Chapter 9 · She Bites Back

"Choose, Ivy. Show us what you really are or die on your knees like the stray you are." Klaus flicked that black coin and my wrist exploded.

Fire shot up my arm. Not metaphor fire. Real, searing, skin-splitting fire where that blood line stitched me to Silas.

I hit the stone floor hard. My teeth slammed together.

"Stop it!" Silas snarled. His hand locked around my wrist, trying to cover the glowing line with his palm. His skin was ice cold against my burn. "Klaus, you touch that bond again and I'll rip your hand off."

Klaus just smiled. He leaned against the broken doorway like he owned it. Two more of his guys behind him, guns low. "You can't even stand up straight, Silas. Look at you. She's draining you dry already."

He was right. Silas was on one knee. Sweat on his forehead. His jaw clenched so tight I could see it jump. The blood bond was supposed to make me obey him. Instead it was eating him alive and pumping whatever it stole straight into me.

"Ivy, look at me," Silas said. His voice dropped. Low, rough, right against my ear. "Don't do what he wants.