Ruby opened her eyes, wondering what in the hell she’d been drinking the night before. There was a horrible taste in her mouth. “Wha’ the hell you been feeding me? Road kill?” She moaned.

“Welcome to your new home, human,” a feminine, familiar voice said.

Ruby shut her eyes with a groan. “I’m going back to sleep. Wake me when Leo kills you.” The sharp slap stung even through the drug haze. “Ow.”

“Go back to sleep and I’ll cut off your finger and pour a glass of your blood for the vampire.”

Ruby cautiously peeked, not happy to see Kaitlynn smiling sweetly down at her. “You have spinach stuck in your teeth.”

The blonde reared back, one hand covering her mouth, her eyes horrified. Ruby snickered.

Kaitlynn removed her hand and stood tall and proud. “Allow me to introduce you to a friend of mine.”

She waved languidly. A tall, dark-haired man stepped into view. His eyes glowed red and his teeth were pointed. “Jeremy West.” She simpered up at the vampire. “Jeremy, meet your dinner.”

“Swell.” Ruby desperately tried not to tremble at the anticipation she saw in West’s face. The vampire was staring down at her like she was coated in melted Godiva and he was a confirmed chocoholic.

West licked his lips. “Mmm. She’s going to taste sweet.”

Ruby found herself fighting a hysterical laugh. “You have a great future in porno movies.”

His arm snapped up, ready to strike down at her, and she flinched. There was no expression on his face at all. Damn. No sense of humor.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”

Huh? I thought Ms. Schizo would adore having me battered.

“Too many bruises and I won’t get Leo’s cooperation.”

Oh. That explains that.

“Besides, I’d prefer to hurt her myself.”

Everything around her went dark.

Leo watched from the shadows as Duncan signaled his readiness to enter the… dungeon, was the only word he could think of to describe it, below the Malmayne estate. He nodded, prepared to move—

The terrified screams ripped into his soul and nearly tore it apart. Gone was any thought of moving silently. He rushed into the room, determined to save Ruby no matter the cost.

She was in some sort of glass and concrete cage. He could see Kaitlynn and Jeremy West standing over her. Her body arched off the slab she was lying on, every muscle straining against invisible shackles.

The only breaths she took were to keep screaming.

Kaitlynn smiled, and Leo lost it. The earth trembled beneath his feet. His eyes fell on the electronic lock on the door, and he wondered if he could manipulate it open. It was made of metal, which was of the earth, and was on his land. If that didn’t work he would bring the entire house down to save his mate if he had to.

But before he could move, Jaden was there, ripping the door off its hinges and throwing it away, almost hitting Duncan in the process. Leo flew through the opening, barely catching a glimpse of Jaden collapsing to the floor again with a groan.

“I wouldn’t come any closer, if I were you.”

Leo didn’t even hesitate. The power of the earth surged through him. He rushed forward and backhanded Kaitlynn with all his strength, grimly satisfied when he heard a bone crack. She staggered back, stunned and howling in pain.

Ruby’s screams abruptly cut off.

“Step back, Sidhe.”

He turned to see Ruby held by West. One of West’s hands was wrapped around her throat, the other around her waist. Her feet dangled above the floor, her sweat-drenched hair hanging limp around her pale face. She looked terrified.

“I can snap her neck like a twig.” The tips of West’s fangs poked out to caress his bottom lip obscenely. “Or you can cooperate.”

Leo felt the earth tremble again in response to his rage.

“It’s simple, really.” Kaitlynn caressed her cheek, her expression once again cloyingly sweet. “You take me to mate, and your…Ruby…doesn’t get hurt any more than she’s already been.”

“Choose not to cooperate, and she becomes my lunch.”

“That’s quite enough, Mr. West.” Kaitlynn smoothed out her skirt with shaking hands. “Well, Leo?”

“Do it and you’ll never get any again in your entire long existence.”

Leo’s mouth quirked up at Ruby’s growled order. That was all he’d needed to ensure that Kaitlynn’s plans were destroyed. He shrugged. “I told you my mate doesn’t like to share.” He looked over at West.

“And neither do I.”

He only meant to throw the man off balance, Raising a tiny section of the floor a few feet off the ground would have accomplished that nicely, and hopefully startle the other man into letting go of Ruby.

Instead, a full circular foot of concrete, gravel and dirt pushed upward at an alarming rate, smashing West against the ceiling so fast he had no time to react, or even yell. Ruby screamed. Blood and tissue spurted out of the flattened body of the man who’d been holding her, drenching her in the disgusting fluids.

The concrete and dirt circle pushed up until the vampire’s arms were severed, dropping a shrieking Ruby to the ground. When she hit the ground he could see that her shirt and jeans had been torn through in spots, revealing a mass of cuts and scraps that would have to be tended to and soon.

“Oh, God. I’m gonna…”

He watched helplessly as Ruby vomited. He was stunned by what he’d done to West. Bits of the vampire were still dripping down the new column of earth.

At least I’m pretty sure the son of a bitch is dead. Too bad his stomach was threatening to join Ruby’s in the old heave-ho.

“Wash her off, quickly.” Leo turned to find Jaden leaning against the doorjamb, a scowl on his face.

“Hurry! His blood is in those wounds! ”

“Fuck!” He picked up Ruby and sprinted for the stairs, moving faster than he’d ever done before. He had to wash the vampire blood off of her before it was too late.

He was fairly certain his still heaving mate had no desire to become a vampire.

Duncan glided into the dungeon room, beautiful and dangerous. Jaden watched him with bleary eyes, knowing he didn’t have long before he collapsed again. It would be worth it, though, to see Duncan give his sister the smack-down she deserved.

“Hello, Kaitlynn.”

The Deranged Darling flinched at the sight of her big brother, the livid bruise on her face in stark contrast to the pallor of her skin. “Duncan.” Her voice was slurred, no doubt due to the hit Dunne had landed.

Duncan was staring at Kaitlynn in a very scary way. Jaden watched and wondered what the Sidhe was up to. He doubted it would go the way he hoped. The woman was Duncan’s sister, unfortunately. “Blood debt is owed, and you’re going to pay it.”

“On whose authority?” One brow tried to rise, but then she winced, the action pulling at her bruised cheek.

“On mine, as Lord of Clan Malmayne.” The authority in Duncan’s voice sent shivers down Jaden’s spine. He allowed his teeth to drop, determined to back Duncan with his last drop of blood if need be. If his bond-brother was actually going to make Kaitlynn pay for her crimes then Jaden wanted in on the action, even if he only got to be a spectator.

“Father is lord, not you.” Her chin rose. She almost managed a sneer, but her broken cheek prevented it.

“Father is dead, buried in the formal gardens.” Jaden’s jaw dropped. How in hell had he missed that?

It was damn near impossible to hide death from a vampire.

He glanced at the column that pinned Jeremy West to the ceiling. Perhaps the other vamp had somehow managed to hide the tell-tale signs?

Kaitlynn’s skin had gone pale, her expression filled with trepidation.

“Dead by your hand, I believe.” Duncan circled his sister, his eyes cold and without mercy. “For your crime of murder, the sentence is death.”

Kaitlynn gasped.

Goodbye, bitch. Jaden laughed internally, delighted at this turn of events.