A Shade of Vampire 8: A Shade of Kiev Read Free Page B

keenly aware of the throbbing in my arm and my throat was parched for blood. At that moment, it took all the willpower I had to not sink my fangs into her neck. My survival was still dependent on her cooperation, so I had no choice but to rein in my annoyance and maintain a civil tone.
    Dripping wet, I sat down next to her on the small bench in the center of the boat and turned to face her. She kept her eyes on the ocean.
    “And where might that be?” I asked.
    “The Cove. It’s also where I left my ship and crew. About a day away, providing Kai and Evie keep up their current speed.”
    We had just entered a particularly rough set of waves and sitting on the bench became uncomfortable. I moved to the floor and looked up at her, now closer to her line of vision.
    “What’s The Cove?”
    “Home of the merfolk.”
    Her answer was interesting to me on many levels. I was curious about the world outside of Aviary. I had lived on Earth for the majority of my life, at The Blood Keep—the Elder’s castle. Only recently had I travelled through the portal into this strange parallel realm of supernaturals. Even my experience of Aviary, the country of hawks, was limited—not to speak of all the other hundreds of territories ruled by different supernatural races.
    “I wouldn’t expect a hearty welcome from them,” the witch continued. “In fact, you’d be hard pressed to find a single race that embraces the spawn of the Elders with open arms.”
    “Will I be any better off there than in Aviary?”
    “Maybe. Maybe not. Whatever the case, it’s your problem.”
    I breathed deeply.
    “But is there shade there? You need to at least leave me somewhere I can find shelter from the sun.”
    “I’ll drop you near a cave,” was all the assurance she gave me.
    A particularly violent wave slammed my back against the side of the boat. I groaned, cursing the witch in my head for being unable to heal me with magic.
    “That serum won’t be in your blood forever. I suspect it’ll be gone within a day. Just get some sleep. You’re going to need it.” She gave me a sour smile. “And I could do without your voice in my ears for a few hours.”
    I didn’t know how I managed to fall asleep in that cramped corner of the boat, with the ocean knocking me about. But eventually, my body gave in to slumber.

Chapter 5: Kiev
    My stunning human captive stood in my bathroom, undressed from the waist up. On seeing me enter, she reached for a towel and clutched it against her chest. I walked over and stood behind her, slipping my hands beneath her towel and running them along her skin. I shivered as I drew warmth from her pregnant body.
    “Please, Kiev,” she choked, flinching at my touch. “Let me go. I can’t survive this without my husband.”
    On mention of Derek Novak, I stopped caressing her and settled my hands over her protruding stomach.
    “I told you to forget that man.”
    “I can’t. I won’t.”
    I gripped her abdomen tighter, applying pressure with my fingers.
    “If you want your twins to be born alive,” I whispered into her ear. “I suggest you heed my warnings.”
    “Please. If you let me escape this place, I’ll do anything…willingly.”
    The anguish in her voice made me take a step back. My gaze roamed the length of her body before meeting her glistening green eyes. Her beauty made me ache inside.
    Anything? I began to mull over all the things I wanted to do with her at that moment. The possibilities were endless…
    I was shocked when she took my hand and pulled me into the bedroom, toward the bed. She lay between the sheets and looked up at me with a determined expression on her face even while tears brimmed in her eyes.
    “If this is what you want from me,” she whispered. “I’ll give it to you.”
    If you don’t take her now, I thought to myself. You’re going to regret it forever.
    Brushing aside her long auburn hair, I pulled myself over her and leaned toward her neck. I breathed in her