Destiny Awaits Read online

  “My name is Thomas and you must be Alayna.”

  “If I said no would you let me go?” I said through chattering teeth.

  “Good to see you have a sense of humor. It can be so uptight around here.” His laugh was warm and gentle as he began to untie the rope. “I’ve been left in charge of seeing that you are fed and changed into dry clothes. Sorry about Olivia’s behavior. If it makes you feel any better, the boss isn’t too happy with her right now.”

  “Don’t suppose you would be willing to look the other way and let me go would you?” I asked knowing the answer already.

  “Are you kidding? The boss would have my head if I let that happen. And don’t get any ideas because you won’t be able to escape even if you tried. The door is locked and guarded and you don’t know your way around. As you could probably guess you are under ground.” The rope loosened and I pulled my arms in front of me, rubbing the tender skin. Thomas ran his hand through his brown hair as he positioned himself in front of the door. He nodded towards the bag he carried in. “There are some clothes that you can change into. They should fit you. Once you’ve changed you can eat, I’m sure you are hungry.”

  “How long have I been here?” I asked. I walked over to the table and picked up the clothes from the bag. Lifting up a pair of jeans that were my size I awaited his reply.

  “I haven’t been here the whole time. I’d say only a day or so.”

  My heart sank with his answer and my thoughts drifted to Jayden. I could picture him pacing back and forth with worry, not knowing where I was or how to reach me. “Can I at least have some privacy to change?” I asked while sitting the jeans back on the table.

  “I apologize but I have strict orders to not leave your side until you are able to be restrained again.”

  I knew that it was pointless to argue with him so I took off my shoes. Unbuttoning my jeans and tugging them down, I let them fall to a pile at my feet. “If you had the option would you give me privacy?” I asked, pulling my wet shirt above my head.

  A grin spread across his face as his eyes passed over my body pausing at my chest. “Probably not.”

  A surprised looked crossed his face as I threw my shirt at him. He caught it a moment before it would have hit him in the face. “Typical male,” I scoffed not bothering to hide the disgust in my voice.

  Although there were undergarments in the pile, there was no way I was about to get that naked in front of this stranger so I pulled on the dry jeans and silently thanked whoever had selected the right size. I was glad to see a soft black sweater was the choice for a shirt; anything that would warm my shaking body. Within seconds my skin was warming and the shivers began to subside. After putting my shoes back on, I strolled to the table and grasped the cold glass of water. To my surprise the surface began to ripple as a vision sprung to life. Sitting on the chair and putting my elbows on my knees I stared into the cup. On the water’s surface, Gavin leaned over me as I struggled away from his grasp. When he pulled away, a drop of blood ran down his chin as he licked his lips. His face faded away and was replaced with a gory scene that made my stomach lurch. There were bodies lying on the floor covered in blood. The harder I tried to see who the bodies belonged to the fuzzier the image became. Only one face clearly showed itself to me. My heart sank as I saw Jayden unmoving on the floor. Tears slipped down my cheek as I ran to him, cradling him in my arms. In an instant, the vision ended and I was left staring into the clear liquid.

  “Did you hear me?” Thomas took a few hesitant steps in my direction.

  “I’m sorry, what?” I asked, shaking the image from my head.

  “I asked if you were okay.”

  “I’m fine, if you consider being held hostage okay.” I took a large gulp of the cool water hoping that I hadn’t been staring into the water too long. Taking one last drink of water, I placed the glass back on the tray.

  “You should eat something.”

  “I don’t plan on being here that long. Why don’t you go get Gavin and tell him to get whatever he has planned over with?”

  “So feisty. No wonder you got under his skin.” Thomas laughed as he walked over to the chair. “I have to tie you back up before I go.”

  “Next time you see Gavin you should ask for your balls back because he has obviously taken them,” I huffed and sat down, placing my hands behind my back.

