1. Lorna

Abright light penetrated my eyelids, but I had no desire to open them. It felt like someone had beaten me over the head with a hammer—not that I knew what that felt like, but I could imagine. A slow throbbing pounded at the base of my skull, radiating over my scalp and ending just above my eyeballs. Nope, not opening my eyes.

"Get the hell away from her," a woman warned from a few feet away.

"I can't resist the smell of her blood," a man said, way too close to my face.

His breath reeked of corn chips and something sour. Lemons? I tried to push him away, but I couldn't move my arms. I tugged at them, but they were tied and trapped behind my back. I lay on my side on the hard floor. A wave of panic rose in my throat as memories rushed into my head.

My first encounter with Nathan at The Fanged Prince jumped to the front of the line, then my not-so-subtle meeting with Elliott and Kenrid.

Kenrid. My heartbeat thumped for a different reason. The man had easily worked his way into my life in the short period of time I'd known him. He'd accepted all my quirkiness and made it so easy to be in his company.

The remaining memories of the last couple weeks flickered through my mind like a bad cinematic. My feelings for Damon weren't too far behind my feelings for Kenrid, only in a different way. Damon had also totally accepted me. He never even blinked at my need to sort everything out, and I loved his confidence, the way he just assumed that his magic knew exactly what it needed and wanted. I wasn't sure I could ever be that trusting in anything.

I still wasn't sure what to think of Elliott, and I needed to stay as far from Nathan as I could get.

The most important—and probably most dreaded—part of the last few weeks was the unwanted knowledge that monsters existed, and I was one of them.

The grand finale ended with a needle in my neck.

I'd been kidnapped.

I sucked in a sharp breath, and the smell of chocolate and citrus filled my nose, reminding me of the man sitting way too close to me.

Oh my God! Please tell me he's not a vampire,I pleaded. Please, please, please!

No such luck. My hunger surged, tossing aside my panic like it was nothing. I wanted him. I needed him. A shiver ran along my skin, and saliva pooled in my mouth.

"She's awake," the man whispered, his breath raising the hairs on my neck.

He was so close. I could easily lean forward and sink my teeth into his soft flesh. I licked my lips, and my tongue dragged across a sharp edge.

What the hell was that? The overwhelming urge that had nearly consumed me came to a screeching stop. Ever so slowly, my tongue poked at my teeth. Oh shit. That was not an incisor. Human teeth weren't that long and certainly not that sharp. Did I seriously have fangs? It sure felt like it.

I prodded the other side of my mouth only to find the same thing. Long fangs that would probably punch holes in my lips. How had I not noticed them before? This wasn't my first time around a vampire.

"I said get away from her!" the woman screeched.

My chocolate treat vanished a second later, and I opened my eyes. There was no point in trying to pretend I was still asleep. A petite woman with dark hair cut similar to my own scowled at me.

I had no idea how to act. I'd never been kidnapped before. My first instinct was to fight, but I didn't know where I was or who had me … not to mention being tied up and completely immobile. The woman wasn't a vampire—I didn't have the urge to bite her—but that didn't mean she was harmless.

I knew I couldn't outrun a vampire. Kenrid and Damon both said they were the fastest supernaturals alive. But could I lure one into letting me go? Dhampir were supposed to have that whole entrancing thing going on. Damon accused me of it all the time. Could I convince the vampire to help me escape? My burning need to taste his blood made it difficult to believe that I couldn't.

I swallowed hard. No, I refused to let myself go there. Why hadn't I created a separate box for my dhampir while I had the chance? Because I didn't take this threat seriously enough. I'd let my guard down with Kenrid, thinking I was safe. Now I'd pay for it unless I could get this under control.

The woman grabbed my arm and jerked me up to a sitting position. My vision swam, and my head pounded. I had to lean forward to keep from falling back over. Having my arms tied behind my back sucked.

I glanced around at my surroundings. I was in a small room with no windows. The hard concrete floor did nothing to cushion my butt.

I squinted at the vampire hovering near the metal door. His mousy brown hair hung over his ears, and his brown eyes tracked my every movement.

I poked at my teeth with my tongue, checking for fangs. Still there. I couldn't exactly talk to them without getting rid of the evidence of my dhampir first. I wasn't sure I could do that with a vampire in the room.

"Go tell the boss she's awake," the woman ordered.

The vampire gave me a look of longing before slipping out the door. I tried not to sigh, then forced myself to think of anything besides the scent of chocolate. Why was it always chocolate? I loved chocolate. It was my absolute favorite. My dhampir would ruin that for me as well.

