Whatever It Takes (9 page)

Kristoff climbed up onto the altar with me. Before I could protest he straddled my waist and leaned over me, a triumphant smile tugging at his mouth. He let his lips brush along the column of my throat, the contact making my stomach roll. The thought that this monster would soon be able to make my body betray my heart, had tears threatening to spill from my eyes. After all the years I had trained my will so that this would never happen and here I was tied to an altar and facing a sentence far worse than death.

I wanted to thrash and scream; to curse him back to whatever dark pit of hell he had crawled out of. I couldn’t kid myself anymore even if I was on my feet with a flaming sword from Heaven in my hand there would be no way for me to defeat Kristoff. He was bigger, stronger and a whole hell of a lot older; it would appear that the dice were stacked. Chained as I was all I could do was accept my fate.

“Now, you shall belong to me always.”

I felt Kristoff’s fangs scrape my skin and I screwed my eyes shut. There was only a moment to catch my breath before he bit down. His fangs pierced my skin and I wanted to die. As he drew my blood into himself, he pumped his venom into me. The pain was like nothing I’d ever felt before.

Um hello, I thought a blood exchange was supposed to be sexual. You know all lust, and raging hormones. Not that I wanted it to be, especially with the creep feeding from me, but I just wasn’t able to stand this much pain on top of my humiliation. I guess that’s the last time I listen to a rumor. The people who said bloodletting was ecstasy were either lying or just plain out of their minds.

Supposedly, it felt pleasurable, so the parasite that fed from you could keep you coming back for more. I had assumed that it worked that way all the time. But this burnt as if hellfire was racing through my veins. Kristoff planned to brand me inside as well as out. He pulled back, a trickle of blood running out of the corner of his mouth. I watched on in horror as his tongue darted out to catch it.

“Master, we must use the cup.”

I heard every word Priest said but couldn’t follow what he was saying. My mind felt like it was torn into a million pieces. I could hear my own thoughts and Kristoff’s as well. I couldn’t even tell were my emotions ended and his began. Just trying to stay conscious while Kristoff’s venom raced through me was a fight in and of itself. I’m sure my eyes would roll back in my head and I’d pass out any second now. For that I would be thankful, because blacking out would at least bring relief from the fire that coursed through my veins.

Kristoff stiffened when the silver cup was thrust before his face. He shoved the cup away, “She will drink directly from the source.”

“But that will make her your mate. Not just a vessel.”

He was annoyed with Priest, I could tell by the grip he had on my hair and the very violent thoughts he was directing at the Were. Maybe Kristoff should let go of my hair and grip Priest’s throat like that. I think that would be a much more productive way to release his frustrations.

“Do I look stupid? My bride will be mine in every way. Now get out of my way.”

Kristoff waved his hand and the shackles holding my wrists fell free. I rubbed the stiffness from them, but that only pulled the wounds open. Making the cuts burn worse then ever. The flesh about my wrists was raw and bleeding from where I had tried to break free of my chains. His eyes went dark with lust when he saw the blood dripping from them. I tried to push away from him but with Kristoff straddling my waist there was no way to move.

There just wasn’t enough strength in my bruised and bloodied wrists; I couldn’t even bat away a fly. Kristoff had me right where he wanted me, at his feet in supplication. Besides that, his venom was already taking hold of my soul, causing me to want him. To see him the way any other hormone driven woman would. Oh God, if I couldn’t fight this I would never forgive myself.

With his fist still in my hair Kristoff pulled me into a sitting position. With a second wave of his hand his robe fell away revealing a crisp white Armani dress shirt. With his free hand he worked the shirt free of his pants, holding my gaze the whole time. What the hell was this? Foreplay! Because if it was he was barking up the wrong tree, this was not a turn-on for me, of that I could assure him.

He yanked the material of the shirt and the tiny buttons popped. Kristoff was now naked from the waist up and for one fleeting moment I wanted to run my hands over the naked expanse of his chest. My breath caught at how gorgeous he was. I shook my head as something deep inside me tried to fight the effects of his venom. Tears of anguish sprung to my eyes washing away the illusion and I saw that his beauty was immaculate, yet tainted. It was nothing more than a stained glass window depicting hell.

A long gash appeared across his chest and I realized he wanted me to drink from him as well. Kristoff applied pressure to the back of my head, making his intentions clear. Like crystal. Oh hell no!

“Get your hands off me, Lord Rat Bastard!” I tried shoving at him, but it was like trying to contain the ocean in a drinking glass.

With his free hand he ran a finger against my lips. “I have such better uses planned for that smart mouth of yours.”

That statement was all it took for me to redouble my efforts to break free. I intended on fighting him with all I was worth. I didn’t care if I died fending him off, there was no way I was going to become a demon bride. My hands shot forward with a force that would have staggered a bigger man; his venom was taking hold of me already making me stronger, already healing my wrists and ribs. Yet Kristoff was no mere man. No, I had to have a psycho demon on my ass.

