Chapter 24

24

SLOAN

" F ucking coward! You get off on this, don't you?!" Sydney spits out at the irritated Light Justicar whose shoulder she's thrown over. "Think you're some sort of big, tough man beating up women."

I tell myself to fight back like Sydney has from the moment we were swarmed by Justicars. I will my legs to run, to kick, but it's as if I've been disconnected from my body from the moment Paul sat down at the table. I thought I was strong enough to confront him. I thought I'd done enough work with Dr. Grayback that I could handle this.

I was so, so wrong.

The moment he showed up and hugged me, it's like my mind unplugged itself. Thank god for Sydney, else we would never have made it through lunch. I could barely pick at the food in front of me, a meal I didn't want but couldn't override Paul when he overrode my order with the waitress. Always with that affectionate smile, like he actually has my best interest in mind.

How can Bones think that he's anything like Paul?

Paul is the storm threatening to destroy my life. Bones is the mountain that steadies me.

I need him now, as I let Paul guide me to a plush, cream colored leather seat across from the two seat sofa the other Justicar just dumped Sydney into. I know that Bones is coming for me, that he won't abandon me to these men. I need him, though. I need him because I'm not strong enough yet to not just withstand the storm, but fight my way out of it.

"Fucker!" Sydney snarls as the man tightens the belt over her lap. She's got her hands tied behind her back, like me, and she lashes out with a kick. She might be dressed in a higher fashion style, but she refused to give up her black boots.

"Watch it, or I'll duct tape your ankles," the man--who can't be any older than me--threatens.

Paul's hand grips my shoulder, pushing me to sit. It's clear from the gentle force that he doesn't expect me to resist. I lock my knees, my heart leaping into my throat at my rebellion. His fingers tighten on my shoulder. It's not much in the way of threats, but so far out of my comfort zone, it basically feels like I'm at gunpoint. I drop down into the seat across from an angry hellcat of a woman, nausea churning through me. I cling to the small ember that neither Paul or Xavius were able to extinguish. The part of me that Bones stoked into a fire once more.

"Sydney." My friend doesn't look at me, still glaring daggers at the men standing over us. "Sydney," I call, a bit louder.

Her eyes snap to mine, her face still full of aggravation. I shake my head, a small gesture that must look meek to the man who'd threatened her because he growls.

"Better listen to your friend," he practically spits out. "You don't want to be treated like a wild animal? Start acting like a proper woman, then."

I widen my eyes, pleading with her to not respond to his goading. Her nostrils are flared and I see her struggle against her argumentative nature. We can't let the plane take off, but we can't risk angering them so much they sedate us. Then we won't be of any use getting out of here. More than anything that's happened today, the thought of being sedated and waking up somewhere unknown terrifies me. It always meant awful things were to follow.

Whatever she sees in my look, she finally huffs and turns to give her shoulder to the justicar as she glares out the oval window.

He leaves but Paul's hand is still on my shoulder. I turn to look up at him, meeting his brown eyes in another act of quiet defiance. Compared to Bones bronze flecked eyes, Paul's eyes are a muddy brown that are utterly uninteresting.

His brows form the slightest furrow, like he knows I'm different but is still trying to figure out how.

"I meant what I said, Sloan," Paul says and eases into a crouch beside me in the wide aisle. His hand moves from my shoulder, up to brush some of my hair behind my face. I pull back, unable to let him touch me with such intimacy. The only male I want touching me anymore is Bones.

"If that was true--" my voice is soft but my words don't waver, "-then you would be helping me escape Xavius. Not returning me to him."

He blinks rapidly at my uncharacteristic rebuttal. The ember sparks hotter, sparking like it's ready to burst into flame. I lift my chin, meeting his eyes. I may not be all spite and anger like Sydney, but I'm stronger now. With the help of therapy and my own hard work, I've begun to regain the strength he'd quietly stolen over the years.

"I've always wanted what is best for you--"

"Then let us go."

His lips pinch when I interrupt him, his disapproval evident in his eyes. The habits I'd created to survive the justicars scream at me to lower my head, to apologize and become small. I swallow hard, curling my toes tight as I fight to maintain eye contact. My shoulders ache and the zip ties bite into my wrists where they're bound at the small of my back.

Paul's eyes harden, his mouth turning down into a frown, and he rises. Looking down his nose at me, his voice is sanctimonious. "When you're back where you belong and we've rid you of the influence of demons ," he spits the word out, "you'll remember the truth." He grips my chin in a way that could be affectionate if it wasn't for how hard his fingers dig into me. "I'll let you earn my forgiveness."

