Vamps in the City (11 page)

She knew they were in trouble when the vampire came back though, and this time, he brought company.

Standing next to her bed, he smiled.

“Much stronger than I thought, Paige. I am pleasantly surprised.”

She didn’t respond.

“Grant is tearing up the city looking for you,” he happily told her. “He won’t find you. Not until it’s too late.”

She turned her head away. She had some hope he would indeed find her. He’d told her that since he was like her Master, he could always locate her. She was counting on that to get her and Trevor out of this mess.

He sat next to her and pulled her head back around. “No, don’t look away.
 
I think you’ll want to see this, girl. I figured you might need some help. Some initiative to feed.”

The first blow sounded loudly in the small room. Paige immediately knew what he was doing. As more blows landed, she heard Trevor’s grunts. The smell of blood teased her senses and made her hunger come up quickly. She pulled against the restraints that didn’t give.

Grant’s father was still sitting on the bed next to her enjoying every minute. “Patience, my child.”

Her vision wavered and all she could see was red. She wanted that blood. She needed it.

The monster seemed to know what was happening and laughed as he leaned closer. “Don’t fight it, embrace it love.”

The red haze overtaking her mind made his words seem distant. She could barely hear Trevor and the beating he was taking but could smell the blood.

She could almost taste it. Paige knew she was going into blood lust but couldn’t do anything about it.

Actually she
could
taste it. Blinking, trying to see through the haze, she felt a finger caressing her mouth. Blood dripped between her lips. She licked at it, trying to get more, and heard a faint laugh.

“Just a little, Marcus. Just enough to get her started.”

Finally she realised what was happening. The man who had been beating Trevor was standing over her running his bloody finger over her lips.

It must be Trevor’s blood she tasted. Unfulfilled and wanting more, she opened her mouth and bit his finger. He yelped but let her take his finger into her mouth.

Paige’s body started to heat and she greedily sucked on his digit.

“That’s enough.”

When the finger was withdrawn, she couldn’t control a whimper and stretched her neck to get it back.

“No, love, not Marcus. Your dinner is waiting for you.”

Her mind confused and her body on fire, she turned towards the voice. Silver swirling eyes met hers and she trembled.

“Untie her, Marcus.”

Paige felt her hands being released and a tingling go through her arms as they were lowered.

“Yes, I think she’s ready. Let’s leave them be,” Grant’s father announced as he stood up and they left the room.

Chapter Thirteen

Grant leapt from one building to the next. The teams had split up and were tearing the city apart looking for Paige. He carefully paid attention to his body, listening to his heart. He needed the bond to tell him where Paige was. She had to still be alive. He knew his father and if he’d killed Paige, her body would have already been delivered to the compound.

So that meant his father still had her. There was still a chance to get her back. He’d dreamt of her the night before. Or at least, for the two hours of sleep he’d managed to get.

Of her being chained in a room. Her hunger and fear.

He’d awakened then paced until it was dark enough to go out and search. It had been hours already. He knew every available person was out looking for her, helping him.

He was almost to the edge of town. Few buildings left when his cell phone rang.

“Please, please, please,” he chanted as he answered the call.

Sam’s voice, full of anger, came across. “I found Adam.”

“Where is he?” Grant growled into the phone.

“His body is in the dried-out creek of Bottom Road. I have no idea where his head is.”

Grant grunted. It was no great loss really. Oh, he would have had preferred to kill Adam himself, but he needed Paige more.

“On my way,” he told Sam and ended the call.

He was headed in the right direction—West, out of town, and closer to the desert.

If they tossed Adam out at the creek, he didn’t think they would have gone back into town. No, his father would want privacy.

Paige took several deep breaths to try to calm the blood lust. It had never been this bad before. She’d got used to feeding only from Grant, and she could control herself when she was with him. But she knew that if she got near Trevor, she would kill him.

But God, was she hungry!

There was movement before Trevor grunted.

“Trevor?” Paige’s voice was off with her teeth protruding.

“I’m okay, Paige,” Trevor assured her but she could still hear his pain. “Did they untie you?”

