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Make that two thoughts, while I push myself up, preparing to shift, and Tiffany appears in front of me in a second.

Fucking vampires.

I wake up cuffed to a chair. Shit. I put up a fight—honest. Vampires are too fucking fast. I lost my hat, so my hair is falling in my slitted eyes. I lick my cut lip. I hear humming. She’s in the other room, fucking humming.

She must have dragged me to the cabin. At least we aren’t in the cellar, but the run down room is less than welcoming. Busted furniture is scattered around. Cobwebs cover everything. An old couch is across from me, the springs sticking out. There's a fireplace to my side that she somehow got to work. Thestonework is chipping and falling to the floor in front of it. Black soot covers the once-nice stone.

The clink of glasses rings out. Great, she’s getting the wine.

So maybe I could have handled the situation differently. I could have gone along with her plan until I could figure out a way to catch her off guard and kill her.

I have never had anyone bite me. That is reserved for my mate. She is the only one that will drink from me. I couldn’t do it. It would have been the smart move but I have a history of doing reckless things—why stop now?

My eye is bleeding. She hit bone when she punctured my thigh. I have numerous wounds on my chest from her nails. I’m pretty sure I have internal damage, as it’s hard to breathe. I think I broke a finger—it feels swollen and throbs. I would check it but my fucking hands are cuffed behind the chair.

I knew it would be a vampire that killed me. Ryker and Bash, as far as I’m concerned, are the only good ones. Marie and Serenity too.

I haven’t forgotten how they jumped in for Saylor. They kept their word to me to protect her. I hope they continue to do that when they track me. It should be easy. My blood is all over the forest floor.

I need to shift, but once again, my hands are tied. I am not good with being restrained. The only one that I would let do it is Saylor. I close my eyes and picture her. The bond is shaky, but I swear I can feel her fear.

I open my eyes and think they are playing tricks on me. Why else would I see a giant bunny in the corner of the room? I blink and she is still there.

The universe is fucking with me.

I would be the only person that gets rescued by a fucking rabbit shifter.

Until she hops out a hole in the wall.

I don’t know which is worse, being rescued by a rabbit or the rabbit leaving me to my fate.

“I bet you are thirsty,” Tiffany says. She’s grinning when she comes around the corner holding two glasses.

“Nah,” I scoff. “I don’t drink wine anyway.” I tip my head back, watching her advance.

“Take the drink, Elijah,” she says harshly.

“I don’t have hands, Tiffany,” I reply just as harshly. I’m over this shit. “Maybe if you untied me, I could make a toast to a short life with you.”

She chuckles and sinks to her knees in front of me. “You always had a good sense of humor. Drink,” she demands, losing her smile, pushing the cup to my lips.

I have no choice but to swallow when her other hand squeezes my jaw. The taste is bitter. “Bitch,” I mumble.

“How is it?” she asks, pulling back and sitting on her ass.

“I’m more of a beer man, myself.” I watch her eyes twitch.

“You need to be more grateful,” she scolds. “I could have killed your little play thing. I could have just killed you both.”

“Why didn’t you? What the fuck do you think will happen here?”

“I didn’t need her,” she says, frowning down at her glass. “I wanted you.”

“You think I’m going to be with you willingly? Leave with you and live happily ever after?” I ask, sneering.

She shakes her head, once, twice. “I don’t know,” she whispers.

For a second, I see the lost girl I first met in high school. “That’s not going to happen,” I say gently.