Page 35 of Maddie
Noah’s fangs dropped. “Fuck yes, I mind.”
“I was only being polite.” Chess lifted one of Maddie’s arms and started wrapping the rope around her wrist. “She may be weak and you may be new, but I’m far too lazy to chase you.”
A growl slipped through Noah’s lips as he bared his fangs, and Maddie tensed beside him. “We aren’t going anywhere with you.”
“You picked a feisty one,” he said to Maddie, his tone somewhere between amused and annoyed.
Before he could stop himself, Noah lunged at Chess. The prince easily sidestepped him, and Noah skidded across the dirt path. He barely caught himself and whirled around, straight into Chess’s fist. The force of the punch sent Noah stumbling back two steps before tripping over his own feet and landing hard on his arse.
“It seems you’ll be traveling as my prisoners instead of my guests,” Chess said with a sigh.
Before Noah could even attempt to stand, Chess had him flipped to his stomach, face pressed to the ground. Blood trickled from his nose where the prince had hit him, and he fought the urge to lick it away. But the urge only lasted a moment as Chess yanked Noah’s arms behind his back, straining his joints. The rope cut into his circulation two seconds later.
“Chess,” Maddie shouted. “He’s newly-turned—don’t go overboard. You know how impulsive a new vampire can be.”
“Excuses,” Chess grumbled. “I’m too old to deal with this shit.”
“Bastard,” Noah growled, and some of the white dirt found its way into his mouth. He’d been in his fair share of fights, but it had never lasted longer than a few punches. This was far more serious. He meant to tear Chess limb from limb.
Chess stood, one foot on either side of Noah’s hips, and gave the rope a sharp tug. Then, to Maddie, he said, “Your turn.”
Without a word, she stomped forward, a scowl on her face and her hands held out in front of her. Chess moved away from Noah and used the other end of the rope to secure her wrists together, then patted her head.
“Splendid,” she sang.
“Wait here while I gather my other things.” Chess stepped over Noah, purposely kicking him in the ribs as he did so. He bent over the corpse and rifled through the dead man’s pockets.
“Now look what you’ve done, immortal.” Maddie leaned down and helped Noah roll to his side. “As if escaping wasn’t going to be difficult already.”
Noah hauled himself into a sitting position, his arms trapped at a painfully awkward angle. “At least we’re tied together.”
Maddie grabbed one of his elbows and pulled him to his feet. “Insufferable,” she muttered. “The both of you.”
Chapter Fifteen
Maddie
Noah just had to go ahead and muck things up and make the situation worse. Chess had stepped a few paces away, always slinking. He wasn’t the brightest bulb in the box which may have been the reason Ever had been able to stab him so easily before escaping. But he was ridiculously strong.
Yet Maddie could be sneaky. She had a plan—one that now would have to come to fruition another way because of Noah’s hotheadedness a few moments ago.
Chess stood near the dead man’s body, the scent of metal filling the air. A heavenly smell, but she was still satiated from her powdered meal yesterday.
“Ah, here we are,” Chess purred, holding up a closed switchblade that he’d fished from the man’s pocket. Swiping the tip of his tongue at the corner of his mouth, he popped open the switchblade and sauntered toward Maddie. “Don’t worry, little plum, I’m only taking you home.” He paused. “Which means you’ll owe me. But if you come back here, I’ll have to get my hands dirty.” The prince drew a gentle line across her throat with the blade, and Maddie held back spitting in his face while Noah glowered.
“Come on then. I’ve still got other jobs to do.” Chess grinned, placing his hand in the middle of the rope, and tugged them forward as if leading two horses.
Maddie didn’t need this delay. If he took them back to Scarlet, they wouldn’t have enough time to complete their journey to save Alice before she had to deliver the hat to Imogen. She glanced at Noah and found his gaze trained on her, as though he’d been trying to silently catch her attention. Then he flicked his stare to the rope, motioning his head at it.
She frowned, not understanding what he wanted her to see. If Maddie could get closer to Noah, then she could untie him, but Chess’s hand hovered between them. Noah cleared his throat and bulged his eyes at the rope, then at Chess.
Oh. She knew precisely what he wanted them to attempt. A distraction would have to do the trick first.
“What if I offer you a trade, Chess?” Maddie sang, a smile spreading across her face.
“I have everything I could ever want,” the heartless prince said without looking at them, his shoulders square, his body relaxed.
“Do you?” Maddie asked.
