Twice Bitten (Virgin Blood 3)

“Wants what?” Erik asks as I make a turn onto a side street.

“It’s between him and me,” Bishop says simply and doesn’t explain further. It’s not between them anymore since our mate got dragged into all of this, but we’ll get to that later. After we have her back. Where she belongs.

Valen tells us where to go and I follow his instructions. It doesn’t take long according to my watch, but it might as well be years with how high my anxiety is. The sun sets low and night comes over the sky as I hit the gas harder.

“There!” Ravana shouts, and I slam on the brakes. “Through the trees, look, I think that’s her!”

“Fuck,” Erik says, and he’s out of the car before I can blink.

I jump out and run after him, barely remembering to put the car in park.

Eight

Dove

“Go, you don’t have much time,” the redheaded girl Loren tells me. “Gordon, my dad, will be up soon.”

I was surprised when I saw her open the door and peek her head in to look at me. I was positive it would be her father coming back to go another round with me, but not so nicely this time. I would have only pissed him off further at what I’d done to his office. I’d torn through every shelf and drawer and I must have done some damage if the look on her face was any indication.

She leads me down another long hallway and through a back door until we’re outside.

“As I suspected.” Her violet eyes meet mine as the evening light shines into them. I’ve never seen anything like them before. “You have to go before the sun fully sets. The guards are changing shifts soon.” She glances down at the small gold watch on her wrist. “I won’t be able to help you then. They can track anything when allowed to.” She points out towards the trees. “Go that way and follow the path through the trees. There’s purple paint on the base of the trees that lead the way. It’s the only way out of here without being noticed, and I hope you can climb. The guards get lazy towards the end of shifts and they don’t patrol that section.” She lets out a sigh. “Usually.”

That doesn’t help my confidence, but I’ll try anything to get out of here. “Why are you doing this?” I ask her as I notice she isn’t a vampire. She’s standing in the setting sun with me, but her father said her mother was killed by one. You’d think she’d want me to go along with whatever it is that he wanted me to do for him. I’m a link to the man who killed her own mother.

The same man who has power over the men I’m running back to. Mate or not, I need to tell them everything. It’s the only thing on my mind right now since all self-preservation has apparently left me. Erik and Ezra come before anything, and I don’t understand why or how it so easily slipped into place. Right now I don’t want to question it, at least not until I warn them about Gordon. From what he said, he will stop at nothing to take Bishop down and I have a feeling that means everything Bishop holds dear to him. He wants more than an eye for an eye. He wants it all.

“I love my father, but…” She shakes her head as she tries to choose her words carefully. “Sometimes I see something darker inside him. When he doesn’t get what he wants, things don’t always go so well for those around him. Even if he’s trying to do something good, he can hurt innocent people in the process.” I can tell she’s conflicted by her admission.

“Thank you,” I say as I step away and take my chance at freedom.

I don’t want to know what might happen if I don’t escape. I stop and turn to look back at her, and the pretty dress she has on blows in the wind. She reminds me of a glass doll that’s been kept in its plastic box to hold its value. Her skin is creamy white as if it’s never seen the sun before, but I know that’s not true because she’s standing in it now. When she looks behind her to make sure no one is there, I see a small birthmark on her shoulder. It’s a strange shape, but when she turns back it’s hidden again.

“Sometimes it’s hard to know who’s really the villain of the story. It’s why it makes some of the best books I’ve ever read so captivating,” I tell her as a warning. I know I should be running already, but she saved me so I want to give her something in return. “It’s okay to be conflicted about what you’re feeling. But you’ve been standing next to evil this whole time and you thought you were standing in the light. This isn’t the right sides of things, Loren.” Her mouth opens slightly, but no words come out. “Come with me,” I offer.