Page 20 of Immortal Hunter
Snatching it up, she almost lost her grip as the image sent from an unfamiliar number filled her screen.
Ewan. Bloodied. Bare chested. His eyes closed. His wrists bound in silver manacles high over his head. He was against a stone wall, somewhere dark, lit only by candles held in brass sconces on the walls.
Hagen. The decor reeked of her sire.
With trembling fingers, she tapped out a reply.“If you harm him, I will bind you with silver in the center of the town square, and come morning, you will burn.”
Within seconds, the phone rang, and she jabbed the screen hard enough a hairline fracture appeared in the glass. “He is an innocent, Hagen,” she snarled.
“He is your mate.” Her sire’s low, rich laugh carried over the connection. “Do not toy with me, daughter. I know your heart beats for him.”
Not anymore.
“Ask him. Compel him. You will see that you are mistaken. He knows nothing of me.”
“He knowseverythingof you. But if you do not submit to me once more as your sire, he will die. Very, very painfully.” Ewan screamed in the background, and chains rattled. “That was a slice to his shoulder. Deep, but no bigger than my thumb. Imagine the sound he will make when I flay the skin from his ribs.”
“Why,” Ewan moaned, “are ya’ doin’ this?”
“Because I need my daughters at my side when the darkness comes.” The sound of a fist on flesh was like a punch to Kára’s gut, and she braced her hand on the counter, trying to stay upright. It didn’t matter that Ewan felt nothing for her anymore. Her body still recognized him as her mate, and his every moan, every whimper, threatened to undo her.
Hagen muttered, “Fucking idiot,” almost to himself, then his voice strengthened. “I require an answer, Kára.”
“Where and when?”
“At sunset tomorrow, I will call you and give you my location. Understand that I know exactly how long it will take you to reach me; if you are a minute late, he dies. And do not fill your head with silly ideas of rescuing him.” Her phone vibrated, signaling incoming video, and Hagen’s face filled the screen. “The platform he is on is rigged. I can end his life in a single heartbeat.”
Hagen turned the camera to show Kára the crossbow mounted high on the ceiling, then panned over to Ewan. The weapon was pointed right at his chest.
“Hagen…” Kára swallowed the bitter taste of bile in the back of her throat. “Let me speak to him. Please. Let me see his face and have this last moment with him.”
Rolling his blood red eyes, Hagen stepped closer to the platform and pointed the phone camera at Ewan.
“Ewan? Please, my love. Look at me.”
His green eyes were cloudy and bloodshot, and he had a hard time holding his head up, but he blinked hard and tried to focus. “I told…ya’…lass…” A cough tinged his lips red with blood. “I dinnae ken—”
“Dinnae fash.It does not matter now. All that matters is that you stay alive for me, Highlander. After all, you left your da’s watch with me, and I need to give it back to you. I will make this right. I promise.”
A furrow appeared between Ewan’s dark brows, and his lips parted, but Kára shook her head. “Save your strength. I only ask one thing of you. When I am no longer myself, remember how much I love you.”
Ewan nodded, though Kára wasn’t sure she’d gotten through to him at all. But the screen went dark, and Hagen’s voice rang in her ears. “Tomorrow, daughter. You will be mine once more.”
Chapter Ten
Ewan
The massive vampirein front of him grabbed his hair and forced his head to the side. As Hagen’s fangs pierced Ewan’s neck, he thrashed as best he could, trying to get away, but chained as he was, he had little leverage.
After a few moments, his body felt so heavy, so tired and weak, that he gave up and let his muscles go slack.
What had Kára said?Save your strength.And she’d called him Highlander. She had his da’s pocket watch. He wouldn’t have easily given up such a precious possession. He knew her somehow. He’d thought her drunk off her arse when she’d showed up at the pub, but now…he doubted everything.
His captor pulled back with a satisfied groan, but did nothing to seal the wounds, and blood dripped down Ewan’s shoulder and chest. Not enough to kill him, but enough to keep him too weak to fight.
What did it matter? His hands had gone numb hours ago and the shackles and chains were thick silver.
“I see why she likes you, human. After I have her under my control again, I will make her drain you. It will be a memory she relives every one of her nights.”
