Chapter 58

Lynda's wrists were scraped raw from the chains as she yanked on them to free herself. The food Boris had ordered for her lay untouched on the tray.

What if he lied about her not being able to use her magic? She had to at least try. Every moment she spent here was another chance for her men to be hurt. And what if there was a time limit on the spell and her blood wouldn't work on either Andrei or Mihnea?

She closed her eyes and focused on her men…on how much they needed her and how much she loved them. Pinpricks danced along her flesh. But when she tried to gather up the magic to break her chains, it was like catching the wind with her bare hands. Useless.

Again, she brought forth the magic as hard as she could. A surge flickered, ricocheting off her bonds and back into her. Searing heat hit her chest and she gasped a scream. Gradually, the pain subsided. She pulled her T-shirt collar down to examine the wound. A fresh red mark like a second-degree sunburn marred her chest. She let her shirt go and when it brushed against her skin, she let out a hiss.

The door squealed open and Natasha strolled in. “You haven't eaten,” she said in a weary tone.

“Let me go.” Why had the half-vamp even brought her here? What did they want? Whatever it was it couldn’t be good since she had to come through hell to get here.

“I can't do that.” Natasha looked away. “But I can heal your wounds so that you're not in pain, but you should've listened to Boris about the chains.”

“Why are you doing this? Helping him?” Lynda shook her head when Natasha leaned down to heal her. “I thought we were friends.”

“We are.” Natasha forced a smile like she felt guilty. “And I owe you my life for saving my son. But I cannot go against Boris’ wishes.”

“Because he's your leader.” When would most of the vampire clans select a democracy? Boris had probably been their leader since Ekaterina. A sickening thought hit Lynda. Boris had been so certain that these chains would hold her. Overconfident even. So he must have held other powerful witches here. No, not just witches, necromancers like her. Like her ancestry. “Boris kept Ekaterina imprisoned here, didn't he?”

Natasha paled. “If you don't eat, we'll have to hook you up to an IV or a feeding tube.”

“I'm right, aren't I?” Lynda shifted her legs and the clank of the metal chain echoed in the stone chamber. “What Boris said about Ekaterina and Dracula assassinating her was a lie. Your leader brought her here and—” the image of Boris dancing in the sunshine pressed forward in her mind. “And he drained her so he could walk in the sun.” She swallowed the bile that burned her throat. “So what happened to Ekaterina?”

Natasha swallowed hard. “Dracula killed her as Boris told you.” She pushed the tray toward Lynda. “Now eat because I know you'll never hope to get out of here alive if you're unconscious and Boris has you hooked up to machines to keep you alive while he harvests your blood.”

“Why tell me all of this then? If you're so enamored with him?”

Natasha stared at her with a hollow gaze, her throat working like she was stifling a sob before she spoke. “I have a blood oath with him and must do whatever he says.”

“No,” Lynda clasped her hand. “You are your own person and don't need to blindly follow a crazed leader. What Boris did to his cousin, Ekaterina, was wrong. What he's doing to me and to you is wrong. Help me fight him. Take off my chains and we'll get Dracula's sons and free everyone from Boris’ tyranny.”

“It won't work.” Natasha shook her head. “Many of us swore a blood oath when we chose to follow Boris. Nothing short of a blood debt would free us. Not even if you and your men destroyed Boris, his rein would just go to the next-in-line until we were all gone. Only death on our end releases us from a blood oath.”

Despair settled in Lynda's heart at the news because she didn't want to hurt anyone if she could help it. There had to be a loophole or something she was missing. And her computer servers that had been taken. That had to have been Boris too. He had said that he seized info that belonged to his family. She shifted away from Natasha, settling again on the stone floor. “I know Boris took my data...and killed those people, but why? I have a blood oath to him, I would have given him the information thinking that he was on my side and against Dracula.”

“If you want an answer, then you'll need to eat something.” Natasha pulled her hands from Lynda and pushed the tray closer.

The thought of food made her stomach lurch. But Natasha was right. If she didn't eat, she'd weaken and Boris would get his feast of blood from her somehow. She grabbed an apple and forced herself to take a bite.

“Yes, Boris and his men tore through the place to get the data. He wasn’t sure the blood oath would make you hand over the data, and he felt the need to have it.”

A sinking sensation hit Lynda's middle like she was going to be sick. “What about the blood-rage? Boris was in the throes of the tainted blood when I arrived along with some other members and you were infected too from Boris’ bite.”

“I have nothing to say about that.”

“It’s true. Was he trying to test out blood that would give him the same abilities he craved from Ekaterina’s blood and it backfired? Or was it all a setup to get me to agree to the blood contract and help him. Lower my guard until he was certain my blood could do the same as my ancestor?”

Natasha crossed her arms, but her lip trembled slightly.

“Boris is a liar and a tyrant, how can you serve him?” If she could convince Natasha to go against him, she might get others to follow in the half-vamp's lead.

“He's not lying about everything,” her voice trailed off, and she looked down at her hands.

“But he kept his cousin locked her up as a blood mare for him until he killed her.”

“No!” Natasha snapped her head up. “Dracula murdered her, not Boris.”

Had the reason he murdered her been different than what she thought? That the only way to save her from a life of being a blood donor had been to end her life and thus cripple Boris’ power?

“You promised you would eat,” Natasha's voice broke through her thoughts.

“Right.” Lynda forced another bite of her apple, but it sank like a boulder in her gut. If Ekaterina could get out of these chains, then how could she? And she didn't even know where she was.

“I've been meaning to ask,” Lynda kept her voice light. Maybe if the Russians believed she was cooperating they'd lower their guard. Take off the chains to let her walk around and have some fresh air.

“Where are we?” The portal they had come through could've let out anywhere. She had to know what was around them and the fastest way to escape.

“Russia.”

What the hell? Why had they brought here all the hell out to another country? Was it to keep Dracula and the princes from finding her?

“Yeah, but where in Russia?” She smiled, making her cheeks hurt. “I've always been fascinated with your country and wanted to visit Moscow and St. Petersburg.” She just hoped Natasha bought into what she was saying.

“Bah, that's what all the tourists say.” Natasha stood and dusted off her hands on her leather pants. “Men will return in one hour, if you haven't eaten at least half the food on your tray, Boris will hook you up to an IV. This is the only way I can help you. Eat.” She opened the thick metal door, looked over her shoulder, and said, “In this modern world, Boris doesn't have to shove food down your throat. He'd be just as happy to have you comatose and feed with a feeding tube the rest of your life.”

“That's not going to happen.” Even if she had to gnaw her way out of here, she wouldn't let him do that to her.

“See that it doesn't.” Natasha gave her a look of pity and sorrow with her brows pinching and tears gathering in the corners of her eyes. “I don't want to bury you while Boris moves onto any of your offspring for his unending miracle blood.”

She closed the door, and the clang rang hollowly through Lynda's chamber and her soul.