“My hands,” she admitted.

“Untie your feet, Paige,” he ordered.

Paige didn’t think that was a good idea. She’d started to come back from the haze but his blood was still calling to her. “No, I don’t think so.”

His soft sigh relaxed something in her. The man in the room belonged to Grant much the same way she did. They were connected. She felt the frenzy leaving her. Yes, she had to protect Trevor, not hurt him.

They sat in silence before he moaned. “Paige, I need your help.”

“What?” she asked suspiciously.

“I am lying on my side and I’m bleeding. I need you to help me sit up.”

“I…I can’t,” she practically begged. She needed more time. She couldn’t get too close.

“Please, Paige. Untie your feet and help me.”

She knew it wasn’t a good idea. If she got close to him, she’d bite him. And if she bit him, she wouldn’t be able to stop. Only Grant had been able to save her from the bloodlust the time with Sam, and he’d used sex. That wasn’t going to happen with Grant’s brother.

“Trevor.”

“You can do it. Just untie your feet.”

She took her time untying the ropes. They had loosened just a little but were still hard to undo and her hands were still numb. She couldn’t stand and had to crawl to the corner of the room where Trevor was.

The scent of his blood washed over her. “I can’t…” she told him as she jerked back. “It’s too strong.”

“You’re almost here, Paige. Come on,” he urged.

Paige had stopped moving and was breathing from her mouth instead of her nose. Her teeth had come out again.

“Come on, you can do it,” he encouraged.

She continued to slowly crawl closer until she felt his foot under her hand. She made her way up his body, being careful not to touch him anymore.

“Help me sit up.”

Taking hold of his shoulders, she helped him get his back against the wall. He had chains around his wrists and ankles. As soon as she had him sitting up, she backed away.

“No. Stay here by me.”

She shook her head, even knowing he probably couldn’t see it. “I can’t.”

“Paige,” Trevor kept his voice soft. “You need to feed. You need to feed from me. Come here.”

“What?” Paige backed up again still on her hands and knees. “No.”

“If you don’t, they’ll come back.”

Tired and hungry, she laid down on the cold cement floor. “No,” she said again. Only she didn’t remember what she was denying. She was so tired. She closed her eyes and all she could smell was blood.

She let out a low moan as her stomach cramped.
Trevor, Trevor is bleeding. Trevor is Grant’s brother
, she chanted over and over in her head.

“If you don’t feed from me, he’ll feed you himself and probably kill me. Paige, you have to feed from me.”

Tears burned at the back of her eyes. “I can’t Trevor, I’d kill you.”

“Honey, I would rather you feed and take the chance than wait for my father to kill me.”

“You don’t understand. I’m too hungry. I wouldn’t be able to stop myself.”

She heard him shift and he gave a low moan. “Paige, you have to feed. You need to gain your strength if we are going to get out.”

“No,” she argued. She wouldn’t feed from this man. She wouldn’t kill Grant’s brother. “No.”

* * * *

Trevor had let Paige sleep and when she finally awoke for good, she stretched her arms, happy they were no longer tied. But her stomach hurt, her muscles were sore, and she was famished. She could tell he’d stopped bleeding but could smell the dried blood.

“Paige. Are you okay.”

“Uh huh. You?”

“I’ll live. For now anyway.”

She felt bad. She knew he was right about his father. If she didn’t feed from him, he’d have no purpose in here with her. But she just couldn’t take the chance. “I’m sorry, Trevor.”

“Paige—” She noticed his voice was stronger. “You have nothing to apologise for. I pushed you, or tried to anyway.”

“I just can’t take the chance.”

“I know. I have to tell you though, I was surprised. I’d never seen a vampire fight the need to feed. My experience with them hasn’t left me too fond. But you’re… different.”

She thought about that. “I’m a new vampire,” she offered lamely.

His laughter was nice and honest. “No, that’s not it. You’re a good person. I was so scared after Jess was taken and changed. I wanted to kill her to keep her from becoming like my father.”

Paige remained silent and listened.

