Forever Bound Series 1-4(68)

The wolf could become stronger.

She wanted Drake as strong as he could possibly be.

But the boost took a little time. The vampire blood had to work its way through his body.

I’ll give him the time he needs.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered because he’d hate what she was about to do.

But, sometimes, a vamp just had to do what she had to do.

Since he wasn’t expecting the attack, Paige had the advantage. She grabbed Drake and shoved him back against the wall. The wall had to be reinforced with steel. The whole place was reinforced.

This would hurt. But she had to hurt him in order to save him.

“Paige, what the hell–”

She kissed him. A deep, hard kiss that held all the passion and longing she felt for him. Did he know that she still loved him? That she always had? There’d never been another in her heart. There wasn’t room for anyone else. Even with all the miles and years between them, Drake had been the only one she wanted.

He shuddered against her. “Paige.” Lust. Need. Fury. All were in his voice. And he was about to try and break away from her. She knew it.

Couldn’t allow it.

I’m sorry. The words were only in her mind this time. She brought his lips back to hers. Kissed him again. She knew just what she had to do. Give him an injury that would disable him–for a bit–but allow him to come back even stronger once her blood started pumping fully in his veins.

A tear leaked down her cheek. His arms were around her. He was holding her tight. Some attacks, you never expected.

Paige tore her lips from his. In the same instant, she reached up, grabbed his head, and slammed it back against the reinforced wall. The thud of impact had nausea rolling in her gut.

Her shifter went down with a groan.

She stared at him, aware that her heart just hurt. “I’m sorry,” she said again. She had to move fast. She knew shifters–no, she knew him–and he’d be recovered in three, four minutes tops.

He’d come after her.

He’d go after Michael.

But Drake wouldn’t die. Because she wouldn’t allow it.

She spun away. Punched in the codes she’d memorized. She’d watched him so carefully, just in case…

The steel slid back. The trapdoor opened. She rushed through the opening but took precious seconds to secure the door behind her.

Her gaze flew around the cabin. She rushed to the left, to the right, and did her best to cover that trapdoor and protect her wolf.

Then she bent down, and her hand slid inside of her boot. Oh, that sweet weapon. Without a stake, she’d feel naked. She never left home–or her wolf’s compound–without it. Held inside by special straps, the weapon was waiting for her.

Time to die.

She ran out of that cabin and raced right toward her worst nightmare.

The vamps were feeding. Michael was screaming. And Gabe–Gabe opened his arms to her as if he were greeting a lost lover.

“I’ve missed you,” he said, voice smooth as silk.

Paige’s heart raced as she ran into his open arms.

***

Fury filled him as Drake’s eyes flew open. What. The. Hell.

He leapt to his feet. His gaze went to the monitors, and he saw Paige, his Paige, running into the open arms of a vampire.

The f*ck no.

He leapt up the stairs and punched in the code to open the door. The steel slid back, and he shoved against the wood.

Only…the wood didn’t move.

He shoved again. Harder. The wood lifted, then fell back down with a snap. His eyes narrowed. Paige had put something on top of the trapdoor. She’d locked him in.

His beast didn’t like to be caged.

With a roar, Drake slammed his shoulders into that wood. He pushed. He heaved.

The wood broke apart. He leapt up, still shoving–the bed, she’d put the bed on top of the trapdoor–then raced for the front door.

He could hear the snarls and shouts and they seemed to burn his ears. The image of Paige running into that vampire’s arms was branded into his mind. Why? Why?

He rushed outside. Saw the blood on the ground. Michael. Still alive. Barely moving.

Paige–she was…

“Hello, alpha.” The taunting voice came from his left.

Drake’s claws were out and so ready to claw that SOB apart.

“Did you lose something?” The vampire asked as Drake turned to face him.

The vampire was tall. Blond. Bleeding. And he held Paige in his arms. The embrace wasn’t one of a lover, though. One of the vampire’s arms locked around her throat, while the vamp’s other hand held a wooden stake right over Paige’s heart.

“Because it looks like I found something.” The vamp smiled, flashing fangs.

Drake saw the other vampires stalking toward him. Was he supposed to be intimidated? Scared?

He was just pissed. “Let her go.”

The vampire–he had to be the one Paige had told him about, the one she’d called Gabe-shook his head and laughed. “If that’s what you want…she’s already served her purpose.”

Drake was looking at Paige then. He saw her eyes flare wide in horror, then Gabe spun her around so that she faced the vampire.

“You’re free now,” the vampire told her, voice soft, almost tender, “because that’s what your wolf wants.”