There no escape

Chapter 3: The Chase and the Claim (Chloe’s POV)

Riley’s moan still rang in my ears, a filthy, **** sound that twisted something hot and wild inside me. Viktor’s amber eyes pinned me where I stood, that crooked finger beckoning like a siren’s call, and Riley—God, Riley—sprawled on the chaise, half-naked and glistening, her smirk daring us to join her. My body screamed yes—my skin prickling, my pulse hammering between my thighs—but Mia’s panicked whimper snapped me out of it.

“Chloe, we have to go!” Mia grabbed my arm, her nails digging in, her glasses slipping as she tugged me back. Her voice was shrill, cutting through the haze, and suddenly the room felt too small, too hot, too wrong. Viktor’s growl rumbled behind us, low and possessive, and I stumbled, my sneakers squeaking as Mia yanked me toward the door.

“Run!” I yelped, adrenaline kicking in. We bolted, my ponytail bouncing, my crop top riding up as I sprinted down the hallway. Mia’s sweater flapped behind her, her breaths coming in sharp, terrified gasps. The walls warped around us, stretching and twisting like a funhouse gone bad, but I didn’t care—I just kept running, my heart pounding in my chest, my legs burning. Riley’s throaty laugh chased us, mingling with the thud of Viktor’s boots, and I knew we weren’t fast enough.

The foyer loomed ahead, the front door so close I could taste freedom—cool night air, safety, sanity. Mia reached it first, fumbling with the knob, her hands shaking so bad she couldn’t grip it. “Come on, come on!” I shoved her aside, yanking the door open, and we spilled out onto the porch, the cold slapping my face like a wake-up call. But then the air shimmered—thickened—and the yard stretched out impossibly far, the gravel path looping back toward the house like a nightmare treadmill.

“What the—” I spun, my breath hitching, and there he was. Viktor, standing in the doorway, his cape billowing like a storm cloud, his eyes glowing molten gold. He hadn’t even run—he’d just appeared, like the house bent to his will. Mia screamed, a high, broken sound, and bolted left, her sweater catching on a splintered railing as she darted toward the trees.

“Mia, wait!” I lunged after her, but Viktor moved—fast, too fast, a blur of black velvet and pale skin. He caught me mid-step, his arm snaking around my waist, pulling me back against his chest. I squealed, kicking, my sneakers flailing uselessly as he lifted me off the ground. “Let me go, you creep!” My voice cracked, half-fear, half-something else—something that throbbed low in my belly as his grip tightened.

Mia’s footsteps faded, her silhouette disappearing into the shadows beyond the porch. She was alone now, running blind, but I couldn’t help her—Viktor’s hold was iron, his body cool and hard against mine. “Such spirit,” he purred, his breath hot against my ear, sending a shiver down my spine that wasn’t entirely fear. “You’ll be exquisite.”

He spun me around, pinning me against the porch railing, the wood digging into my back. My crop top rode up higher, exposing my stomach, and his eyes raked over me—slow, hungry, like he was peeling me apart layer by layer. I squirmed, my hands pushing at his chest, but it was like shoving a statue. “Get off me!” I snapped, but my voice trembled, and my body—stupid, traitorous body—leaned into him, drawn by that same pull I’d felt watching him with Riley.

His hand slid up my side, cool fingers brushing the bare skin under my top, and I gasped, my nipples tightening against the thin fabric. “You can’t run from me, little one,” he murmured, his voice a velvet rope winding around my will. His charm hit me like a wave—warm, syrupy, sinking into my bones—and my struggles slowed, my hands flattening against his chest instead of pushing. His scent—spice, iron, something darkly sweet—filled my lungs, and my head tilted back, exposing my throat before I could stop it.

“No, no, no—” I whimpered, but it was too late. His lips brushed my neck, soft and teasing, tracing the frantic pulse there. Then his fangs sank in—sharp, searing, a white-hot jolt that made me cry out. Pain flared, bright and blinding, but it melted fast, replaced by a rush of molten pleasure that flooded my veins. My knees buckled, but he held me up, his mouth working against my skin, sucking slow and deep. Each pull tugged at my core, a throbbing ache blooming between my thighs, and I moaned—loud, shameless, my hands fisting in his cape.

The bite changed me. Heat surged, my skin flushing, my body humming with a need I couldn’t fight. My ponytail swung as my head lolled, my lips parting on ragged breaths. When he pulled back, his mouth stained with my blood, I stared at him through heavy-lidded eyes, my tongue darting out to wet my lips. “Oh… oh God,” I rasped, my voice thick, sultry, unrecognizable. My hands slid down his chest, nails catching on the fabric, and I pressed closer, my hips rocking against him instinctively.

Viktor smirked, wiping my blood from his lips with a slow, deliberate swipe. “Mine now,” he said, his hand cupping my jaw, thumb brushing my cheek. “You’ll crave me—crave everything—as she does.” He nodded toward the house, where Riley’s silhouette lingered in the doorway, watching us with that feral grin.

I didn’t care about Mia anymore, or running, or anything but the fire licking through me. My crop top felt suffocating, my leggings too tight against the slick heat pooling between my legs. I giggled—a low, husky sound—and tugged at Viktor’s shirt, my fingers clumsy with want. “More,” I purred, my body alive, insatiable, a vampire’s lust coursing through me now. Mia was out there, alone, but all I could think was how good it’d feel when Viktor took me next—and how I’d help him claim her too.