Aflame (Apotheosis) (30 page)

A child’s scream pulled her from a relapse into the darkness. Her heart beat violent punches against her chest and dread pooled in her gut. No, he wouldn’t. He couldn’t. Breaking the first rule of the playroom, she looked Tyr straight in the eyes. Unable to find her voice, she mouthed the word
no.

His face twisted into a horrifying grimace, like he wanted to smile but didn’t know how. He retracted his arm and with the slightest flick of his wrist, slashed the whip across her breasts.

“Eyes down.” The threat in his voice terrified her more than the bite of the scourge. Shivers of pain bit through her flesh. On a sharp inhale, her gaze dropped to the floor. The lingering sting from the strike disappeared as her fire emerged. Melted the pain. Caressed her aching body and spirit.

“Good girl.” Stepping forward, the monster bit her ear lobe, not hard enough to draw blood, but enough to make her wince. “Next time, I’ll remove those eyes.” A slender forefinger traced the top of her left brow. “If you’re blind, you won’t be able to escape.”

Another bellow came from outside the room. “Oh my little dove. It appears I’m being called away.”

Grayce watched his feet as they crossed the room to the closet. Recognition flared with the familiar click as he hung the whip back into its clip.

“I’ll be back very, very soon.” He headed for the door. “It appears you have yet another man in your life. Spirited little pest, this one. I might just let him watch once he’s been tamed.” Grayce looked up as the door closed behind Tyr. The hallway wasn’t the same as she remembered. This wasn’t the same house. He’d moved his torture chamber.

A churning, rolling heat swelled deep in her nucleus. A sensation she no longer feared. With a bravery that surprised her, she willed it through blood and bones and begged it to hurry.

* * * *

Zander stormed into the living room. His anger, amplified through his footsteps, rattled the walls. “Fuck. How did this happen? What on earth was she thinking?” A trail of curse words followed the path his mindless pacing created.

“You want to find her?” Chelsea yelled at him. “You need to calm yourself down. I can’t concentrate with you hovering.” She planted fisted hands on her hips and growled up at him. “Your emotions are too raw and overpowering right now. Give me some space.” She rubbed her temples and closed her eyes.

Shocked at Chelsea’s outburst, Zander planted his half naked form on the couch. Head hung low, he studied the necklace Grayce had fastened around his wrist. She tried to leave him. Did he do this? Did he drive her away?

“I shouldn’t have told her I loved her. She needed more time.” The pendant shimmied in the light as he twisted it between his fingers. What’s with the necklace? Was she trying to tell him something?

“What the fuck is taking Nikolas so long to get here?” He glanced at the clock. “It’s been over an hour. I have to get back out there. I have to keep looking...”

Chelsea snapped her eyes open. “An hour? Already?” With a deep breath she crossed the room and sat next to him on the sofa. “Zander, you don’t seem to be having withdrawals yet.” Her delicate touch offered no consolation as she rubbed his arm.

“Shit. I didn’t think about that.” He should’ve been writhing in pain by now, agitated out of his mind. “No. I’m not having withdrawals.” Fear gripped his chest, squeezed hard, and wrung the blood and life out of his heart like a wet towel.

Nikolas and Marcus stormed into the room chests heaving, eyes wild with worry. Nikolas at once had Chelsea trapped in a loving embrace. “Lover, what happened?”

“Oh, Nikolas. We’re not sure. Grayce left. Stephen was with her. They were there one second, then they were gone. I can’t feel them. I can’t pick up on them.”

Marcus wrapped a solid arm over Zander’s shoulder. “How you holding up, my man? You must be in misery right now.”

“I’m not having withdrawals. What does that mean? Does that mean she’s dead?” A panic worse than he’d known possible burned like acid through his sanity.

Nikolas’ green eyes darkened with unspoken anguish. “Doesn’t make any sense. If she were dea—gone, you would feel it. The pain would be unbearable. No. She’s not gone. She’s not.” He shook his head as if that action alone would make his words truth.

“I need to get back out there. I’ve circled town twice, the mountain too, but maybe I missed something. I’ll take Chelsea, start at the hunting cabin again. We’ll work our way south and go slow, maybe she’ll be able to pick up on something.”

“Dude.” Marcus crossed his arms and gave Zander a once over with a smirk plastering his face, his eyebrow raised in trademark Marcus style.

“What?” Now wasn’t the time to fuck around.

“You gonna get dressed first?” He rolled his eyes. “I mean, you’re sexy as hell and all, but come on.”

Zander looked down at himself.

“Right.” He was in his room in a flash. Throwing on the first shirt he found, he sat to put on his jeans and shoes. The letter was crumpled at his feet. He picked it up to read again.

You deserve so much more than what I can offer. So does Stephen. Please don’t try to find me. I trust you’ll see to it that my little brother has everything he needs. You’ve shown me what love looks like. Thank you. I’m so sorry I’ll never be able to do the same for you.

Grayce

He walked to the bathroom, stood in the doorway and stared into the shower. Last time they were in this room she had bared her soul to him. Their conversation played on a continual loop in his head. She said she needed him. Why would she try to leave?

Crushing the letter, he threw it across the room, claiming the wastebasket as a victim. A vial rolled across the floor and landed at his feet.

“Holy shit.” Grayce’s name was printed on the label. “What the?” He ripped the necklace from his wrist, laid it on the counter and ran to the other side of the estate. Halfway there, his skin started to crawl. The insatiable itch and burn consumed him within seconds. He hightailed it back to the bathroom and retrieved the heart.

“She’s a fucking genius.” Zander slammed the locket on the table and held the vial in the palm of his hand. “This is why I’m not having withdrawals. She filled the thing with her blood.”

