Page 27 of Vile Pucker

In a second he was parallel with my chair, looming over me and blocking out the light.

His forearms werebigtoo, hard cords of muscle, somehow managing to combine an athletic form with powerful strength and a massive wingspan.

I tightened my fingers around the little penknife. Could I do it?

How could a smile, how could a devil’s face like that look so horrifically beautiful?

Move, I tried to scream at myself, but I was too stuck in the old prey instinct of freeze and watch.

Move! I screamed silently.You’ll never escape him sitting here!

“Who said anything aboutonepregnancy?” Gabriel smirked.

I turned and stabbed him, as hard as I could.

CHAPTER 8

Idug that pen-knife deep into his thigh.

Then I twisted in panic and flung myself out of the chair, stumbling out the door and into the dark hallway.

Hastily, I shucked off my shoes so I could run faster.

I knew the way now. One right turn, then a left, and then I’d be at the western stairwell. Once I got there I could get all the way down five floors and out to the driveway whereoneof the cars would match this key.

Luckily the hallways were dark despite the fact that it was only the mid-afternoon and if I avoided the rectangles of watery light from the medieval-looking windows Gabriel wouldn’t be able to see me.

The walls reallywerethick, because once I turned the corner I couldn’t hear a thing.

One floor down. . .

I spun around the corner and pelted down to the next level.

Only three floors to go. . .

But as I turned the corner, a shadow darkened the window, blotting out the sunlight.

And suddenly a dark body swung in the window and I was knocked sideways.

“Now, why did you think you’d be able to get away?” he mused, stroking my hair with one of his terrifyingly massive hands as I desperately hoped the stone walls would open up and let me disappear.

“I’m a fast runner.”

He shook his head.

“You have a lot of confidence, Lark. You think you can outrun me? All the way off the property? You must be some athlete.”

Those licks of dark hair caressed his cheekbones as he narrowed his eyes.

I had to distract him from searching me!

Something brushed against my leg and I looked down and it was the penknife.

He followed my gaze and wrenched out the knife.

It came out with a sickening pop and he flipped it around so the handle was extended toward me.

“Do it again, baby girl. See if it stops me.”