Page 63 of Trapped for Her Blood

“Lead on, Mr. Psycho,” Zuben says with no mockery in his voice.

Psycho chortles, but then disappears in a flash.

We follow, and the air rushes over my ears and whips back my hair as we move so quickly I can’t see anything but the blur of the occasional torch. I press my face into Axe’s neck and close my eyes to protect them from the intense wind.

Under me, I can sense the big man is moving, but instead of feeling each of his racing steps, his movement feels more like a vibration, like his body is humming against mine, and after the initial shock the sensation’s amazing. I feel like we’re flying. And the vibrations are making my sex pulse.

Axe slows enough that I can detect the movement of each stride again, and I open my eyes but can’t make out much, just blackness as the rock walls of the passageway fly past.

We stop at the entrance to another tunnel, but there’s sunlight blasting down at its end.

“This is the last tunnel,” Psycho says.

“Where does it lead?” Zuben asks.

“Nowhere. Dead end.” Psycho leans against the wall. His brutal looking face, with its smashed in nose and many scars, sends chills through me.

“But there is sunlight…” Zuben steps into the tunnel. “If there is light, it must lead above ground.”

“It’s the bottom of a mine shaft,” Psycho says.

“Then we climb it, or leap, depending on the height.” Zuben sounds genuinely excited.

Psycho just shakes his head. “Tried that. Silver netting blocking the way.”

“Then we use protection.” Zuben frowns. “Leather or…” he looks toward Axel “…animal pelts.”

“Tried that too,” Psycho says. “They dumped acid on me to melt the leather. And since that they’ve stopped giving us leather to wear.” He tugs on the black t-shirt he’s wearing. “Can’t get the stuff anymore. My bitch wife means to keep us all down here forever.” He kicks the wall with the heel of his boot.

“Did you see that?” Axe asks.

“What?” Zuben stares down the tunnel.

“Stay with Ember.” Axel loosens my hold around his neck and keeps gentle hands on me as I slide down his back to my feet.

But I barely have time to register that I’m no longer on Axe’s back, when he disappears down the tunnel, running toward the sunlight.

“Axe!” I turn to Zuben. “What is he doing? Won’t he burn to death?”

Then I remember.

Axe drank my blood. He can safely go into the sunlight. Unless it has been too long since he fed? Or what if it only worked on Ryker? Or works different on shifters? I’m shaking with fear he’ll be hurt.

“Do not fret, precious one.” Zuben takes my hand and squeezes. “As long as he does not stay long in the light, he will survive.”

I nod. I can’t mention that he might not burn at all, not in front of Psycho.

Zuben wraps his arm around my shoulders, and I lean into him, sliding one hand around his hips, and tucking the other between the flaps of his suit jacket to rest on his shirt.

Zuben’s abs are hard under the finely woven cotton, and I love how they rise and fall under my touch as he breathes.

But he shifts, as if uncomfortable, and I look up into his eyes. “You okay?”

He nods, his jaw tight, his eyes full of…of lust.

A thrill traces through me.

A week ago, I never imagined that I’d be desired by one man, never mind three. Even if Ryker’s attraction was fleeting and he left me to save himself.