Unbound (Forbidden Bond Book 1)(21)

     



 

Chase hesitated and then lied, "I only know her first name is Danielle."  Chase didn't want Danielle taken away from him just yet, unless it was  in the best interest of her health. So he played dumb in order to keep  her with him. That annoying protective instinct was on high alert after  finding her the way he had.

"While I'm gone I want you to try to reach her again. It's obvious she  has a connection to you if she picked you out of all the people in the  club and called to you by name. Try to speak to her telepathically and  verbally. The gifts of some vampires are stronger with skin contact. If  you're not opposed to touching her, it might help. If you can get  through to her, I need you to try to get some details about what brought  her to this end. I'll call shortly to let you know when I'll be back."

"Do you think this is connected to the other girl? What happened to her, exactly?" Chase pondered the Doc's earlier comment.

"You haven't heard? I think that may be something you need to speak to  your father about, Chase. You know I do my best to stay out of council  business. I'm going to go now." Doc picked up his conventional black  doctor's bag and retreated.

Chase was going to have to put some feelers out to get information about  the other girl. The last thing he wanted to do was involve his  matchmaking father. His first priority was to follow Doc's advice and  try to help Danielle. When he returned to the bedroom with Kayden on his  heels, Chase realized the Doc had stripped her of all but her  underwear.

"Damn, Chase, it must be your birthday, 'cause that is a sweet little  present right there. I bet touching her is gonna be a nightmare for  you," Kayden drawled sarcastically. Chase immediately pushed Kayden out  into the hall and shut the door.

Laughing, Kayden said through the door, "Let me know if you get tired,  man. I can come and relieve you for a while. I'd hate to see you do all  the hard work." Kayden's voice faded down the hall. "I'll let you know  when dinner arrives."

Chase stood by the bed, doing his best to think about things like  football, cars, and his grandmother, as he covered the nearly nude  beauty up and tucked the sheet under her arms, careful not to disturb  her bandaged ribs. After going out on the patio for some fresh air to  wash away the cloud of lusty thoughts, he returned to the bed. He pulled  off his shirt to get some skin contact and climbed into the bed with  Danielle, focusing on doing what Doc asked of him, not on his awakening  desire.

As he snuggled in closer, he noticed something different about her. The  white streak in Danielle's hair suddenly had red strands running through  it. He was sure it hadn't always been that way. He held her tucked  against him back to chest with one arm. Her chest rose and fell with  steady, even breaths that reassured him that she was alive despite her  unconscious state. With his other hand he brushed her hair back away  from her face before resting his hand on her forehead. Taking a deep  breath, he cleared his head again and reached out to her with his mind  and voice, resolved to bring her around before Doc returned. "Come on,  Lovely. It's time to wake and talk to me."



It felt as if she were under water. She could hear a muffled voice from  very far away. Her limbs were too heavy to lift, and her eyes wouldn't  budge. Dani struggled against the weight and pushed for conscious  thought, wishing she could remember where she was and how she'd gotten  there. She should have stayed home with her mom, but she'd needed to get  away from Lucas.

Fear set in as she began to recall the evening. Going to Thirst had been  a huge mistake. That's where he had tried to hurt her. Why had she  bitten the bartender? He'd wanted her to do it, and it tasted so good.  It felt so good, until he bucked her onto the floor and kicked her  repeatedly. The memories flooded back in and she was reliving the  nightmare over again.



The pain had exploded in her chest, but she'd been too weak to defend herself. She couldn't move.

He stood over her, amused, and mocked, "How does it feel to be the one  hunted, you little bitch!" Then he kicked her again, and she heard the  crunch of bone.

The bartender dragged her down the stairs, cursing the whole time.  Telling her his "master" would be pleased with such a gift, and would  reward him handsomely. Oh God. He was taking her away, and she couldn't  move, couldn't fight back. Her self-defense training had taught Dani not  to allow someone to take her to another location.

