8. Chapter Eight

Mordecai was keeping Jasper locked in one of the guest rooms. This place was massive. I still had no idea how large it actually was, or where it was even located. There were corridors that went on forever, and I wasn’t even sure how deep into the earth this place went. There had been guards stationed all along the corridor and I wondered how many other people were being kept here. At least it wasn’t a dungeon, or if it was, it was the nicest one I’d ever seen, and I’d been in a few. I barked out a laugh making one of the guards at Jasper’s door look at me funny.

“Just debating whether you can be a connoisseur of dungeons.”

The guard raised an eyebrow and pursed his lips. “This isn’t a dungeon. The vampire, Farrow, is kept here for his own protection.”

I crossed my arms and ducked my chin. “Protection that requires a locked door and a guard. Yeah, sounds like dungeon to me.”

“The dungeon is on the sub-basement level.”

Interesting. “And that’s how many levels beneath us?”

“Thirteen.”

Jeez, this place was huge. Bigger than I thought. “And how—”

“The Master says you have one hour,” he replied, opening the door, and putting an end to my questioning.

“What? No. I want more.”

The guard bared his teeth, and I got an eye full of pointy pearly whites. “One hour. The Master has ordered me to use force if necessary.”

“The Master can go suck it. If he wants me to leave, he can come and get me himself.” I strolled into the room and shut the door behind me with a snap. There was a responding growl through the door, and I had no doubt he’d relay my message to Mordecai. I hoped he delivered it word for word.

I still couldn’t get my head around Mordecai. One minute he was being a gentleman, and the next, a complete, utter asshat. All these mood swings were giving me whiplash. It was unsettling that I couldn’t predict him. That he could move so quickly from one extreme to another. And that kiss…

That carnal, possessive, consuming kiss.

Fuck. I still couldn’t believe I’d done that. I still had the taste of him in my mouth and instead of being repulsed by it, I liked it. Man, I was in some seriously deep shit. I needed to get a handle on this whole vampire sire relationship before I did something that I’d massively regret.

“Jasper?”

I walked deeper into the room. From what I could see, it was fairly plain. The lights were off and my new vampire eyes were adjusting to the darkness. But there was a desk, couple of chairs and a bed. A soft breathing emanated from the bed, and I walked towards it.

Jasper lay in the centre, still dressed in the clothes he’d worn when Mordecai had made me attack him. I was never going to forgive him for that. For making me put my mate through that suffering at my own hand. Even if I wasn’t fully in control, I still felt guilty.

Oh, God. I’d nearly killed him. He’d nearly died, and it was my fault.

Resolve burned into being within me. I didn’t care if there was something between us because he’d sired me, but I was never going to let Mordecai have a hold like that over me ever again. I’d kill him if he even tried it.

A gurgled breath ripped through the air and spurred me into action. I sank onto the bed, careful not to jostle Jasper too much, and took in his wounds. There was still a gaping hole in his chest, but I could see his ribs had at least reformed. Why hadn’t he heeled further?

I touched his forehead. His breathing was laboured and his skin clammy. He was so cold. As cold as the grave. Without even thinking I straddled him and pulled him towards me. I wrapped my legs around him to keep him in position. I called on my demon, brought forth my wickedly sharp talons and sliced a gash in my neck. I knew Jasper wouldn”t have the strength to even bring his fangs down. He was so close to death”s door.

I cradled the back of his head and placed his mouth against the steady stream of blood.

”Come on, Jasper.” I silently prayed to whoever was listening that he would live. Panic swelled in my chest as I waited. Time slowed to a standstill.

And then, there it was. The slightest flicker of his tongue against my skin. I let out the breath I”d been holding and sighed as his laps became firmer. I felt the tell-tale signs of his fangs descend.

”That”s it. Take what —”

Pain erupted in my veins. A brutal burst of fire that seared the inside of me. This was a vampire feeding without using the pleasurable side of his bite. This was all toxin, and it was agonising.

I screamed but as much as I wanted to push Jasper off, I knew he was only doing this because he wasn”t in control. He was so close to death that he was just trying to survive.

But that thought didn”t stop me from blacking out.

Gentle hands wrapped around me. I tried to open my eyes, but I was too far out of it. Too weak. Too drained.

”Lori? Dammit!” There was a desperation in Jasper”s tone as he brushed my hair away from my face. ”I”m sorry. I didn”t mean to…”

”It”s okay,” I managed to whisper but that was a serious effort. My body was limp and spent. Nearly everything had been drained from me. I barely had the energy to breathe.

”You need to feed. I shouldn”t have taken that much.” Jasper jumped off the bed and went straight to the door. I was so out of it I couldn”t hear what he was saying. Everything just felt so far away. With the number of brushes with death I”d had, you”d think I”d be used to it by now. That we”d be old friends. But nope. I still had the urge to tell it to fuck off.

”I”ve sent for Mordecai,” he said with bitterness. ”I still can”t believe he did this to you. Turned you. It was never something I wanted for you.”

At least that confirmed Mordecai hadn’t been lying to me. I had to feed from him and no one else. I wish he’d been lying about that. I didn’t want to go anywhere near him after earlier.

My eyes closed. It was too much effort to keep them open.

”No. Stay with me Lori. Open your eyes.” He patted the side of my face. ”Come on.”

”Tired…” I mumbled.

There was a loud crash as the door to the room burst open.

”What the Hell have you done, Farrow?” Mordecai roared. “Give her to me. Now.”

I felt Mordecai’s firm grip wrap around me, but I didn’t want to leave Jasper.

“No,” I mumbled pathetically as I tried feebly to hold on to him.

My demon stirred in my core, lending me what little strength she had left, which wasn’t very much, but it was enough to wrap my hand around Jasper’s wrist as Mordecai tried to pull me away.

“Lori, let go. I need to undo this idiot’s handiwork.”

There was a soft press of lips against my temple along with the rough scratch of stubble.

“It’s okay, Lori. You saved me. Let him save you. I need you to live.” Jasper cupped my jaw and brushed his thumb along my skin. “Please.”

Indecision warred inside me. I wanted to stay here but I knew that I needed to go with Mordecai. In the end, my instinct for survival ran out.

“Okay,” I said as I released my grip on him, allowing Mordecai to pick me up. I managed to catch a final glance of Jasper before I was carted away. His eyes met mine and I saw in them a desperate plea to survive. His eyes told me that, together, we would get through this.