Pretty When They Collide (14 page)

Turning around to fully gaze at Cassandra, Aimee lifted her hand. Tucked into it was a small cotton bag.

Cassandra stopped in her tracks, her lips parting in surprise and apprehension. “A
im
–”

The witch hurled the bag directly at Cassandra
’
s chest. It exploded on impact, filling the air with a
spicy smelling,
milky
-
white powder. In that second, Cassandra understood what was happening. Coughing violently, she stared into Aimee
’
s eyes, her heart thundering in her ears
,
questions fill
ing
her mind.

Cassandra collapsed to the floor and was still.

Chapter 14
:

Prisoner

Aimee stared at the woman at her feet in silence. Breath coming in tight, anxious hitches, the witch felt both relieved and terrible about the act she had just committed.

“
Make sure the spell worked,” Frank ordered from behind her. “Aimee, do it.”

Michael
loomed over his shoulder, a tranquilizer gun at the ready.

“
She
’
s down. Isn
’
t that what you wanted?” she asked in a soft voice.

“
Check her,” Frank said, gesturing briskly.

Looking up the long corridor, Aimee could see the power of the dhamphir laid out before her. All ten of the men who had attacked Cassandra were either out cold or just coming to. They were battered, bleeding, and most likely had a few broken bones. Taking a deep breath to steady her nerves, she kneeled before the fallen dhamphir.

The remnants of the spell
’
s ingredients powdered the sleek black armor and dusted Cassandra
’
s face and tresses. Gently, Aimee swept Cassandra
’
s hair back from her face and laid a hand gently on her neck. She could feel the strong, rapid heartbeat of the dhamphir.

“
Did it work?” Frank asked testily from the room.

“
Yes. It worked. The spell did its job,” Aimee answered.

Michael stepped into the hallway, leaned down, and rolled Cassandra onto her back. Pressing the tranquilizer gun to her chest, he tapped it a few times. Cassandra remained unmoving. “She
’
s out
,
”
he confirmed.

Finally leaving the doorway, Frank stared at his latest acquisition. “My, my
,
s
he is pretty. I
’
m going to enjoy breaking her. Cuff her.”

Michael squatted over Cassandra, laid his weapon aside, and unhooked the silver shackles hanging from his belt. “I have to say, Aimee, you
’
re a badass witch.”

The cold hands of the vampire settled on Aimee
’
s shoulders as he pressed his body against her. “That
’
s my girl. Doing her job. Obeying me.” Frank kissed her cheek, nuzzling it
gently
. “You want to obey me, don
’
t you Aimee?”

A part of her soul was screaming in defiance, but on the surface of her mind all she felt was numb. Frank
’
s blood had twisted her will, making her want to obey him, to please him, to be with him, but its tendrils had not fully encompassed her. A sliver of rebellion burned inside, but it was like a tiny rowboat caught in a hurricane.

“
Aimee?”

“
Yes, of course,” she answered in a voice devoid of inflection.

Flipping Cassandra onto her stomach, Michael secured her hands behind her back, then hoisted her off the floor. “I
’
ll get her into the holding room.”

“
I still don
’
t like that I can
’
t go in there,” Frank groused.

“
The spells that repulse a dhamphir are also going to work on a vampire,” Aimee reminded him. “Others can feed her your blood.”

“
It takes the joy out of it,” Frank sniffed.

Carrying Cassandra down the hallway, Michael shook his head. “C
’
mon, Frank. You got yourself a genuine dhamphir. You saw what she did to your men. She
’
s a tough one.”

Frank completely disregarded the guards slowly rising to their feet behind him. “Maybe they
’
re just imbeciles who have no idea how to fight like real men.” He cast a scornful look in their direction.

“
I should go and make sure the spells are all active and that she
’
s secure,” Aimee suggested.

Giving her a dismissive shrug, Frank gestured after Michael. “Fine
,
f
ine. Go do that. I have to yell at some idiots. I need you to come around in like thirty minutes. I
’
ll give you some of my blood to give to her. I want to start binding her to me immediately.”

Aimee nodded, her stomach twisting in knots.

“
I wonder how long it will take to get her completely in my thrall.” Frank sighed. “She better not be another one like you.”

“
I
’
m sorry for upsetting you, Frank,” Aimee said in a hushed tone, her head lowered.

“
You see, that seems sincere. It
feels
sincere. And I like it.” Frank kissed the top of her head. “Now, go check on my prize.”

Following in Michael
’
s wake, Aimee flinched when Frank started to scream at his guards. It made her shudder in fear. The last time she had heard him so angry, he had been drowning her.

Hurrying up a narrow staircase to the second floor, she took several deep breaths to steady her nerves. She had done what she had to do. She had no choice. It was Frank
’
s fault she had been forced to do what she had done, but it didn
’
t make her feel any better about luring Cassandra into Frank
’
s trap.

The panic room that was being used as a cell to hold Cassandra was a short distance from her and Frank
’
s bedrooms. The product of Frank
’
s paranoia, it was completely secure. No one could breach it once the door closed unless they had the code and knew the location of the
exterior
control panel which was set under a tile in the hallway. The thick steel door stood open and she could hear Michael moving around inside. The door was camouflaged and could blend completely into the hallway. It amused Aimee to see that on the table attached to the faux wall the lamp perched on it was still lit. Frank always thought of everything.

