Page 99 of Red Fury

30

Shadow

The males drag me to my feet and start to pull me toward the door.

“Leave her a moment,” Roman instructs them, and they let me go.

Pain shoots through my ankle as I try to put weight on it, and I immediately stumble, grabbing at a dressing table to stay upright. The twisted joint throbs with each heartbeat, already starting to swell beneath the strappy heel of my black shoe.

“Shit,” I hiss.

Fury lies motionless on the floor where he fell, sprawled in an unnatural heap. Several tranquilizer darts still protrude from his arms and chest, and for a terrifying moment, I think he’s dead. Then I see the slight rise and fall of his chest, and relief floods through me.

“Get him up,” Roman commands.

It takes three of his men to lift Fury’s unconscious form. Even drugged and powerless, he’s still an imposing sight. He’s all muscle and masculine strength that makes the guards strain under his weight.

“Careful with that one,” Kozlov adds, watching as they hoist Fury between them. “I’ll wager he’s worth a hefty sum.”

I want to launch myself at him, to claw his eyes right out of his skull, but my twisted ankle and the lingering effects of whatever they’ve drugged me with keep me rooted in place.

Roman turns his attention back to me, a feral smile spreading across his face. “I’ve decided to give you both a gift,” he says, moving closer. “One more night together. I’ll start marketing in the morning. I suspect that we’ll have enough interest to auction you off before sundown tomorrow. It’ll be a feeding frenzy…excuse the pun.” He winks at me.

“Let us go. Our people know where we are. They’ll be coming for us,” I lie through my teeth. I know no such thing. I only hope that Fury told someone he was here.

“Great! More dragon shifters to auction off. I’ll be reaching out to covens on an international level,” he goes on, almost talking to himself as he rubs his hands together. “The founding families in Europe and Asia. Dragon shifters…” He shakes his head in wonder. “I really didn’t think you were even permitted to leave your islands.”

“How do you know about us?”

“I make it my business to know about things that matter. Right now, getting this auction all set up is what matters. The vampire community is going to go absolutely insane when word gets out. I haven’t been this excited about a sale in decades.”

He reaches out, running one finger along my jawline with disgusting gentleness. “Although I have to admit, I’m tempted to keep you for myself,zayka.”

I have no idea what the word means, only that I don’t like it.

The casual way he touches me makes rage explode through my chest, and I slap his hand away from my face.

“Don’t you dare touch me,” I snarl.

The change in his expression is instantaneous and terrifying. The amusement vanishes, replaced by something cold and vicious. His eyes darken, taking on that red tinge, and his lips pull back to reveal those deadly fangs.

He’s revolting.

Before I can react, his hand shoots out, gripping my throat and yanking me against his body. I have a split second to see his face, both beautiful and terrible and inhuman. Before I can react, he sinks his fangs into my neck.

The pain is immediate and excruciating. It feels like liquid fire spreading through my veins, burning everything in its path. I scream, the sound echoing off the walls as I beat my fists against his arms and shoulders.

It’s like hitting solid rock. He doesn’t even flinch.

I try to reach for my dragon, desperate for her strength, her fire, anything that might help me fight him off. But she’s still so distant it’s infuriating.

I hate this.

I hate him.

The pain intensifies as he feeds in heavy gulps.

With a hard groan, he releases me, and I stumble backward, my legs giving out, but strong arms catch me before I hit thefloor. One of the guards steadies me as I press my hand to my neck, feeling the wet warmth of blood seeping between my fingers.