“When Grant made the decision to be changed, we fought about it. I called him a lot of names. None that I am proud of. I decided to look for Jess by myself instead of teaming up with another demon.”

“I understand,” she told him honestly.

“Thanks,” he sighed, and she laid her head back down.

“How long do you think we’ve been in here?” she asked.

“I have no idea.”

Paige pressed her cheek harder into the floor. She was so hungry.

“How much longer can you last?”

“I don’t know.”

“You’re going to have to feed.”

“I thought we covered this already.”

“I’m dead. Whether you feed from me or not, I’m dead. I won’t become a vampire. I just can’t do it.”

“You don’t know what you’re saying.”

“Yes. Yes I do, Paige.”

He needed to stop talking about it or she wasn’t going to last much longer.

“Come here.” His hand gripped her arm.

“Trevor, no!”

“Paige. Paige, come here.”

His voice remained soft and calm. Without realising it, she had started to crawl towards him.

“That’s it. Closer, Paige.”

She had made it next to him. “Trevor.” Her voice wasn’t the only thing trembling.

“Feed, Paige. Feed,” he urged. His hand on her head and the chain rattled. “Feed.”

She was pressed against his flesh. The smell of sweat mixed with blood greeted every sense. She licked the salty flesh.

“That’s it, feed,” he urged her calmly.

His skin was cool against her lips. The dried blood didn’t smell bad but wonderful. She opened her mouth, giving her teeth room.

“Bite me, Paige. It’s okay.”

And it was okay. She was hungry, but his calmness helped her stay in control.

“I won’t hurt you, Trevor. But you may have to make me stop,” she told him.

“Okay. I will. I promise.”

Paige held his free hand to give him comfort as her other had tightened around his neck.

She ran her teeth over his neck again and felt his pulse jump. She gently bit into his soft skin and felt his moan through her entire body.

His warm blood filled her mouth and she swallowed hard, relishing the energy his lifeblood gave.

It felt good…to feed.

She squeezed his hand as she bit down harder, bringing more blood into her mouth. Some of his blood fell from her lips and dripped down her chin.

Lifting up on her knees, she leaned into him, sucking harder. Good, so good. His blood was warm and sweet and his essence was strong.

“Stop.” Trevor’s voice was faint.

She could hear his voice, but the call of his blood was so much stronger. Then she felt his hand tighten in her hair and pull. “Stop, Paige. For the love you have for Grant, stop!”

The yanking of her hair started to bring her back and his words touched her soul. With great effort, she pulled her mouth away, collapsing on his chest.

He murmured, running his hand over her hair, “We did it. We did it.”

Chapter Fourteen

She rested comfortably against Trevor until the door slammed open against the wall, lighting up the small room and causing both Trevor and her to jump.

The growl that sounded immediately after was familiar.

“Grant,” she whispered weakly.

The man himself crouched in front of them before she could lift her head. He growled again and ran a hand over her chin. She could feel Trevor’s dried blood under his touch.

“Grant,” she said softly, unsure how he would take their position.

“Baby, it’s okay,” he told her as he lifted her into his arms. She felt Trevor’s arm drop away. She buried her face in Grant’s shirt and felt tears she didn’t even know were there start to fall.

“Shh, it’s okay, baby. I’m taking you home,” Grant murmured.

Paige tightened her arms around him. “No! Adam, it was Adam.”

“I know, baby. I finally figured it out. All that matters is I found you. I just couldn’t believe you’d leave on your own.”

She was sobbing now, so glad to be in his arms again. “No. No, he said you called and wanted me to meet you somewhere.”

“Shh. I know, baby”

As he ran his cheek against hers, she heard Sam speak behind him. “Is she okay?”

“Yeah. Let’s get out of here.” He stood with her still in his arms.

“Grant, we have to take Trevor with us.”

She felt his body jerk at the request.

“Your father’s trying to turn him. And unless you took care of him and that other man, he’ll try again. Since you’re not wearing his blood, I’m guessing you didn’t finish him here,” Paige reasoned.