He grabbed my wrists in one massive hand, yanking me forward. With my balance off I landed face first against his bleeding chest. Kristoff’s hand held me in place with the strength of Hercules. My nose and mouth were pressed tight against the heavily muscled wall he called a chest. As soon as I ran out of air I started to struggle anew. Pulling frantically at my wrists that he held within his grasp, but I couldn’t budge them and I was losing oxygen fast.

With no other option, I gasped trying to draw air around the wall of steel that was Kristoff’s chest. Instantly, he released my wrists and began to massage my throat. Trying for all he was worth to coax my throat muscles to swallow. I scratched and clawed at his arms, trying to get free. Drawing blood through his sleeves which I knew was going to cost me later. If there was a later.

Try as I might I could only swallow the blood that welled against my lips. The taste of him hit my tongue, causing me to gag. The smell of stale copper overwhelmed me, my stomach roiling. A purring sound filled my ears and I felt his chest vibrating against my lips. Kristoff was purring and I didn’t know if I wanted to laugh or cry. Whoever heard of a demon purring?

“You’ll be magnificent with my blood running in your veins. Drink deep, bride.”

Tears of frustration began to mingle with his blood. No matter how much I wanted to I couldn’t fight him. I could only drink from the well of darkness inside of him and hope to gain enough strength to break free. I was just praying that I didn’t catch the darkness that dwelt inside of him. As I drank something in my soul continued to rage, to come awake. To quicken.

It seemed like forever before Kristoff allowed me to pull away. There was blood all around my mouth; I was sure it made me look like a two year old who had eaten a candy apple. With his hand still fisted in my hair Kristoff leaned toward me. I watched on in horror as his eyes went completely black with desire. Please God, whatever he’s planning, don’t let it happen.

I didn’t know if I could have fought him, his venom was too strong in my veins. Kristoff had made sure he had pumped me with enough to make me a willing partner. To cause me to forget the animal before me had killed someone I loved, that he had hunted me since I was five. That he was the reason my grandfather had to send my grandmother into hiding all those years ago. His venom was making almost all of my memories fade to black. Soon there would be nothing left to ground me to my anger, or my past.

I saw the thought to lick the blood off my lips pass through his mind. Gross and so not happening. Before I realized what I was doing my hand connected with his cheek. My palm stung like a bitch but Kristoff didn’t even flinch. Way to make me feel like a weakling. My ego didn’t have time to be hurt because now Kristoff’s eyes were black with rage.

Holy crow was he pissed off or what. I could read it in his eyes. He had half a mind to teach me my place and from the look he was giving meI knew he would show me no mercy
.
I needed to come up with a way out of this mess before I ended up pushing daises.

That’s when the good Lord decided to give me a way out of the hole I had found myself in. Priest stepped forward a look of rage on his face. He looked as if he had been the one I had slapped. I looked around Kristoff’s shoulder to see that our audience all looked on with baited breath.

“She isn’t worth the life her grandfather wasted to protect her.” Priest hissed.

Oh damn, I had thought Kristoff’s anger was bad, but now mine was purely driven by hate. If given the chance I would rip Priest to pieces with my bare hands. I shook my head, maybe I had taken too much of Kristoff’s blood into my system. I didn’t only feel strong enough to do it, I felt angry enough. How dare this sycophant even speak of my grandpa? Kristoff smiled as my anger spiked and overflowed into the room. He was feeding off my power and that only angered me further.

“Let me up.” The demand in my voice shocked me.

The audacity of my words could get me killed but I was already in far too deep when it came to trouble with Kristoff, right now all I cared about was putting Priest in his place. Kristoff complied which shocked me even further. Just what was he up to? Oh crap, I guess I was going to get that lesson now.

At the slow cruel smile that spread across his lips I knew my assumption was correct. I also realized that since our blood exchange Kristoff had the ability to read my thoughts. I had a sneaking suspicion that he was able to influence my thoughts and mood as well. My mind was one place I didn’t want him to be, especially if he was about to control me with it.

I stood amidst the robe clad group in nothing more than leather pants and a black and ivory lace Wacoal bra. I was way too underdressed with all the perverts in the room. Besides, it was hard to look intimidating in nothing more than scraps of leather and lace. It didn’t help that Kristoff stood tall, proud and bare-chested next to me, his hand on my shoulder in a show of possession.

He acted as if my previous infraction seemed to be all but forgotten. A quick look into Kristoff’s thoughts told me otherwise. He was glad Priest had pissed me off; in doing so I was hurt and might kill Priest in my rage. Allowing his bride to make a show of power and Priest would no longer be a problem. It was a win-win for him. Bastard!

“Did you have something you wished to say to my bride?” Kristoff made sure the word bride sounded possessive, jackass.

As Priest looked between us I felt his curiosity pique. He wondered who Kristoff was trying to teach a lesson. He couldn’t fathom that Kristoff was angry with him. With one mind brush I knew he was the one to concoct this entire scheme. That he had even gone so far as to tell Josef that I would make a perfect alpha mate, helping to fulfill some of the prophecy before he handed me over to Kristoff. Priest thought that made him beyond reproach. Too bad for him it was the both of us who needed a lesson tonight.

He stood tall, “She isn’t fit to be your slave let alone your bride.”

