Beneath the Broken Moon: Part One: Shifter/Vampire Romance by Sarah Makela Read Free Book Online Page A

TEN
     
    Carmela
    Blinking my eyes open, I stared up at the ceiling. The soft, plush bed relaxed me immediately. Dreams of Derek toyed with my heart. The way he’d smirked and threatened to keep me by his side forever. How did I feel about that?
    Werewolves mate for life, and I’d never wanted an arranged marriage like my parents. The abuse my mother suffered, and the misery that radiated from her, made my urge to break the mold clear. But Derek wasn’t a werewolf. Would that make a relationship with him different? I had no idea.
    Shifting in bed, I tried to turn on my side, but I couldn’t move. Ropes dug into my limbs; someone had tied me to the bed. Only my injured arm escaped the bindings. No one else was in the room. I’d wanted to cling to the unrealistic dreams of Derek, but I never expected to wake up to this.
    Agony still pulsed through my arm, but it wasn’t as overwhelming as what I’d felt last night. Looking at my bedroom window, I saw I’d slept the day away.
    Wasn’t Dr. Matthews supposed to check on me?
    A grimace curled my lips, and I tugged at the ropes again. Part of me wanted to scream, but I knew Father had tied these, because they didn’t budge. If anything, they were too tight. My hand and feet were asleep; I needed to move my limbs better than this. If they wanted to give me more medicine, then fine, but this was crazy.
    “Mother?” I whispered, hoping she was somewhere nearby. I waited a moment, but heard nothing. A thud sounded from the other side of the wall near my head, followed by the sounds of crying and my parents’ headboard slamming against the wall. I’d heard those noises before, for years.
    “What did I tell you?” Father yelled, and the banging continued.
    The idea of sex repulsed me. How could anyone find the act enjoyable? I remembered the romance novels I used to sneak from my mother’s hidden bookshelf. The characters within those pages enjoyed lovemaking. It didn’t have the violence I heard from behind my parents’ bedroom door and had cried myself to sleep to so many nights. But those pages were lies.
    The sobs quieted, and I squeezed my eyes closed, wishing I could be away from there. Father pretended to be a respectable man, but it was all for show. Hopefully, I could deal with the mate Father intended for me. Perhaps he wouldn’t be as horrible. Or he could be worse.
    My bedroom door slammed open, and my heart pounded in my chest. I closed my eyes, focusing on keeping my breathing slow and even. Father’s loud footsteps approached the bed, and I shoved down my fear. Maybe if he thought I was asleep, he’d leave.
    If not, I wouldn’t be able to fight off his attack; not with my limbs firmly bound. Who was I kidding? When was I ever able to fight off his attacks? He scared me too much for me to even try most times.
    His hot hand descended on my stomach, burning my skin through the blanket. He slid his hand over my belly button and toward my hips.
    “William!” Mother shrieked. “Stop it!”
    I opened my eyes, unable to keep them closed any longer.
    Father darted a glance toward Mother and growled. “Get out of here, Katarina! Now!” He pulled away from me and stomped toward my mother.
    “She’s your daughter. Don’t put your hands on your daughter like that. You already treat her poorly–”
    A wrenching slap sent my mother careening out of the room. Father strode out, then slammed the door behind him. Screams sounded beyond the door, and I was helpless to do anything. The echoes of pummeling punches reverberated through my ears.
    Tears streamed my cheeks. In a way, I wished I could’ve taken the brunt of Father’s wrath so she wouldn’t have to fall prey to it yet again.
    The door opened again, and my eyes widened.
    Chandra walked in and stared at me with hollow eyes. Bruises marred her complexion, and her lower lip was split open. Sighing, she shut the door after her. Her features twisted in pain as she limped across the floor of my bedroom. My