Better Mate Than Never (New Adult Werewolf Romance) by Adriana Hunter Page A

head increased tenfold, and she
nearly passed out again. With a groan, she leaned her head back against the
seat and closed her eyes, waiting for it to pass. Only when the pain had gotten
down to a more manageable level did she dare to speak.
    “How did you
know I was awake?” She winced at the raspy sound of her own voice.
    “The sound of
your breathing changed.” Blair passed her a bottle of water. “Drink slow,” he
warned.
    She followed
his advice, though it was difficult to take such small sips when the water felt
like Heaven over her parched tongue. Her headache receded further. “Why do you
even care if I’m thirsty?” she asked after finishing half the bottle. “Especially
if you are just going to kill me.”
    He shrugged.
“The warlock isn’t paying me to torture you, just make sure you’re delivered
safely.”
    Randy growled.
“Blair, you shouldn’t be talking to her about Master.”
    Blair raised
an eyebrow. “It’s not exactly a secret that he’s a warlock. And besides, he’s your master, not mine. I can say whatever I like.”
    “Why won’t
you tell me who he is, then?” Paige asked. “What does he want with me?”
    Blair gave
her a considering look. “You’ll know soon enough.”
    “I thought
you didn’t want to torture me,” she snapped. “You’ve kidnapped me and you’re
taking me to a warlock without telling me my fate?”
    “It’s not you that he’s after. You’re just the bait to draw Stone to him.” Blair waggled his
eyebrows. “Now that one, the warlock has a serious hard-on for. His
death will be long and slow and painful.”
    A cold ball
of lead settled into the pit of Paige’s stomach. “He’s… he’s going to kill Caleb?”
    “Yes, but
he’ll torture him first. The guy’s got a taste for pain.” Blair glanced back as
panic threatened to choke her.
    Oh God.
What am I going to do?
     
    *
     
    They drove
through the night, stopping only for gas and food. Paige was so terrified it
was hard for her to concentrate on anything. She was surprised she hadn’t been
reduced to a babbling, incoherent mess. After all, she hadn’t been hardwired
for this kind of insanity and was still having a hard time catching up on
recent events and all that she had learned. She was a normal human, who’d had a
very average life…until recently.
    The sun was
just cresting over the horizon when they turned onto a long, gravel driveway
surrounded by tall pines. It should have been a beautiful drive, but the trees
loomed ominously, like guardians looking down on her from outside a gate. She
half-expected them to come to life, but they just stood in silent vigil. The
drive twisted and turned for nearly a mile, then straightened out as the trees
gave way to beautifully manicured lawns. A mansion sat in the center, old and
mysterious, with deeply pitched roofs, lancet windows and gingerbread trim
marking it as Victorian.
    Randy parked
the SUV at the edge of the drive, then came around the side of the vehicle and
roughly tossed Paige over his shoulder. Fighting back the urge to kick and
scream, she hung there limply as he carried her up the front steps and into the
house. Blair took the lead, his hands shoved into the front pockets of his
jeans, a bored expression on his face as he sauntered up the path to the front
door. Paige couldn’t see him, but she heard him rap the door with what sounded
like a heavy metal knocker, and the tapping of an impatient foot.
    The door
swung open, and Paige was roughly hauled inside. The curtains had been drawn tightly
closed on all the windows, leaving the interior dark, but she could make out
oil paintings on the walls, Persian rugs on the floors and antique furnishings
as she was carried through the house.  They stepped into a parlor, where
she was deposited on a dusty chaise lounge.
    “The Master
will be with you shortly.”
    Paige jumped
as she noticed the small woman standing by the door. She wore a stark, black
dress, but her skin, hair and