He lets go of me before I can yank away from him. My thoughts reel, images of him making me earn his forgiveness spinning across the front of my mind like the spinning optical illusion toys from the Victorian age. Except they're memories instead of any illusion.

Paul is walking towards the front of the plane and he's nearly at the door when I find my voice.

"He's coming for me," I tell him. My voice may shake but my faith in my demon doesn't.

Paul looks over his shoulder at me and his expression is one of pity as he shakes his head. "Why would a powerful demon like him bother coming after you?"

My heart freezes as Paul voices the fear I'd refused to acknowledge. I've seen how women throw themselves at Bones. He can have his pick and I know he's had numerous partners in the past. Women who are certainly more experienced in bed, who aren't broken. Who knows how to live on their own. Who doesn't shut down as soon as a conflict starts, terrified to be hurt.

He nods again, like he's certain his blow has wounded me. He disappears; only the sound of his heavy steps down the plane's stairway left behind.

"You can't listen to him."

In a fog, I turn my head back towards Sydney. The ember inside of me, the one flickering back into life, is cooling. My vision is blurry as I try to look at her, unable to focus as familiar loneliness encroaches around me.

"Sloan!" Sydney's voice is sharp, like it's not the first time she's tried getting my attention. Sucking in a breath, I struggle against the haze and focus on her. Her sharp face is soft as she waits for me to meet her eyes, waiting to know I'm here with her. Confidence and strength usually fill the lines of her warm brown face. I don't think I've ever seen her look so compassionate. The steel determination I'm used to is still in her eyes.

"He's an abuser." She's leaning forward to try to close the distance as much as she can, but her voice is distorted like I'm underwater. "He's saying things to hurt you. I know it hurts regardless. You can't believe him, though. Bones is coming for you. He loves you. You are his fated mate. His everything. You are worth fighting for."

She gets clearer as she speaks, her declarations easing the pain from Paul's blows. She nods with encouragement as I anchor myself, refusing to let myself become filled with doubt. Difficult as that may be.

I think of Bones and how he's worshiped my body. How he's loved me with his hands, mouth, and tongue. How when I finally broke, he kept me safe in the embrace of his arms. He waited for me, giving me space to open myself. He wanted me to discover what makes me happy, to stand on my own in my new world.

The chill retreats from my soul, the ember there glowing brighter and brighter. Then it sparks back into life. I inhale, like it's the first deep breath I've taken in years.

A corner of Sydney's mouth raises in a satisfied grin. "That's it, bitch." She looks around the plane and sees we're still alone for the moment. "Now, how are we going to blow this joint?"

I clear my throat, trying to keep quiet, and bend in place to peer out of the window across the way. I only have a partial view of the open hangar door and a few of the justicars. I don't see Father Xavius but I have no doubt he's who the ones I do see are listening to.

"They look busy right now," I mutter, considering and rejecting different plans. Scanning the plane, my eyes stay on the back. I incline my head towards it. "That's usually where flight attendants are, right? Maybe there's something that'll help us break these zip-ties?"

Sydney gets to her feet gracelessly. Instead of hurrying to the back right away, she hunches over and gives me an arrogant wink before straightening. Then quickly, she's bending down again while jerking her arms forward. A second later, she's holding up both wrists in front of her.

"Bend and snap!"

Our eyes go wide as the quick stomps of someone coming up the stairs reaches us. Sydney throws herself into her chair again, her hands behind her like she's still bound. I see the broken zip tie on the floor between us and with my foot, slide it under my seat just before a new justicar comes around the corner. This man is bulky, with a nose that's been broken several times and a long scar along the side of his face. He isn't wearing a white cassock, but instead a white military uniform and matching tactical vest. A distant part of me is surprised the intimidating rifle in his meaty hands isn't white.

He's got a mean look to him, one that has me sharing a cautious look with Sydney. He doesn't say anything as he looks us over before turning enough that he can keep watch outside the plane door.

Together, Sydney and I hunch over and try to look out the window to see what's going on.

My heart leaps into my throat, this time with hope, when dark shadows flow like floodwaters into the hanger.

The guard moves before I realize it, grabbing and hauling me to my feet by my arm. "You're coming with me."

Oh, no. Those shadows have set the small flame inside of me into an inferno. I wrench away from the brute, clearly taking him by surprise. I spin to face him, my blood pumping with a mixture of anger and love. I copy Sydney's move and break the zip tie around my wrists on the first try.

Bones is out there and I'm going to fight my way to my mate.