she had drawn his attention.