Vein of Love (Blackest Gold Book 1) (24 page)

“No. At first I
did
want to help her, but then she kept changing her mind and backing out. She had feelings for you, the ultimate sin,” Cree scoffed. “I’m doing humanity a favor by destroying both of you tonight.”

CREE’S WORDS SENT
a cool, prickling shiver through Molly.
He’s going to kill us.

Cree paused. “I can’t decide who to kill first, though. Make her watch, or make you watch?” Cree stepped in front of Tensley, and she cringed when she heard the brass knuckles hit Tensley. He beat him, over and over again, senselessly.

Molly rested her hand on her stomach, wondering how long it’d be before she bled out. She wanted to kick him, beat him, but her limbs were nearly useless now. She blinked and saw him standing over her, examining his violent handiwork.

“You’re
not
like my sister,” Cree snapped. “The breeding of your two kinds needs to stop—and with the only daemon on earth destroyed, demon hunters will have had a momentous victory today.”

W-what?

Molly vision faded in and out, and her limbs grew as heavy as wet wood.

Tensley was right—she did regret what she’d done
.

Molly tried to move the hand closest to Tensley’s exposed ankle, and found that one finger responded. The contact of their flesh jolted her for a moment, refreshed her limbs. The paralysis receded.

Yes!

Molly rested her wet cheek against the cool wood floor and exhaled. She needed to get out of there, and quickly. She squeezed her eyes shut, praying for an idea, a plan. If she could free Tensley in some way or distract Cree, they’d both have a better chance of escaping alive.

The sweat dribbled over the bridge of her nose and down her cheek—

A thought occurred.

She pushed herself forward, crawling weakly across the uneven floorboards of Cree’s shitty apartment.

Just a little farther.
If she could just get to the fire…

He laughed, taunting her. “Trying to escape?”

Molly reached into the dying fire to her left and grabbed a handful of embers, then flung them into Cree’s face as he dove to stop her. Their skin sizzled and popped as the rank smell of burnt flesh filled the air. Molly didn’t feel a thing, but Cree reared back, moaning deeply in agony.

The hunters rushed over but he held them back, clawing at his singed cheeks and joining Molly on the floor in a crouch.

The sound of the door slamming open rose above Cree’s cries. Unfamiliar figures sped around her. Molly glanced up for a moment, and she swore she saw Illya and that distinctive yellow hair.

Good old Illya
.

Smoke filled her nose and she gagged. She was losing consciousness, and she noticed that Tensley’s chair was now empty, the rope coiled at its base.

She coughed viciously as warm flames licked around her, too close to her skin. Everyone was gone—including Tensley—replaced by a fire that was spreading fast.

This is it.

All her stupid decisions had brought her there.

Sweat dribbled down her forehead, mixing with the drying blood.

A dark form moved in front of her, appearing in the stairwell.
A shadow.
How fitting that it was the final thing she would see before the end.

The shadow moved closer, and as she focused, she saw a mouth moving, speaking to her.

Tensley?

He gathered her in his powerful arms and rushed down the stairs, flinging open the back door as she rested her cheek against his shoulder. Darkened buildings alight from the glow of the fire whizzed by them until Tensley turned into an alley.

Mist surrounded them from the nearby Atlantic Ocean as he placed her against the brick wall. Her knees gave out, but he caught her and used his body to hold her up. Her entire body was already drenched in sweat from the poison, and she honed in on Tensley’s sculptured chest as he worked to remove her top.

“Molly,” he said, lips pursed, eyes two dark grey pools filled with pure panic. “Don’t struggle against me.” He dipped his head down and she swayed; the numbness was leaving and immense pain was beginning to prickle all over her as the golden fleece wore off.

“Ow!” She shifted under his touch. “
Ow!
Am I dying—ow!”

Tensley gripped her shoulders to stop her from moving. The paralysis was replaced by an avalanche of torment.

He leaned in close until their red-stained chests were touching. “You won’t if you sit still and let me help.” She gasped at the sensation, at the quick relief that began the moment he brought his lips and hands to her stomach, sealing the stab wound with new skin. When he was done with her abdomen he moved to her collarbone, trailing kisses along every inch, healing bruises that hadn’t even begun to show up yet, mending her shattered collarbone. His lips moved up to her throat, her jawline, her broken nose, each kiss removing some of the pain as it healed.

Power replaced the ache, along with an extreme energy she had never experienced before. He lifted her arm and pressed his rough lips to her burnt palm, and she watched the skin turn a fresh rosy pink as it mended before her eyes.