I rolled my eyes because it seemed that Priest really was as stupid as I’d suspected. He really thought that Kristoff was going to let him talk about me the way he was. Don’t get me wrong, Kristoff could care less about me but to question his choice in a mate was to question his authority. That was something he would not tolerate, obedient henchman or not.

If I knew Kristoff the way I thought I did, he would use this as a teaching experience. He’d even do it without getting his hands dirty. Why should he, when he can have the two of us beat the hell out of each other? To him it was good to be the king, too bad he forgot kings were often overthrown.

Kristoff patted my shoulder and then let go. “Shall we find out?”

What did I tell you? Now I was going to have to take on a full-fledged werewolf and I can tell you right now, I wasn’t happy about it. No one in their right mind would be. Priest had to top the scales at three hundred pounds or as they say here in Scotland over twenty-one stones. Either way he still stood almost two feet taller than me. I was going to my death but I’d be damned if I didn’t try to take him down with me.

“You’ve got to be kidding me?” I shot Kristoff a nasty glare over my shoulder.

He snaked his big arms around my waist pulling me tight against him. I could feel how excited he was by all of this and I wanted to throw up
.
My slap hadn’t even cooled his libido. He must be hell’s version of a himbo or something.

“I am very serious about this. Just think when you win I’ll reward you sweetly.”

Kristoff cupped my breast through the lace of my bra. Just so I knew what he was getting at he also pumped his hips forward, brushing himself against my ass. Good Lord, now I was going to have to burn my clothes before I bathed in acid. That did nothing for my anger as he was pawing one of my more expensive bras.

I dug my nails into his arms, earning a hiss from him. “I haven’t forgotten my promise to neuter you.”

We had an audience of robed freaks watching us and I didn’t think Kristoff would tolerate my sass much longer. As if on cue, he grabbed a fist full of my hair and growled into my ear. “Promises little girl, are made to be broken. But threats, at least mine, are for real. Now get in there and teach that mutt his place.”

The robed spectators fell back, taking Sabine away from the action that was about to go down. They made a semicircle around us and I had visions of Mel Gibson in leather stepping through the crowd. All of this was very Mad Max: Beyond Thunder Dome. You know: “Two men enter, one man leaves.”

Taking a deep breath I cleared my crazy thoughts and focused on reality. I looked at Sabine across the far end of the crowded room. She looked tense and I gestured for her to stay calm. There was no telling how bloody this was going to get, so I needed Sabine to act as if nothing was happening. I couldn’t fight Priest and also worry about her wellbeing. If Priest was as much a sadist as I had originally thought, it was going to get pretty messy. Though I prayed it wouldn’t.

Priest threw off his outer robe leaving him clad in only a pair of black leather pants.

“Twins! How quaint?” I gestured between us.

Priest just flexed, it was a menacing ripple of muscle. Holy mother, he was ripped. Every inch of his body was covered in ritualistic tattoos. When he moved his muscles flexed under his skin, causing the design to stretch and dance in a hypnotic way. Was it some standard rule that all baddies were this buff, because I hadn’t gotten the memo? Come on, even for a werewolf he was cut. It seemed I was right; Kristoff most definitely fed his lackeys HGH.

He made a come on gesture that made me want to kick his ass so bad. He was too sure of himself for my liking. There was no way you could be that full of yourself and not be overcompensating for something. He was probably the 300 year old virgin.

No wonder he was able to slap around women and little girls. He was angry that he couldn’t possess a woman. Whatever, I still owed him an ass kicking for what he’s done to Sabine. Now he was going to get it, even if I got one as well.

“My money is on you, bride.” Not flattering, I could assure you.

Kristoff’s breath ghosted over the bite mark he had left causing me to shiver. I moved away from him trying to prepare myself for what was to come. Besides, tonight Kristoff had already had more than enough touchy feely in my book.

I shot him a nasty look over my bare shoulder, “You owe me dinner, hell spawn.”

Kristoff quirked a brow, his red eyes growing lust filled. Crap, it was snark not an invitation. Note to self don’t sass a demon they will always turn it into something nasty.

“I’ll make reservations, bride.”

I growled and stepped further away from Kristoff, but closer to Priest. Over here I felt more myself, stronger, more clear headed somehow. There was less of a pull toward my lifelong nemesis. It was his venom that now ran through my veins causing this reaction. It insured that I would be a willing mate. It wasn’t anything like werewolf pheromones; they only made you want someone you were compatible with. Demon venom made you respond willing or not. At least sexually, my attitude would remain the same.

Though no matter how repulsive I found him, my body would still ready itself for his. That’s why he had forced me to drink directly from him. The physical bond was now stronger than ever. Kristoff knew that if I desired him it would break me and a broken female was easier to handle than one who had a will of her own. I would be too caught up in my own pity party to realize he was controlling me. Too full of self-loathing to try and stop him, or break his hold over me.

I didn’t have time to think about what Kristoff had planned for me. Not now, because standing only feet away from me was a werewolf bent on causing me pain and lots of it. There was no way in hell I was going down without a fight. So the fleabag before me had better bring it.