Nassor's lips locked in a snarl.
Oh, yeah, seriously pissed.
"Bring him in!" Torrence ordered, and she glanced back, watching as the vamps forced Adam into the room. "As you wanted, we've brought you a dragon."
Nassor's long tongue swirled out, licked across his lips-as if he were already tasting Adam. "A pure-blood?"
Torrence hesitated.
" Is he a pure-blood? "
"Yeah," Adam snarled, "I am. Now get the hell away from my woman!"
Nassor's teeth snapped together. His stare drifted back to Maya. "Yours?" He shook his head.
"Sorry, my Wyvern, but the little cop has been mine for five years." He leaned in close to her, his nostrils widening as he caught her scent. "Picked just for me-and only me."
Her ni**les tightened. He was creeping into her mind, planting images, fantasies. She tried to resist his sensual pull, hating the power of his thrall.
"I've handpicked every member of my family," he said. "Every. Single. One. All chosen because I wanted the strongest, the most powerful, and the deadliest for my clan."
A warning whispered through her mind. A foreboding. She didn't want to hear what he was-
"The minute I saw you, patrolling in that filthy park, then fighting with every breath in your being, I knew you were for me." He lifted her hand. Brought her palm to his lips. Kissed her.
Then sank his teeth into her flesh.
Adam snarled.
Maya stiffened her body, fighting the need snaking its way through her.
His head lifted. Her blood stained his lips. "I could feel the darkness in you. Just waiting to come out." He smiled at her. "A killer, waiting to be set free."
No.
"You're just like me," he whispered. "I know it. The darkness in us-we're the same."
Screw that.
"When your mother died-"
How the hell did he know about that? "Weren't you happy? Didn't you enjoy the feel of her blood on you?"
Cold water iced her veins. She fought his thrall, tried to gather her strength. She wasn't like this sick bastard. Not one bit.
"I loved the taste of my mother's blood," he told her. "I cut her throat when I was a boy and I laughed as she bled."
Maya swallowed.
He turned away from her and began to pace alongside the torches that lined the far wall. "I sent Tyrus to you. Ordered him to change you. So few females can survive the change-their bodies are too fragile-but I knew you'd make it." He paused, glanced back at her with admiration on his face.
"You killed him, even as you drew your first new breath of life."
Her hands tightened into fists. Fragile, her ass. Weapon . Where was-
"I know you've been quite the bad girl while I've been away." He shook his head and glanced toward Torrence. "Killing more of your own kind. Your own family."
Her family-her mother-was dead. This SOB was not part of her family.
"I'm going to give you a choice, love."
She wasn't his love. She was the vampire who was going to make certain he went to hell.
"You can die. I'll let every vampire in this room drink you dry until only a shell remains of you."
Not the option she'd like. "Or?" Her voice came out husky.
"Or you can give me your allegiance. Join me, be the mate I've waited for, wanted all these years."
Yeah, and after he screwed her, Nassor would still probably kill her.
Choices, choices. Maya spared a quick glance for Adam. He was surrounded. If he had a hope of changing, she'd have to get those vampires away from him.
And she knew just what she had to do.
She wished she could risk sending him a mental call through their blood link, but Nassor was so strong, he might pick up on it and she couldn't risk tipping off the bastard. Maya stared into Adam's eyes. "Sorry, Slick. Guess it's the end of the road." She tried to keep shields up in her mind, not wanting Nassor to know what she planned.
His lips tightened.
"Pity I never got to see if you looked like my tat." It was all she could say, but she hoped he got her message.
She sauntered across the room. The torches blazed on either side of Nassor's perfect head.
She stopped in front of him, bared her neck. "I'll choose to live."
The Born Master had his hands on her.
Adam watched, fury burning through him as Nassor pulled Maya close and sank his teeth into her throat.
No!
The vamps around him loosened their hold as they watched Nassor feed. They were obviously anticipating a damn good show, and by the way Nassor's hands were caressing Maya's body, they'd get one.
The edge of her shirt rose as Nassor's fingers trailed up her back.
The dragon tattoo stared back at him.
Pity I never got to see if you looked like my tat .
Well, she was about to find out exactly what he looked like, if the vamps didn't kill him before he changed.
Nassor gulped down her blood, sucking strongly and swallowing thickly.
Adam's claws shot out and he wanted so badly to rip the bastard apart.
The Born Master lifted his head.
Maya swayed before him, putting her small hands on his chest for balance.
All eyes were on her.
Adam began to call the dragon.
Maya slid her body around Nassor's. Rubbing, teasing. Blood dripped down her neck.
She stood behind the master now. Her hands slid up his chest. Her claws scratched his skin.
She stood on her toes, staring at Adam over Nassor's shoulder. Her eyes were black but bright with the flames that surrounded her.
And her face was hard with anger– rage .
He knew her next move even before he saw her fingers rise.
Maya! The scream blasted in his mind.
Her hand closed over the nearest torch, jerked the metal post up, and slammed the fire into Nassor's back, then his head, his pants-
The Born Master screamed, shrieking in pain and fury as the flames burned his flesh.
The vampires lunged forward.
Maya grabbed another torch.
She wasn't going to have much time.
But he'd only need a few moments.
The smell of burnt flesh seared her nostrils. She hadn't killed Nassor, just hurt him like hell. A pain, unfortunately, that wouldn't last long enough.
The vampires swarmed him, some throwing their bodies onto his to stop the flames that were eating away at his pants.
When they finally stepped back, Nassor lay huddled on the floor.
Blisters covered his upper arms. His hair had been burned away. His pants hung in tattered clumps, exposing flesh scorched bright red.
He shifted and she saw his back-the burns that ravaged his skin.
He rose slowly to his feet.