Page 54 of Sinful Mates

“Do something, Theo. I am about to fucking lose it!” Tobias's voice is a throaty growl. He isn’t lying when he says he is losing control. Fur sprouts on his arms, his claws extend, digging into my arms where he holds them when he tries to stop me from punching him. His sharp teeth come dangerously close to my face when Theo grips his shoulder and Tobias snarls, jerking his head toward him.

“Swap places with me,” Theo said calmly, while shoving the car in park and letting go of the wheel. Theo jumps into the back. Tobias climbs over into his spot in the front seat. Cars honk behind us because traffic is moving and the car has stopped. I try to sit up during their transfer and reach for the door handle. Theo’s hand shoves it back down before he grips my chin in his hands. He leans in, trying to calm me with the fog, but I lash out and slap him across the face and kick him back with my feet. Theo is a monster now, I don't want him anywhere around me. Theo snarls before pouncing on me, pinning me with all his weight, his face barely an inch off mine. Will he do what he managed to stop Tobias from doing? “Stop fighting.” he growls through gritted teeth.

His warning is clear but I give zero fucks. I’m as good as dead no matter which way this went, no matter all the sweet lies they fed me, one thing is painfully clear and that is they plan on killing me.

“You killed him. I fucking hate you,” I hisses every word, hoping it hurts them as much as I’m hurting. I want them to be in agony.

His eyes blaze red burning brightly. “He isn’t dead yet, now stop or I will make you watch when I kill him.” His voice is cold as ice and a shiver runs up my spine. My heart rate picks up as panic sets in again and I tremble. Hot tears form in my eyes and run down my cheeks. Theo’s eyes soften before he loosens his grip but not by much. The fog washes over me, every muscle in my body forced to relax beneath the weight of his compulsion. I don’t fight it. I relax, allowing the fog to calm me. I just want it to take my thoughts away.

Tobias continues driving, and when we hit the dirt road, I know we are out of the city. Theo allows me to sit up and I scoot over, pressing myself against the door to stay as far away from him as possible. When I see the bend up ahead that leads onto the side road before our turn off, I grip the door handle and wait for the car to slow down for the turn. Just as the car slow, I throw the door open and launch myself out.

Theo screams, and he tries to grab me. He wasn’t expecting me to throw myself out and he is too slow to catch on to stop me. They always make it look so easy in movies. A simple tuck and roll and you'd miraculously be a little ball whizzing away to safety. That is far from the truth. I fall out of the car face first, but I do roll, kind of.

I roll through the dirt and gravel, the rocks and pavement skinning me like a potato. The air flees my lungs on impact with the ground, and try as I might, I can't suck in another breath. I wheeze a pathetic gasp of air that burns my throat. But it is sweet air. My wrist has snapped, I'd heard the crunch when I first fell, but it isn't until I’m grateful for breathing that the pain hits me like a freight train.

The car screeches to a stop, dirt and dust flying everywhere. Using my good hand, I pull myself up on my haunches, I can't balance on my hands and knees after whatever I'd done to fuck up my wrist. Everything hurts, and I cry with the smallest movement on my wrist. My lungs burn as I cough and hack the dirty air, but at least I’m alive. For now.

A car door opens and gravel crunched under their feet, adrenaline shoots through me and I manage to stand, stumbling forward before I find my feet. I take off running straight for the tree line, only I don’t make it far. Pain makes me collapse onto my back. I want to keep going, but there is nothing left in me to keep me pushing forward. The gravel crunches again, right next to my head, and a pair of feet appear by my head.

My good hand reaches out and clutches onto his pants leg and I try to pull myself up. What a stupid idea this had been. Never believe movies again. Fear makes me do some stupid shit sometimes, but this definitely takes the cake. I should understand by now that I can’t outrun them. I’m now paying dearly for that stupid decision, and knowing Tobias, I'll pay more yet. He won't care how battered and broken I am.

Tobias leans down and picks me up from under my arms and places me on his hip like I’m a child and not a grown ass woman.

“That was the most idiotic thing I have ever seen you do,” his hand pinching my cheeks as he gives me a scolding look. He clicks his tongue and his eyes turn sinister before he lets my face go. My head falls heavily on his shoulder. My entire body aches, my face feels like it has gravel rash on it and my skin burns and stings. Tobias places his hands under my ass to support and hold my legs around him before stomping through the tall grass back to the car.

He places me on the passenger seat before buckling in my seat belt and clicking the child-lock on the door. When he climbs in, he locks the rest of the doors before taking off again. I groan in pain with every shake from the vehicle.

