Chapter 23

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

The steady throb in my head forced me out of unconsciousness.

With a groan, I tried to reach for the source of pain. My hands wouldn’t move. No, that wasn’t right. They were moving; I just couldn’t lift them. They were stuck behind me.

Confused, I blinked my eyes open and tried to make sense of what they might be caught on. Turning my head made my stomach lurch. Nausea rose, and I closed my eyes and took a few calming breaths before trying to look again. The room swam in and out of focus for a few seconds.

I waited for my sight to clear. As it did, so did my thoughts.

No bleeding.

I’d gone to the house to save Harper, and someone had hit the back of my head.

Lifting my gaze, I looked around the unfamiliar space. A strip of twinkly lights strung overhead cast more shadows than light. But it was enough to see my elderly neighbor and his granddaughter kneeling not far away from me, near a ratty bed.

I took in their vacant stares and the bite marks on Harper’s grandpa’s neck and knew they were thralled.

I am so screwed.

My gaze swept the space, looking for clues regarding where they’d taken me. Straight ahead, I saw a steel railing. Beyond that, nothing but darkness. The break in the railing was wide enough for a set of stairs. So a loft apartment?

I breathed in the faded scent of old oil, exhaust, and chemicals. A loft in a warehouse?

My gaze swept the space again, taking in the dilapidated, sparse furnishings then down at myself. They’d tied me to my own damn kitchen chair, and my necklace was gone. How in the hell had they gotten it off if it was anti-theft? I spotted it on a table not far from me. Beside it were two blood bags. Condensation had already beaded on the plastic, showing they’d been out for a while.

I glanced at the windows near the roofline, trying to gauge the time. The windows gave no light whatsoever. Was it because of the paper covering them or because the sun had already set?

Panic set in hard. This shouldn’t have happened. Cross could move fast. Shepard could track me on the app. How did they not reach me in time? I’d called them. I looked for my phone and didn’t see it. I’d left it in the car.

Internally yelling at myself for my stupidity, I tried to think of a way out of the trouble I’d landed in.

If they couldn’t track me with the app, I needed to bleed. Cross always showed up when I bled. Fingernails in my palm? No, I might need my hands. Same with abrading my wrist with the rope.

That left one simple solution—I just needed to bite my tongue or cheek.

No problem. You can do this, Everly.

I sucked the side of my cheek between my molars and bit down. My eyes watered, and I felt a loose bit of skin, but there was no metallic tang of blood. A tear spilled over and tracked down my cheek as I tried again.

It hurt so damn bad, but I finally tasted blood.

The pair by the bed hadn’t moved. Good.

Come on, Cross. Come and save me already.

While I thought that, I carefully turned my hands in their bindings, trying to find where they were tied. I was all for a good rescue, but I wasn’t about to sit still and hope it would be in time. I had way too many close calls for that. My fingers found the end of a rope, and I traced it as I glanced at the windows again.

Just when I thought I’d found the knot, which I could barely touch with the tips of my fingers, something crashed below us. I was the only one who flinched. My gaze darted toward the opening in the railing that led to whatever was below us.

Please be Cross. Please be Cross.

I heard a faint scrape of noise. The room instantly brightened as three lamps turned on in the loft. I glanced away from the gap in the railing for less than a second. When I looked back, Vivian, Adriel’s lover, stood there.

He wore the same black leather pants as the last time I saw him and a black t-shirt that accentuated the dark makeup around his eyes.

His lips curved as he inhaled deeply, and I watched the telltale black veins spread out from under his heavy makeup.

“What did you do?” he asked more calmly than I would have thought he possessed. “I smell your blood.”

When I didn’t answer, he blurred and was suddenly in front of me.

He had his tongue inside my mouth before I knew what was happening. But it was over as soon as it had started.

He grinned at me. “Calling Cross to save you? I didn’t think you had it in you to hurt yourself on purpose. I thought I’d have to do the honors for you.”

My mind slowly caught up to what he was saying.

“You want Cross here?”

“Not just him. Where Cross goes, a certain wolf will eventually follow. And they will pay dearly for nearly killing Master.” He went over to Harper and ran his fingers over her hair.

“Don’t hurt her,” I said.

His gaze whipped to mine, and he grinned right before he blurred.

