I wished I hadn’t spent all day letting the sunlight sap my strength. Even after close to an hour of starlight, I still felt weak and drained.
I managed to borrow a car from a screaming woman shortly after Bennigan drove off with Cara. I’d told her I would probably bring it back, but she’d still screamed and sprayed me with some sort of liquid that had smelled horrible.
I knew I was close when I arrived at a sort of shipping yard. There were huge rectangular boxes in various colors stacked across the huge concrete space. I couldn’t see any sign of activity, but my sense of Cara’s location was clear as day.
The phone she’d given me vibrated in my pocket. I pulled it free, then answered.
“Who is this?”
Bennigan’s laugh came from the other side. “I didn’t quite believe they’d taught you how to use a cell phone. I guess it’s true.”
“Give her to me now and I’ll consider showing you mercy.”
“You’re sure you wouldn’t rather let me handle her? She seems too feisty for you, Lucian.”
I gripped the phone tighter at the thought of him going anywhere near Cara. My Cara. “If you touch her…”
Bennigan laughed. “I plan to. And once I’ve had a little time, she’ll be begging to touch me. Do you know how video texts work? I’ll make sure to send you one.”
“Give her back and I’ll consider letting you live.”
“No. I think I’d rather let you watch me take the human for myself. She was stubborn, but my charm worked on her just like all the others. She has been begging me to let her at my cock, and I think if you keep irritating me, I may give her what she wants soon.”
I clenched my teeth. I knew he was lying—just trying to push my buttons. Maybe it was because I knew the bond should’ve protected Cara from the worst of his abilities. But Bennigan was strong enough to charm other vampires, which meant she wouldn’t be immune forever. “What do you want from me?”
“Nothing, Lucian. That’s the best part. There is absolutely nothing you can offer me. This isn’t a negotiation. I just want to see your misery. I want you to feel a fraction of what I felt when you took Emily away from me.”
“Emily took herself away from you when she—”
“Don’t speak her name,” he hissed.
I gripped the phone until I could feel the fragile machinery threatening to break between my fingers. “Give me Cara. This is your last chance.”
“Or what? You’ll make me? Please, Lucian. Please try. I would love nothing more than being able to look the others in the face and telling them you gave me no choice. That the only thing I could do was remove your pretty little head from your body.”
I bared my teeth, even though I knew he couldn’t see me. “You can try.” I turned off the call.
I walked forward, trying to head toward the source of the pull in my chest. Toward Cara.
I’d left her on her own, and now she was paying for my mistake. I’d told myself she would be better without me in her life, but I’d been a fool to think I could keep her safe from a distance. Hell, I’d been a fool to think I could handle the constant ache of being away from her, with or without the bond. It had only taken minutes before I’d longed to see her again.
I knew there was no future for us, but I was going to get her back. I’d keep her safe. And this time, I’d take as much time as I could possibly get with her. I’d let her decide when it was time to part ways, because I knew I couldn’t willingly walk away from her again.
I’m coming, Cara.
35
Cara
I couldn’t see a thing.
The darkness seemed to make the first sound of struggle feel amplified. There was grunting, shouting, the scuffing of feet, then several gunshots.
My heart was pounding as I imagined what was coming for me. I pictured the old man with the dead eyes deciding he wanted to torture me for fun, or Bennigan letting Jezabel have me to do with as she pleased.
There was shouting, muffled thuds like someone getting punched.
Laughter.
Scraping like feet being dragged across gravel that was getting closer.
Then the doors of the container were yanked open. Bennigan and Jezabel were dragging Lucian between them. He was covered in blood and I could see at least three obvious bullet wounds.
Lucian.
Despite what should have been mortal wounds, the man actually shot me a roguish grin as they dragged him and a chair to sit beside me.
“Looks like he was dumber than I anticipated.” Bennigan said to me with a crooked grin. “Came alone and unarmed.”
“You should see the other guys,” Lucian muttered.
“What are you doing?” I asked.