Love Me to Death (Underveil, #1)(85)

She had to get these guys free and out of here before she was discovered. She had to protect Nik and their baby.

“Oh dear,” the vampire said, in a lazy drawl. “Someone has a secret.”

Shit, shit, shit.

“Leverage is time sensitive. Your little secret is safe with me…for now,” he whispered so softly she was certain no one else had heard.

Everything brightened as the light elf moved to stand next to her, and Elena got a good look at the vampire. He was even more attractive than she had originally thought, with thick, auburn hair, strong features, and blood-red eyes. He smiled when her gaze drifted to his mouth, revealing long, sharp fangs. “Like what you see, Dhampir?”

“Drink from me,” the elf said. “Do it quickly.”

“What is your take on this, vampire? Is she toxic?” She didn’t hum so he could read her thoughts. What would you advise?

He arched a brow and tilted his head. “I will only answer direct yes or no questions.” Then he stepped back to his bench and sat, arms over chest, completely silent.

Aleksi stood on her other side. “He’s smokin’ hot, huh? Makes my mouth water. Too bad he’s a vamp.”

Elena turned to stare at the immortals lined up in the dungeon hallway.

“Fydor is searching the west wing for you, lovely Slayer,” the vampire said.

“Fuck Fydor,” Aleksi growled.

“No thank you,” he said. “I’d rather kill him.”

Elena spun to face him. Is the elf lying?

“No.”

Will her blood make me stronger?

“Infinitely.”

“Unlock his cell but keep him shackled,” Elena ordered the guard. She handed her sword to Aleksandra. “If I die, cut off his head.”

“No. Don’t trust him. You’re playing Russian Roulette, only you’re holding a gun to the whole world. You die, we all die,” Aleksi said.

Humming, she looked from Aleksi, to the elf, to the vampire. It all boiled down to instinct. Her instincts told her he was telling the truth. Her death wouldn’t benefit him, since he was scheduled for execution.

The elf tilted her head, offering her neck and shoulder. “Time is short. Become stronger. Elves’ blood has properties unlike that of any other species. It is my people’s gift for rescuing me.”

Elena’s heart hammered in her throat as she rested her hands on the elf’s shoulder and placed lips against the delicate flesh of her neck. She sucked in a huge breath through her nose as her fangs elongated, and then she bit down. Sweet, floral tasting blood flooded her mouth, and she swallowed only a tiny bit. It had an aftertaste like jasmine tea, her favorite. Power so great she could hear it in her head roared through her veins like a freight train. She buried her hands in the elf’s hair, tilted her head more, and bit down harder. The elf whimpered, and she forced herself to slow down and then release her. Power rushed through her in a heady mix of adrenaline and light.

Head reeling, she leaned against the bars of the vampire’s cell, catching her breath. “I’m so sorry. Are you hurt?”

The elf shook her head. She rubbed her fingers over her neck, closing the wound.

She took the creature’s hand in hers. “Thank you for your gift.”

“That was very exciting to watch, ladies, but Fydor is leaving the west wing of the fortress. The bear shifter with him is in significant distress,” the vampire warned. “You should take your prisoners and go, Dhampir.”

She shook her head to come out of her blood high and focused on his face. “They are no longer prisoners.” But he was, along with the wood elf. She should free him, but something told her that might be a mistake. He was the most dangerous thing here.

“Yes, I am.” He smiled and his wicked fangs showed.

“Let’s go,” Aleksi said, striding to the front of the line of immortals. “We’re going out the back of the great hall to the stables. Stay together until I dismiss you to go report to your people.” She held the sword up. “Any funny business and heads will roll, literally.”

Elena turned to follow, but couldn’t seem to make her feet move when she reached the stairs. Something felt off. She turned and faced the vampire watching her from the far end of the dungeon, barely visible in the flickering light from the candle on the floor.

Claude rushed to her side and pulled on her elbow. “We need to hurry before Fydor finds us here.”

“You’d better run along, Dhampir,” the vampire said casually.

She couldn’t. Something was wrong. She closed her eyes and focused. Blood in the past had been the catalyst for her visions. Maybe the elf’s blood would work that way. Yes. Behind her eyelids, she saw the elf, wrapped in shiny fabric, pass her a small object. But before she could figure out what, the vision faded. A faint flicker of something else fluttered just out of reach. She took a deep breath of the stale dungeon air and concentrated harder. The image solidified enough to let her see the vampire dressed in clean clothes, all black, holding her in a tender embrace with her head against his chest. Her eyes flew open to find him studying her.

The guard pulled on her again. “Fydor’ll kill us if he finds us.”

The vampire had said he was thousands of years old, but he looked no older than thirty as he stretched his long, shackled legs in front of him and smiled. “Make good choices, Elena Arcos.”