Turning away, he lifted a hand and two women moved forward, their
fangs extended, their eyes solid black. "Take her downstairs."
"Yes Sire." The women said in unison. In a flash, they were on
either side of her, their strong hands wrapped around her upper arms.
They lifted her from the floor and carried her towards the door at the
back of the bar.
Kicking at them, Paige squirmed, trying to break free of their grip
and when she couldn't, she turned her head and stared at Casey.
For some reason it hurt more that he had betrayed her than Dalton's
treachery.
His eyes met hers.
She saw his tears and sucked in her breath.
Rosa moved away from Lamar and followed the women carrying
her down the stairs.
Before the door at the top of the stairs closed she heard yelling and
what she was sure of was the beginnings of a fight. When the door
slammed shut, it grew silent. They carried her down a long hallway.
She hung limply in their hands and bounced off the bed when they
tossed her carelessly forward. Without a word or looking at her, the
two women turned and walked out the door. Rolling over, she saw
Rosa standing at the foot of the bed.
"Whatever you are going to say is a lie, so why bother." Paige was
heartbroken, no longer trusting anyone. She rolled over to her side.
Not wanting to look at the woman she once thought was her friend.
"Hon, I am your friend. I couldn't tell you what I am. I chose to be
turned as a way to get back at Lamar for cheating on me. I know,
stupid move, but now, I wouldn't have it any other way. We have to
be very careful that humans don't find out." Rosa sat down at her back
and placed her hand on her shoulder.
Paige jerked away. She held her hand in midair for a moment, and
then allowed it to drop to her lap.
"If we are friends, then why did you bring me here? You knew this
was happening" Paige sniffled and wiped the tear that escaped.
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"Dalton said you had dreams and when you looked at me the other
day; I knew that you were aware. We can read minds Paige. Tadd
was supposed to be the one to convince you, not Casey. When he
stepped in I couldn't stop what was happening."
"I don't understand any of this. What did Dalton mean by me being
the fifth?" She was near tears, totally at a loss.
"Humans go through a process if they want to be turned willingly.
They are called minions and they are given abilities to persuade their
victims to allow them to drink their blood. They are required to
convince five people. The fifth one has to agree to be turned as well.
I know, strange rules, but that is what some idiot came up with
centuries ago."
"So you are saying Casey is willingly being turned and in doing so
I am being forced to turn as well?"
"That is basically what it means. If you don't agree to turn, the Sire
will kill Casey."
"What?!" Leaning on her arm she twisted to look over her shoulder
at Rosa. Her mind raced with the information. The vampire thing
explained a lot. If what she had heard and read, everyone was
attracted to Rosa because of her abilities. Even though she was pissed
at him for using her, she didn't want Casey to be killed. She did have
feelings for him.
"If he doesn't convince you to turn, he will be killed Paige, there is
no stopping it. If Casey doesn't turn you, and Dalton can't convince
you to turn with him, the Sire said he would kill you." Rosa leaned
closer, looking around, she whispered. "I'm not supposed to tell you
this, but he won't kill you, he'll make you forget all this happened and
you'll be released. But Casey will die."
Paige shifted to the side of the bed and stood up. "Will Dalton be
killed too?" The thought was a bit intriguing; a lying cheating bastard,
but unfortunately he was still her husband and father of her children.
"No, Dalton is already a vamp, so they will do nothing but mock
him and Darcy for not being able to convince you. You have a strong
mind and are not easily persuaded." Rosa laughed. "Tadd was
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dumbfounded when you acted like nothing had happened when he
tried to convince you on the dance floor."
"So you are saying that Dalton was in competition with Tadd to
actually convince me to change? This is all crazy? How did you end
up with Tadd then?" Paige got up from the bed and stood with one
hand wrapped around her waist, chewing the fingernail on her other,
she was deep in thought. "Why am I the 'chosen one'?"
"When Dalton changed last year." Rosa saw Paige's frown. "You
traveling all the time is how he got away with you not finding out."
Rosa shrugged. "Anyway, Darcy decided that she wanted complete
control of Dalton and by doing that, she had to get rid of you or
change you. Really it's all just a game to her. If Dalton convinced
you to change then she would also control you."
'What a bitch!" Paige released a frustrated breath and sat on the
edge of the bed. "So how is Tadd involved in all this?"
"The Sire knows Darcy is trying to grow her clan. Tadd is from
another clan and needed his last person to turn and well, really it's all
just politics to them."
Paige let this register. "So I was Tadd's fifth. How did Casey get
brought into it?"
"He went to the Sire and asked him to spare your life, offering his
own."
