Haven by Celia Breslin Page A

a soft, gentle kiss. My eyes widened. A memory? No. I didn’t know this lunatic. No way would I kiss this monster. It had to be a trick.
    “Are you sure?” His thumb slid over my lower lip.
    Unease churned my stomach.
    “Jonas, please. Don’t hurt her,” Adrian pleaded. I’d forgotten he was there.
    “Worry not, lover,” Jonas replied to my friend. “It won’t hurt. Much.”
    But in my head, he taunted me. I lie. It will hurt. A lot.
    A burst of terror-fueled adrenaline torpedoed me. I struggled with everything I had, but his power drove me down, sinking me deep into the black well of his eyes until I surrendered, the resistance melting from my muscles. His electric power crackled over my skin in triumph. My head throbbed, threatening to explode.
    Jonas expelled a derisive snort. “She is lost to us, Thomas.”
    “Perhaps it is you who have lost your touch, Jonas,” Tessa called from the couch. Was she blithely sitting there this whole time?
    “She is of no use, Tessa. She cannot help our cause.”
    “You do not know that. We have yet to open her.” Thomas relaxed on the couch, unfazed by my cries for help. Was Alexander still out cold on the floor?
    Yes. Jonas replied to my thought with a thought.
    Faith?
    Asleep. More or less. Jonas considered Thomas. “Yes, yes, by all means, let us have a deeper look inside. Though I am not optimistic of the outcome.”
    “I do not condone your methods this night,” Tessa cautioned. “And I am sure Maurizio would not, either.”
    “He has left it to my discretion,” Thomas interjected. “You had your chance, Tessa. Your gentle caress proved inadequate.”
    “You dare.” Her power pulsed through the room. “With a bit more time—”
    “No,” Thomas cut her off. “We do it now. Our way.”
    I didn’t like the sound of that.
    Thomas joined us and they each took an arm. Oh, hell no . I knew where this led. Been there, already experienced that. Didn’t want a repeat performance.
    I locked eyes with Thomas. “Please, don’t.”
    He brought my hand to his lips. “What is closed must open.”
    “But you said never without my permission. I don’t give it. I say no. Don’t.”
    “Did I say that?” He nuzzled my wrist. Jonas mirrored his action with the other.
    My heart hammered. “No. Tessa, make them stop.”
    “Please, stop,” Adrian pleaded.
    “Sleep,” Jonas commanded and Adrian passed out.
    My throat constricted around a scream. “Alexander?” I croaked.
    Jonas’s lips curled back from his fangs. “The Youngling cannot help you. Just as you cannot help yourself.”
    “So it is left to us,” Thomas added.
    “To us,” echoed Jonas.
    Foreboding frazzled my last nerve. I addressed Thomas. “But why? Why now? Why like this?”
    Tessa joined the men. “Little star.” She stroked my forehead. “There is much to tell, but little time, my darling. If you open alone and far away, they fear you will be lost forever.”
    Her lavender scent surrounded me, but pain still spiked my head like a thousand stabbing knitting needles. “Are you saying if you’re not around to help that I’ll go crazy when my memory returns?”
    “Yes.” Jonas nipped my wrist. Shocks sizzled my skin where he teased it and I shivered.
    “Or die. For your power unlocks along with your memory.” Thomas expelled a breath over my wrist, his power like chilled water bathing my arm.
    An angry growl heralded Alexander’s arrival. He towered over Tessa, pressing forward, but she stopped him with a dainty hand to his chest.
    “Desist, Youngling,” she commanded, voice sharp. “Do not force us to restrain you once more.”
    He backed down, arms crossed, handsome face lined with worry.
    My eyes flicked to Jonas. “Do you have to bite me for this to work?”
    Jonas nodded.
    “But why?”
    “Enough questions.” His teeth grazed my skin.
    My heart pounded a chaotic rhythm in my chest.
    “Carina, cara mia .” Thomas’s lips hovered over my frantic pulse. “Blood is power.