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“No one will touch you.”

The clear threat in his brown eyes served as another layer of fear.

I swallowed past the knot in my throat. If I wanted their protection, I needed to spit it out, but dredging the words to the surface compounded on my shoulders.

“A long time ago, a vampire held me captive.” I thought they’d been still, but I had never felt the quiet fall upon a room like this. Even Jax took a step forward and froze as if he’d shatter in a moment. “He fed from me until I was near death. And kept me like that, chained in a damp, dark cave, for weeks.”

Asher caught my trembling hand and it offered me the strength needed to keep talking. His body had tensed up against mine. I’d told him the surface of being hurt by one of his kind, never going into detail.

“There was something off about the intruder.” I shrank a bit.

“Go on, Pet.” Asher caressed the side of my neck with the back of his finger.

“Like he was compelled. He stood over Jax. He had a chance to slam the machete in him, but he didn’t, but as soon as hesaw me, he came at me full force.” I shook my head. “And when he looked at me, there was this eerie blank glaze to his eyes.” I squeezed my eyes tight and slumped against Asher. “The person behind it has to be the one that kept me all that time ago.” I swallowed. “A-and the man took a picture of me. Was there any information on his phone?”

“No,Älskade, I scoured the device and there was nothing but the picture he took of you,” Asher said, his arms tightening around me.

Jax suddenly straightened, his attention fully on his brother.

“We need to find this vampire,” Tobias snapped. He hadn’t looked me in the eyes, and he still didn’t when I looked over at him.

He was making it startlingly obvious he was avoiding me. Warmth washed over my cheeks and I cleared my throat, forcing my gaze away from his mouth. His delicious, tempting, sinful mouth. A shiver traveled down my spine.

Ren suddenly leaned close and inhaled deep. He hummed, making a point in letting me know he smelled my arousal. I cinched my legs tight. The heightened sense thing was a menace. It didn’t help the heat on my face.

The deep intonation of the doorbell echoed through the halls.

“You guys have a doorbell?” I usually used the bat knocker.

Jax strode out.

“Bastien’s meal has arrived,” Asher murmured into my hair.

Meal? Like he was about to feed on someone?

“What do you mean?” My voice came out high pitched. The muscle in my chest paused and restarted. “Wait!” I thrashed in Asher’s arms, trying to get free.

Jax definitely heard me, and he definitely ignored me.

EIGHTEEN

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I hurried after Jax,trying to keep up, but when I turned the corner, he was gone. My aching throat didn’t make my effort any easier.

My bare feet padded across the clean carpet. There wasn’t a single indication of the massacre from earlier. Good, the severed head would haunt me enough as it was.

I descended to the first floor.

Jax had already opened the door for a woman. I slowed to a stop halfway down the stairs.

She smiled sweetly up at him. Like he’d hung the moon, stars, and universe. I bit back my scoff but couldn’t stop from narrowing my eyes.

There was no use in trying to charm the ornery vampire. Their lips moved, but the words were too low for me to hear.

“Don’t worry Pet, she’s from a high-end escort service run by a reputable vampire Coven. She understands the risk and is paid handsomely for it,” Asher said into my ear.

I startled, catching myself on the banister before losing my footing.