Oh God, that taste. It sat on the back of his tongue. Sweet and enticing. He forced it out of his mind and pulled her off the table.
“Wait. I don’t want those pricks to have this.” She un-hooked the half-full IV bag and tucked it in her pocket. “We’ve got to get to Corey.”
“I already found him and the others. They’re on their way to safety. Come on. Let’s get you out of here, too.”
Just before they exited the viewing room, they heard voices out in the hallway. He pulled Mackenzie down behind a gurney as two DBs entered.
Dom stealthily unsheathed two knives.
Close your eyes. This isn’t going to be pretty.
In a single movement, he jumped out and knifed them both. A dual jerk and a twist. They collapsed to the ground in unison and began to disintegrate.
“Let’s go.”
Mackenzie was at his back. He was reaching for the door when the smell hit him. He tightened the grip on his knives, prepared to throw them. They were wrenched from his hands as if by magic and clattered to the floor. What the—
“What a delightful surprise.” A tall, crane-like figure in a black robe was suddenly in front of Dom, his feet floating several inches above the floor. The overhead light glinted off Dom’s knives, now held in his bony hands.
Pavlos.
Dom lunged at him, but Pavlos was faster. Before he knew what was going on, a cold metal band snapped around Dom’s neck and jerked him off his feet.
“I figured you’d try to help out your girlfriend.” Pavlos’s dark, dead eyes leered above him. “You’re good, Serrano, but as usual, you’re not good enough. Alfonso, grab the girl.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
MACKENZIE WATCHED IN agony as they stripped Dom of all his weapons before dragging both of them down the dingy hallway. Collared with a silver band around his neck, wrists and ankles, it was clear every step was an effort for Dom. He shuffled the little half-steps of a prisoner, chains clanking, as if he had heavy weights on each leg. Mackenzie knew the skin contact with all that silver was draining him of energy. Soon, he wouldn’t be able to walk.
With Dom incapacitated, it was up to her now. She couldn’t let them be taken back to that exam room. If she could just transfer some of her energy to him, that might help.
Dom, take my hand. Can you reach back with yours?
With her eyes down, she stretched out her arm, but rather than Dom’s protective hand, she felt bony, ring-covered fingers instead. She jerked back, but Pavlos held on, pressing his moist palm to hers, leaching out her energy. Dom roared and lunged, but the guards didn’t let go. As weakness compounded with her earlier blood loss, Mackenzie sank to the ground, her hand still clasped in his.
Pavlos’s eyes danced with excitement and he licked the corner of his mouth. “What sweet energies you have, my dear. I can hardly wait to taste you on my tongue. Alfonso, carry her back.”
“You stay away from her. Both of you.” Dom’s dark eyes narrowed to slits.
Taste her? What was he talking about? She thought he had other plans for her. The kind that involved testing first, buying them more time. Had he changed his mind?
In an instant, Mackenzie found herself slung over Alfonso’s shoulder. She should’ve tried kicking him, but she was just too tired. The examination room was too bright when Alfonso set her down on the gurney again. A chain clanked as Dom was shackled to the wall. When she shielded her eyes from the light above her, she became aware of a lump in her coat pocket. The IV bag filled with her blood. She’d forgotten about it.
Dom, I still…bag of blood. If I can…are the effects immediate?
Yes.
Lemme just— As Alfonso fastened the ankle straps, she reached into her pocket and pulled out the IV bag. Here, catch, and she hurled it at Dom. But in her haste, she put too much power into her throw. The bag sailed past him, hit the floor, and blood splattered everywhere.
The Darkbloods leaped across the room in an instant, overcome by bloodlust. Pavlos didn’t join them, although his balled fist flew to his mouth, yellowed fangs grazing his lower lip. Only Alfonso held back with his hands still tightly gripped around her ankles. She wrapped her arms over her head, trying to drown out the sounds of the snapping and snarling.