He dragged her down to the lower level by her feet. The back of her head  hit every step, rattling her teeth and her brain. Pain and anger filled  Dani. She clearly remembered wanting to see his head smack against the  door they were approaching. She wished he would feel the same pain he  was inflicting on her.         

     



 

He released her leg suddenly and flew across the room to strike the door  with force. The metal door made a loud, ringing sound when he crashed  into it. She'd watched him rise from his sprawl on the floor and shake  off the cobwebs. He came at her again. Dani felt panic rise. She had  done that to him. She had no idea how she'd done it, but she knew that  somehow she had made his sick, twisted head hit the door. She  concentrated on slamming him back against the door and with a fearful  thought he flew backward and was planted against the door again with a  sickening thud. He cursed and staggered away, promising to come back for  her very soon.



Chase only left her for a few minutes to feed. Feeling refreshed and  energized, he went to her and began pleading again, focused on trying to  reach her. "Please tell me what happened to you, Lovely." The shock  pulled him up short when images began pouring from Danielle's mind into  his. He was sickened to see the events as Danielle had in the moment. He  felt the sorrow and confusion that brought her to the club, but not the  reason for her sadness. He tried to dig for it, to no avail. He felt  every kick to her torso and every step against the back of her head as  she was dragged down the stairs that led to the club's storeroom.

He pulled her closer, turning her in his arms to bring them chest to  chest, and he listened to her memories. She'd been telepathically aware  of him at the club before he'd heard her voice in his mind. She'd heard  all of his thoughts about her and reached out, hoping if she could hear  him that he could hear her as well.

She lay motionless, begging for his help, and he'd heard her. He was a  bit embarrassed to hear himself ache for her, knowing that she was fully  aware of his feelings. This connection with his Lovely was an  incredible gift. He didn't understand how it had happened but he  couldn't regret it, no matter how exposed he felt at the moment. He  asked her again to open her eyes.

It's too deep. I can't break the surface. Don't leave me. Please, she murmured the plea to his mind.



She could hear Chase talking to her. He'd come when she called, and he'd  saved her. Dani begged him not to leave her alone again. She didn't  know where she was, and she was so afraid that man would come back  before she could fight.

"Can you hear me, Lovely?" Chase called to her.

God yes, she heard him and smelled him. He begged her to open her eyes.  Over and over he pleaded with her to open her eyes and speak to him. She  tried to reach him, but the water was so deep. She kept trying to swim  up to find him, but her body wouldn't work.

Where am I? she sent to him through the depths.

He answered her using the connection that had allowed her to call him  for help when she'd heard his thoughts in the club. She didn't  understand it, but it felt like a blessing. Chase was there with her.  Through Chase's mind's eye she could see a king-size bed, smoky-gray  sheets, and big puffy pillows. She could see French doors that looked  like they led outside. She saw herself snuggled up close to a warm chest  and wrapped in a protective pair of arms. It must be his bedroom. This  new telepathic ability was crazy, and it had to be yet another  contribution from her father.

"You're safe at home with me, Lovely," he reassured. "Do you know why Nathan wanted to take you?"

She said No, but he didn't seem to hear it, because he asked again. It  was quiet for a while, and Dani took in his warm, sunshine scent. He  chuckled. Shit. Guess he heard that one. She was embarrassed. She  helplessly mooned over his very presence, and he was listening. How  pathetic was that? She enjoyed being able to hear his tender thoughts  about her but wanted to keep her own private. She recognized the double  standard for what it was but still wished she could control the outward  flow of thoughts.

"I could smell what you smelled just then. How do you do that?"

She had no idea. Dani didn't even know who she was anymore, much less how she communicated with him.

As time passed, the pain of her injuries crept up her side, and she  remembered being kicked. Sensation returned to her body. Unfortunately,  her body was in bad shape. Chase's sharp intake of air made her realize  she'd caused him pain, too. She tried to pull away from his mind, but he  wouldn't allow it.