Blood Red (43 page)

Vivi Anna

lover. Someone Rose could depend on. Even love. She didn’t want to deceive the girl, but she would do anything to escape.

“Bravo. Nicely done.”

Red and Rose looked up quickly toward the cell bars.

Drake stood smiling; his eyes alight with glee. The guards flanked him on either side.

Rose pushed away from Red. She pushed down her dress and dropped to her knees. She bent her head down demurely.

“I’m sorry, Master. She seduced me.”

Red looked down at Rose. She shook her head. She misjudged the hold he had on her.

Drake opened the cell door and entered. “It’s all right, Rose. I know you are weak.”

“You were right, my Master. She would say and do anything to escape.”

Red gasped. She considered the possibility that the girl would not help her, but she never imagined that she would confess all.

“She asked me to help her. She—she thought she could take your place.”

Drake smiled at Red’s shock. “Foolish, isn’t she, Rose?”

“Yes, my master. Very foolish.”

“You may go.” He waved his hand at Rose. “You did your job.”

Rose got to her feet. She didn’t look at Red, just kept her head down and left the cell.

The guards snickered as she passed.

Drake smiled down at Red. “She’s very well 84

Blood Red

behaved, is she not?”

Red seethed with anger. She snatched up the chains left by the mattress and swung them at Drake.

She was quick. Quick enough to get by his sixth sense.

A shackle struck him fiercely across the face.

She pulled her arm back. She swung them again.

But she would not make a second impact. Drake grabbed her around the throat and lifted her off the ground. He squeezed tightly until she dropped the chains.

Red stared him in the eyes. They were aflame with anger. His skin was split open above his eyebrow and across his bony cheek. Blood dribbled from the cuts.

A droplet ran to his mouth. Drake licked it away. Red grinned triumphantly.

“I have had enough of you. The Brothers be damned. I will not waste any more of my time on you.”

Red tried to shake her head. Her ears were ringing and her sight was fading. The Brothers? Could it be?

Maybe Wolf was telling her the truth. Or maybe the lack of air to her brain was making her confused.

Drake pulled her toward his face so they were only a breath apart. “You have just confirmed your death sentence, my dear. To be carried out immediately.”

He threw her back onto the mattress. She landed awkwardly. Her leg twisted under her. She cried out as the pain seared her.

Drake left the cell. The guards locked it behind him. He paused at the cell bars. “Maybe now The Wolf will talk. Watching you die just might break him. Love can have that effect.”

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