Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Raura

I’m breathless and sweating by the time the guards stop in front of a plain white door at the end of a long hallway.

“Here you go, bitch. End of the line,” the taller of the two guards growls. There’s no mercy in his expression, although I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. I bit him a couple of minutes ago, and he’s still favoring his right arm. He’ll carry the scars of my teeth for a long while after this.

The door swings open, and he shoves me through it. I stumble forward, taking in the sight in front of me. The room is bare, aside from a simple table and two chairs. With the exception of one side, which is mirrored, there are no windows on the bare walls. Probably because we’re buried in the mountain. And that’s another reminder of how screwed I am. There’s only one way out of this subterranean fortress, and it’s heavily guarded. But I can’t think about that now – my immediate situation is more pressing.

One of the seats at the table is occupied.

Fucking Franklin Parker.

“Raura. Come in. Take a seat.” He indicates to the chair across the table from him.

I glare daggers at the man as he sits there, perfectly composed in his tailored suit. The bastard looks like he’s about to attend a fundraiser, not interrogate a prisoner.

“I’m not saying anything,” I snap, planting my feet and ignoring the chair he’s pointing at. “I don’t care what you threaten me with. You’d better let me go because when my people find you—”

Parker holds up a hand, cutting me off with an infuriatingly calm expression. “My dear Raura, if your…people attempt a rescue, I’ll consider it a gift.” His eyes glint with something predatory. “The more of your kind I can get my hands on, the better for my organization.”

The implication hits me like a blow to the chest, knocking the wind from my lungs. He wants more shifters to sell off like exotic animals. I snap my mouth shut, feeling sick. Baiting him further would only give him more leverage.

“Have a seat, please,” Parker repeats politely, as if we’re simply having a civilized conversation over tea. The sudden shift in his demeanor is jarring compared to the ruthless monster who just threatened my entire community.

I remember how smoothly he operated back in Steel Lakes, charming everyone with his polished manners and easy smiles. He had us all fooled, including me. But beneath that refined exterior lurks a creature who’s more of a beast than I will ever be.

“Do it. Now.” This time, there’s no invitation in his voice. It’s a command. “And please don’t get any ideas.” He glances at the mirror. “My men are out there – they have instructions to shoot to kill if you so much as breathe wrong in my direction. Every weapon in this place is designed to deal with your species.”

Part of me wants to tell him to go right ahead, to kill me and get it over with. But my survival instinct won’t allow it.

Swallowing hard, I slowly lower myself into the chair opposite him. Parker steeples his fingers, regarding me with an inscrutable gaze. I brace myself for what’s to come, trying not to shift in my seat. I feign nonchalance as Parker starts with some innocuous questions about Steel Lakes.

“So, Raura. Tell me about your little…community.” He makes the word sound charming. We could be discussing a quaint village instead of a hidden sanctuary for my kind. “How many of you live there?”

His voice is smooth as honey, but I know it’s just part of his act. The man is playing “good cop-bad cop” all on his own.

I meet his gaze evenly. “Oh, just a few of us. Maybe a dozen or so.”

Parker’s expression doesn’t change, but I can see the wheels turning behind those cold eyes. He knows I’m lying through my teeth, but he doesn’t call me out on it. Not yet, at least.

“And what sort of…work do your people do there?” His polite tone can’t mask the calculating glint in his stare.

Crossing one leg over the other, I shrug lazily. “Little bit of this, little bit of that. We keep busy. Mainly art, as you saw before. Sculpture, painting…that kind of thing.”

An almost imperceptible muscle twitches in Parker’s jaw – the first crack in his unflappable facade. “And what about…security? Surely you must have some means of protection in place?”

“We get by.” I inspect my nails, the very picture of indifference. “The occasional stray mutt wanders in, but nothing we can’t handle.” I put an emphasis on the words “stray mutt.”

That does it. Parker’s control snaps like a taut wire being cut. He slams his palms on the table, making me jump despite myself.

“Enough of this game!” His veneer of civility is gone, replaced by an ugly snarl. “You’re going to tell me everything, you stupid bitch. Starting with exactly how many of your mangy pack live in Steel Lakes.”

