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~Carmen~

 “But,” Zegulf continues. “Pure vampires survive on blood. A Were-vampire like me needs blood at times, but not necessarily for survival. At least not anymore. But a human drinking blood is vile. It’s obscene. They don’t need blood to exist. It’s practically cannibalism.”

I can’t argue with Zegulf on that, and a flash of fresh anger sizzles through me because he’s right.

My anger only increases when Kennedy bends over and begins to hastily work on the cuffs and tape around his ankles and legs.

“I’d really like to know why,” Zegulf muses out loud. “I mean, I have my suspicions. But first, I think Kennedy should tell us whose blood he was drinking. Don’t you, Kennedy?”

Kennedy’s hands pause, and he looks up at Zegulf, then shakes his head, his fingers working faster to free himself. Fear is pouring off him in waves.

The primal part of me wants to turn to Kennedy, sink her fangs in his neck, and bask in his fear.

Shaking the fog from my head, I glare at Zegulf. Forcing myself to direct all my anger at him. Because if I don’t...

“It wasn’t a rhetorical question, Kennedy,” Zegulf says, his own anger bleeding into his voice. “Stop trying to free yourself and tell us whose blood you’ve been drinking.”

Kennedy jerks as if he were struck, and his entire body shakes and shudders violently. His nails dig into the metal of the cuffs, some breaking off, as he rebels against Zegulf’s order.

It’s all futile, though because his spine straightens and his tongue obeys, slurring out my name. “Carmen’s.”

He couldn’t hurt me more if he stabbed a stake through my ribs and cut off my head.

“My blood?” I choke, just the thought of it making me sick. “You’ve been drinking my blood, Kennedy?”

Kennedy shakes his head with a groan, but answers, “Yes.”

Zegulf acts as if he’s going to pounce on me, and I foolishly fall for the bait. At the last second, he jumps back, causing me to swing at nothing.

When I trip forward, he easily slips around me and slashes Kennedy across the face. “Kennedy is going to die for his wicked ways.”

“No!” I scream, emptying my lungs as I slide to the side to protect Kennedy from more harm.

Unfortunately, my next breath fills me with the smell of human blood. A quick glance at Kennedy’s face confirms Zegulf seriously gouged him, leaving large gashes across his cheeks and nose that he’s desperately trying to cover with his hands.

A quick glance also costs me the chance of blocking Zegulf’s next attack. Sliding around my other side with supernatural speed, Zegulf slashes Kennedy across the chest and dodges my delayed swing with ease.

“Yes,” Zegulf snarls, his eyes glistening with a feral gleam.

I swung so hard, the chain came down, cracking against my own knee. I growl in pain and try to shake out the ache.

Head tilting slightly to the side, Zegulf closely watches me, noting my limp as I continue to circle with him, trying to block him.

The next time Zegulf moves forward, he grabs the chain I’m holding and rips it from my hands. Whipping his arm to the side, he flings the chain away with a look of disgust. “No more chains for you, Dewdrops, until you can prove you won’t hurt yourself.”

Enraged with how Zegulf is toying with me, I try to pounce on him, but my hands slice through empty air.

“Why have you been drinking my mate’s blood, Kennedy?” Zegulf demands after dodging me, further antagonizing me.

My blood burns hot. I want to kill. I want to sink my claws and fangs into skin and rip. I want to shred every existence around me.

Kennedy makes a gurgling sound, and his answer is muffled by his hands. “Because it gives me strength, powers, and protection from your type.”

Everything is falling apart, and I don’t even know who I’m angrier at: Zegulf, Kennedy, or myself.

I’ve lost complete control of the situation.

As if on cue, the back of my neck begins to crawl with unease as the werewolves in the room press closer.

I can feel their fury, their need for justice, directed at Kennedy. The air around us is filled with anger and bad intentions.

“For how long, Kennedy?” I ask, accepting I won’t be able to protect him for much longer unless a miracle happens.