  Thomas laughed as he pulled the rope tight. “I’m really starting to like you,” he whispered in my ear and placed a wet kiss on my cheek before gathering up the tray and heading for the door. After knocking, his buddy promptly allowed him through and I heard the lock click back into place.

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  Chapter Thirteen

  Several hours seemed to pass while I was left in my solitary confinement. I had been relentlessly trying to untie the rope that constrained my wrists but failed to make any headway. Soon I could no longer feel my fingertips and I was unsure if it was due to the cold or lack of blood circulating through them. My eyes drifted to the vials of my blood taunting me from the table. There is no way I’m going to allow her to use my blood, I thought to myself. Summoning strength into my tingling legs I scooted the chair towards the table. Inch by slow inch I began to make progress. “How am I going to get them off of the table?” I asked out loud. Different scenarios began buzzing through my mind. I couldn’t just pick them up. Maybe I could try scooting them off the table somehow? I finally settled on trying to pick the vials up with my mouth and try dropping them into my lap. I could hide them that way so that if my hands became free I would have access to them. A sudden fear began to creep over me. What if I missed and they crashed to the floor? Would it bring my thirst to the surface? I was running out of options and there was no telling when someone might come into the room. With nothing left to lose, I tipped my head towards the table. “Here goes nothing,” I said before placing my lips around one of the glass vials. Leaning forward as far as my restrained body would allow, I raised my knees to create a slope hoping that the vial would land softly. Wishing for the best, I released the vial from my mouth and watched as it landed on my legs with a soft thud and slid to a rest in the crease of my legs. “Yes!” I looked towards the door hoping that no one had heard my outburst. Murmuring voices on the other side of the door let me know that they thought I was up to something. Straining to hear their conversation, I knew that I was out of time when a female voice trailed off while saying she was going to get Gavin. Scooting back in the chair, careful to not break the vial, I allowed the fragile glass to slide between my legs effectively hiding it from sight. Scraping the chair across the floor as I moved it back to the original position, I looked up as the lock clicked and the door swung open.

  Gavin walked into the room with his head held high. A flow of people came in behind him like a rush of cockroaches scattering from the light. Olivia was included in the flow and she did not hesitate to walk over to the table, her eyes rising in surprise at the missing vile. Jumping up to sit upon the table and crossing one long leg seductively over the other, she placed a hand over the remaining vial and cast an icy stare in my direction. Satisfaction spread through me as I made a kissy face in her direction. I was confident in my response because she wouldn’t risk bringing the missing vial to Gavin’s attention. Maybe I should mention the vial that was now safely tucked in her grasp to Gavin?

  I turned my stare towards the other people that came in as part of Gavin’s entourage. When my eyes met Thomas’s twinkling gaze he winked at me. Bile rose in my throat. Standing on each side of the door were two new faces. If I had to guess I would say they were vampires but my knowledge in determining the difference between them and shifters was severely lacking. The female looked at me with one deep blue eye, the other hidden behind a wave of dirty blonde hair. The male on the other side of the door had the same deep blue eyes and shaggy blonde hair. The more I looked between the two, the more they looked the same. Could vampires even
have twins? I wondered. Or maybe they were turned together? I made a mental note to learn more about vampires if I made it out alive.

  “I didn’t know you had groupies Gavin,” I said, returning my focus to the matter at hand.

  “There are a lot of things you don’t know about me Love.” Gavin stepped near me and caressed my cheek with a cold finger.

  “I’m not your love.” I jerked my head away from him and proceeded to wipe my cheek on my shoulder the best I could, shivering in disgust. My skin felt as though thousands of insects crawled where he had touched me.

  “You could be if you wanted to.”

  “You make me sick.”

  Gavin stopped his pacing and put a hand to his dead heart. “Why must you hurt me so?”

  “Go throw your pity party for someone who cares Gavin. I seem to recall you tried ripping my throat out so forgive me if I’m not buying any of your bullshit.”

