Total pages in book: 139
Estimated words: 129268 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 646(@200wpm)___ 517(@250wpm)___ 431(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 129268 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 646(@200wpm)___ 517(@250wpm)___ 431(@300wpm)
I speak slowly as the silver leaves the barrel, disappearing into his arm. “You’ll die after you give me answers. Whether that’s right now, in a couple of hours, days, or weeks even, is up to you. I can promise you that I will make sure you are in pain every second that you continue to breathe.” His breathing becomes chaotic as he starts to hyperventilate. “Unless you’re ready to talk.”
“I’ll tell you everything,” he barely gets out as he writhes in agony.
“Talk.” I peer down at him with my arms crossed over my chest.
“Make it stop! Please, I’ll do anything!” His eyes plead with me, but I don’t give a fuck. I know what they were planning to do to Liz and Grace. He has no sympathy from me.
“Talk.” My hard command is repeated without an ounce of emotion.
“It’s the vamps. They want the blood bank.” His hurried words rush past his cracked lips. “Stop it! Stop it, please!” I keep my expression calm, but his words make my blood pump faster and fists clench harder. I grab the IV and let fresh blood flow through him.
“Vampires?” Dom’s question fills my head. Our captive won’t be able to hear our conversation because he isn’t a pack member.
“I have no fucking idea what he’s talking about. They never dealt with vampires when I was a part of the pack.” I slowly drain the tainted blood into a bucket.
“Remind me to keep some blood to test. I want to know what the hell they’re on.”
“Yes, Alpha.”
The shifter slowly stops shaking as the silver leaves his system. “Talk.” Tears fill his eyes at my simple command. “They’re going to kill me.” He swallows hard, then looks between Dom and me. “They’ll kill me if I talk.”
“You don’t have to worry about that.” Crouching in front of him, I tell him, “I’m going to kill you first. I can make it painless and fast. It’s up to you.” His eyes fall and sobs wrack through his body. “I don’t have time to listen to you cry.” I grab the bag of silver and pierce it with the syringe.
“No! No!” He tries to back away from me while shrieking, “I’ll talk! I’ll talk.”
“Then talk!” I let my irritation show. I want him to think I’m ready to pump him with silver and leave him in unrelenting agony.
“They want to taint the blood. They’re testing different drugs.”
“Taint it with what?”
“I don’t know. I swear!” His fear is evident as he pisses himself.
“Why?”
“So they can be the only ones. The drug ends their immortality. They’ll be the only ones.”
“Who is ‘they?’” The words leave me in a growl.
“I don’t know. We never saw her. She leaves the drugs. All we have to do is get the territory and make the deal with the coven. That’s it, man. That’s the deal. I swear!” Rage bristles through me. It must be vampires in the Authority.
That explains why they made drinking from the vein illegal. It ensures the others will use the blood banks. This is fucked. My thoughts fly to Veronica and what she knows about all this. She did come on behalf of her coven to make a deal with the pack. I shake my head at the thought. There’s no way she could’ve known. I wonder how eager her rulers are to build the bank. And whether they still drink from the vein.
I’m vaguely aware the fucker in front of me is now silent apart from his pathetic sobs.
“Nothing else? Is that all you have to say?” He shakes his head as his body trembles with the fear of his imminent death. Turning to Dom I ask, “You want the honors?” He nods once as he picks up a crowbar that’s hanging on the wall. I walk out, the sound of the shifter’s panic ringing in my ears as I close the door behind me.
Veronica
What is the claiming like? The unspoken question plays on the tip of my tongue as I take a seat in the high-back, black leather chair in the corner of Vince’s room.
Yesterday was nothing more than fun. It was the first time in a long time that I’ve felt alive. Perhaps that could explain why I’m riddled with emotions that pile on top of one another.
“You were right; it ended quickly,” Vince states.
Burying down the unwanted emotions, I nod. “It was much better without me there.” Taking in the modern furniture that’s quite masculine and not at all to my liking, along with his king-sized bed, I comment, “We’ll have to add an addition if you expect me to stay here.”
There’s a darkness of worry that stretches in Vince’s gaze. “I can’t leave my pack.”
“I’m aware, but I can’t store my shoes in your closet, so … addition?” I offer him, again feeling a war brewing inside of me. The air feels lighter even, as if it threatens to dizzy my thoughts. In a quick motion, a flash of a second, I rid myself of my dress.