Page 53 of Sinful Mates

I gasp and take a step back. “They wouldn’t do that.” But I’m suddenly not so sure. Them hiding me away and telling me to wait for the bond to kick in. Theo’s words came back to me.

“You won’t want to leave when the bond kicks in.”

I shudder, now understanding what he meant. I will choose to be changed. I don’t want to become like them, trapped. Forced to live forever. No wonder they never wanted me to meet Tom, had tried to keep me holed up in the prison. And how will they do that… change me?

I stumble backward. I didn’t want to be a monster. I don’t want to live like that, always hiding in the shadows. No, I don’t want that at all. I don’t want to change. I sure as hell won’t allow them to decide that for me.

“You need to leave, Imogen, before they either kill you or, well, kill you. The only way for you to become like them is to die or for Tobias to change you into what he is, which I heard is extremely painful.”

I nod. I don’t want this. I never asked for this, and I sure as hell don’t want to turn into some furry oversized dog.

Tom gurgles, and my attention snaps back. We are no longer alone. Theo has Tom by the throat, dangling him off the ground, and he is slowly squeezing. I scream at seeing my friend choked, his face changing color. Tom fights back. He claws at Theo’s hands to get him to let go, but Theo is like a predator scenting the death of his prey. He only squeezes tighter. My scream makes him turn and look at me.

Whatever has turned to look at me, it isn't my gentle Theo. His eyes burn blood red, his fangs protrude, and even his nails are deadly points as they dig into Tom's neck. But all of that could have been mistaken for something else. It’s that pleased little smile on his lips as he watches Tom struggle. He is enjoying this. Enjoying the slow death of Tom, making it so he suffered as much as possible.

I feel like I’m going to throw up. "Let him go, Theo, please," I beg. I want to reach out to him, pull him away. My limbs tremble at even the thought of touching him. I can't do it again. Not knowing he is getting pleasure from this. And if I run, Tom will still die.

Tom's mouth opens wide, struggling to suck in air. His lips are approaching blue, and he's never looked paler. He struggles to get Theo to let go, but his movements are slower, weaker. It won't be long. I caused this.

"Run," Tom chokes out, voice barely audible. I think that one word wastes all the oxygen he managed to get back. Theo has turned into a monster. A living nightmare, worse than anything that goes bump in the night. The soft sweet Theo in my memory is being murdered right along with Tom.

"I'm leaving you," I hiss at Theo. I know what that will cost Tom. I’m a horrible person but no matter what else I do, I can't save him. But maybe I can save myself. Maybe I can make one right decision in this entire fucked up scenario. If I had known this was how my story would end, I would have let myself freeze to death in Mom's car.

"Imogen," Theo growls in warning.

I don't care. I turn, and I run. My heels clip clop as I dart away, as hard as I can.

"I should fucking kill you for what you have done,” I hear him snarl behind me. I glance over my shoulder, pausing in my run. Theo drops Tom to the ground. My poor friend falls to his knees, eyes watering and choking as he clutches his throat.

I turn around and continue racing down the ramp as fast as I can go. An arm slips around my waist, and I’m pulled against a warm chest. I kick, hit, and bite whatever I can reach and attack. I want no part of this hot vice-like grip on me. I know who it belongs to.

"Settle down, or I'll make you," Tobias snarls into my ear. I don't listen. I keep fighting. I know what will happen, but how can I just give in when I know the truth. "I warned you." My body goes rigid. The egg is pushed to such a high speed of vibration I hear the buzz, my teeth chatter. I scream when my body is attacked by the pulsing vibrations. My eyes roll back , and I thrash for a different reason now. I know what my punishment will be, but it’s too intense, too much. The vibrations roll through my entire body. My scream becomes a moan and I come hard, melting into Tobias's grip.

The vibrator is turned off, but I can't fight, I can't even stand. Tobias slings me onto his back, over his shoulder.

He stalks back to Tom and Theo. "Fucking kill him," Tobias orders.

I peer up and see Theo walk back up the ramp toward Tom. No! I want to scream but I’m still recovering from the forced orgasm. My limbs are jelly. All I can do is plead, and I do with everything I have. "Please! Don't hurt him!" Theo keeps walking, my cries falling on deaf ears.

I find some energy again, kicking and punching Tobias with weak hits. "Imogen, that's enough," Tobias growls, a new type of rage in his voice. "Not another word, or I'll put it to the maximum setting."

That hadn't been the max before? "If you kill him, I'll never forgive you. He did nothing wrong, I did! Please, he's my friend, don't be this cruel."

He doesn't speak to me, just continues leaving down the ramp until we get to his car. He opens the back door and tosses me in. I’m not even going to be allowed my usual spot.

"It's too late." I didn’t understand what he means at first. Until he strides around to the trunk and opens it. Theo stalks down the ramp, Tom’s limp body in his arms. I scream and open the door, scrambling out and clawing my way forward on my hands and knees, only for Tobias to grab me again and drag me back to the car. He throw me back on the backseat. He turns to glare at me. "Keep it up, and you're riding in the trunk with him," he snarls at me, grabbing my chin and squeezing.

I drop my head to my chest, the fight draining out of me. I have to think of something else, but right now, they've won.

Chapter Sixteen

Anxiety kicks in, adrenaline pumps through my veins. My head is spinning, how could this happen? An hour ago everything was fine and dandy. But now, I've gotten Tom killed. He is gone, another person dying on me, and this time, it’s all my fault.

The back door opens, and I slide as far as the seat will allow, my back hitting the door. Tobias gets in next to me, and Theo jumps into the driver’s seat and tears out of the car garage. The car peels out as it pulls onto the main drag.

Tobias reaches for me, and I kick him in the shoulder. He grunts and grabs my legs, pinning them to the seat. “You killed him, you fucking killed him. Get away from me. You fucking monster,” I scream. The car screeches to a halt, Theo slams on the brakes, and I’m thrown into the floorboard. I try to pull myself out of the gap when Tobias grabs the front of my blouse and tosses me back onto the seat. I peek out the window, and we are in heavy traffic. He tries to clip my belt in, but I see his hands reaching for me at the last second and scratch his face, trying to get away from him.

“Fucking stop, Imogen,” he snarls gripping my arms in a bruising grip. He pins me on my back on the seat and leans over me. His canines slip out and I scream. My logic is that someone will hear me since we are stopped in traffic; I just have to be loud enough. His hand pushes down over my mouth so I bite him hard enough to draw blood. He rips his hand away, and I can see it bleeding, and for a second, with the way he raises his hand, I think he is going to slap me. He drops his hand to the center of my chest at the last second, forcing me to remain on my back. I kick my feet and swing my hands, hitting and kicking him as I try to fight this monster off. But I may as well be a small child flailing about for all the damage it does him.