Page 49 of His Stolen Queen
"Wh-what are you doing in here? Get out!" I tried to sound brave, but I couldn't keep the quiver out of my voice.
"Alice, Alice, Alice." His voice was deep, gravelly, and frightening.
He stalked toward me like a sleek predator, his sharp teeth flashing under the harsh lights of our kitchen. I stumbled back, fumbling for a chair and shoving it in front of me. His demeanor scared me, but I didn't want to take my eyes off him.
"Shall we sit?" He gestured to the chair held firmly in front of me like iron armor. His tone mocked me as my breath hitched in terror.
"H-how do you know my name?" My trembling fingers gripped the wood, ready to throw it at him. I eyed my phone lying between us. Dammit, I couldn't reach it. I hoped he hadn't noticed.
"I know everything about you, Alice Harper," he snarled. "I've been looking for you for a long time."
"Stay back!" I warned. "Or I'll call the police."
He gestured to the phone in front of me before holding up his hand. "Go ahead." He grinned at me, his teeth growing longer in front of my horrified eyes. "They can hear you scream."
I sucked my breath in before lifting up the chair and throwing it at his head. It bounced off his chest and crashed loudly onto the floor. He didn't even flinch.
Next, I grabbed my phone and threw it at his head. It simply bounced off his cheek as if I'd thrown a piece of foam.
Low laughter rumbled through him as he stalked closer to me, taking his sweet time. Terror snaked through my chest as I fumbled for the fruit bowl and chucked it; all the while moving back to get to my knife block. I clutched the handle of the biggest knife and held it out toward him in warning.
"Stay back, or I'll hurt you. I mean it!"
He tipped his head back and cackled maniacally. "Oh, Alice. I am going to have some fun with you."
The scream died in my throat as he lunged forward.
***
Acheron
Her scream was the first thing I heard. I crashed through her front door, blurring to the kitchen where my heart almost stopped in my chest.
Vladimir had his hand under my mate's chin, her body slammed up against the fridge. Sobs were wrenched from her throat as her fingers tore at Vladimir to release her.
Red hot fury poured over me, and I felt my teeth lengthen in full.
"Let. Her. Go."
Vladimir turned, his face twisted in an ugly snarl.
"Acheron," he spat out. "How lovely of you to join us."
My fingers flexed with the urge to kill. "Your time in hiding has done you no favors. You look like shite."
He laughed harshly before he roughly grabbed Alice. He brought her to his front with his arm wrapped around her neck. She whimpered in fear, tears tracking down her cheeks. Her mouth murmured my name.
Acheron. Help me.
I could hear her sweet voice as clear as day in my head.
"Careful, King," Vladimir hissed. "One wrong move, and I'll rip the head clean off your precious Queen."
The fear of Alice being hurt, or worse, choked me with fear, yet I remained outwardly unmoved. Alice continued to stare at me in wide-eyed terror. Wisely, she remained quiet apart from soft, quickened breaths. Vladimir was so unstable that one word from Alice could cause him to tighten his grip, effectively breaking her neck.
"What is it that you want?"
His eyes flashed black before returning to red. "Your head on a platter, for starters."
