Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 85552 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 428(@200wpm)___ 342(@250wpm)___ 285(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 85552 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 428(@200wpm)___ 342(@250wpm)___ 285(@300wpm)
That rotting creature inched back.
Xander showed his fangs. “This is my domina that you are talking to. She’s in my care until she’s out of the sewers.”
Ian jumped up to the ceiling and attached his feet and hands to it. “Well, you’re not taking bloody good care of her, nephew.”
“Don’t call me that!” Xander roared. His gold eyes glowed with rage and lit up the sewer. He leaped up toward Ian and dragged him to the ground by his feet. Ian’s body slammed into the puddle of waste on the ground. Putrid liquid splashed.
“Apologize!” Xander’s voice echoed through the tunnel.
“She’s gotten to you already, I see.” Ian laughed. “She’s not a regular domina, you know. You should let me deal with her.”
Xander’s fingers formed into a fist. “If you could die, today would be the day. Instead, I’ll separate your body parts, scatter them throughout the sewer, and have you spend the year searching for them.”
Ian’s decaying lips lowered into a frown.
Ian can’t die? Why not?
“Xander.” I walked to them. “Just let him go.”
“Why?”
“He didn’t hurt me.”
“He would’ve if you’d said no.”
“I’m shocked you would say that.” Ian’s dusty lips opened wide as he held a hand to his chest. “I’m a gentle vampire.”
“Scattering his body parts would just be a waste of your time and energy.” I touched Xander’s arm.
Heat radiated from his soft skin.
“Thank you, fair domina.” Ian bowed as Xander released me.
“It’s Camille,” I corrected.
Xander growled.
I stepped back. “What?”
Xander spoke through clenched teeth, “There is no need to exchange names.”
Ian chose the distraction to race off in a blur. I wondered how he didn’t bump into anything since he was blind.
“You said he couldn’t die.” I looked at Xander. “Why not?”
“He’s under some sort of spell that forces him to remain trapped in the sewers forever.”
I raised my eyebrows.
“Who could cast something like that? And, why did he call you nephew? Are you both related?”
“You ask too many questions.” Xander averted his eyes. “Maybe you should answer some of mine, like why did you run?!”
“There is no need to yell.” I turned away. “Thank you for saving me.”
“I doubt Ian would have hurt you, but he is starving. It’s been a year since he’s eaten. Ty and I have a pact with the vampires down here. They can only drink from humans who don’t have our scent.”
“Are they all spelled?”
“Yes.” Xander nodded.
“They can’t die. Although their flesh rots away when they don’t drink blood, they still remain alive somehow, like thirsty, animated corpses. They’ll attack and drink from anyone without Ty, Victoria’s, or my scent.”
“I’m wearing your shirt. He should’ve smelled you on me.” I hugged myself and touched the shirt’s material.
“He did, but your domina blood tends to make us act irrationally.” Xander headed my way and stopped right in front of me. “Did he hurt you?”
“No.”
Just scared the sun right out of me.
“Good.” Xander still searched my body with his eyes as if he weren’t sure I would tell him the truth.
After he finished, we stood there in an awkward silence.
I twisted the bottom of the shirt. “I’m going to keep heading down the tunnel by myself.”
“No. You’ll stay with me.”
“Thanks for your help, but I don’t need you to path find anymore.” I walked off.
He snatched at my arm, but I backed away from him before he could grab it. “Ian may not have hurt you, but others will. Some are older than him.”
“How old is he?”
“He told me he was a hundred and fifty years old. Who knows if he is lying or not,” Xander said. “Why did you run off like that? You could’ve been killed.”
“Why are you all of a sudden so concerned about me?” I wiped sweat off of my forehead. Grime clung to my hair, plastering strands on my shoulders and back. “I won’t tell anybody about you or your crew.”
I marched away from him.
There were enough rays of sun to see a little, although the candle had provided much more light.
“I know you won’t tell anybody.” Xander came to my side and walked at my pace. With each step near the sunlight, he ducked back into the shadows so it wouldn’t sear his skin.
I staggered forward. “If you know I won’t tell anyone, then why are you here?”
“Oh, I’m sorry, domina. Do you know your way out? Or how to get back to your home?”
“You said it was this way.” I pointed in front of me and then lost my balance.
Xander caught me before I fell.
“Thanks.” I blew out a labored breath and got out of his hands. “Thanks again.”
“Why did you leave?” he asked. “Why do you want to be alone now?”
Wiping my face with the back of my hand, I sped up. “I left because those runaways would die if they were caught with me. Or was Victoria over exaggerating?”