Page 6

Once again, vampires around me cheer.

Dread runs a cold finger down my spine. However, I keep calm and give nothing away. There are still a few pieces of the puzzle that he will need to get what he wants.

“Nothing has changed, Markis. You will never have me back.”

He looks at me, his eyes watching me intently. He smiles. “Did you know my wife and I have a soul tie?” he says to the vampires in the room, but keeps his gaze on me.

I flinch at the mention of our bond. Again, my naivety and age really fucked me over.

Markis turns back to the vampires. “With our bond, she will now and forever belong to me. No matter how much she thinks she hates me or how far she tries to run. She willalwaysbelong to me.” He steps up to me, closing the gap between us so tightly his chest brushes against my nipples. “Isn’t that right, Mizani?”

Markis reaches out a hand and touches my cheek. Passion and desire blaze through me so fast and hard that I moan under his caress. If I had it my way, I would spit in his face. However, he's my mate, and the soul tie ensures my body desires only him. Not only that, but it’s been a while since I’ve felt a man’s touch.

“You need me, my love,”his voice resounds in my head. “Have you allowed another to touch what is mine?”

With every ounce of strength I have, I shove him out of my head mentally. The shove is so hard, he stumbles a little. His eyes widen when he stabilizes himself.

Even though they gave Markis a life sentence of being put to ground, part of me knew a tomb would never hold him. While I never thought my father would be the one to bring him back, I knew that one day I would face him again. In order to do that, I had to be mentally tough.

His gaze narrows. “How did you do that?”

Keeping my face neutral, I reply. “Three hundred years gave me a long time to learn new tricks.”

He steps forward, wrapping his hands around my throat and squeezing until I can barely breathe.

“I have a new trick too,” he sneers. Suddenly my brain explodes in pain. I cry out as it intensifies. It feels as if he is taking a sledgehammer to my skull and pounding against it. However, I don’t drop my wall.

“What are you hiding?”he shouts in my head.

I can almost feel him chipping away at the barrier I’ve erected. Eventually, he will get through. I summon every ounce of energy I can find and use it to shove him out of my head. Apparently, there was a lot of energy around me because Markis flies across the room and hits the wall. He looks back at me, confusion, anger, and then a prideful smile lifts his face.

I don’t have time to waste. I needed to get out of this mansion.

“Now, would be a good time to join in,” I say out loud so Tech can hear me.

A loud buzzing sound goes off outside. The vampires in the room look around.

“What the hell is that?” Florin shouts over the noise. “Go see what it is?” He tells one of the new followers.

“No,” Markis shouts. “Stand your ground!”

It’s too late. The chains holding me loosen just enough for me to snatch my shoulder free. I use the blade on that arm to cut the back of the arrow in my palm. I then quickly yank the arrow out.

Just then, the windows shatter and thick black smoke fills the room, making it hard to see.

“About time you showed up,” I say into my earpiece to Tech.

I take advantage of Markis and his follower’s distraction. I pull the arrow out of my shoulder. The star like spikes slice through the flesh. However, I’m used to pain. My stint in that hellhole academy made sure of that.

“If I’m not mistaken, I told you I should come with you.”

“Not the time for I told you so’s. Get me out of here.” I yank the arrow out of my thigh. I ignore the gaping hole it leaves behind; it will heal soon enough.

“Stay low,” Tech warns.

Seconds later, gunshots fire through the house. Bullets won’t kill any of these guys, but they will cause enough pain to distract them and slow them down. I activate my blades, slicing one through the last of the arrows in my side, setting me free.

“Don’t let her escape,” Markis shouts over the noise.