William by Sam Crescent Page B

the panic to come through.
    “No? What about some fruit?” He came to her side and tried to catch her eyes. Katie refused to give him any attention. But she decided against moving. He could still kill her at a moment’s notice. She’d promised William she’d stay alive.
    “Not going to talk to me at all?” He caressed her cheek.
    Katie flinched away from the contact. “Don’t fucking touch me.”
    He chuckled, grabbing her chin.
    “The little witch has claws, does she? I suggest you be careful how you use them.”
    Katie pulled away from his grip.
    “What do you want with me?” she asked him. She hated the wobble that erupted as she spoke.
    “To get to know you.”
    Katie snorted. “You kidnap me from the Valentines, test me, then pass me around your dogs like some sort of prize, and now you expect me to talk to you?” she mused.
    “What about it? You’re beautiful. And, all right, you haven’t done what I wanted, but there is nothing to stop you enjoying my company.” He took a sip of wine.
    Katie knew he was up to something. “I have no desire to get to know you. You might as well take me back.”
    “This because of William Valentine?”
    Katie stopped and glanced at him, her body tight. She didn’t say anything, just stopped and waited for him to continue.
    “Ah, William Valentine. The second in line and the one who is closer to the devil than any of them,” he said.
    “You don’t know him,” she replied defensively.
    “I don’t know him? Little witch, I was there when I took his first mate from him. Emma. She was the woman he really loved. A beautiful, powerful witch who sacrificed herself in order to save him.” He reached out to touch her again.
    Katie slapped his hand away.
    “You know you’re powerful, too. Killing a werewolf with your own hands without chanting some sort of spell makes you powerful. You would make the perfect queen for my pack.”
    Katie burst out laughing at the absurd suggestion. “Me, be your queen? You think I’ve got some sort of Stockholm syndrome? I want nothing to do with you.” She yelled the last part at him.
    “Are you sure about that?” he asked, crawling onto the bed.
    She backed away until she was against the headboard. He moved in closer. Katie tensed, not knowing what to do.
    “I wouldn’t touch you.”
    “No?”
    “Never.”
    He was perched a breath away from her. “Maybe this will change your mind.”
    He kissed her. Katie fought him, but before she could stop it her mind opened up and connected with his.
    A cave somewhere secluded in the Beyer West forest. She saw inside the bolted metal door. The dead human bodies.
    She pulled away, scared, mortified and disgusted. “What the hell have you done?”
    He tapped her on the nose, the touch somewhat affectionate. “That, my little witch, you will have to wait and see.” He got up from the bed. “Oh, and I wonder if you’ll change your mind then.”
     
    * * * *
     
    When William returned to his family home, Rose was waiting for him. She ran to embrace her brother. William hugged and kissed her, showing his youngest sister the affection she craved.
    “Where are they?” he asked. He felt the trembling in her body.
    “In the living room, waiting for you.”
    He nodded and kissed her cheek again. “Take care, okay?”
    Rose nodded, her eyes shining with unshed tears.
    He smiled, trying to reassure her as best as he could. This wasn’t his place.
    A room full of twenty men waited for him. Robert was among them, Sophie hugging him tight.
    “Better get this show on the road,” William said. Rose went to kneel at her mother’s side.
    “What the hell are you doing here?” he asked Don, the man who’d beaten him the night before.
    “Helping,” the older vampire said.
    “Enough, William.” Robert kissed his wife and moved forward to embrace his brother. William hadn’t seen Robert since their father’s death. He could see that his brother had aged in the role of Beyer West