Series: The Un Series by Izzy Sweet
Total pages in book: 109
Estimated words: 109192 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 546(@200wpm)___ 437(@250wpm)___ 364(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 109192 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 546(@200wpm)___ 437(@250wpm)___ 364(@300wpm)
Was that the tugging sensation?
“I think so…” I pant, not entirely sure.
“This is why Raph should be here instead of fucking rampaging through the city,” Caden says angrily from the doorway. “She shouldn’t be going through this. He should be here to make her feel safe.”
Chloe shoots Caden a dirty look, and the vampire beside him, the silent one, nudges him hard in the ribs.
“Ow, Maddox! It’s the truth!” Caden says defensively. “If he was here, taking care of her, she wouldn’t be going through any of this!”
Chloe’s eyes turn back to me. “Ignore him. The men… they don’t like to see us upset. It greatly bothers them.”
“You’re damn right it bothers me,” Caden says, growing more irritated. “I can’t stand to see her like this… The way her heart is racing makes me want to break something.”
Andrei puts a hand on Caden’s shoulder. “I feel you, brother. Let’s step out for a moment and give the women some privacy.”
Caden glares at Andrei’s hand for a second, but ultimately nods his head in reluctant agreement. “Fine. But if Asher doesn’t punch Raphael in the face for all this shit, I will.”
“I think we all want to punch Raphael in the face right now,” Andrei murmurs before the three male vampires disappear from the doorway.
“We can take turns,” Caden says from farther away. “I call first.”
Chloe shakes her head and rolls her eyes. “Boys.”
I wish the other vampires leaving would relieve some of the anxiety squeezing my chest, but with Chloe still so close I can’t relax.
Leveling me with her gaze, Chloe says, “I want to compel you to feel better, but I can’t unless you allow it.”
“Why? Why do you want me to feel better?” I breathlessly demand. “Why don’t you just drug me like the others did?”
My vision is becoming hazy now, everything starting to blur together. Probably from breathing too fast and all the crap still in my system.
I can feel the remnants of all the stuff the other vampires injected me with clogging up my veins like thick sludge.
But I stare hard at her, forcing my eyes to focus so I can catch any hint of deception in her expression.
If she lies to me, I’ll know it…
Her face tightens with anger. “We will not drug you or abuse you. The ones who did that to you are dead.”
“And if they weren’t, we’d kill them again!” Caden calls out in fury.
There’s a loud thump, like someone hit something hard.
“There are enough holes in the walls thanks to Raphael. We don’t need you adding to them,” Andrei grumbles.
“Well, he’s not here to let me put a hole in his face, is he?” Caden grumbles back. “Besides, the place could use some redecorating.”
Chloe takes a breath, calming herself, and again I wonder why she’s doing it. Does she really need to breathe?
“Alena,” she says and grabs my hands, causing me to nearly jump out of my flesh. “You are family. We only want to protect you and take care of you.”
She doesn’t know it but calling me family is probably the worst thing she could say to me.
I try to jerk my hands back, but she doesn’t let me. Her strength much greater than mine.
“Your suffering is our suffering, and you are suffering needlessly,” she says softer. “Let me help you.”
I open my mouth, ready to tell her no. I don’t trust her, despite what she says.
But then she begs, “Please,” like I actually have a choice.
I see no deception in her eyes, only her pleading with me. If she really wanted to, she could easily overpower me.
Every vampire in this house could overpower me, but so far none of them have tried to hurt me. They’ve done nothing but show me concern and courtesy.
When was the last time anyone did that for me? Not since Father McCall rescued me…
My heart has been racing so hard for so long, I fear I might vomit when I say, “Fine. How do I allow it?”
Chloe gives my hands a little squeeze and looks relieved. “When you feel the urge to resist, don’t. It’s that easy. I know it sounds weird, but I’ve done it myself.”
It sounds completely ridiculous to me, but I dip my chin in acknowledgement.
“Okay,” she says, as if she’s nervous. “I’m going to command you to be calm and not to fear us. If you give in, it should help you relax. Are you ready?”
I doubt whatever she wants to do is going to work, given how amped up I am, but I dip my chin again, regardless.
“Calm, Alena,” Chloe says somehow both firmly and gently. “Be at ease with us. You have no reason to fear us.”
I feel the hard tug behind my ribs and something inside me wants to resist. But I focus on my need for relief. I want to be calm. I want to be in control of my own emotions and body.