Noose (Road Kill MC #1) (35 page)

CHAPTER 5

I cracked my eyelids open and looked around at where I was, disoriented and flushed, my first vision was of a stone ceiling.

Where was I?

Shit!
Remembering the last twenty-four hours made my head ache. The memories came crashing down on me like rain on a tin roof.

I sat up slowly. My wrists were now unbound and the bag that had covered my head lay on top of a thick and solid wood bureau that sat underneath a leaded window, diamonds fracturing the light as it came through the glass.

I stood up on feet without heels, my skirt a tangled mess and walked over to the window. I looked through the molded panes. The warped glass offered a view of extensive grounds that rolled off into the distance, covered by a glittering white carpet of snow. Spruce trees danced in the wind at the perimeter of the compound.

Because that was what this was, I was sure, seeing the outline of a great stone wall that followed the forest border. I turned, taking in the surroundings of my room. Aside from the solitary window, there was a bed, the dresser and a large mirror. It was so large it took up a third of the wall.
That was strange
, I thought, approaching it.

I stood in front of the mirror, gazing at my reflection and noticed the crimson blouse was worse-for-wear, the black skirt ruined, the thigh-highs from Italy, torn. But it was my face that looked different; absolutely pale like alabaster. Purple smudges underneath my blue eyes like bruises, my lips a deep pink in a sea of pale flesh. I shuddered, looking down at where my watch usually was... it had vanished. My disquiet deepened, I didn't know what day it was, what time it was and my stomach ached from the need to eat.

I walked back over to the bed and sat down, dejected.

I guess I had more to worry about than losing my crummy cubicle job. Like,
where the blue hell was I
? Was I going to live? Was this the rest of my life... a life where I was a “breeder?” I didn't even know if I wanted children. I'd never dated anyone I could imagine that life with.

It sure wasn't a vampire. That whole concept didn't compute. And what about all that talk of being of Druid blood? Being a witch. I wasn't anything... really. My adopted family had been atheists and I'd just swung along in their non-religious ocean. I sighed.

Answers, I needed answers.

Just then, the thick wood door surged open and I leaped up, instantly finding the wall with the back of my hand.

It was Nathan, the vampire that had let Detective Jewel abuse Michelle. He looked different in this context: the context of me being alone in a bedroom with him.

I assessed him as a male, so different than Cole but eerily the same. His icy-blue eyes, exactly the same color of Cole's, gleamed underneath a strong brow with golden blond hair that was so pale it was almost white. His shoulders were broad and tapered to a trim waist. He was an enormous man, at least six foot four. Even so, Cole was even taller.

My eyes narrowed; I was pissed at him. He'd left my friend with the creeper-cop and now I was here against my will. They'd have a fight on their hands. I wasn't just going to roll over and let them scratch my belly.

He moved forward and I shrunk against the wall. “Stay over there, freak,” I said.

He smiled, never pausing his strides, coming to stand an uncomfortable foot or so away from me. It would have been easier to touch me but he hovered, not committing to tactile just yet.

“We are at the top of the food chain, Witch. Humans live by our sufferance alone.”

I nodded,
right
. He was obviously insane.

“Doesn't look like you're keeping things under wraps too well. Judging by the psychos that are running around raping and bleeding out everyone of late.” I folded my arms across my chest, going for nonchalant know-it-all.

His eyes bored into mine. “Those are
rogue
Vampire. We were trailing them when we came upon you and the human female.”

“Excuse me! I am a human female!”

“Not exactly,” Nathan said, leaning in to smell me. His hands were on either side of my head, his nose hovering above my neck. I ducked, moving under his arms and he was right in front of me again, moving so fast I hadn't see him and I yelped. He hissed in response, his fangs punching out of his mouth, the tips glistening in the low light of the room.

My heart sped, I tried to make myself smaller against the wall but I was effectively trapped and at his mercy. That just pissed me off more, my anger eclipsing my fear.

“Nathan!” a voice said from the door.

He leaned back from me slowly and I moved into the corner and looked at who had spoken.

