High Stakes

Part Twenty-seven

Part 27

SANG:

"I showed you mine. Now it's your turn."

I muster all of my remaining strength and slap him across the face. Roman's head snaps to the side from the force and his cheek tints pink from the contact. I hear Wil gasp and I bite my lip to keep from screaming. I'm terrified. What the heck did I just do?

Roman's Adam's apple bobs up and down as swallows hard, and the veins in his neck stand out. Beneath me, I feel every one of his muscles has tensed up. Oh my God! What did I just do!?

Then, his head turns ever so slowly back to me, and his eyes are almost all pupil, with a tiny sliver of crimson surrounding. "Foreplay already, my little lioness? Save that for later. Now, it's time for you to feed."

His words are calm, but his voice is strained, as if it's taking him all his effort not to retaliate for my slap. "Never." I wish I could've said the word with more force, but I've been through a lot today. I don't know how much strength I've got left.

"You seem to be under the impression that I'm a patient man. Or maybe you're under the impression that you have a choice in the matter? Neither is true. Now bite."

I shake my head back and forth, lips pressed together like a toddler who doesn't want to eat their vegetables.

"Wil!" Roman shouts, "Show her."

Show me? Show me what? I tear my gaze from Roman's and watch as Wil hesitantly moves toward us.

"Why so slow, Winchester? Do you suddenly think you have a choice as well? Should I remind you of my mercy? Should we discuss your sister? Dear Kayli with her useful talents?" As he speaks, Roman's grip on my waist tightens, expressing his anger.

"No!" Wil says quickly, then amends himself, "No, sir."

He shuffles over and holds up his tablet so I can see the screen. It's a feed of a parking lot, and it shows my boys huddled together, talking. My heart hurts to see them—it feels like it's been so long. I feel as if I've entered into a nightmare, and they're the shining rays of hope.

"This is the mall's east lot. Directly inside the mall's east entrance, is this." He swipes at the screen, which shifts to another camera feed. The mall's hallway holds at least fifteen people.

Roman pulls me closer to his chest. "There are sixteen vampires there, pet. Eighteen superhumans against one and eight teenagers. What do you suppose the outcome of that fight will be?"

Wil's finger swipes the tablet screen again and it shows my boys. It looks like North hands Owen a knife, and I can't breathe. It feels as if the walls are closing in. I pant, gasping for air, but none enters my lungs.

Roman makes a cooing noise as if that will calm me, and holds my head in his hands. His eyes have reverted to normal, and staring into their gunmetal sheen focuses my breathing. "See? It's okay. Shhh."

I jerk my head from his hold and stare back at the tablet. Wil is staring downward, avoiding my eye contact. "Don't hurt them," I whisper.

"I don't want to hurt them, kitten. But I want you. So let's make a trade, hmm?" Roman recaptures my face with his hands so I'm forced to look at him. "Finish our bond, and your Academy boys and my traitor brother live to fight another day. Everybody wins."

"Everybody wins," I breathe out, almost ready to laugh at the crazy turn my life has taken. "How do you expect me to trust you'll keep your end of the deal?"