Page 51 of Those That Don’t Exist (Hidden Vampires #1)

AURORA

B urning thirst consumes my entire being. My throat itches with being parched, my stomach feels hollow with the insatiable hunger. My thoughts are of blood. They’re whipping round and round my head, trying to drive me to the point of insanity.

I may have gone weeks without blood initially, before my fangs came in, but now I’ve become used to drinking it almost daily, the withdrawal is torture.

How long have I gone since my last drink?

Who knows. Maybe it’s been days, maybe it’s been months.

I couldn’t tell because I’d been knocked out, and woken up chained in a basement with no access to natural light.

They never turn the overhead lights off, never dim them either.

The sand coloured concrete room doesn’t allow a single shadow, it's lit up from every angle with spotlights on the ceiling, walls and floor. I couldn’t even guess how many hours have passed since I woke up here.

What’s worse is that I woke up in different clothes.

I was glad to be out of the blood soaked dress but it meant someone had stripped me whilst I was unconscious.

The grey t-shirt is large enough it covers me entirely, and I do have a pair of male boxers on to cover my ass.

Just knowing someone, or possibly someones, saw me naked makes me nauseous.

The fuckers also stole my necklace, my dad’s ring. I’d cried over the loss of it from my neck. One of them would be facing my wrath for removing it, I just needed to find out who.

A random male comes in through the heavy looking dark wooden door in the corner, and swaps out the glass of blood sitting on the little stool in the middle of the room. Was it several times a day or once? I had no way of knowing.

They’d also bring buckets initially. It wasn’t private and it was far from dignified but at least I got to relieve myself. Until dehydration had set in. We’d been through several blood changes where the bucket wasn’t required. For me and for my companion.

In the same heavy chains, and shackles, on the opposite side of the room Ty sits, mirroring my position.

Back against the wall, legs crossed with arms raised above his head, the shackles give us just enough chain to sit on the floor without our full weight hanging on our wrists. It’s fucking uncomfortable.

I didn’t let myself look too closely at the black eye or the cuts on his lip and brow. Thankfully, the swelling around his eye and around his left elbow seemed to have gone down in the time we’d been here. His healing body was another marker we’d been here for a while.

I wiggle my wrists a fraction, as I’ve forced myself to do several times so the blood flow doesn’t cease completely to my hands.

The cuffs bite into my skin as the chains rattle.

The metal compound is strong enough that even our Vampire strength doesn’t budge them.

The bolts attaching us to the wall are wide with multiple fixings.

They must be deeply embedded as they didn’t budge either, no matter how much we tried.

And believe me we’d both spent far too much energy trying.

I make the mistake of inhaling again. The scent of the blood in the middle of the room sings to me and bloodlust overtakes me once more. I squeeze my eyes shut so I can’t see it in front of me at least.

We’re never allowed to drink it. Whichever male came to replace it always drinks it in front of us before emptying a new packet into the glass.

Reopening my eyes, I lean forward to be a few inches closer to the glass. I’m vaguely aware of the cuffs on my wrists digging deeper into my skin and reopening the sores which developed from me trying to struggle out of them.

“Aurora.” Ty’s hoarse voice cuts across the small room. It's the first time he’s spoken in a good while, we’ve had at least two glass changes. I’m so consumed with the ecstasy in front me I don’t respond. “Aurora,” he repeats. “Look at me. You have to fight it. They want you mad with thirst.”

“They won’t have to wait much longer,’ I snap, still not moving my gaze to him.

“I’m sorry.” This isn’t the first time he’s apologised. I can’t stand it. It makes me look at him though.

“You know I don’t want your apologies,” I snarl.

“I will get you out of here.” It's not the first time he’s said that either.

“Anytime you feel like it, I’m waiting.”

Am I being a bitch right now? Quite possibly but snapping at him is the only outlet I have for all the pent up frustration. I see him flinch at my tone and it stabs at my chest.

He’d retreated into himself after I lost it when we realised these chains were unbreakable.

I was angry and may have blamed him for everything.

I’d apologised but it didn’t feel like we were back to being anything good.

Between this situation and the whole locking me in an apartment thing I had no idea where we stood.