When he pulled back, the energy faded somewhat within her, but Tensley was also healing. The cuts on his face faded to nothing, leaving only lines of dried blood in their wake.

She trembled. “Where did he go?”

He didn’t bother looking at her. “I don’t know; he and the others got away.”

Her eyelids fluttered, lined with big pearly tears as she let out a short cry. “I thought he was a good person.”

“Darkness isn’t all one shade,
sweetheart
.” He stood, towering over her. He ran his fingers through his drenched dark mane and glanced down the alleyway, on edge.

“He looked like the good guy. He acted like the good guy.” Goose bumps ran up her bare arms as the sea’s breeze picked up.

“But he wasn’t the good guy, was he, Molly?” Tensley shot back, and she cringed.

“Neither were you! You threatened my family over and over again.”

His nostrils flared. “To keep you in line—and based on our current situation, I should have fucking tried harder. Even if you all
had
managed to kill me, the contract would’ve continued with one of my brothers. You planning on killing my entire family? Because that’s the only option you have.”

Molly struggled to her feet, limbs still weak and sore. “I didn’t
want
to kill you!” she hollered after him as he strode away. “I wanted out of this. What was I supposed to do?”

He spun around, his face contorted and demonic. He wasn’t as weak as before, not even close, and she realized it had to do with their intimacy moments before. “You think
I
wanted this? Wanted to spend my time with a spoiled, naïve little brat? I had a life—I had…” He paused, his chest shaking with anger and unable to finish the sentence. “This was not my decision. This was a contract made by our ancestors three hundred years ago. I’m in the same position as you, Molly.” He threw his hands down. “Fuck! I knew you were up to something in Brooklyn, but I didn’t think you’d actually do it!”

Molly’s mouth fell open and her stomach knotted.
He’s in the same position as me…

“I was desperate. I was trying to make a clean break for both of us and I asked you before and you said no! I refused to work with them after I saw what they did. They ambushed me and they threatened they were going to kill you if I even flinched a wrong way.”

“I should fucking break you in half,” he hissed, hands rolling into fists. “Do you even know what those hunters do?” He threw his hand back in the direction of the bar, where plumes of smoke were rising to the sky in swirls of black. Sirens blared as a fire truck raced by them, followed by an ambulance. “They hunt us, imprison us, starve us, and then kill us like it’s a fucking game.”

She swallowed, lowering her lashes to her feet. An awful taste began in her mouth as she thought about the demon she had murdered with the hunters; she felt disgusted. She had gone to a party where demons like Lex were used as sex objects.

Tensley took agitated steps back and forth in the alley, prowling like a beast. “I don’t fucking trust you. They warned me about you low-breeds.” His words stabbed hard in her chest, and she fought the urge to touch it, afraid to look fragile. Thick black hatred poured out of his eyes in menacing, palpable waves. “But you’re my responsibility.”

She gawked at his stark eyes, so cold, so
cold
it sent a chill through her spine, breathless.

“My burden.”

“Tensley.” A voice boomed from behind them.

Molly glanced over Tensley’s shoulder. Three figures appeared: Illya and two other males. When she studied the others, she noted the same darkness and features as Tensley.
His brothers?

“We have to keep moving.”

“You went back for the bitch?” one of the men grumbled, gesturing angrily toward Molly. Her shoulders sagged and she lowered her head.

Tensley’s only response was to turn and pin her with his coal-hot eyes. “I’m not letting her out of my sight. She’s coming with me.
Move
.”

She limped after them, blood crusted on her cheeks and hands, wondering the whole time if perhaps
she
had been the monster.

MOLLY EYED TENSLEY’S
shadowed building up ahead and hugged her middle. Tensley, his brothers, and Illya walked a few steps in front of her, only sparing her a glare. Tensley hadn’t looked back—not once. She’d noticed his hands flexing and fisting back and forth, as if he was trying to release his anger.

What did you expect? Open arms? A smile?

She swore she heard someone say her name and stopped, glancing over her shoulder. Everyone around her continued to move. She wiped at the blood underneath her nose and moved forward.

“You filthy bitch,” a voice muttered from behind.

Molly spun, again finding everyone minding their own business. Her heart squeezed.
I’m losing it.

Someone hit her shoulder and she turned, automatically apologizing. Her mouth went bone-dry. It was Cree, and he had a dagger, drawn and pointed at her.

She shrieked, swatting his hands away and fell flat on her back.

She jolted up and stared at the horrified businessman where Cree had just been. A few other people stopped, helping her to stand, and she frantically looked around.

The murderous demon hunter was nowhere in sight.

“Molly.” Tensley marched toward her and gripped her bicep. His brow furrowed as she searched around them. “C’mon.”

