Pretty When They Collide (Pretty When She Dies 0.5)(30)

“I was doing what you wanted. Making the spells to catch the dhamphir,” Aimee whispered.

Frank released her throat, but his hand closed on her wrist in a tight grip. Dragging her toward his bedroom, he shook his head. “Maybe you were, but I don’t have your heart, your mind.”

“Frank...” Aimee wailed, his sharp nails drawing blood.

The vampire entered his bathroom and turned on the water in the enormous black garden tub.

“Frank, please...” Aimee raised her free hand, summoning her magic. If she was breaking free of his influence maybe she could...

The water rushed into the tub, churning and foaming.

Feeling muddled and a little sick, Aimee lowered her hand. She couldn’t attack Frank. Hurt him. Destroy him. His blood was tangled up in her soul. “Frank,” she whispered.

Directing attention to her, Frank smirked. “Ah, maybe I still do have you.”

“Frank, please. I obey you,” she said, pleading.

The blow across her cheek sent her to her knees.

“You were going to do something to me just now, weren’t you? What were you going to do, Aimee?” Frank’s fingers tangled in her long bronze hair.

“Your blood makes me sick,” she wailed. “Don’t please.”

“You reek of magic and those awful herbs,” Frank grumbled. Checking the water level, he seemed satisfied. Using her hair as a leash, he hauled her to her feet, then shoved her into the tub.

The water was icy cold. The shock of it engulfing her body stunned her for a moment, then the water filled her nose and mouth when Frank shoved her beneath the surface before she could take a breath. Submerged, she struggled against Frank while he held her down. Lungs burning, she clawed at his arm. Just as her vision began to spot, he pulled her head out of the water.

Gulping in great breaths of air, Aimee flailed, trying to gain traction on the slick porcelain with her hands and feet.

Still gripping a handful of her hair, Frank poured shampoo, body wash, and scented oils over her head. “I’ll get rid of that awful stench.”

“Frank, please, stop!” she gasped, her lips trembling against her chattering teeth.

“You make me do this. You know that, don’t you? You completely manipulate me until I have no recourse!” Frank hurled a bottle of shampoo across the room. It exploded on impact, globs of ivory-colored soap spattering over the red and black tiles. “Everything was going just fine, then I see that look in your eye and I realized you’re f*cking with me.”

This time Aimee sensed him tensing the muscles in his arm and held her breath. The water swirled through her hair, obscuring her vision as she listened to the amplified sound of her heart thumping in her chest as the water closed over her.

Again Frank waited until she nearly lost consciousness before yanking her out of the icy grip of the water.

“You make me do this!” Frank shouted at her. Bloody tears drifted down his cheeks. “All I want to do is love you, but you get this little attitude and I know, I just know, that you’re up to no f*cking good.”

“I was just making the spells,” Aimee sobbed miserably.

“No, you were hiding from me. Since we got back from Vegas you’ve been closing me off. I thought I was imagining it. You have your peculiarities, but I see your defiance. Why do you think your kind ends up dead so young?” Frank snarled and plunged her under again.

This time, he held Aimee under until she could no longer hold her breath. The edges of her vision began to tunnel awhile her lungs burned for oxygen and her muddled brain fought back. Her magic welled up inside of her, building in intensity. The need to survive fought against the blood bond. Tearing at his wrist with her nails, the water began to turn pink as drops of his vampire blood fell into the water.

Aimee thrashed about in the freezing water desperate for air. The need to breathe was overwhelming. Her lips parted and she dragged water into her lungs.

It was then her magic overcame the blood bond and erupted out of her. The icy pink water exploded out of the tub in a great wave, knocking Frank onto his back, and sloshing against the ceiling before raining over the bathroom.

Retching, Aimee rolled onto her side, bracing herself against the bottom of the tub. Tremors ran through her body as her ravaged lungs expelled the last of the water. Gurgling, she tried to get to her knees and rested her hand on the edge to pull herself up.

Frank knocked her onto her back and landed on top of her. His glasses were gone and his eyes were like red fire. Pinning her, he stared into her face, his quivering cold fingers pressed against her cheek.

Teeth chattering, her hands braced against his arms, Aimee averted her eyes from his scrutinizing stare. What little of the water remained in the tub sloshed around them.

“The thing that really gets to me,” Frank whispered, his lips brushing hers, “is how much I love you. It drives me nuts. I’ve loved you since I found you. Do you remember how I sought you out? Made you mine? How did I find you, Aimee?”

Aimee didn’t want to cry, but she was. The bond was twisting inside her head, making it difficult to think. Her near drowning had weakened her physically and her magic was slowly rebuilding.

“Answer me, Aimee.”

Frank rarely used her name and the sound of it on his tongue sent shivers through her body.

“You heard about a girl who could move things with her mind living on the streets in El Paso,” Aimee answered in a trembling voice.