It was Cole, looking like he had the prior night, all-black and menace.

He looked especially menacing right now, hadn't even bothered to look in my direction, his eyes were all for Nathan. And those eyes were boiling with rage.

“You are cognizant of the rules, stay away from her.”

“You just want to be first with her.”

They stared at each other for a swollen moment. My heart was in my throat. Here were a couple of vampires, casually discussing who would have sex with me first. Like I was a commodity.

Swell.

“Hey boys,” I waved my hand so they'd notice me in the corner.

“Maybe I don't want either one of you, hmm?” I smiled.

Cole moved so fast it was that blur of gray again and I steeled myself. I kept chanting in my mind that there'd been ample opportunity to kill me if that had been their intent. But having six-foot five of fast and pissed male
vampire
pressed up against my body was a whole different thing.

My pulse raced in fear as my body responded in anger.

He dragged a finger down the side of my neck, leaving a burning trail of heat and stopped at the thrumming and jumping pulse in the hollow of it. “I think you speak prematurely, Witch.”

“It's Rachel, freak.”

He snatched his hand away. “We are not freaks. We are superior to humans in every way.”

I shoved him with both hands but he was like an immoveable wall. “Good, then you should have no trouble letting me go since I am an
inferior human
.”

I was all fake bravado but maybe that'd work.

It didn't
.
He pulled me into his arms and I struggled to get away as he crushed his mouth to mine. Those fangs of his pierced the tender inside of my mouth and a few drops of blood filled my mouth from the force of his kiss.

The scent of my blood bloomed in the room and suddenly Nathan was there, ripping Cole off me. They turned on each other hissing as Cole shoved me behind him.

Unbelievable
, I thought, licking my lip and tasting copper.

Nathan watched my tongue flick over the small wound Cole had made like a starving man.

Starving vampire.

Cole forgotten, Nathan lunged for me and Cole barreled into him, both of them crashing into the stone wall.

More vampires filled the room, their eyes taking in the scene before them, their stares falling on me. I went back into the corner and their eyes tracked me like prey.

Holy-hell. This was looking bad. No, check that... it was bad.

“Who has bled her?” the leader asked, a huge signet type ring glinting on his middle finger; a swollen ruby that reflected their precious blood.

His hand covered his nose and he breathed out of his mouth, as did the others.

Wasn't this special?

His gaze watched me with a hunger that was alive. He actually took a step backward. “Cole, Nathan!” he barked.

They broke apart, both faces swollen from abusing each other. Their chests heaved from exertion.

The Leader said, “You understand better now, no?”

Cole looked at him and nodded. “It was not I that transgressed, it was Nathan, Alexander.”

Alexander looked at Nathan. “You came here to see her...
alone
.”

“Yes,” he spit a wad of blood onto the floor. They bled red, just like humans, I noticed a trifle smug.

Alexander's eyes narrowed on Nathan. “You bled her as well.”

Nathan looked at Cole. “The witch enticed him.”

I huffed and they looked at me. “Ah, excuse me, Superior Vampires, but I am
not
wanting your twisted attention, thanks. Just so we're clear.”

Alexander's dead glacier eyes looked into mine. “You will.”

I shrugged, let him think what he wanted. I was desperate to give him the middle finger salute but held back. I think I may have caused enough trouble as it was.

For now.

One of the other vampires said to him, his stare never leaving me, “She is bold with her words, this one. How much Druid blood does she have?”

Cole looked shamed but answered, “Much.”

Alexander swung his head to Cole. “A pureblood?”

Cole shrugged. “I would not know for certain, but I have not tasted purer than hers.”

Wonderful. As fun as all this was, “Here's the thing,” they all looked at me again. Six identical crystalline blue eyes, their weighty stares were disconcerting as hell. “I have a life. That I want to go back to. I am not a witch... I don't know about this 'blood thing'. You're holding me against my will. I promise... I won't tell the, ah...
humans
about you. Just let me go.” As I said that my eyes swung instinctively to Cole who shook his head slightly.

