17. Owned

Chapter 17

Owned

I t didn't take long after this for my natural instincts to kick in. I quickly turned from Victor and started running down the alleyway towards a car I could see parked there.

Needless to say… I didn't get far.

"Where are you going, little Peach?" the Vampire I knew said, his tone full of cruel humor as I felt his arms go around me when he caught me from behind with ease.

"No! Let me go, please!" I begged, squirming in his hold, the same moment now replaying our history back at me in real time.

Despite my obsession with him, it now felt nothing but foolish. It felt like the type of mistake that would cost me my life. A crush on a killer. Who did that? Someone with a fucking death wish, that was who!

"Calm, Sweetheart." Another voice added to this repeat performance, a voice I had not long ago been hanging off every god damn word … Victor. Which meant only one thing… I now faced not one but two villains because, clearly, they were one and the same.

Vampire Brothers.

"What do you want with me?!" I cried out, making the one who had his arms around me dip his head and breathe me in deep. A startling rumbling emitted from his chest.

"Not helping, Talon," Victor scolded with a frustrated sigh, and giving me his brother's name. Talon … It certainly suited him because I currently felt as if I had been captured in his dangerous claws.

"Mmm, I can't help myself… she smells fucking delicious," he growled, making me tense in his hold before pleading with him.

"Oh fuck! Please don't bite me!"

He chuckled before telling me in an amused tone, "I can't promise anything."

"Tal, for fuck's sake, stop scaring the shit out of her and carry her to the car already!" Victor snapped.

"Oh, with pleasure," his brother said before doing just that.

My world was suddenly turning upside down… literally , because he spun me and put a large shoulder to my belly before he lifted me up and over, locking my legs to his chest. I was left to hit his back as he walked toward the end of the street where I knew a car was waiting.

"Add some kitten claws to that assault, Pet, and give my back a scratch, would you?" Talon said with a chuckle, and damn him the sexy sound.

"Screw you!" I shouted in my anger, something that ended with me being jiggled over his shoulder as he started laughing. Jesus, he was a happy fucker!

I was suddenly pulled from his shoulder, his strong grip on my waist as he lowered me down the front of him in a purposely slow motion. Something that made my insults die in my throat because it was much harder to do now that I was faced with his devastatingly handsome face. One I was equally attracted to as much as I was terrified of. It was fucked up, I knew that, but I couldn't help it. I was in the middle of my mental breakdown and heading straight for insanity.

"Promises, promises, Peaches," he replied, smirking down at me, the sexual intent coating his words.

"In the car… now," Victor's demand broke through this moment, making him grin before telling me,

"He's always trying to ruin my fun." Then he winked at me, making my eyes widen in shock. Was he seriously flirting with me or was this just a Vampire's equivalent of playing with their food?

"Now time to get your sexy ass in the car, little Peach," Talon said, spinning me around and smacking my ass, making me cry out in shock more than pain… it hadn't been done hard enough for that.

After this squeal, I decided to look up and see if anyone was around to help me. Maybe if I screamed at the top of my lungs someone would at least alert the cops to a girl being kidnapped?

Suddenly Victor stepped into view and tipped my face up to look at him, his grip on my chin unyielding. Then as if reading my thoughts, he told me,

"That wouldn't be a good idea, Sweetheart, so please don't piss me off by making me do something you will regret."

My mouth dropped a little but he ignored this. Instead, he jerked his head, telling me for the last time to get in the car. Something I did without a second thought.

I also only just realized that the car was different to the one that brought us here, because this time I was getting into a limo. The side bench seats were the first I dove for, just to get further away from them when they followed me inside. Each brother entered through the side doors and took their seats in tandem. Victor saw where I was sitting. I edged myself toward the end and as far from them as I could get. His hard jaw set in stone as he narrowed his eyes at me. As for his brother, he just looked amused, mirth dancing in his green eyes like this was the most fun he'd had in years.

"Why are you sitting all the way over there, little one?" Talon asked, his tone playful. I just started shaking my head, telling them without words that I wanted to be nowhere near them. However, it was Victor that made the order.

"Come here, Firefly."

I closed my eyes tight and tried to fight against his demand, his voice doing strange things to me. My head shook quicker this time, making my hair flick around my head.

"Now, Nessa," he ordered menacingly, and this time I was powerless to stop it.

I shifted back toward them, hating myself as I took position between them both. My body was held so tight, I felt taut like an armed bow string. I nearly jumped a mile when I felt Victor's hand land on my thigh, just like it had done back in the restaurant.

"Easy now, calm that little heart for me," he said, and his order lacked its severe bite from before.

Bad choice of words because as if remembering the experience I'd once had with their fangs, I flinched. Doing so when Talon, who starred in that memory, then picked up one of my hands.

His two fingers tapped along my pulse point as he told me, "Your pulse is racing, little Peach, so try and do as my brother asks."

I couldn't help my reply as I forgot to engage the sane part of my brain.

"Why? Do you both like your meal drip fed?"

Victor grumbled in annoyance, but Talon's reaction was the complete opposite because he burst out laughing.

"We have no intention of hurting you," Victor told me, making me shoot him an incredulous look.

"But you told me if I didn't get in the car, you would do something I regret," I said, quick to remind him of the threat.

"Yes, I did," he replied before Talon's lips were at my ear, making me shiver as he whispered,

"He was speaking of killing witnesses, not you, little Peach."

I gasped in horror.

"You wouldn't have!?"