My dhampir.I could almost feel the separate entity within me. Unlike Mallory or Gale, I'd created both of them myself. The dhampir was more than just my imagination or my need to sort personalities. That distinction scared me. The strength of her hunger would ensure my death. I could easily see why everyone feared the dhampir. She made all my coherent and logical thoughts fly out the window. If I let her win …

I needed to regain control. Now.

I closed my eyes and pictured my parents and their warm smiles. I couldn't have asked for a better mom and dad. They loved me when they didn't have to and always made me feel like I was part of their family. I missed them. Would I ever see them again? Or would I have to abandon them the way I'd abandoned Bryan? Yeah, probably. I couldn't suck them into this danger. It'd kill me if something happened to the only people who ever loved me.

The door creaked, and I opened my eyes. The vampire stuck his head inside and immediately caught my eye.

"The boss says to leave her," he said, still looking at me even though he was clearly talking to the other woman. A red ring circled his irises, and his tongue ran across his lips.

Maybe I could use him if I could get him alone.

The female jailer stepped between us and pushed the vampire out. Without a word, the two of them left me alone, sitting cross-legged on the floor with my hands tied behind my back.

"Great," I mumbled.

I really needed to take the time to create a box for my dhampir but doing so would make me vulnerable. Every time I retreated into my mind, I mentally left the real world. I couldn't leave my body open to whatever abuses they had planned. I didn't think they'd kill me, at least not right away, or I'd be dead already.

"First things first," I muttered, then glanced around the room looking for cameras. I'd feel like an idiot if they were watching me talk to myself.

The room was empty. Cinder block walls met a concrete floor with a little drain in the center. The hinges to the metal door were either on the outside or hidden somehow. I tried to look up at the ceiling and only ended up falling over. The move didn't help my mood or my headache.

Time to get my hands in a more comfortable position, I thought.

I rolled onto my back, pulled my knees to my chest, and stretched until my toes touched the floor above my head. The long stretch actually felt really good, and I put one of my favorite yoga poses to good use. I slipped my bound hands beneath my butt and up the back of my thighs, then held them straight out in front of me. Then I folded my legs at the knee and slipped them through my arms.

Yoga was awesome, and having my hands in front of me was so much more comfortable. Sitting normally again, I looked down at the zip tie wrapped around my wrists, already leaving raw marks on my skin.

"Fricking amateurs," I mumbled. Hadn't they seen the video on social media that showed women how to get out of these?

I untied my shoe, threaded the lace through the zip tie and yanked. The plastic dug into my skin, but I didn't stop. I wouldn't be completely helpless when the next person showed up in my cell. A little sawing back and forth, then another tug, and I was free. And bleeding. Maybe that wasn't such a good idea.

I retied my shoe, tore a couple strips from the bottom of my T-shirt, and wrapped up my wrists. Kenrid had only given me the briefest descriptions of the supernatural races, but I had to assume that a fresh source of blood was a huge temptation. And I didn't want a vampire near my blood. It was the first step to becoming a monster. Not happening.

I tilted my head back and found the only source of light. A recessed light sat flush with the concrete ceiling. I couldn't tell if a camera was in there or not. Did it really matter if they thought I was a loon for talking to myself? No.

I stood and paced around the cell. Six feet wide by eight feet long got old really quick. I plopped back onto the floor and picked up my broken zip tie. I eyed the door, thinking maybe I could pick a lock—yes, I only had a zip tie—but there was no lock, not even a handle on the inside.

If they'd only left that kitchen knife in my pocket, or my pistol, or my phone … or anything. Nope, it was just me, my blue jeans, sneakers, and a T-shirt. And my magic. I could scramble somebody's brain if I could get close enough. Maybe I could entrance the vampire and scramble the girl, then run. I shuddered at the thought of taking another life.

They hadn't hurt me. Yes, I was drugged and kidnapped, but that didn't mean they deserved to die. I thought about the man who attacked me at Maxwell's, and my stomach twisted in knots. The box in my mind rattled, and I shook my head. I couldn't do that again.

Even if I could escape, where would I run? It wasn't like there'd be a handy exit sign blinking over the door to my freedom. I couldn't do anything until someone opened my cell.

I'd just have to wait. I lay back on the hard floor and stared at the lone light on the ceiling. My mind wandered to Kenrid and our last conversation. How could someone so beautiful offer himself to me? I was awkward, socially inept, and a monster. Why would his magic call to mine when there had to be very eligible fae women falling over themselves for him?

Why me?

The same question could be asked about Damon. He made it clear he wanted me. Why would a demon want the creature who could kill him? Okay, maybe not kill him. I couldn't imagine anything strong enough to kill Damon. Even though his demon was frightening, Damon had gone out of his way to make me feel safe. I was more intrigued by him than afraid of him.

Regardless, it made no sense.

