Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen

“No,” Cora shook her head, “Not like what happened to you.”

I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding. Pulling my sister in my arms, I felt her stiffen before she relaxed. I wasn’t sure what to say to her, how I was going to let her know that it was okay. That I would be okay. Her arms came up and she wrapped them around my waist, holding me close. 

“Delicious.” A deep voice purred 

I pulled away from my sister, moving to stand in front of her. Chills went down my spine as I looked up at the man in front of me. His lip curled into a smile that was more of a snarl as he bared his teeth at us. His gaze moved from Cora, back to me as I moved to stand in front of her.

Kaida stepped in front of us, “Dominic, I suggest you move on.” 

“I’d rather stay here and watch, it’s not often you get to see one of Lucian’s playthings the next day.” His lips twitched as his smile grew wider, the whites of his eyes disappearing until all that was left were darkness. “Well, alive that is.”

I hated to admit it, but something about him scared me worse than Lucian. At least with Lucian, there was a fragile promise of safety. With this one, I could tell from how his eyes moved down my body that he’d use me and toss me away when he was done.

Kaida walked closer to him and I felt Cora stiffen behind me, “My suggestion to move on isn’t a suggestion.”

“I’m not scared of you or your mate, little dragon.” His voice was harsh as his eyes moved from me to stare Kaida down. “When they’re done with the two of them. I want my turn.”

“It’s not me you should be afraid of with her.” Her voice changed, becoming almost a growl, and I felt the hairs on my arm stand on end. I backed up, my body bumping into Cora. I wanted to run, to take my sister with me and get us out of the danger that I knew we were in. “She’s been claimed. Keep on and you’ll lose the gift you were promised. I don’t think Lucian would reward someone talking to his mate like this.”

His gaze moved to my neck, covered by my damp hair. “He’s never claimed a mate before, I didn’t think he’d take on something so weak or that young.”

Kaida growled. The sound filling the hallway, bouncing off the cement walls, her hand striking out, lightning-fast. Sharp nails leaving a trail of blood across his cheek, Dominic turned his head back to look at her. Fingers came up to trace the blood that dripped down his face. 

“You’ll pay for that Kaida.” His voice was low and I shivered. She didn’t say anything, just watched as he turned down the hallway stalking off. I watched her shoulders soften, her body relaxing as her hands unclenched. Cora stepped around me, moving to stand beside Kaida.

“Are you okay?” She asked, her voice soft as if she were worried that he’d come back.

“Yeah, I’ll be glad when he’s gone,” Kaida said, taking Cora’s hand as she turned back to me. “Let’s get you both something to eat?”

I nodded, still letting his words bounce around my head. ‘When they’re done with them.’

It wasn’t when Lucian was done with me, it was they. If Lucian had claimed me, didn’t that mean that I was his? Who else was I going to have to deal with besides him? I sucked in a breath, my eyes burning at the thought of having to go through more of what I’d been through last night with others. I could only hope it wasn’t that many, I could do this. Turn off my emotions and do what I need to until I could process them at a later date. 

“Hey, it’s okay,” Kaida said, looking back at me as she stopped in front of a set of double doors. “Dominic isn’t going to hurt you, they wouldn’t let him.”

There it was again. Straightening my shoulders, I didn’t say anything. Right now, I didn’t trust my voice not to crack. After this was over I couldn’t help but wonder if there would be anything left of me? 

Kaida pushed open the doors. The room was littered with steel tables and chairs scattered here and there. Several people were eating and chatting with them, most didn’t look over at us. The few that did looked hungry. Wrapping my arms around my waist I followed Kaida and my sister, she led us to one of the tables. “Rest here, I’ll get you guys something.”

I sat down, looking at the shining surface of the table. My appetite was gone. Cora sat beside me, looking around the room with wide eyes. “I’ll get us out of here, I promise.”

She looked at me, nodding her head with a quick nod. “I know.”

“How did you sleep last night?” I asked, trying to fill up the silence between us.

“Okay. Kaida and Kaji got me set up in a room by theirs.”

“Do you like her?” I asked, not sure how things would work for my sister with the other woman. Dominic has said that he wasn’t scared of her mate. Who was her mate and how would that person react to my sister liking her? 

Cora’s cheeks flushed and she worried her lower lip, nodding her head once again. “I think I do, I mean I don’t really know her.”

“I know I can’t tell you to stay away from her if you like her. Promise me you’ll be safe?”

“I promise.” Her words were barely above a whisper. The scraping of a chair pulled my attention away from Cora. 

I looked over at the man as he sat down next to me, his golden eyes sparkling. “Morning, I was worried you’d sleep all day.”