He would’ve been proud of her, if he wasn’t so pissed.

Nikolas stood, mouth agape and twisted the glass bottle in the light. “Zander, I think I’m in love with that little firecracker of yours. Your right. Fucking. Genius.” His eyes glazed over, the first indication that his brain was kicking into high gear. If Zander didn’t pull the brakes immediately, Nikolas would be lost for days.

“Get a grip, man. You can mull over this later. We need to go. Now.”

“Yeah. Sorry.” Nikolas blinked away the lost expression. “Put that locket back on and go get Grayce.” He shoved the vial in his pocket. “I’ve been called to the hospital. One of the missing women was found alive. I’ll take Marcus with me. If she’s able to talk, perhaps we can find out where she was being held. We’ll meet up with you there.”

* * * *

Stephen hung from shackles looped over a beam in the ceiling. How did that man catch him? He was so fast. Not as fast as Zander, but super fast.

He tried to throw his lightning but his palms were pressed together and bound too tight. He’d burn a hole through his own skin. He wiggled, squirmed, screamed in anger. The binds pulled tighter. He stiffened as the door creaked behind him.

“Boy. Stop fighting. It will only insure that you become more uncomfortable.” Footsteps drew close behind him and an arm encircled his waist. “Now listen carefully to me.” The arm squeezed and lifted enough to allow a little slack in the rope. “Would you like to come down from here?”

Stephen fought back tears. He was a man. He would not cry.

He lowered his voice trying to sound brave, hoping to hide the nervous tremble. “Yes.”

“Good. I’m going to let you down, but you have to promise to be a good little pet.” The man released him from the hook and his arms fell in an agonizing thud against his groin. A painful tingle rushed through his veins as the blood returned to his limbs. As Stephen turned to face the man, a scream of terror escaped his lips.

“No.” He slammed his lids shut. It was his imagination. It couldn’t be him. It couldn’t be Shayde. A sharp sting to his cheek forced his eyes open.

“Boy, look at me.” Stephen eyed the man up and down. This time, a tear did manage to sneak down his face. Not a tear of sadness or fear, but a tear of relief. It wasn’t him. Holy cow, he sure looked like Shayde. Same eyes. Same narrow, pointy nose.

“Who are you, boy?” The man grabbed his shoulders and spun him around. “I said, who are you?”

“I’m—I’m Stephen,” he sputtered.

“Stephen who? Where do you come from?” Stephen liked that the creep seemed confused. Wow, he looked so much like Shayde. They could be twins...almost.

Another smack to the face. “Dammit, boy. Answer me.” He was shaken so hard he thought his head was going to snap off and fly across the room. He sure was as mean as Shayde.

“I don’t know. I don’t know!” he screamed. A metallic taste filled his mouth.

The man pushed him to the ground and kicked his thigh. “Don’t know who you are, or don’t know where you come from?” He kicked again and paced to the other side of the room. Stephen scanned the area for some means of escape or maybe a weapon. The room was empty except for a metal chair.

With his hands tied together, he couldn’t get to his feet quick enough to make a run for it. “I don’t know who I am.” He glared up at the monster. “I don’t know where I come from.”

Something in his shoulder popped when he was jerked up by his arms and shoved into the chair. He bit his tongue to hold back the scream.

“Boy, I have a game I like to play. I think you might like it too.” Stephen’s skin tingled as the man caressed his sore cheek. “It’s a game I like to play with Grayce. You like Grayce, don’t you?” Stephen fought to get up as the man grabbed his face and forced him to make eye contact. A flash of red jetted across his retinas. Stephen had seen that before in Shayde’s eyes, right before he tried to kill him.

“Does she make you feel good, boy?” Stephen nodded again. Why was he asking about Grayce? There was no way his sister liked playing games with this man. She didn’t play. Ever. “Grayce makes me feel good, too.” A smile that didn’t look right showed large, straight teeth. “Why were you following her?”

Stephen blinked. “I was protecting her.” He spat blood in anger and waited for the man to laugh. The laugh didn’t come. Just a hard stare going right down to his insides and reading his thoughts.

He didn’t want to talk to this man anymore.

* * * *

Zander set Chelsea on her feet and braced her shoulder until she found her balance. Shame riddled his spirit. He’d never experienced such a feeling of helplessness. They’d made four rounds on the outskirts of town and found nothing. Mental and physical exhaustion claimed Chelsea. It killed him to stop, but she needed a recharge.

“I’m sorry, Zander.” Utter dread filled her eyes.

He cupped her face. “It’s not your fault and we’re not finished. We’ll find them.”

Failure wasn’t an option. Nor was quitting. Chelsea needed to recoup, but he didn’t.

“I’ll leave you here to rest awhile. Find your husband, give him a squeeze, you’ll be good to go in no time.” They stood at the hospital entrance. Zander grabbed her hand and led her inside.

“Come with me. We’ll see if Nikolas has any information.” Chelsea took a few steps, then froze. “Nikolas is near her room. He can’t get in. The detectives are with her, but she’s conscious.”

They started to jog. Hope and relief swelled in Zander’s gut. Adrenaline surged through his veins. When they rounded the final corner, he skidded to avoid bowling down a crowd of doctors, police and reporters. The hall buzzed with excitement.

“We’re not getting any closer than this.” He held Chelsea to his side. “Can you read her thoughts through all of this? Are there too many people?”

“It’ll take me a minute.” Chelsea grabbed his arm for support and closed her eyes.

Zander scanned the crowd in search of Marcus or Nikolas. Not like either one of them would be hard to find. In the center of the chaos, Nikolas appeared to be consulting with a few other doctors. Marcus pushed his way through the crowd toward them, clearing a path with little effort.

“Any news?” Zander asked when Marcus drew near.