Peeking inside, she spotted Michael securing Cassandra into place with a fresh set of silver shackles that were bolted to the ceiling. The dhamphir
’
s body hung limp in his arms as he checked the locks.

Hearing her soft footstep behind him, Michael tossed her a quick look over his shoulder. “Still out,” he said to Aimee.

“
I see. Frank sent me to check the holding spells.”

Michael shrugged, stepping away from Cassandra. She dangled from the shackles, her head down with her hair obscuring her face. “I better check downstairs and make sure Frank doesn
’
t end up killing the guards. He has a temper.”

Nodding, Aimee silently agreed.

“
You do good work,” Michael said, obviously impressed. “It
’
s not easy to take down a dhamphir. I can see why the vampires killed off most of your kind.”

Folding her arms over her chest and hugging herself, Aimee stared at the handsome man warily.

Taking a small step toward her, he lowered his voice. “I know Frank
’
s rough on you. You don
’
t deserve it.” His very warm fingers lightly skimmed her cheek, his eyes searching her face thoughtfully.

“
What do I deserve?” Aimee asked, flinching from his touched.

“
Better,” Michael said with a charmingly seductive smile. Without another word, he strode out of the room
,
leaving her alone with the dhamphir.

Aimee hurried over to the controls and activated the door. It silently slid shut and locked.

“
What the fuck was that all about?” Cassandra asked irritably.

Aimee whirled around
, flustered. “I think he was hitting on me!
”

“
I meant the fake spell,” Cassandra answered, stretching out her long body.

“
Oh! I wasn
’
t sure you would catch on! I was so relieved when you did!”

“
Well, when the spell did nothing, I figured it was a ruse.” Cassandra shrugged. “And if it was a dud, I figured I could buy myself some time by faking it.”

“
I knew you were smart enough to catch on. There wasn
’
t any way to warn you.”

Flexing her hands, Cassandra winced. “Well, what
’
s the plan now?”

“
I have a spell that I need to activate and
drink
.” Aimee squatted next to one of the spell bags and drew out a small vial. The second it was in her hand, the bond began to twist inside of her, compelling her to smash it.

Cassandra yanked on the shackles, hissing in pain. “I hate fucking silver. Ugh. It
’
s like kryptonite. Mind getting me out of these?”

“
Give me a second.” Aimee fretted. The blood bond was fighting her viciously. Tears sprung into her eyes as she stood and paced, trying to resist the urge to break the spell and flee to Frank
’
s side.

“
Uh, Aimee, I would really like to not be chained up.”

“
I know. Give me a sec, okay?” Aimee snapped. Her vision narrowed and her heart sped up. The bond was crushing her will, eating at her resolve.

“
Aimee,” Cassandra said in her husky tones. “Look at me.”

Lifting her head, Aimee stared at the woman before her. The very sight of her brought tears to her eyes. In the dhamphir
’
s beautiful eyes, she saw her salvation and hope.

“
Is it the bond to Frank?” Cassandra asked in a gentle, yet straightforward tone.

Aimee nodded mutely, gripping the vial in her hand so tightly she was afraid it would crack.

Cassandra winced, then bit her lip thoughtfully. “Okay, this sucks.”

“
He
-he
....
forced...
me...
to drink last night,” Aimee stuttered. Visions of Frank filled her mind, both tantalizing and terrifying.

“
Shit. That asshole.” Cassandra shook her head. “But you
’
re a witch, not human. Can
’
t you fight it?”

“
It
’
s fucking with me. I was able to throw the fake spell because...because...he said to throw it. He didn
’
t know it was fake.”

“
What did he tell you when you came to see me?” Cassandra asked in
a
careful tone.

“
He said...
I said that I had to check on the spells. He said to do it.” Aimee paced before the door, pulling at her hair with her free hand. She felt like her insides were liquefying inside of her. If she went to Frank, she knew the torment would stop.

“
What
’
s in your hand?”

“
A spell...” Aimee held it out slowly. The purple liquid sloshed around inside the vial.

“
And you need to check on it, right?” Cassandra tilted her head and gave her a hopeful smile.

“
Yes!” Aimee took a step forward, her mind resting on that thought. The pain lessened. “I
’
m obeying him by checking the spell.”

“
To make sure it works, right?”

“
Yes!”

“
So...you
’
re obeying him.”

“
Yes! Yes, I am!” Relief flooded her, irrational and wonderful. She was obeying Frank. He
wanted
her to check the spells. She clung to that thought in her mind as she hurried to Cassandra.

Staring into Aimee
’
s eyes, Cassandra smiled
tenderly
. “So...
how do we make sure it works?”

“
I have to put your blood into it and then I drink it.” Aimee tried not to think any further than the superficial thought that she was checking the spell
’
s effectiveness.

Cassandra sighed softly, raising her eyes to the shackles holding her wrists over her head. “I
don’t
suppose checking on the spell include
s
releasing me
?
”

Pain twisted through her mind and body at the mere thought. Adamantly shaking her head, Aimee whispered, “No.”