Description:

Asha is between a rock and a hard place.

After a hunt goes terribly wrong the vampire huntress is wounded, nearly killed. The only thing that saves her life is an even scarier monster than the four she faced alone.

Garrick. A vampire she can't get away from no matter how hard she runs.

He has been patient with his huntress, kind when needed...firm when desired. But when he nearly loses her one night how far will he go to remind her who's hunting who?

Is she the hunter...or is she the prey?

Excerpt:

"You're not escaping this, Asha. You will not escape me."

She frowned as his weight shifted on the bed. His nearness unnerved and excited her, even now. Especially now.

"Are you going to kill me?"

The words came out softer than she had intended them to, free of the usual snap and backbone most of her words to him had.

She could not see the look he gave her. Probably for the best.

"Yeah, Asha. That's exactly why I saved you. So I could kill you."

Something about his tone made heat rise to her cheeks.

Something that felt dangerously close to guilt wormed its way through the fear and uncertainty. Her cheeks grew redder.

"I'm sorry I ask-"

"Save your words for someone that cares, sweetheart. And save your breath. You're going to need it."

The bed shifted under his weight as he moved. Her heartbeat thudded in her ears.

"What-"

"You need to be taught a lesson." The tone he used was darker than the night brought on by the silk blindfold. She imagined how his eyes glinted in the light as he glared at her. She didn't have to see him to know he was looking at her. She could feel his glare.

"Garrick, I-"

She jerked in surprise and cried out when his hands caught her hips, his grip once more borderlining on painful as he pulled her across the bed.

She fought with him even as a flush of frustrated excitement washed over her. She couldn't win with him. Even if she'd had her hands free he would have been able to move and position her as easily as a doll. She couldn't come close to competing with his strength.

"Stop it! Get your hands off me, Garrick!"

"You're not the boss here, Asha." A shiver worked through her at his tone. "You'd be better off relaxing and accepting your comeuppance, girly. I'm not in the mood after the little stunt you pulled back there."

"Garrick, I swear to-"

His strong hands gripped her and flipped her over. He shifted her so that she laid over his knees. Asha cursed him and the entirety of his bloodline. He smirked but said nothing. He let his hands do the talking for him.

She cried out as his warm hands slid down her back, trying to move out of his lap as his hands dipped lower. She earned a sharp swat across her backside that made her jerk and gasp in his grip.

"Garrick-"

"You." Smack.

"Were." Smack.

"Careless." Smack.

Asha's breathless curses filled the room. She struggled to get free, her blood rushing as she told the vampire exactly what she intended to do to him the moment she was free. Her face flushed with rage as his hand slid down and across her backside again, once more for good measure.

"Say you're sorry, Asha."

"Screw you, Garrick!"

Smack.

"Apologize, darling."

So calm. So sure of himself.

"I said screw you, Garrick!"

She yanked at her wrists, needing desperately to get her hands on him. And not for the usual reasons. Or maybe it was for the usual reasons; maybe their relationship really did boil down to a game of wills.

"You did wrong. Admit it."

Smack.

She jerked in his grasp each time his strong hand smacked her bottom; her skin had begun to sting and burn. He hadn't hit her hard enough to really hurt her...but damn, it did smart.

Her face burned with humiliation. That he would dare to spank her like she was a spoiled child...

"Garrick!"

Smack.

"If you'll just say you're sorry, admit you were wrong..."

Oh, that did it.

Asha pulled in all the air she could; she shook with fury at his taunts.

"Screw! You! Garrick!"

He tsked and gave her another smack, this one with a bit more force. He shook his head as he gripped her hips, easily ignoring her useless kicks and twisting. She tried to squirm away from him but he forced her onto the mattress, chuckling as he posed her.

He situated her pretty little bottom so that it stuck up, her curves so alluring he had to give her another smack. She cursed and tried to move away but he pressed her upper back against the mattress, forcing her to stay still.

With one hand. Like he was teasing her with how strong he was.

"You..." She tried to move away and was rewarded with another smack. She didn't need to see him, could imagine the infuriating little smirk curving his full lips. She'd give him a smack, alright.