It was she who took a step forward, studying his face.
Something wasn’t what it seemed.
A tiny click, only audible to immortal ears, sounded in the quiet room, and they both turned to see the red camera light switch off.
Free, she thought, ready to take advantage of the camera malfunction. She might not be able to escape, but at least she could take her pound of flesh without Dominic calling in backup.
Flying to the bed, she grabbed the silver letter opener even as she heard Tarian call out.
Fire flashed up her arm when her fingers touched the cursed metal, but she didn’t pause. Whirling around, she drove the blade toward Tarian’s chest.
The glass of blood smashed to the floor as Tarian blocked her attack and neatly twisted the letter opener from her hand.
“No,” she cried as the burning metal fell to the ground. It had been her one chance. The only time she could hurt him the way he had her.
Tarian didn’t even glance at the fallen weapon; instead he grabbed her wrist and forced her hand up to his view. Burns blistered her fingers, and angry red welts littered her palm.
“What did you do?” he breathed.
“Let go of me, you monster,” she snarled, tugging at her hand.
But he didn’t let her go. Bending low, he pressed his lips to the unharmed skin of her wrist.
Melissa blinked, looking down at his bent head. “What new game is this?”
“No game,” he said, rising. “We need to get you out of here as soon as possible.”
Hope tugged at her before she forced it back. “You’re lying,” she reasoned. “This is some new trick, and I’m not playing.”
Tarian grabbed her arms, giving her a shake. “Listen to me. I only rigged the camera to give us a brief window of opportunity. We need to leave while we have the chance.”
She studied his face and saw only honesty. “I don’t understand.”
“Dominic’s plan will set both our races on a collision course. I’m trying to stop a war. Help me do that.”
“What do you care?”
His hands tightened on her. “My people will die, just as easily as yours, if you stay in my grandfather’s clutches. I’ll take you back to New York, Melissa, but you have to trust me.”
“Sure. Hell should be freezing over any day now.” She tore herself from his grip.
Tarian ran a hand through his hair. “Fine, but you want out of here as much as I do. I’m your ticket, sweetheart. Make your choice.”
Melissa glanced at the deactivated camera. Dare she believe him? If it was a trick, she wouldn’t be any worse off than she was now, just a bit more humiliated, and that was survivable.
But if he was telling the truth…
“I don’t trust you,” she said. “I do, however, need you.”
“Good enough.” He held out his hand.
She hesitated before slipping her uninjured hand into his.
“Let’s go.” He tugged her out the door.
The hall was empty as they crept toward the stairs.
“This is insane,” she whispered.
“Most people are asleep,” he replied. “The whole night schedule thing is not a popular decision.”
“I’m betting the guards aren’t asleep.”
“Luckily, there’s a distraction in the back of the house.”
Melissa glanced at him and saw the utter concentration on his face. Maybe this wasn’t a prank after all.
They raced down the staircase, hopping over the one creaky step. The guard at the front door was absent, and Melissa ran forward across the entryway.
“Careful,” Tarian said, pulling her back when she would have grabbed the door. “Give me a minute.”
Opening the door, he stepped out into the pre-dawn morning.
Melissa pressed against the wall as she listened to Tarian call out to the guards in the front yard.
“There’s smoke billowing from the kitchen,” he said, his voice filled with urgency. “Dominic wants all hands on deck.”
“We can’t leave our posts,” one guard argued.
“If we don’t stop a fire, there won’t be posts to worry about. I drugged the vampire myself, so there’s no danger of escape. Why else do you think Dominic would have sent me?”
“I see smoke rising over the house,” one called.
Melissa arched a brow. What had Tarian done?
“You three go help. I’ll man the front door,” an authoritative guard ordered.
Footsteps ran passed the door as Melissa slid further along the hall wall in case she was spotted.
“I’ll stand guard,” Tarian said. “Go help my grandfather.”
“I’m not leaving this position unless Dominic himself orders me gone.”