No dice.

“We cannot release you. Even if you had just an distant Druid relative, you would still be a viable breeder. Now,” he swung his palms out away from his sides, “a pureblood would mean much more.”

Alexander moved slowly to me. I think he was trying to keep me calm, but his slow approach was almost worse.

My palms grew damp and I wiped them on the wrinkled skirt.

“Let me taste you, Witch.”

I shook my head, his face inches from mine.

His eyes stared deeply into mine and I felt him pushing at me but it sloughed off like water off a duck's back. The mental ability that they used on others was not having the slightest effect.

“I don't have to ask you. Cole?” he directed at Cole without turning from me.

“Yes?”

“She does not respond to compulsion,” he stated.

“No.”

“Definitely a pure parent at least.” He leaned closer, sniffing me.

His fangs elongated slowly.

I shrank away, none of the desire I'd had for Cole with this one. He only filled me with fear as he prepared to strike the vulnerable flesh of my neck.

I threw my hand into his face and it slowed him for a moment and I yelped, retreating. He lunged for me, spittle hanging out of his mouth, a ravenous expression covering his face. When Cole appeared out of nowhere he hissed at Alexander his body crouched in front of me. I stifled a whimper but he heard it, his body stiffening.

“Are you bonding with this breeder, Cole?”

“No, but you scare her to taste her. We are trained to
not
harm the breeders.
Think,
Alexander, if she had been stumbled upon by the
rogue
. We are not savages, we are Vampire.”

Alexander straightened.

He glared at Cole, his eyes flicking to me then back to him. “You are right, I have lost myself. It has been some time since I have been exposed to... a pure breeder.” His gaze bored into mine.

“She goes nowhere. Two of you visit her together, no exceptions. There is time yet to ascertain the purity of her blood. But mark my words, it will be soon.”

He looked at me one last time then left, taking his two “guards” with him.

Cole and Nathan looked at me.

Finally Cole said, “We will send a female to help you clean up and get some clothing for you. Tomorrow there will be a ceremony and your life here amongst us will begin.”

With that, he gave me a final stare and they left.

Great.

I was locked in a house with a bunch of gang-rapists whose primary goal was to get me pregnant.

Every girl's dream.

CHAPTER 6

I waited in my austere room for this elusive “female” that would give me clothes.

I didn't sit on my ass, I paced.

I spent an inordinate amount of time beside my window gazing out at the crystallized brightness, the white glancing of the sun casting diamonds on the ground.

A soft knock sounded and a woman entered, her belly swollen. I took in her simple attire of flowing tunic and linen pants, simple flats completed the look. Something about her made my soul clench, like a bell had been rung that only I could hear.

She smiled at me, she felt it too.

“You are Druid,” she said as statement. Her hair was as black as my own, flowing about her waist like silken water.

“I... I don't know,” I stammered, feeling very unbalanced, surreal.

“I am Eve.” She came forward with her hand out and I shook it, rapidly stepping back.

Eve put some things down on the end of the bed and brought a key out of her pocket. It gleamed like melted butter in the low light of the room.

“I was told that you needed to clean up...”

“I don't want to be here,” I said, frustrated. She was human, surely she could understand it.

“They will not let you go. You must understand how rare you are. How rare we all are.” She held out her hands in supplication.

“Do you know your kin?” Eve asked.

I shook my head. “I was adopted... I didn't know that I was anything but single white female, age twenty-eight.” I shrugged.

Eve smiled and it broke the ice. “Let's get you in a bath and some fresh things. You will feel much better after you are clean. And,” her hazel eyes met mine, “they sent me for a reason. They wish for you to feel more at ease.”

Eve spoke very strangely, I could feel my face scrunch up and I asked, “Are you... how old are you?” I looked at her swollen stomach and felt a heat rise on my cheeks.

“Come,” she held out her hand and I took it as we walked into the bathroom together where she closed the door softly behind us.