There was so much going on in the short span of time it
overwhelmed Paige . She had just met Casey. Why would he give his
own life for hers? Did he really love her as he claimed to?
"When they are trying to convince the person to change, does that
mean they sleep with each of them?"
"Yes, that's usually how they take the blood." Rosa still sat on the
bed, watching her closely.
Paige's hand lifted to her neck where she knew Casey had bitten
her, but she hadn't felt him pierce her skin, nor was there any blood, or
she didn't think there had been.
"He didn't bite you sweetie, there would have been a mark. To
humans, it looks like a hickey."
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She dropped her hand and shook her head, walked back over to the
bed and sat down. "I know I'm going to wake up at any moment and
realize this is just a stupid dream."
"I wish I could tell you that would happen." Rosa told her sadly.
The door opened then and Dalton came into the room. His head
held high, a smirk on his face. "Looks like lover boy isn't gonna
convince ya, is he?" Dalton stood with his arms crossed over his
chest.
"You knew I had slept with him didn't you?" Paige actually enjoyed
the look of anger that crossed his face briefly, before he masked his
emotions.
"Do you honestly think he is really in love with you?" Dalton
sneered. He looked her up and down with a disgusted look on his
face. "I am the only man who can even tolerate being around you, let
alone touching you."
Now that hurt. But she refused to let him see that he was affecting
her. Paige
felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end and at
that very moment she realized she hated her husband. She had always
pushed her feelings aside while he always got what he wanted. Well
no more. She got up from the bed.
"You know, you're right. I am a worthless piece of shit and I know
you love me and will take care of me. You are my husband. I should
do the right thing by that." She walked over to him demurely and
placed her hand on his arm and ran her fingers over his chest to the
snap of his jeans.
Dalton's eyes opened wide and he dropped his arms to his side,
allowing her access. Paige could almost read his mind. He was
thinking he had her convinced without even trying.
Her hand slid lower and she cupped the erection that had suddenly
sprung to life. "Screw you!" She snarled and she lifted her knee
which landed with a thud, and then she shoved him away. He
stumbled, grabbing himself before falling to his knees and gasping for
air. Paige turned and stalked over to the bed.
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The door flew open and Darcy charged in, but Rosa lunged and
blocked her from attacking Paige, they both hissed, their fangs
extended. "Bitch, you gotta go through me first." Rosa snarled.
There was a commotion at the door and the one they referred to as
Sire walked in. Darcy immediately lowered her head as did Rosa.
Darcy's fangs snapped back up into her mouth and she slithered over
to Dalton. Rosa remained on the alert, watching her every move.
Dalton glanced back in Paige's direction with hatred in his eyes and
hobbled out of the room with Darcy's help.
Rosa spoke quickly. "This is our Sire Artur. You are a pawn in a
battle between covens. Casey is from our coven while Dalton is from
Darcy's. Be careful chica." Rosa lowered her head and moved out of
the room quietly.
"Rosa is correct." The vampire's red eyes bore into her. "You find
yourself in a quandary. If you choose your husband, you will share
him with his coven leader. Yet Casey refuses to allow you to be
changed on his behalf."
"He is going to die instead of turn me?" She brought her hand to her
throat. The thought of Casey giving up his life for her horrified Paige.
Artur turned around, he moved so smoothly, he appeared to glide
towards the door. "Maybe you can talk some sense into him."
A moment later, Casey stumbled dejectedly through the door. His
face was battered, blood running from his neck where he had been
bitten several times. He limped in and nearly fell before he reached
the foot of the bed. Paige couldn't help herself and rushed forward,
helping him sit down, she fought the tears that threatened to spill.
"What have you done Casey?" She knelt in front of him and
touched his face tenderly. Afraid that even her slight touch would
hurt him, and it did. He winced in pain and she nearly cried. "I'm so
sorry."
He lifted his bloody hand to her face. "No, I'm sorry baby. I
should have taken you away so you wouldn't be here. But I'm not
going to let them do this to you. You have to tell them…" He doubled
over in pain, clutching his head.
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Her hands shook and she tried to comfort him, not knowing what to
do to ease his pain.
"Sire is blocking me from telling you. You have to make your
decision on your own." He gritted through clenched teeth.
"Casey, I cannot let you die for me." "I won't force you to change.
I didn't want that for you in the beginning. That's why I stopped
Tadd. I wanted you to run away with me." Casey pulled her to him.
She knew he had to be hurting and tried to pull away. "Please just let
me hold you one last time."
"You knew you were going to die if you didn't change me." Paige
reprimanded him accusingly.
