Page 8 of Bound by Vengeance
CHAPTER 4
Nathan set his stake down and stalked overto the wall to retrieve an ax from the pile of weapons. The honededge of the blade gleamed in the light when he hefted it againsthis shoulder.
Vicky slid her stake back into her pocketand lifted the crossbow from her side. Removing a bolt from insideher coat, she loaded the weapon.
The garbage stench increased when Nathanstopped before the window. Lowering the ax from his shoulder, heused the tip of it to push the blind aside. Blood red eyes clashedwith his through the pane of glass. Whereas Vicky’s red eyescharmed him, these made his lips pull back in a sneer, and hetwisted the ax on his shoulder.
The Savage scampered out of view, but metalclinked and clattered as more of them jumped onto the escape.
“They’ve started hunting in packs,” shemurmured, the realization opening a pit of dread in her stomach.“Probably Joseph’s doing.”
“Yes,” Nathan agreed.
“Duke knew I was in the Garden tonight. Hecalled his friends. He lured me in.” The realization pissed heroff. She’d walked right into his trap.
“Whoisthis Duke to you?” heinquired.
“What does it matter?”
“Because he and his cohorts seem extremelyeager to get at you. Give me the crossbow.” He held his palm out toher.
Vicky glared at him, but she gave him theweapon and took the ax when he handed it over to her.
“So?” he prodded when she didn’t answer.
“Ex-boyfriend,” she replied.
It wasn’t the answer he’d anticipated, butthen he didn’t know what he expected from her. His future wifewould be a virgin, but many of his past bedmates were moreexperienced than him. Of course, Vicky would have a history, butthe idea of her with another man caused jealousy to burn throughhim.
“So you’re trying to kill him because hedumped you, or cheated on you, or something?” he asked, unable tokeep the ire from his voice.
“Yes, that’s exactly why!” she retorted.“I’m such a spiteful bitch that I plan to kill my ex, who hasbecome a Savage since we parted ways, simply because he cheated onand dumped me.”
Nathan noted the way she hefted the ax as ifshe were contemplating braininghimwith it. “So, he wasn’ta Savage while you were dating?”
“I’m not in the habit of boning guys whosmell like landfills. It’s a turnoff, you know?”
Nathan resisted driving his fist through thewall as her words conjured a picture of her with another man. Healmost told her she shouldn’t speak like that, but she might smashhim with the ax if he did, and he had to admit, as much as herwords provoked jealousy, he enjoyed her candor. He didn’t get thatfrom the women in the stronghold, and he hadn’t been with hissexual partners long enough to know them better.
His first time had been with a widowedhunter. Despite the woman’s willingness to have sex outside thebonds of marriage, and with a blundering nineteen-year-old, she wasstill reserved and respectful in her speech.
Vicky’s gaze flickered to the window assomething on the escape clattered. She didn’t want to show any fearof Duke or those bastards out there, but knowing they were there,stalking her, brought forth memories of her time in thewarehouse.
The warmth of the apartment vanished as herskin chilled like she was locked in a tomb with thousands ofspiders. Breathing became laborious when the pressure in her chestgrew to the point where she felt she was being buried alive. Shetugged at the collar of her sweater as she struggled to remainfocused on the now while one of the Savages tapped their finger onthe window.
Tick. Tick.Tick. Tick.Squeeeee.
Vicky’s nerves frayed further when thefinger stopped ticking to slide down the glass in one protractedswipe.
She was prepared to fight a Savage. Shewasn’t as trained as Ronan’s Defenders or some of the otherDefender trainees, but she was far more prepared than last Octoberwhen the vampires Duke sold her to took her away. Physically, shewas better prepared, but she wasn’t as emotionally ready as she’dbelieved.
She hadn’t loved Duke, far from. She’d likedhim; they had fun together. The sex, though okay, was better thanshe’d experienced with anyone else. She always knew theirrelationship would end and been fine with it. But his betrayal hadstruck deep, and seeing him again was bringing that back as well asthe memories of her captivity.
“What did he do to you?” Nathan bit out. Thedevastated look on her face pushed him toward a murderous rage.
“There are no words for what he did to me,”she murmured, and her eyelid twitched when the ticking startedagain. “Duke wasn’t a Savage when we were together. At least not inthe way he is now, but he was definitely savage.”
“Did he hurt you?” Nathan demanded.
