Chapter 18
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
ANITA
"Do you really think this is a good idea, considering our current houseguest?
" There was no mistaking the disapproval in Nyx's eyes.
I sent her to kidnap Alexander and bring him back to the cell.
Fortunately she managed to do it while Krista was sleeping, but now it was mid-morning, and Krista was awake and moving about the compound.
"We have to figure out how to make this our new normal, and what better way to do that than jumping right in?"
Nyx threw her hands in the air. "It's barely been a day. How in the world can you possibly think this is a good idea?"
Did I think it was a good idea? Not really.
Did I want to take Alexander somewhere else and torture him? Hell no. That was too big of a risk.
Did I want to wait weeks before talking to Alexander? Not a chance in hell. So that only left one option.
The one we were currently in.
"Lilith promised to stay with Krista, and I explained this part of the compound is off-limits. That should keep her from finding Alexander."
"Right, because teenagers are known for listening." Nyx rolled her eyes. "Let's just get this started already. I hate looking at his cocky face."
I pushed open the door of the torture room and slid in so I was leaning against the wall.
Giving myself time to take a good look at Mason's father.
It was a sin how attractive he was. A man as evil as he was should've looked the part on the outside.
Instead he had the face of an angel but the eyes of the devil himself.
Black and currently full of fury. "It's about time you showed up.
Working up the courage to face me? How about you take off these restraints, and I show you what a man like me does to women like you. "
"Okay." I pushed off from the wall and slipped my knife out of my pocket.
Effectively slicing the rope securing his hands together behind the chair.
"I'll even give my knife to my friend here to make this fair.
" I walked back over to Nyx––who took up root in front of the door––and handed over my blade.
Nyx didn't say a word. Neither did her face. She merely watched Alexander with a neutral expression.
Alexander looked confused at first. Obviously he hadn't expected me to grant his wish, and now that I had, he didn't know what to do.
Was he all bark and no bite?
God, I hoped not. I was looking forward to a good fight. Sloane was normally the one who had all the fun in hand-to-hand combat because it was her specialty, but I was no slouch. I gave Sloane a run for her money before she inevitably kicked my ass in the end.
"I'm waiting," I snapped. "You mentioned showing me what a man like you can do, but I'm not seeing anything."
That did it.
It was enough to piss him off and spur him into action. Too bad his moves were sloppy and easily deflected. Alexander couldn't even land one punch, and I had yet to go on the offensive and attempt to hit him back.
I was playing with my prey. I knew it. Alexander knew it. Nyx knew it. There was no hiding the game I was playing, and the longer it went on, the more pissed Alexander became.
"Fight me, you stupid bitch."
I did have to give him credit. He was decently in shape for someone his age. He hadn't let himself go like most men in his position did. He wasn't good enough to beat me or my team, but he was no slouch either.
"Okay, but I want you to remember you asked for it." I ran at him, jumping in the air at the last minute and brought a punch down so hard on his jaw that his head snapped sideways as he stumbled to the ground.
After that, it was child's play. Alexander could barely lift his hands to block punches from raining down on him let alone fight back. It was almost pathetic how easily he went down.
I left Alexander in a bloody mess on the floor. I did kick him on my way out though. I never claimed to take the high road in these situations.
"Feel better?" Nyx glanced up through her lashes. She was still in front of the door but now had one foot propped against it.
"Not really. Help me get his ass back in the chair so I can start asking him some questions."
Nyx walked over, handed me back my knife, and bent over to do as I asked. Despite Alexander being dead weight, we didn't break a sweat getting him tied back onto the chair.
Once we had him in position, I tapped his face hard to get his attention. "Now that we got that out of the way, let's start." I tapped him again when his face dropped to the side. "Focus, asshole. I need you to tell me where to find Nova's body."
"I'm not telling you shit," Alexander spat.
Well now, that just wasn't going to do. I grabbed the hilt of my knife and drove the blade into his thigh. The bloodcurdling scream he released was music to my ears. Most people found music relaxing. I, on the other hand, considered the wails of my victims a great way to de-stress.
"It would be in your best interest to tell me before I start to get creative. My friend here will tell you I'm known for finding new and innovative ways to get the answers I seek."
"It's true. I'm pretty sure she stays up most nights daydreaming about it."
Nyx usually preferred to do the talking when we tortured someone. Most of the time, I kept quiet but I could see why she liked it. Mental torture could be equally as fun as physical torture.
"Go to hell."
It was hard to take offense when the words were accompanied by drool and blood dribbling from the corner of his mouth. It took the effect away.
"Hell doesn't scare me. I've already been there and made it my bitch."
I walked over to the tool bench and picked up what ancient historians called the Spanish Tickler. It resembled a rake you would use in the garden but with much pointer tips.
"Have you ever seen this tool before?" I twisted it back and forth in front of Alexander.
I didn't give him a chance to answer. Using just one of the tips, I ripped his shirt in half.
"Historians call it the Spanish Tickler.
It was used during the Spanish Inquisition and later.
It won't kill you, but it will shred your skin, and eventually you will die from either blood loss or infection. "
I raked it down the center of his chest. "You can scream all you want, but no one's coming to save you all the way out here."
I was lined up to take another swipe down his skin but paused at the sound of the door opening. I peered over my shoulder in time to see Krista's ashen face.
"Shit!"
"Ah, fuck!"
Nyx and I spoke at the same time.
"Take her outside. I'll be right there." I didn't take my eyes off Krista as Nyx approached her and gently guided her out of the room. Day one and I was already screwing the girl up.
"This is going to have to wait."
I placed the tool back on the table and headed over to the sink to wash my hands of Alexander's blood. Just because Krista saw what I had done didn't mean I needed to flaunt the blood in her face.
Once I was sure there was none left on me, I exited the room and found all of my teammates huddled together in the common area.
"I'm so sorry." Lilith began apologizing profusely as soon as I got close. "I stepped away to use the bathroom, and when I came back out, she was gone."
This wasn't my teammate’s fault, it was mine. I was the one cocky enough to believe we could continue our lives like nothing had changed despite having a teenager living with us.
"Krista?"
The young girl was still pale, but I didn't see fear in her eyes. "Is that one of the bad men?"
I wasn't sure what specific bad men she was talking about, but I didn't lie to her either. "Yes, he's a very bad man. He's known for selling drugs to kids and abusing women." His laundry list of crimes was much longer, but I didn't think Krista needed to know all those details.
"Is he here to hurt me?"
I stepped closer to her but still far enough away that she could move freely if she wanted to. "Not you specifically but he's hurt other kids your age."
"Do you always do that?"
I tilted my head to the side. "Do what?"
"Hurt the bad men?"
"Yes." I took one step closer. "We rescue people and hurt the bad men. Does that bother you?"
I should slap myself upside the head. Seriously? Did that bother her? Of course it bothered her. She just walked in on a man being tortured. Any normal person would be bothered by that.
"No." Krista shook her head violently. "My mom used to say it was important to get rid of the bad men."
I glanced over at Sloane who merely shrugged her shoulder. We knew based on the information Hawk had sent over that Krista's mother died six months before Krista was taken, but we knew nothing about who her mother was.
"Krista, can you tell me about your mom?"
Supposedly she was from the same hometown as me, so that would mean I might know her mother. I hadn't recognized the name though.
"She had this online friend who took care of bad guys.
They talked most nights about it. Mom wasn't very good around people, but she had no problem talking to someone over the internet.
When she died, the police wouldn't let me contact her friend.
It's why I kept getting into trouble. I just wanted them to understand. "
"Understand what, Krista?"
"That Hawk would've taken care of me."