had learned to tolerate to a greater extent than she’d thought was possible. A defiant glare still in her eyes, she was aware that he would hurt her no further. She was too valuable to them. He couldn’t kill the golden goose. His leader would stake him for it without giving it a second thought.
Dirk was holding onto his control with his last ounce of strength—she could see it in the glow of his red irises and the way the cords in his neck bulged. For an instant, she felt pride wash over her. She had gotten to him.
One nil for the human.
“Watch out, Ursula, one day you’ll pay for this.”
“Not tonight, vampire.”
Because tonight, a customer was waiting for her. And he wanted his merchandise unblemished. After all, he was paying a high price for it.
Ursula had overheard the guards talking about the amounts of money that changed hands, and she’d been shocked. At the same time, it had made her aware of just how valuable each of the women they held was. And that they couldn’t afford to lose one. It gave her some leverage.
Ursula turned and walked ahead of him, refraining from touching her cheek to soothe the pain. She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of letting him know that her flesh still stung from his violent slap. She had too much pride for that. Yes, even after three years, she hadn’t let go of it yet. It was what kept her going, what fueled her defiance.
“The blue room,” Dirk ordered behind her.
She turned the corner and headed for the room at the very end, passing a small window that would have provided light during the day, had it not been painted black from the inside. As she entered the familiar room, she allowed her eyes to roam. It was a corner room. There were two windows, one overlooking the main road, the other the side alley that culminated in a dead end. Both windows were small and hung with heavy velvet curtains.
In contrast to the sparse bedroom that Ursula lived in, this room was furnished rather lavishly. Two large sofas upholstered with the same velvet as the drapes dominated the room. A small washstand was tucked away in one corner, a supply of towels and soaps stacked next to it. A shelving unit occupied one interior wall, providing visual as well as audio entertainment should the customers wish this distraction. Many didn’t.
When she heard the door shut behind her and the key turn in the lock, she reluctantly looked at the man who sat on one of the sofas.
“Sir,” Dirk said behind her. “May I present your dinner and entertainment for tonight.”
Then he gave her a shove into the other vampire’s direction and hissed behind her, “Play nice, Ursula. You know I’m watching.”
As if she could ever forget that.
The stranger patted the place next to him with his palm.
“Since this is your first time, I’d like to reiterate the rules,” Dirk interrupted.
The customer raised an eyebrow, but said nothing and simply continued to run his eyes over her body. His fangs peeked from between his lips, and she knew they had extended fully. He was trying to act civil, when underneath that calm exterior, she could sense his impatience, his hunger for a special treat only few were privy to.
“You may choose where to drink from her. But you may not have sex with her.”
“But—”
His protest was instantly cut off. “I said no sex. You’re here for a taste of her blood, not her pussy.” After giving him a stern look, Dirk continued, “You will stop when I tell you to. No exception. Her blood is potent. If you take too much, there’s no telling what will happen.”
The vampire narrowed his eyes. “What do you mean?”
Dirk took a step closer. “I mean that you’ll become delirious if you take too much. Like an overdose. Understood?”
He nodded in response.
“Go ahead,” Dirk ordered, tossing her a sideways glance.
Ursula steeled herself for what was to come as she took the few steps to the couch and stopped in front of the man. Leeches, she called them. Because that was what they came here for. To feed off the girls imprisoned in this godforsaken place.
Raising his eyelids, the strange vampire looked straight at her. There was a coldness in his look that chilled her. But she suppressed the shiver that ran down her spine. The goose bumps on her skin, however, she couldn’t prevent. A lascivious smile curved his lips when