Total pages in book: 28
Estimated words: 26273 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 131(@200wpm)___ 105(@250wpm)___ 88(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 26273 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 131(@200wpm)___ 105(@250wpm)___ 88(@300wpm)
“I can’t hurt them, if that’s what you want,” I say when I turn back to face him. “I know where this is going.”
I tell him that before he tries to feed me some more bullshit. I don’t even want to toy with the idea of doing something to them because it makes my chest ache. His face grows angry and I realize he probably isn't used to hearing the word no. Maybe I should have played along and gotten the hell out of here with him thinking I’m on his side.
His eyes roam over me, then he sucks in an audible breath. “They fed from you.” He stands so quickly his chair flies back and my face heats. It’s as if he said that I had sex with them.
“They’re vampires,” I blurt, unsure why I’m even trying to defend myself. “That’s normal.” I say the words, but they’re a total guess and immediately I regret it.
He laughs in a mocking tone. “But don’t you see, Dove, they didn’t feed you. They have no plans to mate you. You’re just another on that list I showed you. Trust me, when a vampire finds his mate he never lets her go.”
He reaches into his desk, pulling out the same book and tossing it in front of me. He must have gotten it from my car. “They kept them for days and played with them before they got rid of them.” He leans forward. “They made those women fall in love with them and then told them they were their mate before…” He lets the words hang in the air.
My heart protests what he’s saying. It can’t be true, but I hadn't drunk from them. I didn't feel anything different, only a tighter connection to them than I had before, but isn't that what intimacy is? Maybe I’m not really their mate and they used the term loosely.
I do know one thing though, they couldn’t have done the things he’s saying. I don’t reach for the book because I don’t believe it. My brain is telling me I'm being naïve, but my heart knows better. The more I think about the book, the more I realize it looks like a trophy a serial killer would keep.
“They fooled you, Dove. They got what they wanted, but somehow you slipped away before they could finish what they’d started.” He walks around the desk and my blood runs cold from being so close to him. He hasn't harmed me and he keeps saying he’s trying to protect me. “You saw my daughter.” He nods to where she was moments ago. “Bishop killed her mother.”
I gasp, understanding now why this man is out for them so badly. It’s not only about the missing people but something deeper. There are still pieces I’m not putting together.
“Even if Erik and Ezra wanted to keep you as their chubby little pet, Bishop would never allow it for long. He’d let them for a while, but soon enough you’d have to go like all the rest.” His dark eyes lock on mine. “Besides, if Erik and Ezra do want you, they’ll only have you for as long as they can. If you team up with me we can take them down before they eventually kill you.”
“What about my friend Juliet?” I ask not because I want to help him but because what if what he’s saying about Bishop is true? How come Juliet was kept from harm? I know nothing about this man.
“Mates are the exception to his rule. A mate is loyal beyond all things. As long as Kane keeps her in line, she’ll be fine.” I have to fight an eye roll. Keep Juliet in line? He obviously hasn't seen them together. I swallow the lump in my throat. I just want to go home. The ache inside of me makes me feel hollow. I don’t want anything to do with this man and his plan. With how my heart is at the moment, I don't want to deal with anyone. At first I wanted to fall into this mystery and now I can’t find a way out.
“You’re going to read that book.” He points to it. “Or you won’t leave this room.”
He walks away without a backwards glance and then slams the office doors behind him. I run over to them and pull on the handles, but they won't budge. I go back to the desk but no phone rests on it. When I hit the computer, nothing comes up on the screen so I give up and plop down into the chair. I stare at the book, and as much as I don’t want to read it, it’s my only way out.
With all the creepy things going on in my life, there’s something about that book that feels wrong. I’d gone out to get it, which got me into my current mess, but here I sit, not wanting to touch it. There is no doubt in my mind that there is nothing but pages of dead girls in that book and nothing good will come from reading it.