Charming the Beast (Purgatory #3)(34)
Author: Cynthia Eden

“What if you can’t stop him? What if no one can? I don’t know how big his pack is. That’s why Eric wanted him brought in, right? To break up that power network?”

One of the many reasons.

And I just want to kick his ass for what he’s done to you.

“Compel me,” Chloe said, her voice urgent. “Teach me how to resist.”

His fangs were stretching in his mouth. “He can’t compel you unless he drinks your blood. That won’t happen.” He wasn’t going to let that bastard get close to Chloe again. Screw whatever plan Eric thought he’d use. Chloe wasn’t going to be put at risk.

“I’m going to leave,” Chloe said, raising her chin. “I’m going to walk out that door and out of this base. I’m going to keep going. You won’t find me, but he might.” And she pulled away from him. Headed for the door.

“Chloe!”

“Stop me,” she said, without looking back.

He caught her arm and spun her around. “I don’t have to compel you to stop you.” He had easily over a hundred pounds on her. Plus werewolf and vamp power. “You’re not going out there.”

“I need to see what it feels like,” Chloe told him. Her blue gaze was stark. “If I don’t know, then how can I prepare for him? I want to be ready.”

She jerked against his hold. Opened her mouth and screamed.

“Chloe, shit, stop!”

She screamed louder.

He clamped his hand over her mouth. “What are you trying to do?” Connor demanded. “Bring a ton of guards racing up here?”

Her gaze held his.

No, hell, he knew exactly what she was trying to do.

“You’re not going to like it,” he whispered. “Baby, I don’t want to do this.” His hand slid away from her mouth.

“I need to know what it feels like,” Chloe argued, her delicate jaw set. “I have to know what I’m up against.”

She wasn’t backing down. And maybe…maybe she did need to see what it would be like if she was trapped under a compulsion. I just don’t want to do this! I never want to hurt her. “Okay.” He f**king hated this. Connor rolled back his shoulders. He sucked in a deep breath. And he looked into her eyes. “Chloe…”

He could feel the power rising within him, a darkness that he’d never felt before. One that tempted, one that whispered so seductively…one that wanted him to use the link he’d forged through blood.

One that wanted him to control Chloe.

She blinked and her gaze became a little unfocused. “C-Connor?” Fear flashed on her face.

“You’re not going to fight me,” he told her. He could damn well feel that surge of dark power within him, seeming to heat his veins. “You’re going to walk to the bed and you’re going to sit down on the mattress.”

She stood there, and, for a moment, he could see the struggle in her expression. Then she took one step and stopped, shaking her head.

Well, well…

According to everything he’d learned, humans were supposed to be easy to control. Werewolves took more effort.

“Go to the bed, Chloe.”

Her breath came faster. There was no emotion showing in her eyes now, those bright eyes of hers looked blank, but the struggle was plain to see on her face.

He hated this.

She took one step. Another. He kept focusing on her.

And she went to the bed. Sat down.

Waited. Just waited for him to tell her what to do next.

His claws were out. Would this really be what it was like if Keegan got control of her? He could just take her blood and make her do anything? The images that flashed through Connor’s head had him snarling as he stalked toward Chloe.

But she didn’t move.

Just waited.

“Offer your neck to me.” The words came out unbidden. Because something was happening inside of Connor. The more he used that dark compulsion, the more he could feel his control fracturing.

This was Chloe. She was his. He’d marked her in the way of the wolf, a sign that all other werewolves would recognize—they’d know she was his.

But that bastard Keegan had tried to take Chloe away.

No one can take her away.

She offered her neck to him. He could hear the fast beat of her heart. Could all but taste the warmth of her blood.

He leaned over her. Pressed his lips to her neck. Her skin was so soft and silken and her blood—her blood was nectar. How had he gone so long without tasting her? And now, now that he knew how good she’d be…why not take more? She’d enjoy it. Prey enjoyed the bite. Prey would—

She’s not prey. She’s Chloe. She’s—

Everything.

Connor spun away from her. “Lesson over, okay? Fucking over.” His hands pressed to his eyes as he fought to get his control the hell back.

So hard, when all he really wanted was to plunge his fangs into her throat and drive his c**k into her warm, wet sex.

Behind him, Connor heard her inhale sharply. Then the floor creaked as she headed toward him.

“No, Chloe.” A refusal, not a compulsion. “Don’t touch me now. I don’t have much control.”

“I would have done anything you wanted.” Her voice was soft, scared. “Anything. I tried to fight when you first told me to walk to the bed, but then…then it was as if I were just a puppet, moving right along to anything, everything you wanted.”

“I stopped,” he said, his own voice hoarse because his control was truly razor thin. “I never want to hurt you.”

“He does. He will. And I won’t be able to stop him.”

Connor whirled toward her. “I’ll stop him.”

“You can’t be with me every second. He tried to kill me before, he’ll do it again.” She shook her head. “And if he’s realized that he can kill me over and over and over…is that what’s waiting for me?”

“No.” He held his body perfectly still. She wasn’t touching him, and he couldn’t touch her. “I’ll kill him before that happens. I won’t let him torture you.” He sucked in a deep breath, and dammit, he could taste her. “We’ll contain him. Lock him up.” Or kill him. “He won’t be a threat to you again.”

“I never realized just how dangerous vampires could be.”

“Not all vampires compel their prey.” He never wanted to compel again. Because…there had been too much power in that particular darkness. Too much temptation to become something he didn’t want to be.