I’ve had plenty of time to think over the last however long we’ve been in this room. I can’t escape the fact we’re here because I didn’t trust him enough. Didn’t believe him enough to leave when we had the chance.

I’d let my fear of having my life blown to pieces again stop me from seeing that staying was the greater risk. I’d seen the bruises, heard Ty’s pleas but I’d refused to go. Naively, I’d thought I could handle this, keep playing Adicious, outsmarting him.

I’d been so incredibly stupid, I’m now chained to a fucking wall. I’d caused Ty to be captured too.

And I refuse to think about the male who is dead now because of me. I've shut that down completely because I really will lose my mind. I can’t save him now.

Maybe there’s a way I can still save Ty’s life. Why he has been kept alive is a mystery, he fully expected to die when we got here. I saw it in his face.

“I will, Aurora. If it's the last thing I do, I promise you I will set you free.”

It’s the third time he’s used my full name.

“Why do you keep calling me that?”

“What?” He tilts his head.

“You’ve stopped calling me Red.”

Probably not the thing to focus on right now, but I’ve noticed and it hurts. He hasn’t called me by his nickname since we got here.

“Because I no longer deserve the right to,” he whispers as if to himself, but I hear it loud and clear across the space. The softly spoken words hit like daggers. All he did was try and protect me. I don’t deserve the nickname anymore, but I want it all the same.

“I…” I don’t know what to say.

We lapse into silence again. Hours pass.

The glass of blood gets replaced again by a stocky male who looks like he spends every hour in a gym.

I barely notice. I’m bleeding out on the inside as Ty’s words rattle through my head.

The pain builds and builds beneath my skin.

Even with everything that’s happened between us the strongest stabbing sensation comes from the fact our relationship is in tatters.

I look at him, my heart lurching in my chest. He looks almost peaceful. I think he might’ve fallen asleep as his head has fallen back, resting against his arm being held so uncomfortably upright by the chains above.

“I love you.” The words slip past my lips. They’re quiet, a soft whisper, but it’s a relief get them out. Despite all the talk of forever and being mates we’ve never said those three words.

I don’t expect Ty to be conscious enough to hear me. Of course, he jolts upright, his sharp blue eyes meet mine in shock.

“You do? Still?” he says tentatively, like he thinks he might’ve been dreaming of my confession.

“Yes. I love you. I’m in love with you. I’m so sorry I ran away.” A tear streaks down my cheek.

“No, Aurora. I handled the situation so wrong. I should’ve been able to protect you better.”

“Please, stop calling me Aurora. Please.”

“Red.” His voice cracks on the word. “You are my everything.” Tears now streak his cheeks too. “I love you too.”

Those eight words simultaneously break me and forge me.

I didn’t know it but they’re my final barrier.

I can lose my old life, I can lose this city, my degree.

I can’t lose him. A strength buried deep inside starts to burn as I allow myself to feel the depth of my feelings toward him, the bond between us.

Faint footsteps snap my attention as they grow louder. It doesn’t feel like it’s been long enough since they brought fresh blood but that’s the only time we hear anything.

The footsteps multiply which is even more concerning.

My eyes meet Ty’s gaze for a heartbeat before we’re both scrambling to stand. My hands scream with the blood rush as they’re no longer stretched above me. My legs feel so weak, I have to lean against the wall for support. As our chains stop rattling as Adicious and Ronan enter the room.

“Aurora, my darling. You do look good in my clothes.” Adicious looks me up and down as he steps to my side of the room.

My stomach roils at the revelation. At least they must’ve been fresh because his scent wasn’t on them. Ty’s chains rattle across from me letting me know his reaction. He’s pissed.

“I apologise for the current hospitality,” Adicious continues, glancing around the room. “It has been a necessary measure but was always intended to be temporary. How would you like the move to your new room upstairs?”

His smile sets me on edge even more.

“What do you mean?” I ask, trying to not sound as weak as I currently am.

“Well, you’re to join the pack officially. We’ve set up a lovely room for you.”

“I’ll pass.”

“It’s not a question, Aurora. It is time you take on your new responsibilities as my mate, and as part of this pack. I’ve waited long enough.”

I go to answer back but a menacing growl cuts through the room. Adicious turns to Ty slowly. My breath hitches.

