opened.
Madeline stepped outside.
Augustus felt the malevolence rolling off the woman like stench from a corpse. He had no doubt that she intended to renege on her end of the bargain. If she had her way, she'd kill him and Layla as well.
"I'm here." It was the code to his people to move.
"Indeed. I have your whore."
"She's no whore."
"Any woman who would spread her legs for the likes of you is worse than a whore. She deserves worse than death for betraying her race."
"If you've harmed her I promise you neither you nor anyone on this estate will live to see dawn."
Madeline laughed and it was an evil sound if ever he'd heard one. "Big words from a monster who will soon meet the fires of hell."
"Bring Layla out. Put her in the truck. When she's safely away then you can give killing me your best shot."
Madeline snapped her fingers in the direction of the man closest to her. "Have the whore brought out."
The man pulled out his radio and relayed her command. Augustus was pleased. In the time it was taking for her to have Layla brought to him, his people were already in position. They were just waiting his word.
He leaned back against the side of the truck, knowing his pose presented the image of a man who had no fear or unease. He'd perfected that look over countless centuries, but today it was only a thin façade. Inside he was in turmoil.
Minutes passed before the door opened again. Layla was shoved out, her wrists and ankles shackled. Naked and dirty, her hair was wet and it was clear from the blue tint to her lips that she was cold. Very cold.
There were numerous Taser burns on her body and she appeared to be barely functional. The sight released a rage in him that he could taste.
"Augustus." Her gaze found him. "Run."
The rage exploded like a nova within him. "Now."
A split second later, the first scream sounded from the side of the mansion. It was quickly joined by others. Before Madeline had time to do more than look in the direction of the sound, he acted.
Vampires were, by nature, faster and stronger than humans. Many times over. Being one of the royal family and possessed of the strongest blood, his strength was magnified even more.
He'd rendered her men unconscious before she realized what had happened. By the time she did, he was before her with his hand wrapped around her neck.
"Layla, can you walk?"
Despite the rage, his tone was gentle.
"Y—yes."
"Then get in the truck, sweetheart. I'll join you in a moment."
He could tell it took effort for her to move. The shackles made her movements jerky and uneven. That sight fueled his wrath.
"Your reign ends today, bitch."
Madeline struggled in his grasp, her fingers digging at his hand as she gasped for breath. Augustus felt no sympathy, no compassion, and no remorse. She was evil and because of her lives had been lost. Because of her, other human minds had been poisoned and the chance for peace between them and his kind was damaged.
Despite his admonishment to the others about the taking of lives, this life was not one to spare. He smiled, displaying his fangs and saw the fear in Madeline's eyes. Then he squeezed.
She was dead in less than a second. He tossed her lifeless body aside, turned on his heel and raced to the truck. Layla had managed to get the passenger door open, but the shackles on her ankles prevented her from climbing into the cab.
Augustus knelt, snapped the offending metal from her ankles then rose, and did the same with the shackles around her wrists. The moment she was free she reached for him. He stripped off his shirt, helped her into it, then took her in his arms, and held her, feeling her tremble.
"You're safe. You're safe."
"I was so scared." Her voice was barely a whisper against his chest.
"You don't have to be afraid any more. You're safe and I won't ever let anyone hurt you."
"No." She drew back to look at him. "I was scared for you."
That slayed him. She'd been held prisoner by a lunatic, obviously tortured and
Madeline stepped outside.
Augustus felt the malevolence rolling off the woman like stench from a corpse. He had no doubt that she intended to renege on her end of the bargain. If she had her way, she'd kill him and Layla as well.
"I'm here." It was the code to his people to move.
"Indeed. I have your whore."
"She's no whore."
"Any woman who would spread her legs for the likes of you is worse than a whore. She deserves worse than death for betraying her race."
"If you've harmed her I promise you neither you nor anyone on this estate will live to see dawn."
Madeline laughed and it was an evil sound if ever he'd heard one. "Big words from a monster who will soon meet the fires of hell."
"Bring Layla out. Put her in the truck. When she's safely away then you can give killing me your best shot."
Madeline snapped her fingers in the direction of the man closest to her. "Have the whore brought out."
The man pulled out his radio and relayed her command. Augustus was pleased. In the time it was taking for her to have Layla brought to him, his people were already in position. They were just waiting his word.
He leaned back against the side of the truck, knowing his pose presented the image of a man who had no fear or unease. He'd perfected that look over countless centuries, but today it was only a thin façade. Inside he was in turmoil.
Minutes passed before the door opened again. Layla was shoved out, her wrists and ankles shackled. Naked and dirty, her hair was wet and it was clear from the blue tint to her lips that she was cold. Very cold.
There were numerous Taser burns on her body and she appeared to be barely functional. The sight released a rage in him that he could taste.
"Augustus." Her gaze found him. "Run."
The rage exploded like a nova within him. "Now."
A split second later, the first scream sounded from the side of the mansion. It was quickly joined by others. Before Madeline had time to do more than look in the direction of the sound, he acted.
Vampires were, by nature, faster and stronger than humans. Many times over. Being one of the royal family and possessed of the strongest blood, his strength was magnified even more.
He'd rendered her men unconscious before she realized what had happened. By the time she did, he was before her with his hand wrapped around her neck.
"Layla, can you walk?"
Despite the rage, his tone was gentle.
"Y—yes."
"Then get in the truck, sweetheart. I'll join you in a moment."
He could tell it took effort for her to move. The shackles made her movements jerky and uneven. That sight fueled his wrath.
"Your reign ends today, bitch."
Madeline struggled in his grasp, her fingers digging at his hand as she gasped for breath. Augustus felt no sympathy, no compassion, and no remorse. She was evil and because of her lives had been lost. Because of her, other human minds had been poisoned and the chance for peace between them and his kind was damaged.
Despite his admonishment to the others about the taking of lives, this life was not one to spare. He smiled, displaying his fangs and saw the fear in Madeline's eyes. Then he squeezed.
She was dead in less than a second. He tossed her lifeless body aside, turned on his heel and raced to the truck. Layla had managed to get the passenger door open, but the shackles on her ankles prevented her from climbing into the cab.
Augustus knelt, snapped the offending metal from her ankles then rose, and did the same with the shackles around her wrists. The moment she was free she reached for him. He stripped off his shirt, helped her into it, then took her in his arms, and held her, feeling her tremble.
"You're safe. You're safe."
"I was so scared." Her voice was barely a whisper against his chest.
"You don't have to be afraid any more. You're safe and I won't ever let anyone hurt you."
"No." She drew back to look at him. "I was scared for you."
That slayed him. She'd been held prisoner by a lunatic, obviously tortured and
Similar Books
