The black rim along the barn stalls was pressing against Lola's back. The dress got caught in a nail sticking out from the wood, and the fabric ripped when she moved back. Lola kept her eyes on the two men standing by the doors on the other side of the barn. Without turning her head to see the door behind her, she moved her hands along the wooden panels to find her way back.
One of them shook his head and lifted the phone to his ear.
"Just hurry the fuck up," he said to the person on the other line. "She's here, it's fine. The others don't even know she's missing, but let's not push our luck."
Lola found the handle. She took a pin from her hair and bent it until the thin piece was straight. She took a shaky breath and slowly turned around. The man was still on the phone, cussing at whoever they were talking to. The bigger one was smoking and rolling his eyes.
Lola pressed the pin into the keyhole. She spun on her feet to hurry up and unlock it. Her hands were shaking as she moved the pin around, and her eyes squeezed shut when she heard the click of the lock being turned. Being on the run and moving from place to place had taught her skills she hoped she wouldn't have to use again, but at this moment, she was thankful that she had learned them.
The door was unlocked, and she gently pressed the handle down. Lola glanced over her shoulder, and the guys' backs were turned toward her, still on the phone and screaming out orders.
Lola drew a breath, and the door opened up. She hurried and pushed it open, ready to run and scream until someone heard her. The threshold was a thick wooden board that she stepped over, but even in the dark of the night, his eyes glowed red and visible.
"Going somewhere?" He grinned, standing in front of her on the other side of the door.
Lola looked back. The other man, the larger one, was leaning against the wall, smoking his cigarette. Her head snapped back, and his hands shot out and pressed at her shoulders. Her body flew across the barn and landed on a pile of chopped wood near the stall.
She screamed from the impact and pressed her hand over her side where the pain was throbbing. Something wet pooled around her fingers, and Lola raised her hand to see. The crimson liquid soaked through the dress and covered her hand.
"Oh my god," she gasped.
"Casper, you fucking idiot! The master told us to bring her back unharmed," the other man hissed.
"I spy with my little eye-" Casper mused. Before he finished the sentence, his eyebrows furrowed, and his eyes swirled in black and red.
He scanned her body, his eyes landed on where the blood was seeping out, and he licked his lips. Lola shook her head. With one hand pressing against her side, she tried to crawl away with her free arm. She barely blinked before he was on the floor, squatting down next to her and pressing his fingers against her wound.
He lifted the fingers to his lips and licked the blood. A feeling of ecstasy washed over him, and Lola knew that once they tasted her blood, they would be unable to restrain themselves.
His fangs extended, and a hissing breath left his lips.
"No, please," Lola begged and winced when she lifted her upper body, "Shit," she cussed and looked down.
"Maybe just a taste," Casper said and slowly bent his head toward her neck.
Lola reached back with her hand. She felt a cold metal against her skin and grabbed the pipe lying above her head.
She heard laughing from the man behind her.
Lola wrapped her fingers around the sharp-edged bar. As Casper approached, his breath fanning against her neck and fangs scraping over her skin, she raised the bar and plunged it into his shoulder.
Casper stood and fell back a step in a flash. He looked at the bar lodged deeply in his flesh. His head tilted to the side, and his hooded eyes rose to meet Lola's.
She panted and pressed down on the floor to try and stand. The pain started to subside slowly, but the wound was open and oozing blood.
"Cute," Casper said. He grabbed the bar, and with one rough pull, it was out from his flesh.
He removed his coat and pulled down the shirt's neckline until he saw the wound. His skin was pulling together. His flesh healed itself extremely fast, and the bar dropped from his hands-the sound of which bounced against the barn walls.
Lola pushed herself up. Her teeth clenched in pain, and she kicked the heels off her feet. She reached out and grabbed the stable door. The smell of grass and horses was strong even though the barn was no longer used.
Casper smiled when the wound was healed, and he fixed his shirt.
"Just out of curiosity-" he asked and reached down. He grabbed the bar and wiped the blood off his shirt. "-What did you think was going to happen?" he asked and twirled the bar in his hand as he walked closer. "Did you think it would kill me?"
Lola, tired and hurt, stared him dead in the eyes. The only thing on her mind was that they couldn't take her, even if it meant dying in this barn.
"One can always hope," she said tiredly.
Casper laughed and looked at the bar in his hands. He pressed the sharp tip against his finger. He cupped Lola's cheek. His hand moved to the back of her head, and his eyes darkened manically.
"One sure can." His voice was raspy and low, and he pressed Lola's head against his shoulder.
She screamed as the metal was pushed through her shoulder in the same spot where she had earlier stabbed him. Lola grabbed his shirt and clenched it as her screams filled the barn.
The man in the back took a step. His hands were held out by his sides, and he looked in panic where the bar pushed out of her back. He stopped when he saw Casper's subtle shake.
"Lola," Casper said.
He fisted her hair and pulled her head back. Her eyes were glossy. The tears were pooling, but they had yet to fall.
"No one dies from being stabbed in the shoulder," he said and smiled. "It just hurts some more than others." He tugged her head to the side, exposing her neck. "That Alpha of yours is a lucky man," Casper mused.
His fingers slid down Lola's neck to her arm. He forced her hand away from the wound and gazed into her eyes as he pressed his hand against her side.
Lola winced but only out of fear for the pain she thought would come. Her eyes narrowed, and she looked down.
Csaper lifted her dress. Her thighs showed, and he dragged his hand against her skin until it lifted above her waist. Lola drew a sharp breath.
"You're ready," Casper said.
His eyes gleamed with pride, and he flicked his tongue over his lips as he grabbed her waist and pulled her closer.
He cast a gaze at the man behind her. "Tell them to hurry up. Lucien is about to be a very happy man."
Lola froze in panic. "Lucien?" she asked under her breath.
Casper's lip pulled up in a snarl. "Did you really think he wouldn't know where you were? He's been watching you since that night outside your house when you didn't return, waiting in the shadows for the right moment to strike. That moment is here, and he can't wait to meet you again," Casper said and stroked Lola's hair from her face.
"Someone's coming," the bigger man said and tossed his cigarette on the ground, stepping on it as he went to open the doors.
"It's them," Casper said and grabbed Lola's arm.
He tugged her behind him, the bar still lodged in her shoulder, and she cried out as her arm hit against a panel. They opened the door, but no one was there. Lola felt herself being pulled back and her hand ripped away from Casper's. Casper turned around to see what was happening.