OBTP (17 page)

She hung limply in their hands and bounced off the bed when they

tossed her carelessly forward. Without a word or looking at her, the

two women turned and walked out the door. Rolling over, she saw

Rosa standing at the foot of the bed.

"Whatever you are going to say is a lie, so why bother." Paige was

heartbroken, no longer trusting anyone. She rolled over to her side.

Not wanting to look at the woman she once thought was her friend.

"Hon, I am your friend. I couldn't tell you what I am. I chose to be

turned as a way to get back at Lamar for cheating on me. I know,

stupid move, but now, I wouldn't have it any other way. We have to

be very careful that humans don't find out." Rosa sat down at her back

and placed her hand on her shoulder.

Paige jerked away. She held her hand in midair for a moment, and

then allowed it to drop to her lap.

"If we are friends, then why did you bring me here? You knew this

was happening" Paige sniffled and wiped the tear that escaped.

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"Dalton said you had dreams and when you looked at me the other

day; I knew that you were aware. We can read minds Paige. Tadd

was supposed to be the one to convince you, not Casey. When he

stepped in I couldn't stop what was happening."

"I don't understand any of this. What did Dalton mean by me being

the fifth?" She was near tears, totally at a loss.

"Humans go through a process if they want to be turned willingly.

They are called minions and they are given abilities to persuade their

victims to allow them to drink their blood. They are required to

convince five people. The fifth one has to agree to be turned as well.

I know, strange rules, but that is what some idiot came up with

centuries ago."

"So you are saying Casey is willingly being turned and in doing so

I am being forced to turn as well?"

"That is basically what it means. If you don't agree to turn, the Sire

will kill Casey."

"What?!" Leaning on her arm she twisted to look over her shoulder

at Rosa. Her mind raced with the information. The vampire thing

explained a lot. If what she had heard and read, everyone was

attracted to Rosa because of her abilities. Even though she was pissed

at him for using her, she didn't want Casey to be killed. She did have

feelings for him.

"If he doesn't convince you to turn, he will be killed Paige, there is

no stopping it. If Casey doesn't turn you, and Dalton can't convince

you to turn with him, the Sire said he would kill you." Rosa leaned

closer, looking around, she whispered. "I'm not supposed to tell you

this, but he won't kill you, he'll make you forget all this happened and

you'll be released. But Casey will die."

Paige shifted to the side of the bed and stood up. "Will Dalton be

killed too?" The thought was a bit intriguing; a lying cheating bastard,

but unfortunately he was still her husband and father of her children.

"No, Dalton is already a vamp, so they will do nothing but mock

him and Darcy for not being able to convince you. You have a strong

mind and are not easily persuaded." Rosa laughed. "Tadd was

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dumbfounded when you acted like nothing had happened when he

tried to convince you on the dance floor."

"So you are saying that Dalton was in competition with Tadd to

actually convince me to change? This is all crazy? How did you end

up with Tadd then?" Paige got up from the bed and stood with one

hand wrapped around her waist, chewing the fingernail on her other,

she was deep in thought. "Why am I the 'chosen one'?"

"When Dalton changed last year." Rosa saw Paige's frown. "You

traveling all the time is how he got away with you not finding out."

Rosa shrugged. "Anyway, Darcy decided that she wanted complete

control of Dalton and by doing that, she had to get rid of you or

change you. Really it's all just a game to her. If Dalton convinced

you to change then she would also control you."

'What a bitch!" Paige released a frustrated breath and sat on the

edge of the bed. "So how is Tadd involved in all this?"

"The Sire knows Darcy is trying to grow her clan. Tadd is from

another clan and needed his last person to turn and well, really it's all

just politics to them."

Paige let this register. "So I was Tadd's fifth. How did Casey get

brought into it?"

"He went to the Sire and asked him to spare your life, offering his

own."

There was so much going on in the short span of time it

overwhelmed Paige . She had just met Casey. Why would he give his

own life for hers? Did he really love her as he claimed to?

"When they are trying to convince the person to change, does that

mean they sleep with each of them?"

"Yes, that's usually how they take the blood." Rosa still sat on the

bed, watching her closely.

Paige's hand lifted to her neck where she knew Casey had bitten

her, but she hadn't felt him pierce her skin, nor was there any blood, or

she didn't think there had been.

"He didn't bite you sweetie, there would have been a mark. To

humans, it looks like a hickey."

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She dropped her hand and shook her head, walked back over to the

bed and sat down. "I know I'm going to wake up at any moment and

realize this is just a stupid dream."

"I wish I could tell you that would happen." Rosa told her sadly.

The door opened then and Dalton came into the room. His head

held high, a smirk on his face. "Looks like lover boy isn't gonna

convince ya, is he?" Dalton stood with his arms crossed over his

chest.

"You knew I had slept with him didn't you?" Paige actually enjoyed

the look of anger that crossed his face briefly, before he masked his

emotions.

"Do you honestly think he is really in love with you?" Dalton

sneered. He looked her up and down with a disgusted look on his

face. "I am the only man who can even tolerate being around you, let

alone touching you."

Now that hurt. But she refused to let him see that he was affecting

her. Paige felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end and at

that very moment she realized she hated her husband. She had always

pushed her feelings aside while he always got what he wanted. Well

no more. She got up from the bed.