“Why would you do that? You could have died, Imogen,” Theo snaps at me. My whole body trembles in shock and I can't answer. My tongue is thick in my mouth. Five minutes later, we pull up out front of the house and Tobias unlocks the doors. Theo gets out slamming the door so hard the windows shake and I flinch. He stalks around to the trunk. My heart beats faster, what are they going to do?

I remember Tom is still in there. Now that we have stopped, I can hear him banging around, very much still alive. My hands tremble and I unplugged my seat belt and shove the door open with my sole good hand, I force my legs out of the car. I use the door to help me stand, my legs felt like play dough and are barely supporting my weight. I lean on the car for support and stride to the back when Tobias grabs me around the waist. Theo hauls Tom out of the trunk, and I have a perfect view. Oh, God, no. Theo takes him by the front of his shirt, and I scream, trying to get out of Tobias’s grip. Theo tosses him on the ground and Tom lands on his back. My body thrashes in Tobias’s arms and I twist and bite his bicep, his grip loosens immediately, and I run to Tom, throwing my body over his to shield him.

“It’s ok, Imogen, I’m fine,” Tom says under me. I don’t know if he is trying to reassure himself or me, maybe both. Tobias takes me around the waist once more and yanks me off him. My fingers hold onto his clothes refusing to let go and I ignore the pain in my wrist that screams for me to let go. I’m doing more damage to it, but I don't care. I won't let them have Tom.

“Don’t hurt him, please.” I beg. Hot tears stream down my face. Theo growls before he pries my fingers off Tom’s shirt. I flail and kick when Tobias reels me back and pulls me against his chest. I only kick harder, my foot connecting with Theo's face just as Tobias pulls me away. But it has little effect on him and only angers him more.

Theo takes my shoulders and shakes me back and forth like I’m a rag doll. “Enough Imogen, that’s enough. Fucking stop!” he screams before clutching my face. His shaky hands told me as he is on the verge of snapping. Tobias uses one hand to shove Theo away by the shoulder. Theo's breathing is a hard pant of an animal, as he glares at me, sizing me up, showing another side of the monster I've never known lurked inside of him.

I stare up at Tobias, tears spilling from my eyes at the thought of them killing poor Tom and I can’t stop bawling. “Please Tobias, make him stop.” Tobias's eyes soften a little and he swallows, looking over to Theo. Theo pulls Tom to his feet by one arm, letting him dangle there. His eyes focused on Tom's throat.

“Stop Theo. If we kill him, we are only hurting her.”

Theo’s head snaps in my direction. The demon inside him is back. A twisted smile paints his lips, a gleam in his eyes. He wants to hurt Tom, slowly, he wants to kill him and make me hurt. I lean closer to Tobias, shivering. For once, I’m finding protection from him instead of always seeking Theo's. This isn’t my happy go lucky Theo, this is the monster he keeps at bay and hidden from me and the rest of the world.

Theo heads toward me, dragging Tom with him still by one arm. I flinch, not liking his red-hot anger directed at me. He stops noticing he is scaring me. My heart thumps against my chest, my ears, my entire head pounding to the same beat as a migraine forms.

“Mom will pitch a fit if we kill him. Think Theo, we don’t have to do this.” Tobias's voice is calmer than I’m used to. But then again, how often do I see him try to talk Theo down instead of the other way around?

I watch Theo think for a second, and can practically see the wheels turning in his head as he thinks long and hard about what It is he wants to do. No part of me doubts he wants to kill Tom. A fearful rage consumes the vampire. What if he loses his temper like that with me? Would he kill me, too? Would Tobias let him?

“If I let him live, you don’t leave this property,” Theo snaps at me through clenched teeth. I quickly nod, looking toward Tom. He visibly relaxes when Theo lets go of him, shoving him toward the car.

“How do I know you won’t kill him when you take him back?” I ask, scared that if Theo takes him home, he will snap on the way and slaughter my friend.

“I will take him home. You stay here with Theo.” Tobias nods to Tom. I shake my head, not wanting to be left alone with Theo either, not when he is like this. I never thought I would see the day when I actually feared him. I shiver just at the thought of being alone with him again.

“Either Tobias takes him, Imogen, or I kill him. Pick,” Theo says, moving toward me and Tobias, who is watching me and waiting for my answer.

“You’re scaring her, Theo. You will be fine, Imogen. Theo won’t hurt you. I promise.” After seeing him like this, I have doubts, but I nod, anyway. Tobias is usually good about keeping his promises, and I want Tom alive more than I worry for my own life, no matter how scared I am about it.