My wrists burned as he tore me from the chair and threw me face-first into the mattress. He landed on my back, his hips pinning mine as he straddled me.

“She’s not the one who’ll hurt,” he growled in my ear. “They tossed Master into a mass grave like garbage to be forgotten. Master gifted them the same, only with their precious humans. But I want more.”

Vivian’s hand fisted the back of my shirt and yanked hard, the force of it pulling me up as the material tore. I tried to scrabble away, but he shoved me back down. What was left of my shirt disappeared.

“I had nothing to do with what happened at the alpha fight,” I said desperately.

My need for Shepard and Cross to save me warred with my fear for them. Why did Vivian want them to come here? What did he have planned?

Vivian grabbed my shorts, and I struggled in earnest to dislodge his weight.

“This isn’t about revenge,” I shouted. “This is about getting the rings for Orphia, you sick prick.”

“I don’t give a damn about the bitch. She might be my queen, but she is not my master.” He leaned down, his breath tickling my neck over my frantic pulse. “Only Adriel gets that title.”

My body jerked as he ripped my shorts free.

“Thanks to you, I’ll have my revenge for what they did to my true master. And I’ll enjoy every second of it, too.”

His palm rubbed over my exposed butt cheek before he slapped it hard. Panic slammed through me, making him laugh.

“You smell delicious when you’re scared.”

A crash sounded downstairs half a second before Vivian flew from me.

I scurried off the bed to crouch against the wall as two blurs slammed together.

They were too fast to see, but the fallout wasn’t. The table broke. A lamp fell over, the bulb shattering. The mattress flipped off the bed.

I was so busy watching the carnage that I didn’t notice a third blur until Adriel stood by the railing, holding Harper over the abyss below by an ankle.

Cross came to an abrupt stop, holding Vivian by the neck. Blood poured from Vivian’s multiple wounds, and his head dropped forward as he clutched Cross’ arm.

“Stop,” Cross ordered.

“An exchange. Pet for the girl.”

“And the others.”

Adriel snarled but agreed. “On the count of three.”

“One—” Adriel dropped the girl.

He and Cross blurred at the same time. Cross streaked down the stairs while Adriel whisked Vivian over the edge.

I dashed to the railing and saw Cross catch Harper. Vivian and Adriel were nowhere in sight.

My body wilted to the floor in relief.

Cross reappeared in the loft and told the grandfather and Harper to sleep. Then he swept me off the ground and held me close as he sat on the bed.

“Did he bite you?”

I could feel my need to answer him truthfully and knew Cross had compelled me.

“He didn’t bite me; I did so that you would come. I was scared you wouldn’t get here in time. I’m sorry I left.”

He smoothed his hand over my hair and kissed my forehead. Then he kissed my lips. I melted into his touch and felt his tongue swipe over my cheek, even though it had already been healed by Vivian’s disgusting tongue. He withdrew and hugged me again.

Tears started to fall in earnest. He rubbed my back and rocked us as he held me. But my breakdown wasn’t just about this moment. It was about all of them combined. It was the fear that this would never end. That people would forever try to use me to hurt Cross and Shepard.

When my tears slowed, he scooted me from his lap and stripped off his t-shirt. He helped put it on me then gathered me close again.

A few moments later, Shepard called for us from below.

I didn’t lift my head from where it was buried in Cross' very damp shoulder.

“We’re up here,” Cross called over the sounds of my hitched breathing.

I heard several sets of feet pounding up the stairs.

“Is she all right?” Shepard asked softly.

“She’s fine. Vivian and Adriel were here a few moments ago.”

“We’re on it,” I heard Tank say. This time, only a whisper of sound marked their departure.

The bed moved as Shepard sat beside us and ran his hand over my hair. Neither spoke as they tried to comfort me. It sort of made me want to cry more—out of guilt—but I forced myself to focus on deep, calming breaths until the tears stopped.

“I shouldn’t have gone without you,” I managed to say.

“It doesn’t matter,” Shepard said. “You’re safe now. That’s all that matters.”

A fresh wash of tears made me sniffle against Cross. Sure, I was safe, but it’d been so close. Again.

“Are you hurt anywhere?” Shepard asked.

I was. My wrists burned fiercely, and my armpits hurt where my shirt had caught before ripping. And I was pretty sure I had bruises from where Vivian had grabbed me. But I didn’t say any of that.

