Chapter Fourteen #2
“I’ll have one of my team take you to Manchester,” Aelryn said.
“You’ll be sure of a flight from there.” He glanced around the table.
“Before you all disappear to get some rest, I would like to say….” He smiled.
“It has been an honor to meet all of you. There are no finer fighters, even among my own men.” He met Eve’s gaze.
“Men being a generic term, you understand.”
She grinned. “I’d assumed as much.”
“And to second Signor Orsini’s prayer: May the gods watch over all of us.”
Amen to that.
If Horvan had his way, he’d have them on speed dial.
VIC WAS usually a positive person, but after being kept in a cramped, windowless room, not another being in sight save for the guard who brought him his meager food ration, he was starting to panic .
I’m not getting out of here, am I?
He’d tried to connect with Saul and Crank, but so far his efforts had been fruitless.
He’d become so disheartened, he hadn’t even tried during the last two days.
Theron’s initial comment about using him as a pawn in whatever twisted game he was playing filled Vic with dread, but that paled into insignificance next to the inference that anyone coming to rescue him would find only a corpse.
Then he heard the click of a key in a lock, and he stilled. He’d already been fed—and that was far too generous a term to be applied to the hunk of bread and half a plastic cup of water they’d brought him that morning—so this was something new.
When the door opened and Theron loomed in the doorway, his heart sank.
I guess I’ve run out of time.
“Bad news, I’m afraid,” Theron said in a light, cheerful tone, confirming Vic’s fears. “They’re not going to find you.” He kept his hands behind his back, and that was enough to put Vic on alert.
“They’ll never stop searching for me,” Vic affirmed, his voice cracking.
Theron’s cool smile sent shivers through him.
“Of course. Believe that if it helps. But you should know… they won’t be looking here. Indeed, I have it on excellent authority that they’re searching for you in Alaska.”
“And how do you know that?”
That cool smile again. “I have my sources. In fact, I can have those sources feed false information to your Fridan friends. I could have them searching for you all over the globe.”
A fucking mole. A traitor.
And there was no way of warning Horvan or Aelryn.
“It’s very warm in here, wouldn’t you agree?” Theron brought his hands out from behind him, and Vic saw a bottle of water.
You fucking bastard.
Theron cracked the cap and took a few sips.
He grimaced. “Damn, I hate it when the water isn’t chilled.
” He stared at Vic as he upturned the bottle and poured its contents onto the stone floor.
Theron gave him an apologetic glance. “Oh, I’m sorry.
Did you want some?” He pocketed the empty bottle with a cold smile.
You fucking monster.
“What do you hope to gain from keeping me here?” Vic demanded .
Theron buffed his nails on the lapel of his jacket.
“Absolutely nothing. So enjoy your last breaths, because your time is about to run out.” He pointed to the camera in the corner of the room, not that Vic hadn’t spotted it about two seconds after they’d thrown him in there.
“Your demise will be recorded for my amusement—and to torture your mates, of course.” He let out a dramatic sigh.
“To think they came so far and tried so hard, only to watch you die due to their failures.”
And with that, he closed the door and locked it.
Vic took a deep breath.
I have to hold tight. I have to believe they’ll find me.
He closed his eyes, fighting to calm his racing heartbeat, and opened himself up.
Saul? Crank? Can you hear me?
Then he choked back a sob when a familiar voice filled his head.
Baby?
Holy fuck.
Vic wiped his eyes. Saul, where are you? Is Crank with you?
Crank’s voice came next. Hey, sweetheart. We’re only a few miles away from you. Sit tight. We’re coming for ya. There was a pause. Fuck, it’s good to hear your voice. Are you okay?
No way was he going to reveal his present state. They’d only worry. I’m fine.
Then Vic recalled Theron’s admission.
Guys, you need to warn Horvan. You’ve got an informer among you. I don’t know who they are, but they’re feeding stuff back to Theron. He was bragging about it.
Saul laughed. Let him brag. Don’t sweat it, baby. Theron’s mole is one of us.
Vic rolled his eyes. You ever heard of the concept of a double agent?
Sure, but you ever heard of someone betraying their mates? Ain’t gonna happen.
He blinked. What?
We’ve got a lot to tell you. But it can wait. Crank’s voice grew warm. See you tonight.
