Cynthia Eden - Once Bitten, Twice Burned

Thank you so much to all of my wonderful readers. You are just incredible!

Thank you to Edens Agents! (What would I do without you?)

For my editor, Esiit is always a pleasure!

For the fabulous Justineoh Justine, you inspire me every time our paths cross.

Thank you to all of the wonderful people I have met on my writing journey. I hope that you all enjoy the phoenixes and the dark places that they will take us.

Betrayed.

The knowledge burned through Ryder Duncans gut like acid, burned almost as much as the horrible, consuming hunger that had gnawed at him over the months hed been held captive in this hell. The hunger that still ate at him.

He paced his cell. Ten feet wide. Twelve feet long. Hed paced this same path over and over again.

And he couldnt fucking get out.

His hands punched into the nearest wall. The walls of his prison were all made with heavy, thick stone, and even his enhanced strength couldnt break through them. Though hed sure tried his hardest to punch his way out. For his trouble, hed gotten broken and bloody knuckles.

Blood.

Without fresh blood to fuel his body, he was just growing weaker every day. At this point, Ryder knew he was operating on instinct. Primitive drive.

For someone like him, the most primitive drive was bloodlust.

Ryder stilled when he heard the sound of footsteps approaching his cell. Guards. Coming by to taunt him. If they would just make the mistake of stepping into his cell, getting close enough for him to touch . . .

Id drain them dry.

His fangs were fully extended in his mouth. The hunger was too intense for anything else. Some vamps could go for days without feeding, no problem.

He could handle days.

He couldnt handle weeks. Months. The bastards were starving him, and starvation was one very painful and cruel way to kill a vampire.

He clenched his fists and turned away from the door. He didnt want the guards to see how close to breaking he was. If they saw, they would be afraid, and then theyd never step inside his cage.

The footsteps grew closer. He tried to calm his rushing heartbeat so that he could focus on the prey that approached, but the frantic thunder echoing in his ears wouldnt slow down.

When he got out of his prison, hed make his betrayer pay. Not an easy death. One that took so very long.

A bright light flashed on above him, and Ryder held himself perfectly still. He knew what the light meant. The humans outside were watching him through their two-way mirror. He turned his head, the move taking a strange amount of effort, and Ryder glanced at that mirror.

Hed tried to shatter it. Hadnt worked.

The men whod built this place had known just how to supernatural-proof their prison.

How are you feeling, Ryder? a voice asked, one tinged with the slightest hint of the South. He knew that voice. Dr. Richard Wyatt. The warden of this hell.

Hell was a so-called research facilitythe Genesis Facility.

Humans thought the supernaturals inside this place had volunteered to be test subjects. Day and night, experiments were performed on them. The experiments that were supposed to help good old Uncle Sam develop a bigger, stronger fighting forcebefore Uncle Sams enemies created that force and beat em to the punch.

Maybe some of the supernaturals had been stupid enough to volunteer as guinea pigs. Ryder hadnt volunteered. Hed been tricked. Betrayed. Drugged. Hed woken in this cell, been kept prisoner for too long, and he wanted out.

One way or another, he would get his freedom back, even if he had to kill every guard in the place in order to get it.

Come in, Ryder growled back to Wyatt. And Ill show you. Hed been longing to rip out Wyatts throat.

The doctor laughed. Im afraid thats not possible, but I am growing concerned for you.

Bullshit. The doctor was fucking Frankensteinone who was obsessed with experimenting on the monsters who were already in the world.

But soon enough, those monsters would be coming for him.

Ryder had the sadistic prick marked for death.

Ive never seen a vampire go so long without food. Most die of starvation long before this point.

And there was a tidbit most humans didnt know. Folks usually thought you had to stake a vamp to kill him. Or behead him. But those were the fast ways to die. If you wanted a vamp to suffer, you made him go without blood. Slow starvation. Hed wither before your eyes.

Im not withering.

Because he wasnt your average vamp. Wyatt had realized that, so the real games were probably about to begin.

How is it that youre still standing? Wyatt wanted to know with that annoying, clinical curiosity of his.

Come in, Ryder invited again as he snapped his teeth together. Find out.

Silence. Then, Open the door, Wyatt ordered, and Ryder blinked, stunned. They were opening his cell door? His muscles trembled in preparation. The first person to come through that door was already dead, the fool just didnt know it. He could move fast, so fast, now that the drugs were out of his system. Hed have his teeth in the guards neck within seconds. And as soon as he got that blood in him . . .

Ill come for you, Wyatt.

Metal grated as the door opened.

I dont want you to starve, Wyatts voice explained from the speaker above Ryders head. Your death would teach me nothing new. So Im giving you sustenance. Try not to damage her too much.

Her?

Ryder whirled around and lunged for the prey at his door. But it wasnt a guard who came inside. No, the guard shoved the woman over the threshold even while the mana sweating, balding mass of fearshot backward and slammed the heavy door shut again as quickly as he could.

Ryders hands curled around her arms. The scent of fresh flowers surrounded him and the womantall, slimtilted her head back as she stared up at him in absolute horror.

Dont hurt me, she whispered. Please.

He could already taste her blood. His hands tightened around her arms. Ryder hadnt expected . . .

He could hear the throb of her blood. Drink it. Drain her.

If he put his mouth on her, Ryder wasnt sure hed be able to stop.

And, Wyatt, damn him, he knew that.

Ryders gaze raked her face. Wide, scared eyes. Dark brown. Deep. Golden skin, skin that looked as if it had been kissed by the sun. She had delicate features, a curving chin, high cheekbones, and a small nose. Her lips were trembling, full, tinted the faintest pink.

His gaze dropped to her neck. A lovely neck, with the pulse pounding so frantically.

Her hands slammed into his chest. Dont.

Go right ahead, Ryder, Wyatts voice droned, like a father giving a child permission to play with a favorite toy.

Shes a human, not a toy.

Even though he knew plenty of vampires who thought humans were just playthingsgood for food and fuckingthat wasnt the way Ryder thought. Not anymore.

She shook her head, sending the heavy curtain of her hairbrown but shot with red highlightsover her shoulders. Mister, youve got some real big teeth, and Id appreciate it if you kept them away from me.

Her voice was husky, low, and sexy. It whispered with an accent hed heard before, down in New Orleans. Smoky. Rolling.

Please, she said again, as her hands pushed against his chest.

But he couldnt let her go. Ryder inhaled again. She smelled so good. He knew shed taste even better. Just a few sips, Ryder told her because he was past the point of pulling away. The hunger was too strong. It wasnt the man who wanted her blood. It was the beast who had no control.