“She’s not yours.” Ty’s voice is laced in lethal fury. Adicious shoots towards him, pushing him fully into the wall at his back by the throat.

“I made her. I scent no mate bond on her, therefore she’s mine for the taking. You failed in your rebellion. What was it? Didn’t have the balls to complete the bond?” Adicious spits through his fangs. I want to rip him away from Ty but can't move more than a foot from the wall. Still, I try.

“She’ll never choose you,” Ty snarls back in his face.

The responding chuckle from Adicious chills me to my bones. He releases Ty with another slam of his body against the wall and stalks towards me once more. I step back.

“I’ll never choose you,” I repeat Ty’s last statement.

“You don't have a choice, little female.” Adicious’s purr crawls over my skin.

“You can’t make me bite you, the mate bond has to be reciprocal. I’d have to sink my fangs into you, and I’d rather die first.” I hold his gaze, projecting a bravado I don’t feel.

“Why do you think I’ve been starving you?” he says as he steps into my space. I raise my hands but he’s quick to grab the chains close to the cuffs and pins them above my head. He’s much stronger than I am currently. “You’ll drink the first blood I put within your reach.”

I’m scared of how true that is as the thoughts of satiating my thirst overtake my mind again. I hate how much I’m aware of how close he is to my mouth, my fangs, and how much I want to sink my teeth into his flesh.

Adicious dips, running his nose up my neck, I shudder away from the touch and he chuckles again. I step away as far as my pinned arms will allow. He simply pushes closer, one of his thighs stepping between my legs to pin me to the wall, and to stop me wiggling from his grasp.

“Get the fuck off her,” Ty’s shout echoes around me. I hear his chains clang like he’s pulling against them but I can’t take my eyes off the predator surrounding me.

“I’m not sleeping with you either,” I spit out, which makes him still.

“I won’t be giving you a choice in that either,” he says into my ear but it's loud enough I know Ty hears. My breaths start coming in panicked pants and my heart is beating so hard it's banging against my ribs.

His hand moves to my bare thigh, his fingers stroking up and over the boxer shorts, under the hem of the loose shirt. He hooks them into the waistband and gives a tug. Sweat breaks out over my body as I squirm away from his touch.

He’s going to force himself on me. Rape me and bite me and force me into a bond I’ve learnt to be so strong only death breaks it. Bile rises in my throat.

I start to fight in earnest. I don’t remember any of the self-defence sequences I have practised for years, or the ones Ty has been teaching me.

I kick out in uncoordinated swings, my arms uselessly pinned above me.

I even try to headbutt him in my panic but it's not enough.

The more I try, the more desperate I become, the easier Adicious is able to block my blows.

“Why did you think I kept that traitor alive?” Adicious whispers in my ear, ignoring my attempts to destabilise him.

“I want him to watch. I want him to see how his little rebel attempt failed. I want him to smell the bond which ties you to me. Only then will I kill him so he can die knowing how spectacularly he threw his pathetic life away.”

I know his words are intended to frighten me, and they do, but they’re the fuel I need to stoke the anger, making it rise up over the sheer terror currently in control of my body. He can do what he likes to me but I won’t let Ty be put through that.

I thrust my hips forward in an attempt to unbalance him as I can't get a good swing with my limbs. For half a second I feel Adicious’s balance waiver. He recovers by pushing his hips forward, grinding into me and letting me know how aroused he’s become.

I’m so repulsed I freeze.

Adicious takes advantage, using one hand to rip the boxers down from my hips, over my legs. He gets them to my knees, the fabric adding further restraint to my already limited motion.

Echoes of screams bounce off the walls. It takes a while to register they’re mine. I’m screaming and sobbing. Desperate pleas of “ no” , and “ stop” , are ripping from my lungs. It makes no difference. I’m trapped and he’s too strong.

Somehow he turns me so I’m facing the wall, my cheek scraping the rough surface. My arms are twisted painfully as the chains are pulled to their maximum. My shoulders feel like they’re being ripped apart. I scream with the hot searing pain.

Through my sobs, through the loud screams filling the room, I hear the sickening but unmistakable sound of a zipper and the rustling of clothing.

I start praying for death, it's my only escape. If death takes me I won’t be forced into this.