She yanked at his arm, stopping him from moving, and gritted her teeth. “I saw him. I just saw Cree!”

Tensley stiffened and eyed the busy Fifth Avenue. After a moment, he pulled at her arm again. “You’re fine.”

Molly stayed close to Tensley’s side, her nerves on edge.
I swore I saw… What’s going on?

“Of course you get the crazy bitch as your fiancée,” one of his brothers said, unable to contain his laughter.

“Shut up Cassius,” Tensley snapped. “Both of you go home.”

The brothers, shadowed in the darkness, didn’t protest. “No need to thank us for saving your pussy ass.”

“That doesn’t even make sense,” the second one said and slapped his brother on the head.

Tensley didn’t wait to watch his brothers leave and walked toward the rotating doors of his building.

“Night,” Illya called from the sidewalk, his mouth twisted in a frown.

Tensley waved him off.

The heavy-lidded man at the desk appraised their disheveled appearance with skepticism. “Rough night again, Mr. Knight?”

Tensley grumbled in response and jabbed his finger into the button for the elevator. The man—Sebastian, according to his gold nametag—furrowed his heavy, grey brows, but his eyes were tender and he nodded.

Molly fidgeted with her shirt, torn and clinging to her stomach, caked in bright red. She gagged.
I bleed that much?

A throbbing pain struck the back of her head and she squeezed her eyes shut.
Damnit.

When the doors opened, Tensley moved them inside. He shifted to the opposite side, as far away as possible, and folded his arms.

She leaned against the mirror wall.

“You don’t deserve to live,” a voice called.

Molly’s eyes darted around the small space.

Her lips quivered. “Did you hear that?”

Tensley frowned. “I didn’t hear anything.”

Molly swallowed thickly and twisted her head as another throb began.

“You stuck-up, two-faced bitch.”

“Molly,” Tensley’s voice called to her and she snapped her head toward him.

She pressed her nails into her palms.
Breathe, breathe, you’re fine.

The doors opened and she followed after him, glancing at the doors around them. He dug into his pockets and pulled out the key.

Her eyes passed over him, and she saw a strange figure at the end of the hallway; body twisted, limbs angled inward. She could hear their bones crack as they walked, coming closer,
closer.
She pressed herself past him once he’d opened the door.

“What the—”

“Shut the door!” Molly demanded, desperate.

He did, giving her a long look afterward.

Her shoulders slouched, but the voices didn’t vanish. Instead they grew in her head and she jabbed two fingers to her temple.

“What’s going on, Molly?”

“There was a man out there—his limbs—” She cut herself off at Tensley’s scowl.

He hadn’t seen it. He hadn’t heard any of it.

She didn’t know how to begin. She didn’t know how he would react.

“I don’t have time for games, so spit it out or leave.”

“I don’t know!” Her eyes burned.

“Do humanity a favor and end your existence,” said the same eerie voice surrounding her, and she swore she felt a breath on her earlobe.

“Stop it!” She jerked away. “Shut up! Leave me alone!”

“Molly?” Tensley moved closer and reached out a hand.

“Do it.
Do it!
”

Molly slammed into the ripped apart couch as the voice screamed inside her head. Angry laughter thundered around her and her eyes burned, literally
stung
, and she ran her fingers over her eyelids, rubbing aggressively. Her bruises returned, dark and purple and blue, and her stomach twisted painfully. She was bleeding, redness leaking from her nostrils and onto her white nightgown. “Stop it!”

“Destroy yourself!”

A hand gripped her shoulder and she spun.

“Molly, what’s going on? Tell me!” Tensley shook her shoulders and towered over her.

She whimpered into the heel of her hand, and the annoyed look on his face warped to one of concern. “I keep hearing voices and they’re telling me to kill myself.” Her fingers stabbed through her hair and onto her scalp, as if she could relieve the constant whispering.

He studied her carefully and his scruffy jaw clenched.

“Tensley, I don’t know what to do. Make it stop, please, just make it stop!” she yelled, angrily wiping the wetness from her eyes.

When she looked up, it wasn’t Tensley but Cree smugly sneering at her; she backed up and screamed. It couldn’t be fake—his eyes were rich and dark like coffee, and she was getting lost in them.

“You trust every single man you meet?” he taunted, his combat boots hitting the ground loudly with each step as he followed her.

“Leave me alone, Cree!” She fisted her hands. “Leave me—” She gagged on blood as her nose ran fast, the aching pain of her stab wound causing her to hunch over and wrap her arms around her middle. Cree went for her shoulder and she swung an arm up, pushing him back. He didn’t stop. He continued forward, with force this time, and gripped her forearms so hard she yelped. She freed one arm and dug her nails into the side of his face, kneeing his groin with such power that he flew back several feet.

