Chapter 49

“Thanks for coming with.”

Elliot’s fangs flashed with his grin, and he stepped on the gas of his red sports car. It brought me back to when we’d first met under false pretenses. Of course, our encounter hadn’t been a coincidence; he’d been spying on me.

“Any time, ma petite monstre. ” He squeezed the hand he’d been holding since the beginning of the drive. Airport traffic was never fun, but fortunately the early hour made it easier.

Elliot backed into an empty spot with ease. The plan was to fly out and be back within the day.

He cut the roar of the engine, and I hopped out, but before I moved away from the car, Elliot pinned me against the hood. The cool surface pressed into my spine through my clothing. I frowned up at him; he’d moved fast.

Elliot moved my hair, hooking something around my neck. A round medallion thudded against the hollow of my throat. Since I couldn’t see it, I grabbed my phone and used the reflection. A black, penny-sized pendant with diamonds lining the edges graced my neckline.

“It’s an onyx stone.”

The surface of one side held a slightly raised snake made of gold. A rough section rubbed against my thumb on the other side. I flipped it. A statement in French scrawled on the surface. Je t’aime . The cursive elegant lettering stretched across the middle.

“This is the last thing I have of my mother’s. She died birthing me. Jean Claude gave me the culmination of her things as a child.” He cleared his throat. “It’s funny how the whole of someone’s existence could fit in a box.”

I wet my lips but said nothing. My throat wouldn’t allow it.

“I had it engraved for you.” Elliot’s nervousness was obvious and my heart warmed.

A beat and then two passed. I curled my arms around his neck. He’d never spoken about his family before, so the fact that he opened up . . . meant everything. “I . . . thank you.”

“Of course,” he murmured, flattening me against his front. “Enough of sad Maya.” He lowered his head and pressed his mouth to mine. The position he had me in made it very easy to feel his stiff cock prodding into my belly.

“Elliot,” I hissed. “We’re at the airport.”

He grinned and the flash of his fangs caused the same visceral reaction they always did. “Relax, ma petite monstre . No matter what happens with your sister, I will be at your side.”

I nodded stiffly. He nipped my lower lip in response.

I hopped off the swaying boat and onto a dock where we were swarmed by guards with big ass guns. Boots thudded on the planks with their approach. Their faces were covered in masks and behind them the looming structure with a scanning light swung from the right to the left. Elliot crowded into my side, angling his body in front of me.

I handed over my identification, just as I was coached on the phone before arrival. Elliot did the same. The blue-eyed man scanned it with a blocky device. With his quick nod, the rest of the guards melted into the dark. We followed blue-eyed guard down the dock and up the creaky stairs. Keeping the prison facility on an island was brilliant. Once down the steps, the path embedded in the sand snaked up the incline toward another deck, which turned into a slim boarded walkway ending at an austere metal structure. Little granules of sand coating the surface crunched under our footsteps. He stopped at a closed slab of a door.

He pressed the keypad and then lifted his mask to flash his face to the camera. Since we were behind him, I didn’t see much. The door hissed and with a creak and groan, swung open. Our IDs were handed back, and he waved his hand in a short motion. “Prisoner sixty is ready. Do not step past the line on the ground or the room will lockdown, and you will lose consciousness.”

Featureless metal walls hosted cameras every few feet. Bulbous perturbances graced the tallest points of the hallway.

“You don’t want to find out what those do,” the guard said cryptically. After a maze of halls that was likely meant to confuse us more than anything, he stopped in front of a steel threshold. “You have ten minutes.”

The door beeped and slid to the side, disappearing into the wall. I stepped inside. Rita sat on the floor in the corner of the long rectangular room. A glowing green line divided the middle.

Her head lifted, and she gasped. She scrambled forward on her hands and knees. The glow illuminated her face as she climbed to her feet.

I approached just shy of the line.

Seeing her unkempt . . . she’d never let herself get to this point. Her roots had grown out to the top of her ears. Her bare face, devoid of makeup, made her look so young. Brown eyes, so much like mine, widened.

“Get me out of here.” The abrupt order took me off guard.

“Why?”

Her expression rippled, and she clawed at the collar wrapped around her throat. “I don’t want to be alone.”

“No. I mean, why should I be the one to get you out of here?” Now that she wanted something, she called upon me. It confirmed what I’d already surmised: Rita was a user. Self-serving and manipulative. “You killed Lucian. You hurt Beckett.” I licked my lips. “And you don’t think you deserve to be in here?”

I shook my head. It was more . . . sad than anything else. Was she really that delusional?

“You can call your mother if you ever need to feel less alone.” I turned toward the exit.

“We’re family,” she shouted.

I tensed and slowly faced her. “My mates are my family. You’re nothing to me.” I gave her my back, ignoring her screams.

Elliot caught my hand and squeezed it. I leaned into him. My mates were my pillars, they kept me standing. They were all I needed around me to feel wanted, safe, and accepted. I didn’t need anyone else.

We boarded the ferry, and Elliot gripped my hand, tugging me into an empty room. A small window on the door allowed moonlight into the small storage space.

“Are you okay?” Elliot murmured, brushing my hair behind my ear.

I pursed my lips.

“Let me rephrase. What can I do to make you feel better?” he whispered throatily.

I closed my eyes and drooped against the wall. “I’m okay. My head’s just a mess.” Nothing to do with guilt. Rita was just a lot to deal with. Fortunately, I wouldn’t see her in any foreseeable future.

Elliot tugged at my oversized shirt. “I’ll distract you,” he murmured huskily against my bare shoulder. A shiver coasted down my spine. He struck within moments, sinking his sharp fangs into my throat.

I gasped from the sudden rush of pleasure tingling in my clit.

Elliot sucked a mouthful of blood and laved his tongue across the wound.

Oh, yes. That warm tongue did things to me.

His nose dragged to the other side of my neck where he struck again. I moaned, jolting against the door. I wove my fingers through his hair, rubbing the soft strands as he sucked. The low hum of pleasure coursed through my veins. Elliot’s large hands delved under my shirt, lifting my bra with it. He pulled back, his gaze glinting as he devoured the sight of my breasts. Sharp fangs rubbed against his lower lip.

I shuddered.

Lowering his head, he bit my nipple. Sucking hard, he dragged an orgasm to life. Shockwaves pulsed through my clit and my sex throbbed.

“I want you,” I panted.

His arm banded around my waist, and he smushed me against him. I freed him with a shaking hand, and his cock prodded my belly. Elliot propped me up and his mouth hovered over my other nipple. Grazing his lips over the hard bud, he pressed a kiss there.

“Then take me,” he murmured, his warm breath brushing across my flesh. I curled my leg around his waist. Bracing myself against him, I speared myself on him.