“Lucien,” I gasped, still pushing, blackness penetrating at the sides of my eyes. It was my body’s response either to the terrible pain or the loss of blood or both.
I welcomed the loss of consciousness. I could take no more.
My hands fell away from his shoulders as the blackness crept closer, my strength vanished and I lay limp in his arm.
Before the blackness permeated, I felt his head rear up away from my throat and the last thing I remembered was saying on a frail whimper, “You promised.”
Then there was nothing.
Chapter Four
The Day After
I opened my eyes and saw it was morning. The sun shone weak around the edges of the heavy, drawn curtains.
I felt a moment of confusion, not knowing where I was, my surroundings unfamiliar.
Then I remembered.
My body froze stiff.
There was movement behind me and before I could register this I was gently rolled to my back. Lucien fully visible but shadowed in the feeble light, was up on a forearm towering over me.
Stark terror surged through me. I tensed, preparing for escape.
The next second I was crushed in his arms, my face tucked in his throat, his big hand cupping the back of my head, one of his heavy thighs thrown over both of mine.
“Leah,” he whispered.
My name sounded tormented on his lips.
I didn’t care. He could feel as badly as he wanted. He could be tormented forever by his actions and forever was a freaking long time for a vampire.
Promising he wouldn’t hurt me and then inflicting the worst pain I’d ever felt.
Promising he’d stop and then nearly killing me.
I assessed my options.
I couldn’t fight him, I’d never win. Even if I did get away, he could control my mind, my movements.
Therefore, I had no options.
God, I really hated him.
“Please, let me go,” I demanded to his throat, my voice sounded raspy, brittle and that scared me too.
“Leah, you must listen to me.”
I shook my head. This didn’t hurt. I felt no pain at my throat where he’d torn my flesh apart, just an odd but profound numbness, like getting your gums shot with Novocain. I decided not to think about that bit of weirdness at that moment.
I decided to focus on something else.
“The contract didn’t say word one about me having to listen to you. You feeding on me, yes. You f**king me, yes. Me listening to you, no.”
His hand left my head and went to my jaw. His thumb under my chin he pressed up cautiously as he tilted his head down to look at me.
“I’ll explain,” he declared.