"You know, you're right. I am a worthless piece of shit and I know

you love me and will take care of me. You are my husband. I should

do the right thing by that." She walked over to him demurely and

placed her hand on his arm and ran her fingers over his chest to the

snap of his jeans.

Dalton's eyes opened wide and he dropped his arms to his side,

allowing her access. Paige could almost read his mind. He was

thinking he had her convinced without even trying.

Her hand slid lower and she cupped the erection that had suddenly

sprung to life. "Screw you!" She snarled and she lifted her knee

which landed with a thud, and then she shoved him away. He

stumbled, grabbing himself before falling to his knees and gasping for

air. Paige turned and stalked over to the bed.

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The door flew open and Darcy charged in, but Rosa lunged and

blocked her from attacking Paige, they both hissed, their fangs

extended. "Bitch, you gotta go through me first." Rosa snarled.

There was a commotion at the door and the one they referred to as

Sire walked in. Darcy immediately lowered her head as did Rosa.

Darcy's fangs snapped back up into her mouth and she slithered over

to Dalton. Rosa remained on the alert, watching her every move.

Dalton glanced back in Paige's direction with hatred in his eyes and

hobbled out of the room with Darcy's help.

Rosa spoke quickly. "This is our Sire Artur. You are a pawn in a

battle between covens. Casey is from our coven while Dalton is from

Darcy's. Be careful chica." Rosa lowered her head and moved out of

the room quietly.

"Rosa is correct." The vampire's red eyes bore into her. "You find

yourself in a quandary. If you choose your husband, you will share

him with his coven leader. Yet Casey refuses to allow you to be

changed on his behalf."

"He is going to die instead of turn me?" She brought her hand to her

throat. The thought of Casey giving up his life for her horrified Paige.

Artur turned around, he moved so smoothly, he appeared to glide

towards the door. "Maybe you can talk some sense into him."

A moment later, Casey stumbled dejectedly through the door. His

face was battered, blood running from his neck where he had been

bitten several times. He limped in and nearly fell before he reached

the foot of the bed. Paige couldn't help herself and rushed forward,

helping him sit down, she fought the tears that threatened to spill.

"What have you done Casey?" She knelt in front of him and

touched his face tenderly. Afraid that even her slight touch would

hurt him, and it did. He winced in pain and she nearly cried. "I'm so

sorry."

He lifted his bloody hand to her face. "No, I'm sorry baby. I

should have taken you away so you wouldn't be here. But I'm not

going to let them do this to you. You have to tell them…" He doubled

over in pain, clutching his head.

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Her hands shook and she tried to comfort him, not knowing what to

do to ease his pain.

"Sire is blocking me from telling you. You have to make your

decision on your own." He gritted through clenched teeth.

"Casey, I cannot let you die for me." "I won't force you to change.

I didn't want that for you in the beginning. That's why I stopped

Tadd. I wanted you to run away with me." Casey pulled her to him.

She knew he had to be hurting and tried to pull away. "Please just let

me hold you one last time."

"You knew you were going to die if you didn't change me." Paige

reprimanded him accusingly.

"I don't know what you did to me Paige, but the moment I laid eyes

on you, I knew I loved you. I won't let this happen to you."

The sincerity in his voice went straight to her heart and she touched

his cheek tenderly. "What happened to you Casey? Who did this to

you?"

"I was stupid enough to attack Dalton knowing he is full vamp."

Gasping at the thought of Casey being so violently beaten, it was

hard for her to believe how much Dalton had changed. He had never

been physical like this before. As far as she knew, he had never even

been in a fight.

The door opened and Artur came in with six men walking behind

him, holding chains. Paige stared in confusion at them and back to

Casey. "What's happening?"

"I have to go." He struggled to get to his feet. Paige stood and

helped him stand; he pulled her to him, his busted lip coming down

onto hers.

. His blood was staining her dress, but she didn't care. Silent tears

slipped down her cheeks and she kissed him back. Moments later he

was yanked from her arms. When the shackles were placed around

his wrists and ankles, a sob escaped through the hand she held over

her mouth when he was dragged out the door. She slunk to the floor,

burying her head into the foot of the bed and cried. Her heart was

breaking in a million pieces at the thought of Casey giving his life for

her to keep hers. Someone she had just met would do something like

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this for her when the man she had spent nearly half her life had

deceived her so easily.

* * * *

in years. In fact, not since the day she found out Dalton had cheated

on her nearly three years earlier. Since then, she kept all her emotions

bottled up inside. They came pouring out of her and she felt

completely drained. When the door opened, she didn't move.

The smell of Rosa's special perfume filled the air and still didn't lift

her head.

Rosa knelt on the floor beside her. "Baby, I am so sorry."

"Why did this have to happen?" Paige sniffled, a small hiccup

escaped and she swiped at her face.

"It just does." Rosa stroked her hair. "I have to take you upstairs

now."

Paige allowed Rosa to help her stand, what else was she supposed

to do? Straightening her dress, wisps of hair had escaped the knot at

the base of her skull, so she pulled the pins and let it spill around her

shoulders. Looking up at Rosa, she gave her a sad smile knowing that

this was going to be the last time she saw her friend. She didn't know