  “Such a dirty mouth for such a pretty girl, but I suppose you are right. I did try killing you but imagine my surprise when I came back and found you were still alive. You should have died that night and you would have if not for that mangy kitten. I can smell his blood running through you Alayna just like I can smell mine. That fact alone means that you shouldn’t be alive and talking to me now. What is it about you that made our blood combine?”

  “How the hell am I supposed to know? I didn’t even know blood sucking leeches like you existed and then the next day, you were there trying to kill me.”

  “No matter, now that you are here I think that we can come to some sort of arrangement.”

  “I strongly doubt it,” I scoffed.

  “Oh come on, don’t you at least want to hear me out?”

  “Do I have a choice in the matter?” I asked even though I already knew the answer.

  “As a matter of fact…no, you don’t. Thomas, would you be so kind as to bring in Alayna’s gift?” Thomas pushed off of the wall that he had been leaning against and walked out of the door. I could hear his boots thumping down the hall before disappearing.

  “If it is another rose I’m going to vomit,” I muttered.

  “Do you not enjoy roses?” Gavin asked, a genuine expression crossing his face. “I thought all women loved receiving flowers.”

  “Oh I do love flowers, just not from you.” I struggled to keep my face emotionless as a smile threatened to burst forth.

  “You should at least make some sort of effort not to piss me off, especially when you are unable to defend yourself.”

  “You’re probably right but I’ve never been good at taking orders.” The sound of Thomas’s boots made their way down the hallway and I glanced at the door. Alarm twisted in my gut as another pair of footsteps accompanied Thomas’s but these sounded different, as if they were being dragged. The door burst open as Dominic stumbled through the door with such force that he tripped on his own feet and slammed his face into the hard floor. I could feel the spark of hope within my heart snuff out at the sight of Dominic. My one hope at making it out of confinement moaned in pain on the floor.

  The twins plucked Dominic from the floor and held his sagging body between them. His right eye was swollen, a hideous shade of purple covering the side of his face.

  “Finally. Your gift has arrived. Do you like it?”

  Unable to find any words I remained silent. Had Dominic succeeded in telling Jayden where I was?

  “Not even a thank you? I thought you’d like it since you and Dominic seem to be such close friends. I did catch him helping you after all.”

  “If Dominic and I were friends he wouldn’t have kidnapped me for you in the first place.”

  “My mistake. You won’t mind if I kill him then?” Gavin walked over to Dominic’s body and wrapped a hand around his throat. A strangled cry escaped Dominic’s lips but he was too badly beaten to struggle. His one open eye pleaded with me to stop Gavin.

  “Stop!” I yelled, unable to look at Dominic suffer anymore.

  “What did you say?”

  “I said to stop.”

  “I thought you didn’t care about him?” Gavin asked, removing his hand from Dominic.

  “I just think you’ve made him suffer enough already.” I tried to keep my expression neutral but knew that I was failing at it.

  Gavin’s eyes sparkled with pleasure.

  “I suppose you are right.” In the blink of an eye Gavin was forcing Dominic’s head to the side and sinking teeth into his soft flesh. Dominic’s eyes were filled with horror before rolling back into his head. I closed my eyes to stop from witnessing the cruel act and only reopened them when I heard Dominic’s now lifeless body thud to the floor.

  “Do you see how much I care for you?” Gavin asked, turning towards me with a crimson streak on his chin. The thirst was like a monster within me, clawing at my insides in a rush to reach the surface.

  A shudder ran up my spine at the sudden intensity. I inhaled a deep breath willing the hunger to recede. “What are you talking about?”

  “You asked me to end his suffering and I ended it. I was planning on keeping Dominic around for a little while longer but you asked and so I took his life for you.” Gavin ran a pink tongue across his lips claiming the remaining blood that lingered there.

  “That is bullshit and you know it,” I whispered as the thirst refused to be tamed.

