Once Bitten, Twice Burned (Phoenix Fire #2)(8)
Author: Cynthia Eden

Wyatt’s words sank into Ryder, and he tried to show no change of expression. He’d hoped the doctor had missed that part of the experiment. He should have known better.

“The fire went right over your back, but you have no wounds.”

Ryder smiled into the mirror. Where is she? “You know vamps . . .” He slapped his chest. The bullet wounds were gone. “Fast healers.” Especially him.

“You didn’t heal. You just didn’t get burned.” Wyatt sounded annoyed then. Big deal. Ryder was way past the point of being annoyed.

“Why don’t you come in here?” Ryder invited him. “Check me out. See for yourself.” So I can rip open your throat.

“You drank her blood . . . hmmm . . . was the blood what gave you immunity to her flames?” Now he figured Wyatt was just talking for the hell of it. “It must have been.”

Ryder’s back teeth ground together.

“Vampires burn as fast as witches, but you didn’t burn.”

Ryder saw the promise of death in the reflection that stared back at him. Wyatt would see that promise, too.

“We’ll have to experiment more.” Now Wyatt was talking to the others who were with him. More sadistic jerks in lab coats. The ones who cut open the paranormals and pieced them back together. Well, mostly, anyway. Ryder knew the paranormals being held weren’t always allowed to fully heal or even survive.

And they said he was the monster. At least he didn’t play with his food.

“Once she wakes up and she remembers . . .” Yes, Wyatt was definitely talking to his flunkies. “Take her to the other vampire.”

Sabine.

Ryder didn’t move, but his fangs were suddenly burning in his mouth. “Don’t f**king dare.” Another vampire? Of course, he’d known more of his kind were being held. But another vampire and Sabine?

Look what I did, and I’m the oldest of our kind. A younger vampire would never be able to hold back. A younger vampire would hurt her, rip her skin. Tear her throat wide open.

Then she’d burn again.

The speaker crackled. “Is there a problem?” Wyatt’s calm voice. Bastard, he knew he was baiting Ryder. “Not forming an attachment, are you, vampire? Because I thought you were incapable of attachments.”

Yeah, well, he’d thought the same thing, but Sabine was changing the game for him. She needed him, and, for once, he was going to protect someone—not just someone, her. “Bring her back to me.” Gritted out.

“And if I do, what will you give me?” Wyatt wanted to immediately know.

It was a devil’s deal. One that Ryder had known would come, but he had no choice. His hands dropped to his sides. He stared straight ahead. When he concentrated hard enough, he could see Wyatt through the glass. The fool didn’t know it. The doctor was smirking. His stance too cocky. His flunkies weren’t nearly as close to the glass. Because they were afraid.

Despite the guy’s IQ, Wyatt didn’t seem to have the sense to fear.

When death comes, you won’t be so cocky. You’ll be so afraid then that you piss yourself.

Death would be coming soon for Wyatt.

“What will you give me?” the doctor asked again.

No choice. “Whatever the hell you want. Just give Sabine back to me.”

Silence. Wyatt’s gaze drifted down to his notes, and the men behind him shifted nervously. Then, finally, once he’d proven that he thought the power was his, Wyatt’s stare rose to meet Ryder’s. “Deal.”

CHAPTER THREE

Seven days. Seven long, f**king days, and then they finally brought her back to him.

“Stand against the back wall,” Wyatt’s voice ordered, seeming to echo in the small room. “If you make a move to attack any of the guards, we’ll kill her.”

Again.

The word hung in the air. Ryder wasn’t in the mood to watch her die so he marched toward that back wall. He lifted his hands, showing that he wasn’t attacking anyone, yet. And he waited.

The footsteps came. He caught the faint scent of flowers. Still? Light, sweet. Even after everything, she still smelled of flowers? Then the metal grated. The door opened.

Sabine stepped inside.

She was dressed in loose, gray sweats and a T-shirt. Her long hair tumbled around her shoulders. Her eyes were wide, nervous, and her dark stare instantly locked on him.

The guard behind her pressed his gun into her back.

Ryder’s gaze jerked to the man’s face. He knew that guard—Mitchell. Barnes Mitchell. A prick who liked to dole out pain.

I’ll give you pain. It was a promise Ryder planned to keep.

Sabine took a few steps forward. The door swung shut behind her, the hollow clatter of the metal making her jump.

Ryder lowered his hands.

She shook her head. “Don’t even think of coming at me with those fangs again, vampire.”

Ah, so her memory was back. His gaze swept over her. He was glad there weren’t any flames around her this time, but he had to confess that he’d sure enjoyed the sight of her na**d body.

His c**k was hard just thinking about her lush curves.

Control.

Too many eyes were watching them, and he’d already revealed too much weakness to Wyatt.

“If you can keep your fire in check, phoenix, then I’ll try to keep my fangs to myself.”

She frowned at him. “What did you call me?”

His heart slammed into his chest. “You don’t know, do you?”

A small shake of her head.

Fuck. Wyatt had let her die, and the woman hadn’t even known that she’d be rising again. She must have been so afraid.

His gaze fell to the floor. Her blood still stained the heavy, stone tiles. “I’m . . . sorry.” The words sounded harsh to his own ears. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d apologized to anyone.

“Sorry for what? Biting me? Drinking my blood?”

Like a damn moth, he headed for her flame. So beautiful. Her shoulders stiffened as he approached and one foot edged back. Poor phoenix, there was nowhere to run. Wyatt had made sure of that.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t save you.” Too many had died over the long centuries of his existence. He hadn’t stopped death but with Sabine, things were different. She can come back. She’d given him a second chance.

Her breath whispered out. “You . . . you made me drink your blood.” He noticed that her small hands fisted.

If she wanted to take a swing at him, he’d let her. She sure deserved some payback. “It was the only way I could think of to help you. Vampire blood is very powerful. It can heal, just about anything.” And the blood had been working, until the guards had dragged him away from her.