"I don't know what you did to me Paige, but the moment I laid eyes
on you, I knew I loved you. I won't let this happen to you."
The sincerity in his voice went straight to her heart and she touched
his cheek tenderly. "What happened to you Casey? Who did this to
you?"
"I was stupid enough to attack Dalton knowing he is full vamp."
Gasping at the thought of Casey being so violently beaten, it was
hard for her to believe how much Dalton had changed. He had never
been physical like this before. As far as she knew, he had never even
been in a fight.
The door opened and Artur came in with six men walking behind
him, holding chains. Paige stared in confusion at them and back to
Casey. "What's happening?"
"I have to go." He struggled to get to his feet. Paige stood and
helped him stand; he pulled her to him, his busted lip coming down
onto hers.
. His blood was staining her dress, but she didn't care. Silent tears
slipped down her cheeks and she kissed him back. Moments later he
was yanked from her arms. When the shackles were placed around
his wrists and ankles, a sob escaped through the hand she held over
her mouth when he was dragged out the door. She slunk to the floor,
burying her head into the foot of the bed and cried. Her heart was
breaking in a million pieces at the thought of Casey giving his life for
her to keep hers. Someone she had just met would do something like
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this for her when the man she had spent nearly half her life had
deceived her so easily.
Paige didn't know how long she lay there crying. She hadn't cried
in years. In fact, not since the day she found out Dalton had cheated
on her nearly three years earlier. Since then, she kept all her emotions
bottled up inside. They came pouring out of her and she felt
completely drained. When the door opened, she didn't move.
The smell of Rosa's special perfume filled the air and still didn't lift
her head.
Rosa knelt on the floor beside her. "Baby, I am so sorry."
"Why did this have to happen?" Paige sniffled, a small hiccup
escaped and she swiped at her face.
"It just does." Rosa stroked her hair. "I have to take you upstairs
now."
Paige allowed Rosa to help her stand, what else was she supposed
to do? Straightening her dress, wisps of hair had escaped the knot at
the base of her skull, so she pulled the pins and let it spill around her
shoulders. Looking up at Rosa, she gave her a sad smile knowing that
this was going to be the last time she saw her friend. She didn't know
how it was going to work, but somehow they would make her forget
all this.
Rosa lifted her hand and wiped away the stray tear, took her arm in
hers and walked her slowly out the door and up the stairs.
Walking back into the bar, the area had been transformed. In the
middle of the dance floor they had Casey chained to an X shape
wooden structure. His wrist and ankles were bound, his back facing
the crowd. His face was at the V at the top. The only part of his body
he could move freely.
The crowd grew quiet when Rosa led Paige through the middle
where they parted; allowing her to see that Casey had been str
ipped
bare. Her head whipped around to look up at Rosa. "What are they
going to do to him?"
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Rosa closed her eyes. "He refuses to turn you, even if you agree, so
the Master is forced to have him killed."
Casey called to Rosa, pleading. "Rosa, please don't make her stay.
Take her out, get her away from here."
Paige gasped at the sound of a whip cracking and covered her
mouth when she saw the line of blood dripping down his naked back
and buttocks. She started to run forward but Rosa grabbed her.
"You can't stop them." Rosa arms wrapped securely around her, she
murmured in her ear while Paige fought to get away.
Two more cracks of the whip and Casey couldn't hold on to the cry
of pain that escaped.
Rose allowed Paige to sink to her knees on the wooden floor. In
between cracks of the whip, vampires ran at him, biting him, and then
running off. She stared in horror when Dalton turned to her and gave
her an evil smile. Allowing his fangs to extend, he turned and ran full
force at Casey, latching viciously onto his neck.
* * * *
Casey was not going to die for her, especially not at the hands of
that fucking bastard. She would not stand by and let that happen.
Paige lost all self-preservation and control. Her heart pounded in her
chest, adrenaline pumped through her veins.
Rosa didn't try to stop her when she got up and ran to the table
closest to them.
Paige slammed the bottle on the edge of the table, shattering it.
With the jagged edge, Paige closed her eyes against the pain and cut a
long deep gouge up her arm. Blood running freely down her arm, she
wanted to throw up. The smell of her blood immediately grabbed the
attention of the other vamps and their fangs extended, but they didn't
rush her.
Instead, she charged them, through them.
They parted to let her go.
With Dalton still latched on to Casey's neck, she raced around to
where she could look into Casey's eyes. He stared at her, shaking his
head no. "Don't do this baby, let me go."
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"I will not let you go, now drink!" Paige demanded and held her
arm up to him. Her blood ran down her arm and soaked into her