Chapter 22

Darkness greeted me as I came to. I was in a bare room with no windows or furniture. My arms were in thick iron shackles that were attached to the wall behind me. The chains sat beside me on the floor where I was lying. I sat up slowly, only a twinge of pain radiating from my chest as I moved. There was a ping of metal as the bullet Syn had shot me with fell to the floor, my body having worked it out as it healed.

Being injured wasn’t a death sentence for me, but that didn’t mean getting shot, stabbed, or lit on fire didn’t hurt. My nerves felt every ounce of pain when it happened. My only saving grace was that I healed quickly, and as soon as my shredded flesh mended, the pain disappeared completely.

Experimentally, I tugged on the chains. They were only about four feet long, just enough to allow me to stand, sit, or lie down against the wall. The fact that they were here at all and that the manacles fit snugly against my skin as if made for me told me she had planned this.

With nothing else in the dark, dank room with me, I couldn’t help but wonder what Syn’s endgame was. She couldn’t keep me prisoner for long, and she had to know that the second I got my hands on her, I was going to kill her without an ounce of regret or hesitation.

I gripped one of the chains in my hands, wrapping the inch thick iron around my fist for a good grip and pulled until cement began to crack around the bolt in the wall. Small bits began to crumble, falling to the floor. I pulled with all my strength, my muscles straining until they screamed from the effort. I paused, allowing my body time to regroup, then began again, pulling as more of the wall crumbled to the floor.

I continued on for what seemed like hours but was mere minutes while my mind begged me to get free. I needed to save Kallista. She was in the hands of a monster. I needed to be able to see her beautiful face again and hold her close. I would never let her out of my sight once I had her in my arms. I had the feeling I wouldn’t be able to get past the terror of not knowing if she was okay or not for a very long time.

Finally, the bolt broke free from the wall, and I panted for breath as my muscles trembled. I was covered in sweat from the effort of pulling for so long. My eyes trailed over to the second bolt, and I gritted my teeth in determination. Every minute I was locked up in this room, which I guessed was in the basement of the strip club, due to the faint, heavy bass that seeped into the walls, my mate was in untold danger. I couldn’t allow my mind to conjure visions of what that man was doing to her, or I would lose my fucking mind.

The second chain seemed to be even harder to pull out than the first. I had to stop several times to let my body heal as I shook from the exertion. Every time I felt my muscles tearing, I had to pause to give them a chance to recover.

The time it was taking was increasing my anxiety, and I had to take deep, calming breaths to stop my panic from rising out of control. My only thoughts were of Kallista. It was killing me slowly, not knowing if she was okay. The only thing that kept me going was knowing she was alive. After seeing Syn’s mating brand, I knew what it would look like if I lost her. More than that, though, I could feel that she was still alive.

Her heart beat under my skin like it was my own pulse. I could feel her down to my soul. I felt pain, anger, and fear, but I couldn’t tell if it was my own emotions being amplified, circling through me.

When the bolt was hanging by just a few threads, and there was a pile of rubble at the base of the wall, I took a deep breath and prepared myself for one final struggle with the chain. I readjusted my grip, making sure the chain was wrapped tightly around my fists and forearms, and then I pulled with every bit of strength I could muster, and let out a primal yell from the depths of my soul.

When the bolt broke free from the wall, I was thrown across the room. I landed on my back, the chains covering my neck and chest. The bolt must have hit my forehead because I felt a brief pain and sting before it faded. With a relieved laugh, I detangled myself from the chains I was still holding and reached up to swipe away the bit of blood that had managed to gather there before it healed.

I rolled over onto my side, cursing as I fought with the heavy iron that seemed to want to keep me trapped. I looked down as I got to my feet, staring at the length of heavy chains, and cursed again that I was still trapped by the manacles. There was nothing I could do about them short of breaking off my own hands to free myself. I healed quickly, but not quick enough to regrow my hands in time to reach my mate once I left this place.

With frustration, I picked up one chain and then the other, wrapping them around my forearms. It was bulky and would hinder me, but there was no other choice. I could probably use them as weapons, though. Flashbacks of my time in the gladiator ring reminded me that anything could be used as a weapon. It wouldn’t be the first time I’d hate to fight to the death while wrapped in chains. Certainly not my own death, though.

