Warrior (Relentless #4)(232)

She stood and went to the door. “Ava.”

A red-haired female vampire and a dark-haired male appeared in the doorway.

“Take Nikolas to the drawing room, and then bring my niece up. I’ll be along shortly.”

“Yes, Master,” the female said.

The male vampire hoisted me over his shoulder and followed the female down a flight of stairs to the first floor of the house. Between the drugs in my system and the blood loss, I had trouble holding on to consciousness. I fought the darkness threatening to swallow me. I couldn’t leave Sara to face this horror alone.

God, Elena. My mind had trouble coming to terms with Tristan’s sister being a vampire. Not just a vampire, but the Master. The person responsible for so much pain and death, the person who had killed Sara’s father and tried to destroy her life was someone I’d once loved as a sister.

We passed through a set of French doors, and the vampire dumped me on a rug in the center of the room. Around me, I heard the murmur of many voices. Vampires.

I heard the clank of metal, and then I found myself on my knees, shackled and chained. I struggled to stay upright when my body tried to slump. Closing my eyes, I saw a picture of Sara smiling at me as we left the cabin. I focused on her face and drew strength from it to keep my body upright.

Sara? I called to her. I had to tell her about Elena, had to tell her to find a way to escape before…

I’m here, Nikolas. I’m coming to you.

Coming to me? No! Elena…Elena was going to hurt her. She couldn’t come here.

No, you have to run. The Master…

I slumped as a wave of dizziness hit me. In my mind, I thought I heard Sara calling my name, but I was too disoriented to respond. It was all I could do to stay awake.

“Nikolas!”

A gentle hand lifted my head, and her presence surrounded me like a warm blanket. I tried to tell her to run, but the words wouldn’t come.

“I’m here.” Her lips brushed mine, and she wrapped her arms around me protectively. I love you, Nikolas. Stay with me.

“Sara,” I rasped. She was the most precious thing in my life, and I’d failed her. She deserved a long life full of love and happiness, but she was going to die here surrounded by evil.

She pulled back to look at me. What have they done to you?

“How very touching,” said a male vampire sitting in front of us.

Sara released me and stood to face the vampire. I reached for her, but the chains held me back.

“Sebastian, how many times have I asked you not to sit in my chair?” said a sweet voice laced with malevolence.

The room grew quiet.

Sara took a step back and turned to look at Elena. I managed to grab hold of her hand.

“We meet at last, Sara Grey,” Elena said with barely concealed excitement. “Or maybe I should say, niece.”

“Elena, please,” I croaked.

Sara gripped my hand in both of hers, and I cursed my weak body. More than any other time, she needed me to stand beside her, and I could barely hold my head up. If I had any strength in me, I would give it all to her. I’d do anything to save her from what was going to happen.

“Please what, Nikolas?” Elena asked with cold glee as she walked around us to sit in a large chair in front of me. “I’ve waited a long time to hear you beg, so make it good.”

I raised my eyes to her glittering blue ones. “This is between you and me. Let her go and I’ll do whatever you want.”

Sara clung to my hand. “No!”

“She’s such a loyal little thing, isn’t she?” Elena jeered. “How loyal do you think she’ll be when she hears how you abandoned me and left me in the hands of a monster?”

“He didn’t abandon you,” Sara said. “He and Tristan looked everywhere for you. They thought you died.”

“They didn’t look hard enough!” Elena glared at me, her face contorted with rage. “For weeks I prayed you would come for me, Nikolas, but you never did. Week after week, month after month, the Master used me, tortured me, and drank from me until I was almost dry. He was a sadistic animal, and for two years he kept me chained in his chambers, two years of living hell while my loving brother and friend lived their happy little lives.”

For one moment, instead of the vampire, I saw the agonized face of the young girl who used to be vibrant and happy and alive. I couldn’t bear to think of her suffering like that at the hands of a vampire. If I’d known, if I’d had a single clue she might be alive, I never would have stopped looking for her. Tristan and I would have devoted our lives to finding her and bringing her home.

“One day the Master got bored and decided I’d be a more fun plaything if I was a vampire. Only I already had a demon inside of me.”

Elena leaned forward, her clawed hands gripping the chair so hard it threatened to break. “Do you know what it feels like to have two demons fighting to the death inside your body? Do you know how agonizing it is when your Mori dies, Nikolas?”

I couldn’t imagine the horror she’d been through. “Elena…”

I choked as powerful hands wrapped around my throat and lifted me as far as the chains would allow. Elena snarled, her face inches from mine. “You talk when I say you can talk.”

“Stop!” Sara screamed. “You’re killing him.”