Chapter 1

To pull a prank on me, Cynthia Blackwood, the cousin of Leonard Wolfe, the werewolf CEO, tore a gash in my haute couture gown.

With a swift move, I slashed the hem and turned it into a daring deep V mini-skirt, which had everyone in the room staring in envy.

Cynthia was so furious that her fangs were about to crack, already plotting her next chance to mess with me.

Then, on the night of the blood pact engagement, she dumped an entire sack of flesh-eating rats right into my bathtub.

I went pale with terror, and Cynthia barged in with a pack of rich men, kicking the door open. "Joanna, finally caught you, you pathetic human. Bet you can't save yourself now."

She turned to her crew. "Send over the betting money already. This chick's so scared of rats that she pissed herself."

These men stared at me with filthy eyes, watching as I hugged myself tight in the tub, desperate to cover up.

"Damn, check out that stunning figure. No wonder Leonard's hell-bent on marrying a human."

"Come on, rats, crawl up her legs. Then I'll get to see everything."

I was trembling with anger, desperate for help. "Leonard, you're right outside, aren't you? Please come in and kick them out. I'm scared of rats."

But the arrogant werewolf CEO standing outside the door let out a cold laugh. "Why are you yelling? Weren't you always showing off your charms in front of the rich crowd? Then why not give them a real show?

"It's only a few rats. You're a human from the slums. Your place is full of rats, right? What are you being so dramatic for?"

He was right. A few rats were nothing.

So I grabbed my phone and called the black market. "Buy out every flesh-eating rat in New Evalon. Load them all onto a truck and deliver them to the estate. I want those two filthy lovers to eat them alive, right in front of me."

*****

Cynthia smacked the rim of the tub.

She pointed at my phone, still on the call screen, and burst out laughing. "Did you guys hear that? This trash from the slums really thinks she can clear out the black market's flesh-eating rats?"

Outside, Leonard lit up a cigar. "Let her act tough. She's utterly ignorant. All she's got is her crazy imagination to hype herself up."

The foam in the tub broke apart as the flesh-eating rats churned and flailed.

The men eagerly rubbed their hands, shoving forward until their bulky bodies completely blocked the bathroom's only exit.

I clutched the last towel to cover my chest and shouted toward the door, "Leonard, you swore a solemn vow that night on the snowy mountain. Get in here and kick them out."

One of the men grabbed the corner of my towel and yanked hard, his pudgy face bunched up. "Why are you calling for Leonard? Tonight, it's only your masters in this bathroom."

I clung desperately to the other end of the towel and shouted back, "The blood pact engagement is protected by the highest law of the land. If you dare lay a hand on me, you're challenging the entire werewolf pack."

Cynthia spun around and poured makeup remover into the tub, making the foam dissolve faster. She shrieked with laughter, "Still dreaming? Your so-called blood pact with Leonard was scribbled with animal blood from the grocery store."

Outside, Leonard tapped the doorframe a few times. "Like the noble werewolves would ever bond with a lowly human. I'm merely toying with you, my pet."

I stiffened in the water. "You monster, you tricked me for three whole years."

Leonard shoved the door open and strode in, his leather shoe grinding a rat underfoot, splattering blood across the tiles. "You should feel privileged to be my pastime for three long years."

I bowed my head, heaving for air, my arms wrapped firmly around my knees.

I grabbed my phone, about to hit speaker and urge the black market to move faster. "You're going to regret this. I swear, every one of you will pay for what you did tonight."

Cynthia sprang at me, ripped the phone from my hand, and slammed it down onto the marble floor. The screen shattered instantly.

She kicked the broken phone down the drain, hands on her hips, laughing loudly, "Pathetic human, you don't have the right to beg for help."

The men started whistling, their rough hands hovering dangerously close to my exposed shoulders.

Two flesh-eating rats scampered along the rim of the tub, squeaking as they bared their bloody fangs, poised to bite into my flesh.

Leonard blew out a cloud of smoke. "Joanna, stop acting all pure. Back in the slums, didn't you take your clothes off for a few crusts of bread?

"Now these gentlemen are actually giving you the honor of their attention. You should be on your knees, thanking them for their favor."

I bit down on my lip until blood dripped onto my collarbone. "Leonard, I took a poisoned blade for you. I stayed up all night fixing your family's accounts. And now you're going to throw me to these scum?"

Leonard walked up to the tub and looked down at me. "The werewolf pack doesn't need handouts from a human. Everything you did was a pet trying to please its owner.

"Now I'm bored. So what if I give you away as a prize to someone else?"

Cynthia clapped her hands in delight. "Leonard, you're so right. Trash like her only belongs with the rats.

"Hey, what are you guys waiting for? Hurry up and get to it. It won't be fun once the towel on her is completely soaked through."

John Stone, a bald man, swallowed and hopped right up onto the sink. "Don't worry, Ms. Blackwood. We've got plenty of ways to break her in.

"Come on, honey, drop the towel, unless you want things to get rough."

I slapped his hand away. "Get lost."

John slapped me hard across the face.

The side of my face went red and swollen in seconds, and my ear was buzzing.

Leonard didn't bother to look at me as he headed for the door. "Take your time. It will be fine even if she ends up dead. Tomorrow, I'll say she suddenly dropped dead from some illness."

I stared at Leonard's back. After everything I had given these past three years, all I got was this casual remark.

I scooped up a handful of dirty water from the tub and hurled it right at Leonard's back. "If you walk out that door today, don't think about coming back to beg me."

Leonard stopped and snorted coldly, "Beg you? You should worry more about surviving the night with them and these rats."

He strode out, and the bathroom door slammed shut behind him.

The lock snapped shut, and a glowing red countdown timer lit up on the door.

The door was locked for good, and the tiny bathroom became a hellish prison.

John shook out his hand, red from my slap, then ripped off his suit jacket and tossed it to the floor. "Feisty, aren't you? You really think a worthless human like you can get back at us?"

He stalked closer to the tub, the other men crowding in behind him. "Mr. Stone already gave the word. Tonight, we can do whatever we want with you."

One of the flesh-eating rats suddenly leapt up and latched onto my calf, biting down hard. Pain exploded through me.

I screamed, thrashing my leg, but the rat clamped on tighter. Blood gushed out, turning the bathwater red in seconds.

Cynthia stood off to the side, cackling. "Damn, the rats are hungrier than you. If you don't hurry up, they'll strip her flesh clean."

Suddenly, she lunged forward, grabbed a fistful of my hair, and jerked my head back viciously.

Her nails slashed across my neck, leaving a bloody line.

Cynthia hurled a bag of rat guts into the water. "Stop acting like you're some virtuous girl. Once the rats are done chewing your skin off, these guys will have their fun with whatever's left of you."

The blood and guts spread through the tub, and the smell brought more rats crawling over. They went crazy, gnawing at my legs and waist.

I trembled all over in agony. Ignoring the blood on my neck and fighting the stabbing pain from my torn scalp, I shouted straight toward the door, "Leonard, are you really going to let them tear me apart right in front of you?"

Outside, the sound of glasses clinking echoed. Leonard was drinking. "Joanna, don't spoil my mood. The louder you scream, the wilder they get. Isn't this the attention you always craved?"

I gritted my teeth, the metallic taste of blood filling my mouth.