Page 110 of Vengeance and Vipers

I try to dart around him, but he succeeds in taking me by the throat like he always seems to, but he doesn’t squeeze; his gloved fingers just keep me where he wants me.

‘This clan is my family,’ he growls, backing me up to the wall again. ‘And when someone like you messes with my family, we have a problem.’

He looks away from me for a second as if he’s having to make himself do whatever he’s going to do.

‘You don’t have to do this,’ I whisper.

He turns back, and his eyes flash. To my horror, I feel the conjure on me start to shift.

NO!

‘You can’t—’

‘Actually, I can,’ he snarls. ‘It’s amazing what I’ve picked up from Jayce and Krase over the years.’

I’m shaking my head a little, panicking as I try to pull away from his hard grip.

Daemon’s other gloved hand is suddenly over my mouth, and my panic rachets up, my eyes pleading for him not to do it.

‘Stop struggling. I’m not going to hurt you, baby,’ Daemon drawls.

But I do struggle, and somehow, I twist out of his grasp.

His eyes narrow when I’m able to keep him from grabbing hold of me, but then he smiles darkly and shows me his hand. He rips off the glove and advances towards me.

I move backward to stay away, knowing how I’ll feel if he touches me.

‘Using your own tricks against you has a certain poetry to it, right?’

I shake my head, begging, but he ignores me.

He takes me by the throat again, and desire immediately slams into me, making my body give up the fight. My limbs turn heavy, and he subdues me easily, keeping me in place while I put every ounce of my energy into not moaning, not wrapping my legs around him. I’m panting. My hooded eyes don’t leave his.

My skin tingles, and I let out a sob.

‘NO!’

I renew my struggle in Daemon’s grip, somehow getting past the haze of need, scratching at him, kicking. But he doesn’t move an inch. I grip his hand that’s at my neck hard.

Daemon chuckles at my futile attempts, his fingers caressing my neck and making me stifle another moan.

‘What are you hiding?’ he growls low.

I’m shaking my head as much as I’m able with his fingers around my neck, my lip quivering.

‘Please, don’t,’ I whisper.

But his eyes harden. ‘You brought this on yourself, baby.’

This can’t be happening.

But it is.

I feel the conjure that keeps my scars hidden fail, and my heart lurches, the fight going out of me completely.

Daemon finally lets go of me, and I almost sob in relief when the need for him all but disappears.

‘Let’s see what Julia Brand is hiding,’ he sneers with a grin as he steps back.