Victor just raised a single brow as if to say, ‘wouldn't I?',

Fuck, it was terrifying.

"I don't understand, what is it you want with me if it isn't to kill me?" I asked, making Victor tense next to me, that hard tick back in his jawline. The usual sign that he was pissed off.

It was a very different side to him than what I was used to seeing so far. But then again, that hadn't been the real Victor, had it? No, that was the fake persona he had put on like a mask just to get me to trust him.

It had all been a lie.

"All in good time, sweet Nessa," Talon said, speaking my nickname for the first time and making me shiver again.

He utterly shocked me by shrugging out of his leather jacket and placing it over my shoulders after prompting me to lean forward. The heavy weight of the thick leather was strangely comforting and the scent of him even more so. A combination of leather, with woodsy hints of bergamot and a tinge of spiciness. It was intoxicating and making me lightheaded.

I wanted to ask again what they intended to do with me, but Victor was pressing a button above us.

"Yes, my Lord?" the driver said, making me frown… they were Lords? Like some kind of Vampire royalty? Jesus, I was so screwed.

"We are making a stop in China Town."

I shifted to look at him, the surprise on my face only growing when Talon asked before I had chance to.

"Why?"

Victor looked down at me and rocked me to my core when he answered.

"Our girl never got her ice cream."

I was silent after this, even as the car had pulled up to the ice cream place. Which was when Talon asked what flavor I wanted. However, Victor saved me from answering because he must have read the tub I had bought earlier.

"Almond cookie."

Talon smirked, winked at me, and got out of the car to go get me ice cream, leaving my mind reeling. If anyone had ever told me I was going to get kidnapped by Vampires for the second time in my life and it would have included them stopping to get me ice cream, then I would have laughed myself to death. What the hell was their game exactly?

The question soon burst out of me the second Talon folded his big body back into the car, his thigh resting against my own, making me feel fucking tiny sitting next to them both.

"Does my blood taste better after ice cream?"

Talon tossed his handsome head back and laughed. Even Victor chuckled, although his amusement wasn't as obvious as his brother's. Victor picked up my hand and brought it to his lips to kiss the inside of my wrist, like this had quickly become his habit. Only unlike all the times before, this time he could feel the way I tensed.

"No, Nessa, it doesn't make it sweeter."

"Creamier then?" I asked, making Talon laugh again before he was at my ear, telling me in his amused tone,

"Nope."

"Then why get it for me then? I thought I was your prisoner?" I asked, as if I really needed this part clarifying and using the tub of ice cream in a bag at my feet as an excuse to find out.

"You are our prisoner," Victor stated, before Talon added,

"Our well fed and well cared for, prisoner."

I swallowed hard at this and commented, "So, I am going to become a pet?" Again, Talon was smiling and asked,

"That depends, you gonna sit in my lap and purr when I stroke you?"

I gasped at that before composing myself enough to say,

"No, but if you try, I might bite you."

He turned my face to his, gripping my chin like his brother had done, and I gasped in fright when his fangs emerged quickly.

"I am not worried about your blunt little teeth, Pet," he replied, making me back up a bit and end up pushing myself further into Victor.

"Knock it off, Tal, you're scaring her again," he admonished, making Talon wink at me again before retracting his fangs back up into his gums.

I also hated myself for the comfort Victor provided when I felt his hands rub up and down my arms. As if trying to rid me of my fright. His sigh behind me was one I heard the second I moved away from him. Something I didn't understand at all, considering him wanting to date me had all been a rouse.

"Was any of it real?" I asked in a small voice, and another sigh came from the man who I had aimed that question at. I braced myself for the answer.

"It was all real, Nessa."

I turned to face him.

"I don't believe that," I told him, making him frown harder.

"Then answer me this, what do you believe it was exactly?" he almost snapped, and I forced myself not to flinch because of it.

"I think it was a way for you to discover if I had told anyone about what I witnessed that night," I replied, making Talon chuckle behind me, something I ignored, instead focusing on the one who had truly hurt me. Because his brother may have been the one to bite me, but he hadn't once tried to hide who or what he was. A murdering Vampire.

No, it was Victor who had played the gentleman. The one who had wined and dined me, paid me compliments and lavished me with his undivided attention. He had been the real threat. But then Victor laughed once, without humor, and told me,

"Oh, Sweetheart, do you really believe we would have cared had you told anyone? For you know the real reason why you haven't and that is through fear of sounding crazy."

I flinched, hating that he was right.

"And the body, the guy I saw your brother kill?"

"Hello, right here," the brother in question commented, and we both ignored him.

"Yes, and what of him?" Victor asked calmly, making me scowl at his nonchalant tone. Like murder was nothing but a walk in the park… oh god, had that been what he had been doing that night?

Oh, don't think about that, Nessa.

"I could have gone to the cops, told them I witnessed a murder."

This time the grin Victor gave me was not one I would ever become addicted to, it caused a tremor to snake down my spine. It was nothing short of pure evil.

"Oh, sweet little Nessa, you have no idea, do you? For how could you? Someone as naive and pure as you…" When he paused to get closer, I ended up with Talon's hands held at the tops of my arms to prevent me from getting away from his brother. Victor's fingertip skimmed up the center of my neck, up over my chin, and made its way along my jawline, leaving a line of tingles in his wake.

"…We own this city Firefly. We own it and everything in it."

"Including the police force," Talon added in my ear from behind.

But it was what Victor added next that really frightened me because his fingertip traced my now quivering lips before he told me,

"Just like we now own you."