Page 11

NO! Fear and pain wrack my body. His meaty hand clamps down over my mouth, dragging his rough hands over my skin as he savagely rips away my thong. I try to scream, but it only comes out as garbled nonsense.

My tears stream down my face; I feel helpless. With fear and rage coursing through my veins, I muster all of my strength and whip my elbow back into his face with a sickening crunch.

He kicks my legs out from underneath me and slams me against the unforgiving brick wall as I’m left immobilized, my knees scraping concrete as he prepares to make good on his threat and carry out the vilest act imaginable. The impact sends shards of pain radiating throughout my limbs.

“You fucking bitch, I’m gonna own this cunt. Then I will sell this slutty ass and let all kinds of guys take turns. You’d like that, wouldn’t ya?”

My eyes squeeze shut in despair as I cannot muster an ounce of resistance. I hear the sound of his belt buckle being unfastened and the metallic rasp of his zipper lowering. No, this can’t be happening! My heart races in fear.

Max's weight lifts off me instantly as I crumple to the unforgiving cold ground. Max is snatched from me on the opposite side of the back street. He’s being restrained by a colossal silhouette concealed by darkness.

“What the fu—?” I hear Max attempt to say.

I stretch my eyes wide and blink rapidly, hoping to clear the fuzziness clouding my vision. I take a deep breath of the rancid alley air, hauling myself into a sitting position and tugging my dress over my exposed ass. After a few seconds of blurry-eyed squinting, my mind eventually shifts out of the fog.

Finally, I can make out the scene before me—Max pinned against the grimy wall by some sinister figure with their hands squeezing his throat. Max makes choking sounds as this giant stranger pins his body against the wall. My mouth goes dry with fear, and I cover my face with my hands in horror.

The behemoth of a man snarls in Max’s face, “You filthy piece of shit. I’m only giving you one chance to get the fuck out of here. Or else.”

Max’s eyes bug out as the stranger clamps onto his throat. Clawing at his wrist, he tries everything to regain air in his lungs. He flails around like a fish out of water. Suddenly, he is thrown to the ground with enough force to send him skidding across it. Max lies there like a bug on its back, gasping for air while eyeing up his attacker in fear.

The stranger’s menacing presence fills the alley as he glares at Max, his chest heaving so heavily it seems like he is about to explode.

“Who the FUCK do you think you are?” he snarls through clenched teeth; the venom in his voice is like a knife slicing through the air. “Get the fuck out of here, or I swear to the GODS you’ll regret it!” says the dark stranger, his whole body trembling with rage.

Max bolts out of the alley faster than The Flash, leaving me alone with the stranger. His face is a complete mystery cause he’s standing in the alley, and it’s super dark. I get this creepy feeling, like he can see right through me. Even when I try to stand up straight, my legs don’t want to cooperate, and I end up falling on my ass.

“Sit down,” he says menacingly. My voice shakes, but I manage to ask him, “Who… Who are you?”

No explanation is offered; “You need to be more fucking careful about who you hang out with, woman.”

He struts my way with a certain flair. I look at him and feel the butterflies in my stomach revving up like those crazy car races. Everything around us is dark, and he’s wearing an oversized hoodie that looks right out of a sci-fi flick. I don’t know what to do or say, so I stumble back and hit the wall with an oomph. He moves closer with a relaxed swagger—like his whole world is in slow motion—and then he kneels to meet me eye to eye. His hands rest against the wall on both sides of my head like a little jail made only for me, and I’m suddenly aware of how trapped I am.

I take a deep breath, trying to fill my lungs with air. His aura surrounds me like an invisible hug that smells of fresh night air and masculinity. It has a way of seeping into my skin and making me feel lightheaded. His desire is intense—radiating off him in waves hotter than the sun. His eyes drop to my puffed-up chest, and his throat lets out a low rumble that is more purr than growl. A mischievous grin spreads across his lips.

“You are so incredibly delicious.” He inhales deeply, taking in the aroma. “You smell so good I could eat you up right now.” he purrs with raw hunger.

My heart is racing—my entire body trembles in response to his words. The air around us charges with primal electricity.

My words get swallowed in my throat. His chiseled jaw almost tickles my cheek. His neck veins pop out as he stares deeply into me. It looks like he’s got a tattoo on his neck, but it’s hard to tell since the whole thing’s just a mass of black lines. I'm enveloped in some force-field thing he is giving off that pulls me to him.

The sensation of something tugging at me from within as if I’m connected to an invisible line.

My skin prickles from the heat radiating off his body as he leans in close, and I shiver when he whispers, “You are an interesting little creature, aren’t you?”

His lips brush against my neck slowly, making my breath hitch. His velvety, hot tongue teases me with little flicks, and I moan at the feeling coursing through my body.

My head begins to spin with desire, and I cannot rationalize what is coming over me.

What the hell is wrong with me?

Exhaustion begins to creep through me, perhaps from the altercation with Max and all the alcohol I had consumed. My eyelids flutter, and my sight blurs. His voice is a low murmur reverberating in my chest as he gathers me.

“I will take you home, but I need to be invited into your house, and I promise not to hurt you.”

A look of confusion crosses my face, understanding that vampires cannot enter without an invitation.

So he’s a vampire?