Page 86 of Twilight Longings

She glared at him. “What’s the meaning of this?” she screamed, her voice thick with pain and betrayal.

“I want your word that you’ll leave Wyoming and never come back. I want your promise that you won’t do anything to harm Kadie, and that you’ll stop hounding me.”

“And if I refuse?” She spat the words at him, then let out a long, low moan as the chains continued to scorch her skin.

He dragged the blade lightly across her throat, just deep enough to draw blood. “I’ll take your head.”

“You wouldn’t!” Her voice was defiant, but he saw the fear in her eyes.

“I’ve had enough,” he said. “I want your promise now. I’ll know if you lie to me.”

She thrashed beneath him, not in pleasure this time, but in agony as whatever Izabela had put on the chains began to eat into her skin.

“Make up your mind.”

Eyes blazing, she stared at him. He could feel her probing his mind to see if he meant what he said. “All right,” she agreed sullenly. “You win. You’ll never see me again.”

Saintcrow searched her face, then glanced at Kincaid. “What do you think?”

“It sounds like the truth to me, but she’s your sire. If it was me, I’d take her head while I had the chance. The female is always more deadly than the male, you know.”

Saintcrow blew out a breath. Kincaid was probably right, but he just couldn’t do it. He had been a knight centuries ago, a man of honor. He couldn’t kill her while she was helpless, and he wasn’t fool enough to turn her loose while he was in the room. Chiding himself for being a damn fool, he gained his feet and sheathed the blade in his boot again. “Take the chains off of her, Jake.”

“Are you sure?”

Saintcrow nodded. “As sure as I can be.”

“I’d as soon trust a viper,” Kincaid muttered, as he removed the chains from her wrists. “Let’s get out of here. She can take the chains off her ankles. I don’t want to be anywhere around when she’s free again.”

“Me, either,” Saintcrow agreed.

Eleni’s scream of outrage followed them out the door.

“How are your hands?” Kincaid asked. when they returned to Morgan Creek.

“They hurt like hell, but a little of Kadie’s blood should help.”

“I reckon so.”

“Thanks for backing me up tonight.”

Kincaid shrugged. “You saved my life. I could hardly say no.”

Saintcrow chuckled. “True enough. But I’m still grateful.”

“Let’s hope we’ve seen the last of her.” Kincaid gave him a friendly slap on the back and headed for Blair House.

Taking a deep breath, Saintcrow willed himself into his lair. Sitting beside Kadie, he kissed her cheek. “Wake up, sweetheart.”

She smiled at the sound of his voice. “I didn’t mean to fall asleep.”

“I need your blood, Kadie.”

Hearing the pain in his voice, she sat up, her brows drawn together. “What’s wrong?”

He held out his hands, palms up. They were bright red and covered with tiny blisters. “Oh, Rylan! What happened?”

“I confronted Eleni,” he said, and quickly explained the night’s events and the promises he had forced his sire to make. “And that’s how I got burned.”