She rushed into the kitchen, reaching for a knife across the black marble counter and knocking over an empty glass that shattered on the floor. When hands gripped her sides, she flailed, kicking against the counter and trying to rip his hands off of her body. She used her body weight and threw herself backward so he’d hit the counter and loosen his grip.

“Molly!” He spun her around and didn’t let go, his arms encaging her frame. “You’re with
me!
It’s just
you
and
me!
” One hand held her face, forcing her to see the grey irises in front of her.
Grey, not brown.

She let out a pained breath and folded inward, knees giving out. “Tensley?”

“He wasn’t here.” He rubbed his thumb along her cheek to calm her. “It was in your head.”

She rested her head on his chest. “I’m—I’m sorry.”

“It’s not your fault.” He swung his arm underneath her legs and lifted her up off the ground. “There’s glass all over the floor, and for some reason you thought it would be a smart decision to come over here with bare feet.” He walked through it in his shoes, shattering it into tinier shards as he carried her to the bedroom. When he placed her down on the mattress, she gripped his sleeve, forcing him to hover above her.

“Don’t leave me,” she whispered. “Please.”

He straightened, but didn’t move away. He worked his jaw. “There’s only one explanation I’m thinking of and I’m really fucking hoping it’s not that.”

Molly swallowed. “And that is?”

He squared his shoulders and glared down on her. “You made a blood oath with them.”

Molly froze, panic seizing her motor skills. “And—and if I did?”

“It’s an ancient oath of blood, pledging to always stay loyal to the hunters and warlocks. If you
do
leave the group, you will be tried for treason and sentenced to death.”

“Oh god.” Molly caught her head with her hands. “I—I wasn’t thinking. I just did it because I trusted Cree. I trusted him and he—” She crumpled farther.
So naïve, Molly
. Molly palmed her temples; she didn’t want to be that way any more. “How do I make it stop?”

“It depends. You wait until they give up, or you taint your blood,” he offered.

“Taint my blood?”

“It weakens the control and connection they have over you, and the only thing more powerful than their blood and your blood is…” He hesitated, squaring his jaw. “A higher class of demon blood.”

Him.

“They’ll try anything to get you to destroy yourself. They’ll get inside your head, torment you in your dreams until you kill yourself,” Tensley warned.

“No—no, I’m not going to let that happen. I need—” Her gaze sought his. “I need your blood?”

Tensley’s lips parted. He reached down and grabbed her hands to study her palms, sitting on the edge of the bed. “The contract is in your bloodstream.” His muscles locked. “Why would you let them have your blood?”

“I didn’t know,” she responded softly.

“Exchanging blood is a sacred act,” he lectured.

“Well, no one told me that,” she countered, and his face hardened.

Shit, Molly. You’re trying to get him to help you. Don’t piss him off.

“I just want this to stop.” Warmth gathered behind her eyes. “
Please,
Tensley.”

“There are side effects, Molly.” His voice was low. “My blood might not mix well with your daemon blood; it might be too much for your body to handle. It’s a lot stronger than any blood those savages gave you.”

She leaned forward, moving her hands to his forearms; he stiffened. “Please Tensley.” The whispering increased and she bowed her head. “Stop,
just stop
. I can handle it. I can’t handle
this,
” she begged, pointing to her temple.

“You could pass out…convulse.” He stared at her, his eyes shadowed. “I could kill you.”

She sucked in air fast. “I don’t want to hurt anyone, Tensley. I can’t keep what’s real and what’s not straight.” Pearly tears ran down her cheeks, and she wiped at them.

“Why should I help you?” His face was stern, but his eyes, for once, were tender.

She stared back at him. “As a favor, please. I never wanted to hurt you. I
still
don’t.”

He snickered, and his body shifted away from her. “Already did, Darling.
Literally
stabbed me in the fucking back.” Her eyes danced across his broad shoulders, the shirt straining across them. “I should be punishing you for disrespecting me, for betraying me. I should stab you in the back so you can see how it feels.”

“Then do it,” she said, lips trembling as the words shot out.

He glanced sideways at her, plump lips pressed together.

“Punish me because I deserve it, and then I won’t hurt anyone. You said you’d get even, remember? Do it. Get even.” The voices stirred in her head—chanting.

Do it, do it now. End yourself.

Tensley’s expression didn’t change; it was too neutral, too controlled, and she wasn’t at all. She was heaving, could barely breathe. “I’m a liar, a coward—”