49

"The witch?" Gloria asked, slightly confused by my request and gave me a derogatory look.

"You seem to know her," I replied nervously, glancing at the obnoxious vampire next to me who couldn't wait to grope me again.

"However, I know her," said Gloria thoughtfully, exchanging silent glances with Sandrino and then walking with him to the other end of the room.

I watched her tensely and wanted to get up from the chair, but immediately the creep took a step closer to me.

"You stay seated, you filthy bitch," he hissed with a grin and took the leash in his hand to tug at it provocatively, almost banging my stomach against the table, but I turned sideways quickly enough and my eyes widened in panic.

I was becoming more and more aware that not only was I in danger, but so was my little peanut... Yes, that's what I called my baby. Had I gone insane? Given what happened here, for sure!

"You're dead!" was the last thing I managed to say between my teeth before I got up in a flash, snatched the leash from him with a strong jerk and put it around his neck to pull with all my strength.

He squirmed, looking at me with huge red eyes, and put his fingers on the leash around his neck, but that didn't help either.

"Aria!" I heard Gloria calling out behind me, but I was intoxicated, because the thought that he could have hurt my child drove me out of my mind.

Without anyone stopping me, I looked at the table next to me and quickly grabbed a knife with one hand to ram it straight into the side of his neck, but it didn't do what I was hoping for.

I watched in horror as he grinned stupidly at me and was immediately torn away by Sandrino from the vampire, who calmly pulled the knife out of his neck.

There was no blood, no injury... Just dust! How could that be possible?!

"You know so much and yet you are so ignorant," Gloria's amused voice sounded and I looked over at her in shock. "You don't just kill vampires with a butter knife," she laughed and the others started laughing too. Even the one who should have been dead.

"Only fire helps," Sandrino breathed into my ear and I immediately tore myself out of his grip to turn to Gloria again.

"When can I expect Juniper?!" I asked her angrily and slightly panicked and she nodded to address Sandrino.

"She will be here tonight. Enjoy the last few hours here with your new friends."

"What?" I asked, puzzled, and tried to stop her from leaving me here alone with the others, but there was no chance of rescue.

With quick steps she left the hall together with Sandrino and after the gilded door slammed loudly, I swallowed hard and turned around only slowly.

Besides me and the creep, there were three other vampires gathered around the table and I felt the immediate need to transform to defend myself, but unfortunately the heavy metal around my neck still prevented me from doing so.

"Are you ready to have fun now?" the creep asked, licking his dark lips that contrasted starkly with his fair skin. He just looked like shit and I almost gagged when I realized that that pig had just grabbed my leg.

"I'm warning you," I breathed, wanting to sound threatening, but I couldn't. My voice cracked and my hands trembled as the thick collar constricted my throat, making me easy prey.

"You warn us?" one of the others wanted to know, amused, walking slowly around the wide, dark table. "What are you trying to warn us about?"

With lightning speed, almost imperceptibly, he moved behind me and I shivered as I felt his cold breath on the back of my neck.

"Actually, I don't like the heat. It doesn't bode well... But for you, I'll make an exception," he whispered, wrapping a hand around my waist and slowly letting it wander dangerously close to my abdomen.

I held my breath, looked down at his fingers and then boldly grabbed his hand to remove it from my body, but he wouldn't let me.

"The mutt's whore is shy," laughed the creep, leaning towards the table to rip off the tablecloth, flowers and all that was set. "Come on, let's place them here."

The vampire behind me wanted to urge me to the table, but I tried to stop him by straightening my legs and leaning back. I wanted to cry and scream, but I didn't give them the satisfaction. Even when the creep yanked on the leash, pulling me towards him like I was his personal pet.

"Do you think she's a virgin?" he asked over my shoulder, licking his lips.

"It's marked," he stated, grasping my hair to pull my head back firmly so I could feel his shoulder against the back of my head and his breath on my cheek. "Get on the table."

It was just a breath, but I knew I had to obey it or worse things were bound to happen. He let go of me and I gathered myself briefly, looking at the table to place my hands on it and carefully climb onto it.

Everything in me resisted, but I would rather stand on this elevation than continue to stand so close to these creatures.

As soon as I placed myself on my bare feet in the middle of the table, the four in front of me sat down on the chairs and looked up at me in amusement.

They enjoyed my fear to the fullest, I knew that, but no matter what they would do to me, they would regret it. I promised myself that at that moment and looked at each and every one of them very closely.

"And now my little shepherd dog is dancing," said the tallest of them, who was just standing behind me and put his hands on the belt of his pants.

I frowned at his behavior and slowly and awkwardly began to rock, but apparently that wasn't enough for them.

"Dance properly! And take off your dress while you do it!" the creep demanded, slapping the table in front of me, making me jump a little.

I bravely closed my eyes, then lifted the dress up so that it fell to just my knees and all of a sudden, they all disappeared. All of a sudden, I was in this bedroom in the middle of the woods with the headphones in my ears and keno on my back. I felt his warm touch, heard the beautiful music and even faintly smelled his familiar smell, which was more than just a scent to me.

And then I realized something. Keno would not get a broken woman back. He got to know me as a fighter. As someone who crossed impassable walls and that person, I wanted to be for him.

I opened my eyes again, letting my dress slide down again and gave the creep a look that even now made him a little unsure.

"If you want to dance, try it," I growled, getting ready to defend my pride beyond death without my wolf.