“As soon as I looked into those beautiful green eyes of yours, I knew I had to have you. Those other girls, they simper and fawn and they would do anything I asked of them. But you… you are different. You are an orchid in a field of dandelions.” He ran his free hand along my throat and I whimpered. “Now you are mine, little flower and I cannot wait to taste your sweet nectar.”

His words sent shudders of revulsion through me. Pinned between him and the wall, his scent assailed my nostrils and I almost gagged at the sickly odor that permeated his skin. It had been faint at first, camouflaged by expensive cologne, but the longer he held me the stronger it grew. I found a fox once with a badly infected cut. Eli reeked of that same stench of rotting flesh and death.

“I just have to know one thing first,” Eli whispered and spun me around to face him while keeping me silenced with his hand. In the weak light of the alley I could see him as he smiled at me almost tenderly. “How did you do it? How did you break the compulsion? No one has ever resisted my will before.”

He started to lift his hand from my mouth and I sucked in a deep breath to scream my head off. He tilted my head, forcing me to look into his eyes. “One thing, little flower. If you call out, I will rip your little boyfriends to shreds. You don’t want that, do you?”

My eyes widened even more and I shook my head frantically.

His lips parted in a smile and I watched in horror as two curved snake-like fangs grew from his mouth, gleaming in the pale light. In that moment I knew what a mouse feels like when it looks into the eyes of a rattlesnake. The mouse knows it is going to die but it is too mesmerized with fear to move.

When Eli lifted a hand to my face I tried to jerk away from the inch long black claws where his fingernails had been. He touched my cheek lightly and I shuddered at the feel of the cold hard claws on my skin.

“Now tell me how you resisted me and I promise your friends will not be harmed.”

“I–I don’t know.”

He sighed impatiently and his clawed hand moved down to brush against my throat. I swallowed convulsively. “I’m not lying. Please… I don’t know what you want me to say.”

Eli’s eyes narrowed and he stared down into mine. “I think I believe you. Hmm, can it be that you don’t even know what you can do? It makes me wonder what other charming little talents you might be hiding.” He licked his lips and gall rose in my throat at his meaning. “What a delight you are. To think I almost settled for one of those insipid blondes.”

He put his mouth to my ear and his words sent waves of fresh terror through me. “I am going to savor you, little Sara. I had planned to have you now but why rush when we can take all the time we want later.”

“No…”

“But I think a taste first to whet the appetite.” His face lowered as he forced my head to one side, baring my throat. His lips touched my skin and his tongue lapped at the spot where my pulse beat. Blackness swam before my eyes.

“What is this?” he murmured and sniffed as if he was trying a new wine. His tongue touched my skin again. “You taste like –” His head whipped up and his eyes glittered like he had just been served a favorite dessert. “You’re a –”

“Now that is no way to treat a young lady,” said a deep masculine voice from the other end of the alley. The voice was cold and menacing and the sweetest sound I had ever heard.

Eli moved so he was backed against the wall with me dangling in front of him like a rag doll. “You are very brave my friend, but you will move on if you know what’s good for you.”

“I have been told that I don’t heed orders well.” The shadows shifted and a tall shape moved forward into the meager light. He wore the jeans and navy blue sweater I’d seen him in earlier, but over them he now wore some kind of leather harness that crisscrossed his muscled chest, holding an assortment of knives. Behind his right shoulder I could see the handle of what looked like a sword strapped to his back. I was so happy to see him that I almost sobbed his name.

Eli stiffened and let out a hiss. “Mohiri!” Fear crept into his voice and my dazed mind wondered what on earth scared a vampire.

Nikolas chuckled and I felt a tremor run through my captor. “I see there is no need for introductions. Good. I hate to waste time on formalities.”

“Stay back or I will rip her apart.” Eli’s hand was at my throat now, the icy claws biting into my skin. I was afraid to breathe and risk being sliced open. I froze and focused on Nikolas’s face, praying he would save me from this nightmare. For a second his eyes met mine and I saw barely controlled rage in them, I glimpsed something feral and lethal simmering below the surface.

“A bit melodramatic, don’t you think?” Nikolas quipped but steel laced his voice. He took a step forward and Eli jerked in response.

“Her death will be on your hands, Mohiri.” Eli’s claws pressed tighter against my throat and I felt warmth trickle down my neck. He shuddered at the scent of warm blood beneath his nose and I could tell he was about to lose it. Nikolas would never reach us before those fangs tore my throat out.

Nikolas’s expression never changed. His voice grew deeper, colder and I shivered at the power radiating from him. “Do it and it will be your last act, vampire.”

Eli quailed but he did not loosen his grip. I could sense the struggle inside him. He was afraid but he craved my blood. Would he stay and fight for his prize or run for his life?