I had no idea how long I lay on the floor contemplating everything. It felt like days, but it was probably only a few hours. The sound of metal on metal startled me from my musings. The creaking door opened a moment later, and the same vampire slid into the room.

He wasn't alone. The new arrival was tall and lanky with long locs and dark eyes. His pointed features might have been handsome if he'd put on some weight. But his thin face accentuated a bony structure, making him look like a walking skeleton.

I jumped to my feet and backstepped until I hit the wall. Chocolate, oranges, and some other citrus filled the small room. My dhampir's hunger roared in my ears. She wanted both men, and she wanted them now. She didn't care if the newest treat lacked muscle or not. She only wanted his blood. And his friend's blood. As soon as she drained them both, we could escape and find more.

No, no, no! We weren't going there. I wasn't going there.

"I see what you mean, Jared," the newest temptation said. He drew in a deep breath and took a step closer to me.

I pressed my lips into a tight line. My fangs dug into my lower gums, but I couldn't let them see what I was.

"Can we keep her, boss?" Jared asked, licking his lips and revealing his own elongated fangs.

"That's a difficult decision," the boss replied. His gaze left my face and made a searing path to my feet and back. "The fae are paying us a lot of money for her, but maybe not enough."

One more step, and he was only an arm's length from me. Hunger burned through me like a raging storm. I dared not move. If I did, I'd be feasting on his blood. My body quivered with the urge to lean into him and whisper in his ear, to convince him to bare his neck to me and give me his life.

"Where have you been hiding?" the boss asked me.

Panic gripped me. Did he already know what I was? Could he see that I was teetering on the edge of devouring him? Could he see it in my eyes and the tension gripping my body? I refused to open my mouth to answer him. If I did … yep! Time to feast. My dhampir scared the shit out of me. I had no doubt that if I gave in, I wouldn't stop her. I was barely holding back as it was.

"Jared, call our contact and let them know the wolves killed their precious fae," the boss said, never taking his eyes from me.

"Good idea, boss."

Jared exited the room and closed the door, leaving me alone with the boss man. I didn't like it one bit, but my dhampir was in heaven. Stop, you idiot! He will either make us a slave or kill us. My urges subsided a little, and I let out a shallow breath. I hadn't expected her to actually hear and listen to me. That meant I'd have to face the reality that she was really a separate part of me.

"Let's start with introductions," the man in front of me said. He didn't extend his hand to me, but he didn't look wary or nervous. "My name is Conrad. I'm the ruling vampire of the Northeastern Region."

I kept my mouth shut.

"This is when you tell me your name and where you're from," he prompted.

I almost laughed at him. He'd just tracked me from Baltimore to Florida and then kidnapped me. He knew my damn name. I remained silent.

"I see." Conrad took a step toward the door and rubbed the back of his neck. "Your control is astounding and likely the reason you've been able to hide. You know what you are. I can see it in your eyes. Yet you resist me." He faced me, meeting my gaze with an intensity that made my skin tingle. "You will tell me your name."

I clamped my lips closed and shook my head. I wasn't telling him a damn thing.

His eyebrows rose, widening his dark eyes. A red ring circled his irises. "You will tell me."

Every hair on my neck and arms stood at attention, and with a sudden clarity, I realized what he was doing. Or trying to do. He couldn't compel me. Holy shit! I smiled. More like my dhampir smiled.

"You will let me go." I didn't recognize the voice tumbling from my lips, but it had to be my dhampir. I didn't want that confirmation, but no one gave a shit about what I wanted.

Conrad's fierce expression softened before rage replaced it a second later. He stumbled to the door and hammered his bony fist against it.

"You will not win this fight, dhampir," he growled.

The door opened, and he slid out and slammed it shut before I could come up with a witty reply. He was right. I was trapped in this cell, and he probably wouldn't let another vampire near me. I should've held my tongue and kept my secrets. I might have been able to catch him by surprise if I'd been thinking.

But I wouldn't and didn't.

"Damn."

My mind drifted to Conrad's comment about the fae paying him to take me. My heart fell to pieces. Kenrid had betrayed me. There was no other explanation. Damon insisted that no one could break through Kenrid's wards, but they had. Kenrid must have let those guys destroy the spells around his home. He let them take me.

And I'd believed his declaration about wanting me. I'd believed the stupid fated mate story he'd told me. I'd started to let myself care for him. I was so naive.

I slid down the wall until my butt hit the floor. Now more than ever, I needed to create a box for my dhampir. I couldn't pretend like there wasn't another consciousnesses poking around in my brain and making decisions for me. I didn't have the luxury of time to figure it out either.

If I didn't cage the monster trying to break free, I'd be a slave to Conrad, or I'd be dead.

I closed my eyes and let my mind retreat, finding the place it needed for the new me.