  “Maybe.” Gavin turned towards the female twin who had remained silent since entering the room. “Beth, accompany your brother and see to it that you dispose of this trash,” Gavin said as he nudged the body with his foot.

  “Right away Sir.” Beth glanced at her brother who was now in the process of throwing Dominic’s body over his shoulder like a rolled up rug.

  “Oh, and hurry back you two.” As the duo left the room, Gavin walked over to Olivia and placed an arm over her shoulder. “My sweet Olivia has told me some interesting news about you Alayna.”

  “Is that so?” I stared at Olivia, her blood calling to my beast. I clenched my fists allowing my nails to dig into my flesh. Using the pain to focus my hunger, I tore my eyes from her and looked at the dirty floor.

  “Indeed. She filled me in about the outcome of the battle. She says that when she tasted your blood it forced her human side out and rendered her unconscious and useless, ensuring that you were the winner. It’s interesting if you think about it. The very blood that runs through your veins is toxic to shifters and yet you want to settle down with one of them. Why would you want a cat when you could have me instead?”

  “You will never come anywhere close in comparison to Jayden. He is ten times the man you are,” I spat.

  “Back to the matter at hand. If your blood is toxic to shifters I wonder what effects it will have on a vampire.”

  “Why don’t you just hurry up and find out you arrogant bastard.” I knew that it was stupid to taunt him but I was losing my focus; the thirst within me was begging for him to come close, to taste his life upon my tongue.

  “That is a very tempting offer that I may take you up on. However, I believe it would be wise to test it out first.”

  “How are you going to test it?” This came from Olivia who was sitting rigid next to Gavin.

  “Don’t worry, it doesn’t involve you. After all, we already know that you are unable to overcome her blood’s toxins. Thomas?”

  “Sir?” Thomas straightened from his relaxed position and waited for Gavin’s response.

  “Would you please do the honors?”

  “I’m sorry but didn’t you just say that her blood was toxic?”

  “To shifters it is, yes. But I don’t think it will have an effect on us. After all, we don’t have an animal side now do we.”

  “That could be strongly debated,” I said, unable to hold the hysterical laugh that burst from my chest.

  Thomas hesitated, casting his glance from me to Gavin and back again.

  “Stop wasting time and just do it Thomas.” Gavin’s request left no room for options and Thomas started
in my direction.

  As he approached my beast purred in excitement, begging for a taste. Thomas leaned over me, his masculine scent enveloping me like a warm blanket as our eyes met just inches apart. He smiled and I watched as pointy fangs slipped into place. Unable to control myself I closed the remaining distance and ran my tongue up his neck and cheek. I watched as the goose bumps formed on his skin and his eyes closed in delight.

  “I’ll do my best to not make it painful,” Thomas whispered in my ear and then placed a kiss upon my neck. I braced myself for the pain of his fangs piercing my flesh but it never came. There was a small pinch before a tingling sensation overcame me. My head rolled back as a groan escaped my lips. As the sweet fire began to fade, I opened my eyes to find Thomas staring at me.

  “That wasn’t so bad now was it?” A grin spread across his face as he tenderly ran a finger down my cheek. A tendril of brown hair cascaded over his face. I wish I could move the hair out of his eyes. As if reading my mind, Thomas pushed the hair away allowing me full view of his face. There was something about his hazel eyes that called to me as if we were connected.

  “He seems to be fine so far,” Gavin piped up, taking a few tentative steps towards Thomas. “It is certainly anti-climactic compared to your version Olivia.” Pulling his eyes away from mine, Thomas stood and faced Gavin.

  “I feel great. Are you sure her blood is toxic? It tastes so pure…so decadent,” Thomas responded.

  “You have got to be kidding me!” Olivia shouted and jumped from the table on which she had been sitting. “There has to be some side effects. How can that whore’s blood be toxic to shifters but be fine for vampires?” Olivia cast her evil stare at me, her face turning crimson with anger.