I eyed the stairs and the darkness where they led. There was a possibility that the door was guarded, though I hadn’t been quiet at the end, so it was doubtful anyone was lurking, or they would have come running already. Unless they never considered the possibility that I could escape. Syn was just arrogant enough to think she’d had me beat.

At the thought of Syn, I hardened my jaw, nearly grinding my molars into dust. The she-demon was going to pay for her part in this. I had no doubts that she had led the vampires straight to my door, delusional enough to hope that if my mate was gone, she might still have a chance. I hoped I made it abundantly clear that I would rather shove my cock in a hive full of angry bees than to ever touch her deranged pussy.

I stalked to the steps and stomped up them to the door. At the top, I eyed the heavy wooden panel that was locked securely with a deadbolt. I glanced down at my fists and the chains that were wrapped there and grinned. I drew back my fist and slammed it into the door. The reverberation made my arm ache, and the iron dug into my knuckles. I pulled back and hit it again, then again, ignoring the sting and the blood dripping down to fall onto the wooden steps.

After a few more strikes, a large crack appeared, along with the sound of breaking wood. I could see dim lighting on the other side, and the sound of heavy bass became louder as the 80s rock song became recognizable. I rammed my fist into the door several more times to the tune of Pour Some Sugar On Me and I knew I’d never be able to hear that song again without wanting to put my fist through the radio.

As soon as there was a large enough hole, I kicked out the remaining wood that was barring my way to my mate. I ignored the scraping of the jagged pieces of wood that dug into my skin and tore through my shirt. Syn was going to pay for taking my leather jacket as well. I liked that fucking thing.

There must have been guards, after all; they had just been too busy gawking at the dancers. I could tell immediately that they were vampires, and cursed, realizing night had already fallen during my time in the basement. I wondered how long Syn had been working with the assholes, but then, she’d told me already, hadn’t she. Two hundred years, she’d let them use and abuse the women who worked for her.

The first one came at me with his teeth bared and pulled a large hunting knife from behind his back. I let the chain drop from around my right arm and swung it with all my strength. It flew in an arc through the air and then struck him across the face hard enough to rip open his flesh. He fell to the floor with a groan, the knife flying from his hand and skidding away to hit the wall.

The second vampire approached more cautiously, eyeing the bloody chain dragging the floor. He must have thought I couldn’t get it back into position for another strike in time because he suddenly darted straight at me, fangs extended and eyes flashing.

I knew some vampires had abilities when they were changed, I also knew there was virtually no way to tell what they could be until they appeared. This one suddenly became a wolf mid-leap, his jaw opened wide and aiming straight for my throat.

I raised my left arm to block the attack just in time for the massive wolf to clamp down on the chains that were still wrapped around my forearm. If only Syn knew that she had provided me the tools to protect myself from her vampire thugs, she’d likely throw a fucking fit.

With the wolf still attached to my arm, I chuckled and watched as his eyes widened, finally catching on that he was in a world of trouble. With my free hand, I quickly tossed the loose chain around his thick neck, then reached around to grab the end. I yanked it tight until he gasped for breath and began to struggle in earnest to get free from my hold.

He let go of my forearm to snap his jaws at my face. The hot breath of the wolf bathed me in hot, moist air, making me want to gag at the fetid smell.

“You should really brush your teeth. Maybe eat a dental chew while in doggy form. Your breath stinks.” I grinned at his answering snarl, then used my now freed hand to pull the chain around his neck even tighter. He whined pitifully before his eyes rolled to the back of his head and he went still. As I held him a moment longer, watching as his body changed back to that of a man, then I finally dropped his dead corpse to the ground.

The first vampire who attacked was making a poor effort to crawl away as he slipped in his own blood as it poured steadily down his face. I walked over to the knife that had slid to the wall and picked it up. My chains dragged behind me as I slowly stalked closer to the man. I placed a foot on his back, making his hands slip out from beneath him. I winced as his face hit the floor with a crack. He howled in pain as even more blood flowed to the floor from his broken nose.

I reached down and grabbed the long greasy hair on the back of his head and yanked it up, making his head bend backwards at what had to be an uncomfortable angle.

“You never should have taken my girl.” With a quick swipe of my new blade, I slit his throat and then dropped his head back to the floor. I was done playing with these fuckers. It was time to get my mate back.