Wait—what?
Oh, didn’t we mention that part? It’s on for tonight.
Vic’s eyes burned. He wanted to cry, but he had so little moisture left in his body. Love you both so much.
We know , Saul assured him. And you’ll be in our arms soon. So do what the man says and sit tight. He paused . Love you too.
Then the connection was broken.
Vic’s heart was dancing with joy.
They’re coming. They’re really coming.
He ached for the feel of cool water surrounding him.
Sunlight on his back as he breached the surface.
He’d gone too long without water sluicing over his body, and he was sure he’d pay the price.
His skin was already dry and cracking. Too much longer and Theron wouldn’t have to kill him.
He’d likely suffocate or be crushed when he was forced to shift in a vain hope of not dying.
Not that he was ready to give up. There was too much to look forward to.
Four strong arms holding him.
Three mouths meeting in a kiss.
Two dicks ready for action.
One bed, complete with soft sheets and a whole lotta lube.
I’m going home, goddamn it, and nothing is going to stop me.
VALMER COOPER was starting to get a bad feeling about his incarceration.
For one thing, it had been a while since they’d filmed him with the intention of sending it to Rudy. The beatings had still continued, however.
For another, every time he asked about his release, he was met with silence.
They can’t keep me here—can they?
His parents were getting on in years, and seeing as they hadn’t heard from him in months, they had to be going out of their minds with worry.
And then there was Rudy.
Life fucking sucked .
He’d found his mate—his freaking mate , for fuck’s sake—and in less than a day they’d been separated.
He must be going crazy.
Valmer had tried to find a way to link their minds, but it was no use.
Let’s face it. I don’t even know where I am. I could be anywhere in the world .
He hadn’t seen Theron since they’d thrown him into this godforsaken room, but he wasn’t about to complain about that.
Theron gave him a major case of skin-crawling terror.
The sound of a key turning in the lock startled him. There were no clocks in his room, but he had a fair idea of when they fed him.
So who is this?
Then goose bumps covered his arms as Theron walked through the door.
Valmer straightened, determined not to give the bastard the satisfaction of seeing him chicken. “Wow. What did I do to deserve a royal visit?”
Theron merely raised his eyebrows. “I see months of being locked away haven’t improved your manners.”
“Yeah, well, I forget my manners when someone waltzes into my hotel room, shoots me with a tranquilizer dart, then bundles me off to God knows where.” He gave Theron a quizzical glance. “I don’t suppose you’re about to tell me I’m free to go?”
Theron smiled, and the sight sent a chill through him. “You’d suppose correctly. I am simply here to tell you to make the most of your final days.”
Oh fuck. I’m going to die.
It was one thing to have a sneaking suspicion. It was something else to have that suspicion confirmed.
“You see, I set the Fridans an impossible task, and since I now have a new informant, I don’t need your pitiful mate anymore.
Which is probably a good thing, as I was beginning to suspect the information he was sending to me.
” Another chilling smile. “By the way, I thought you ought to know… there’s been nothing in the news about your disappearance.
No one seems to have missed you. What a sad epitaph.
He will not be missed. All these years on this planet and no one will mourn your passing. ”
“You think my parents won’t stop looking for me?”
Theron placed his hand over his heart. “Oh, I’m so sorry to be the bearer of bad tidings, but…
they died. Last month, actually. Your mother went first, apparently.
To be fair it seems she did miss you. Your father died a week or so later, of a broken heart, I believe.
So no, there is no one left to mourn you. ”
Valmer choked back the tears. “And did you have anything to do with their deaths?” He’d mourn them later, when he didn’t have an audience. His chest was tight, his eyes hot. You fucking bastard.
Theron arched his eyebrows. “Oh my, what a suggestion. ”
And it wasn’t an answer.
“I still have a mate, whether you think him pitiful or not.” Rudy wouldn’t give up searching for him.
“Correction—you had a mate. I told you I didn’t need him anymore.” Theron smiled. “And now I’ll leave you to enjoy your sleep—while you can.” He turned and left the room, and the click of the key in the lock was too much for Valmer to bear.
He lay facedown on the bed and wept into his pillow.
What shocked him was that his tears were not for himself, but for his parents and for Rudy.
What happens when you lose a mate?
How long did he have left?