*

Like the rest of the structure, the bathroom was all clean, old-fashioned lines with a huge claw-foot tub that stood in the center atop a marble platform.

Eve cranked open the taps and feeling the water temperature she nodded to herself, laying the towels beside the tub on a small wooden stool of sorts and turned to me. The pipes moaning in the bathroom were the only sound.

“You have met Cole, Alexander and...?” She hesitated.

“Nathan,” I filled in reluctantly.

“You understand they do not think as human males do?”

I nodded, I was fully getting that.

I stripped in front of Eve, any self-consciousness gone before my desire to get the soiled and ruined clothing off me. She watched me silently, her eyes roving my body and she nodded. “You are not modest?”

I shook my head and shrugged. “Not in front of other women. In front of
them
, I wouldn't feel real comfortable taking my clothes off.”

She laughed as I put a toe in the water. Inch-by-inch I sunk down into the scented and steaming bath water, the stress and fright of the last twenty-four hours melting away and I sighed in contentment. Human again, if only for the moment.

Then Eve spoke and it slid back into me again.

“Two of the vampire claim me as mate,” she said in that matter-of-fact way of hers, her hand automatically going to her belly.

My shoulders were just covered with water as she handed me the soap and the shampoo and I suddenly thought of Michelle and my face beat with shame, hot and flushed and Eve noticed.

“What troubles you?”

Geez, was she really asking that? Let me see, my best friend was being raped and I left her there. My cat doesn't have anyone there to take care of him.

My job.

My job!
I think it was safe to say that would be gone as well and I sighed.

I turned the tables on her. “Please answer some questions I have for you. If you really want me to feel better.”

Eve waited, all calm and unflappable.

“How old are you?”

“I am one hundred five,” she answered with a straight face.

“Are you shitting me?” I asked without grace.

Eve's face took on a puzzled frown.

She didn't understand me.

I rephrased, “Are you joking? I mean, that's not possible.” I held out my hand indicating her obvious youth and pregnancy.

She smiled. “I am Druid and I have been with the vampires since the 1930s. We do not age when we are in their care.”

Do not age.
I wasn't sure that was such a hot benefit. Who said living forever was so great?

She reached out and tenderly put a strand of my hair behind my ear, the wetness of it clinging to the back of my neck.

“How much,” I stumbled over the next word, “Druid blood do you have?”

She shook her head. “Enough to breed,” she lifted a shoulder in a partial shrug, “maybe one-eighth or thereabouts.”

“How can they know what you are, how much? And do you just become, what? A baby-maker?”

Eve blushed and I immediately regretted all my rude questions. But, I was the kidnapped party here and even though it was not her fault directly, I had no one else to pose these questions to. I was deeply unhinged that I was so attracted to the one vampire, Cole.

I shouldn't have been.

“We may only have one baby per decade and if we are quite fortunate, it will be a Druid female. Female vampires are usually sterile,” she held up a finger, “but not always, and of course, male vampires are born to us.”

God, the breast-feeding must be hell, I shuddered. Yuk.

She saw my face and asked, “What?”

“I was thinking about feeding the baby...?” I let that loaded question hover like a pink elephant in the room and Eve laughed.

“The vampire infants have retractable fangs, my dear.”

Wonderful.

“Would you help me escape this place?” I asked. I was
not
interested in being sequestered in this weird-ass castle or whatever it was.

She shook her head. “You don't understand. They will
never
let you go with their suspicions of your pureblood. Why, you could be mated to a vampire, fought over, have twins; pure Druid children. Male Druid children can impregnate the female vampires. You are a precious jewel to them, Rachel.”

I was getting out of here.
Even my boring cubicle job was sounding better. I'd play along and find my cell, call Michelle and figure out my future.

I smiled, feeling it like plastic on my face and Eve's brows came together in a pretty frown.

“I guess I'll make the best of it,” I said with false cheer and finished my grooming, shaving, scrubbing, and washing my long hair three times. I felt like I'd never get clean after what I'd been through.

Thoughts of my friend and my life were a dismal pulse beating in my brain.