Library

17. Theodore

Chapter seventeen

Theodore

M y daughter jumping into my arms at the sight of Parote was the only thing that kept me from ripping his throat out with my teeth. The giant man with large black wings fashioned a chair and bindings out of thin air and had Kase and Jett sit Parote there.

“Who is that?” I mouthed to Aiden. “LUCIFER!” he mouthed back.

I had many questions, none of which mattered at this exact moment.

“Jacqueline, can you tell us what happened?” Mia asked, turning her back on Parote once she was satisfied he was secured.

“We dated,” Jacqueline replied, averting her gaze so she didn’t have to look at him. “He was a sweet man, but he got into a minor car accident, and I realized how fragile he was and that one day I would have to watch him die. I couldn’t bear the thought, so I broke up with him.”

“You didn’t tell me that,” I commented.

“I didn’t think it mattered. I was meeting you for dinner the next night, so I figured I’d tell you when I saw you. Only that afternoon, Henry showed up on my doorstep, begging me to let him in to talk. Against my better judgment, I agreed, and when I turned my back to him, I felt a stab of pain in my neck, and then everything went dark.” Jacqueline wrapped her arms around herself as she turned to look at her prison. “I woke up here. He promised to figure out how to be strong like me, and then we could be together forever.”

Jacqueline walked over to the bank of computers against the wall. On the screens were the floors above us, a constant reminder to her of how far he was willing to go to be with her. I looked around the room and saw the small cot in the corner and the burner plate on a table. He lived down here with her. He worked here at the computers or within her view on the cameras, should she choose to watch.

Her following words confirmed my suspicions. “Henry thought that we were in this together. He often talked to me about his experiments or when he found someone he thought would be a good stock for his DNA farm.

Jacqueline turned to Mia. “I saw your video. He’s been very excited about you. He thought you might be the missing piece to our puzzle.” As she spoke, Rome wandered around the room and into her cell. I kept half an eye on him, wondering what he was looking for. When Rome sniffed her bed, I saw him stiffen. He flipped back the blanket, and the cell key gleamed in the light.

The realization had my blood run cold as time seemed to slow. I turned back to Mia and Jacqueline. My daughter had been watching Rome as she spun her story of lies. I had no doubt that the story’s beginning had been true, but at some point in her captivity, she had switched sides and became an active participant in Parote’s experiments. That’s why we didn’t spot any cameras in the usual places. They weren’t for security. Jacqueline knew we were here when Mia and Aiden arrived and locked herself in her cell to play the victim.

Jacqueline smiled at me as she wrapped her arms around Mia and held a knife to her throat, making Mia squeak in surprise. “Sorry, Daddy,” Jackie said unapologetically.

“Let her go, Jacqueline,” I said sternly. “This isn’t you. Parote has corrupted your mind.

Think of all the people he’s hurt. The daughter I raised wouldn’t hurt anyone unnecessarily.”

“Weren’t you listening? It was necessary. How else will Henry and I live together forever?” Jackie asked.

“Is she serious?” Lucifer asked with a laugh.

“It would appear so, your highness,” Rylan replied, a wry smile on his face. “Someone tell the giant royal chicken to shut the fuck up,” Jackie hissed. “Release Henry, or I’ll kill the cat,” she demanded.

“Giant royal chicken?” Lucifer asked. He doubled over in laughter; tears that I suspected might be acid fell from his face and bubbled on the concrete floor. “Oh, I like her. I’m going to enjoy her in Hell.”

Parote stirred, his eyes blinking open slowly. He looked around the room in confusion, but when his eyes fell on Jackie and Mia, he smiled. “That’s my good girl,” he said. “All we need is her blood, and this will all be over.”

I understand that she is your child. Lucifer’s voice sounded in my head. But am I to assume that you would prefer your mate to live if you had to choose?

I couldn’t believe that it had come to this, but as I looked at Jacqueline, I realized that I had already lost my daughter, and the person parading around in her skin was threatening my mate’s life. I looked at Lucifer and nodded my head imperceptibly.

“Release him!” Jackie screamed.

“I don’t think so,” Lucifer replied. He disappeared only to appear behind Jacqueline and wrap a hand around her neck. He bent his lips to her ear and whispered something, causing her eyes to widen in panic.

Take your mate, and say your final goodbye to your daughter.

I stepped forward quickly to pull Mia away from Jackie and push her behind me protectively. I felt my pack move wordlessly to surround her. Knowing she was safe, I stepped forward and looked my daughter in the eyes.

“I’ve spent what feels like an eternity looking for you, and now that I’ve found you, I see that my search was in vain. You’ve been dead for a long time now. I’m so sorry I couldn’t help you in time, Jacqueline.”

“Daddy?” she choked out.

I stepped away and watched as Lucifer placed his hand over her chest and snatched the soul from her body. I felt Mia’s arms wrap around me from behind, and I covered them with my own.

“I’m so sorry,” she whispered.

So was I, but there was no helping Jacqueline. Not anymore. “NOOOOO!” Parote bellowed, struggling against his restraints.

“And for my next trick, I’ll make her watch as I kill you as well,” Lucifer purred, making my hair stand on end as I watched the King of Hell mete out judgment. Jacqueline’s body partially reanimated in his hands, awareness returning to her eyes.

“Wait!” Mia yelled, jumping in front of Parote. “We still need to know what happened to Rome’s friend.”

Lucifer looked at Jacqueline and tilted his head as if listening to her. He looked at Rome. “Your friend never made it past the first stage of the drug. Whatever effects the drug had on him drove him insane, and he stepped in front of a train. He died instantly.”

Rome nodded, and Mia briefly comforted him before stepping between Lucifer and Parote again. “In that case, Parote’s life belongs to my mates, not only as retribution for their losses but as representatives of the hundreds of families who had loved ones stolen from them by Parote.”

Pride filled me to the brim as I watched my little mate stand up to the King of Hell without batting an eye. And the Guild thought she didn’t have it in her to be an assassin? They couldn’t have been more wrong. She didn’t need Parote’s drug; she already had everything that she needed inside of her.

Comments

0 Comments
Best Newest

Contents
Settings
  • T
  • T
  • T
  • T
Font

Welcome to FullEpub

Create or log into your account to access terrific novels and protect your data

Don’t Have an account?
Click above to create an account.

lf you continue, you are agreeing to the
Terms Of Use and Privacy Policy.