“I’m fine. What about Harper and her grandpa?” I finally lifted my head to look for them and saw both resting peacefully on a tattered couch spattered with old blood stains. “Did Vivian and Adriel hurt her?”

Cross kissed my forehead. “I’ll find out what happened.”

He passed me to Shepard, who held me just as comfortingly as Cross had and approached the pair. He woke them up then started asking questions. When and how did they first meet Vivian? What were they told to do? Had either Vivian or Adriel done anything to them besides feeding?

I listened to the girl explain that they had been the ones to put the tracking device on my car and had been watching my movements. “Pet,” which I knew was what Vivian preferred to be called, had only fed from them each visit. The most recent being today, just before dawn, when he’d told them how to capture me.

“He said it wasn’t because of the rings,” I said. “It was because of what happened to Adriel at the alpha challenge. He was angry you threw Adriel in a mass grave. That’s why they’ve been dumping those bodies like that too. Revenge.” I started to shake a little. “That's why he wanted me. He wanted you to pay for what you did to Adriel.”

“Do you believe that?” Shepard asked Cross.

“I don’t doubt it. Orphia isn’t one to evoke any sense of loyalty. However, he and Adriel would willingly use Everly to get the rings. I’m just not certain whether they would hand them over to Orphia or keep them for themselves.”

My shaking didn’t stop, and I knew it was bothering Shepard when he kissed my temple and buried his head against my neck.

“This is killing me, Everly. I hate your fear.”

“Me too,” I said.

Cross asked the little girl if she knew where they were.

“This is my master’s home,” she said.

“You may both sleep now.”

After they fell back onto the couch again, Cross picked up my necklace and gently clasped it onto my neck.

“I don’t understand how they took it off,” I said.

“Vivian ensured Harper’s intent wasn’t to hurt you,” he said. “And she had no interest in robbing you. Using an innocent girl was sadly brilliant.” He kissed my forehead while Shepard was still holding me then crossed to the room to check the fridge.

“It does appear that this was their primary home. I wonder where they were, though, if neither was here when you woke.” He inhaled deeply. “The only scents under the reek of exhaust and oil are Vivian’s and Adriel’s.”

Tank came up the steps again. His gaze swept over me, and I saw nothing but concern as it shifted to Shepard.

“We found the trail and followed it to a sewer cap. Do you want us to follow?”

“No,” Shepard said. “It’s harder to pick up any distinct scents down there, and I don’t need anyone else going missing.”

“Missing?” I lifted my head. “What do you mean?”

“One of the patrols I sent out last night still hasn’t come back,” Shepard said.

I could see his worry and returned my head to his shoulder.

“I’m so sorry I left, Shepard. I didn’t mean to add to your stress.”

“You wouldn’t be the person I love if you stopped caring about other people, Everly. I know you left to save the girl, and you let me know where you were going.” He exhaled heavily. “Maybe next time you could pick up after sending something like that though.”

I turned my head to meet his gaze. “I knew you would tell me not to go.”

He nodded and kissed my forehead.

“What about these two?” Tank asked.

“We’ll take them to the house with us,” Shepard said. “Even with Miles and Sierra, we still have room.”

He stood and set me on my feet, straightening the shirt I wore so it mostly covered me.

It was dark outside when we finally left. I looked back at the old, rusty building and shuddered, knowing it’d take up residence in my nightmares until both Master and Pet were dead.

Cross opened the passenger door to Shepard’s SUV and helped me inside, even going so far as to buckle my seatbelt for me. It made me feel ridiculous that I was such a mess that they were treating me with kid gloves, but at the same time, it was exactly what I needed.

I murmured my thanks after he hopped in the backseat.

As Shepard drove, he assured me and Cross that Doc had already picked up the company car and it would be at the pack house.

“I don’t care about that,” Cross said. “We need to meet with Effora. All of us. The longer we wait, the more situations like this will occur.”

“Before Everly texted us, Hugh was able to pin down Effora.”

“What time is the meeting?” Cross asked.

“Noon tomorrow. Hugh will tell us where.”

Tomorrow. Noon. The idea of either of them leaving my side made my stomach churn.

“Can I go, too? I don’t want to be alone.”

Both agreed.