I lean back, crossing my arms over my chest as I glare defiantly at the raging monster across from me. “Go fuck yourself, Parker. I’m not telling you a damn thing. I told you, we’re just free spirits. Artists.” Keeping my expression neutral, I meet his glare.

Parker slams a fist on the table, making me flinch. “You insult my intelligence! I’m not a fucking idiot. Don’t think for one minute that you had me fooled with that little…masquerade.” His voice drops to a menacing growl. “I want the truth about what’s really going on in that town. And you’re going to give it to me.”

A bead of sweat trickles down my spine, but I force another casual shrug. “Believe what you want. I’ve told you everything I have to say.” The irony of my situation suddenly dawns on me. I’ve spent my life being told that my mouth would get me into trouble one day. Now, here I am, having to hold my tongue.

His nostrils flare with barely contained rage. “Start talking about your security forces. I saw enough during our…altercation to know you have an organized militia protecting that place.”

I raise an insolent eyebrow. “Oh? And what exactly did you see? Because from my perspective, your little invasion didn’t go so well.”

The barb hits home. Parker’s face flushes an ugly crimson as he struggles to regain his composure. “You’ll regret that attitude soon enough,” he warns. “My men are experts at…persuasion. If you don’t start cooperating immediately, they’ll make you wish you had.”

I swallow hard, my bravado faltering for a moment. But I can’t let this snake see any cracks. Squaring my shoulders, I fix him with my most disdainful look. “Do your worst, Parker. I’m not telling you a damn thing about my people.”

Parker shoves his chair back with such force it almost falls over. The sound of it grating across the floor sets my teeth on edge. I keep them clenched as he stalks around the table to me. It’s all I can do not to cringe as he sets a hip on the table and settles casually next to me. He smooths a hand over his hair and smiles benignly. Every hint of his previous rage is gone once more.

He’s freaking psychotic!

“Come come, Raura…” He reaches forward and brushes a curl from my cheek, and now I can’t help it…I flinch. “You can’t seriously believe that you’re going to survive what we have in store for you.”

I set my jaw, meeting his eye and forcing myself not to look away. There’s humor swirling in their flat depths.

“You know I’m going to get what I want sooner or later. Why not make it easier for all of us and just get it over with?”

“Drop dead,” I say under my breath, then gasp as his hand flies back and swings forward again, connecting with my cheek sharply enough to almost knock me from my chair.

“Let’s try that again, shall we?” He’s still speaking calmly, but he can’t hide the fact that he’s slightly breathless. I don’t know if it’s from the exertion or because he’s getting off on this game. The thought of that makes my stomach turn. “Tell me about your security forces, Raura. How many men? How are they armed?”

I keep my jaw clenched and turn my eyes forward, staring fixedly ahead of me. This time, when he strikes me, I yelp. Warm blood gushes from a gash in my cheek, where it grinds against the edge of my teeth. I gulp, trying not to gag as I feel it trickle into my throat.

“Don’t think I won’t keep doing this, girl.” He strokes a fingertip over the cheek he just slapped. “I know what you animals are like. The bruising will fade in a matter of hours. And if something gets broken, like, say, a finger…or a wrist…” He heaves a big sigh. “That may take a couple of days.”

“Well, then, I have nothing to worry about, do I?” I tilt my chin and lock eyes with him. His expression shifts again.

When his arm swings up, I angle my head and point at my cheek. “There you go, Franklin. Shall I make it easy for you? X marks the spot, right?”

When his hand moves this time, it’s not to hit me. He grabs my jaw instead. His fingers bite into my flesh as he turns my head to face him.

“You think you’re so smart, don’t you?” His breath is hot on my face, and even though it’s minty, there’s still an underlying stench to it. I try to pull my head back, but he holds fast. “There are other ways of loosening a tongue, Raura.” His grip is bruising as he stares into my eyes. “And they don’t have to involve damaging the goods.”

Releasing my face abruptly, he stands. “Guards!” he calls out. The door swings open immediately, and the same two men stride in. “Take her back to her cell,” he says, then looks back at me. “Let’s see how much your attitude changes after a few days without food.” He pats me on the shoulder, the way an affectionate uncle might, and then heads out the door, leaving me with the guards. I keep my head held high as they grab my upper arms and try to march me to the door.

I won’t let him break me.

I won’t.