Charity Rising (Charity Series Book 2) (27 page)

“You’ve got to be kidding me!”

“No, and you wil not deter me either. The werewolves are busy tonight. In times like this I bet you are glad you have a vampire friend.” He

waved his hand in the air like a magician and Fang quieted instantly and went to lie by the sofa.

“That’s debatable.” I sighed. “Come on in. Ash, it looks like we’l be having company tonight. Ray is here.”

“Oh goody. Raven, come on in. We were about to make some popcorn and watch a chic-flick. I hope you don’t mind, or is watching T.V.

bothersome to you?”

“No, I watch T.V. sometimes, although never a chic-flick, but there is a first time for everything. What is it cal ed?”

“It’s an old one cal ed
Pride and Prejudice
. Have you heard of it?”

“Yes. I have read the book.”

“Oh, even better. Come have a seat on the sofa and we’l get started. Is there anything I can get you?”

“No, thank you. I had Samantha earlier.”

Ashley and I stared at him for a few seconds, and then broke into laughter. He laughed too. It shocked me, such a normal response, and yet

it’s not something I ever thought I’d hear. I was pleased.

Ashley got the popcorn from the microwave, dumped it into a bowl, and came and plopped down beside us on the sofa, taking a handful

before passing the bowl to me.

“What is that awful smel ?” Raven asked, nose wrinkled.

I looked at him in surprise. “It’s popcorn. Haven’t you ever tasted popcorn before?”

“I am sure they did not eat
that
in the nineteenth century.”

“Oh, wel , your loss,” I shrugged, stuffing a handful in my mouth. Then I looked at him for a second and shoved some in his mouth.

At first he just peered at me in surprise, but then he began to chew, and after he swal owed he smiled, gently prying the bowl from my hands

and taking another bite.

Victory was mine!

The evening was actual y a very nice one. Raven was now total y addicted to popcorn, having us make two more batches before the movie

ended. And shortly after, Ashley and I took our leave to the bedroom to change into our jammies and brush the popcorn kernels out of our teeth. I

cracked open the bedroom door and threw Raven out a pil ow and blanket. He caught them in mid air. Soon Ash and I were tucked in bed and fast

asleep.

In the morning, Ashley made breakfast, refusing to let me so much as touch the kitchen.
I can cook eggs for cryin’ out loud
.

“So, Charity,” Raven asked, “how did you sleep last night?”

“Great. I read in the Bible once that God never sleeps nor slumbers, but is always watching over us. So I figured, if God’s gonna stay up al

night then why should I?”

He laughed. “That is very clever.”

“What are you laughing at? You don’t even like God, remember?”

“Wel , I find myself liking Him more and more these days. It seems I have Him to thank for sending you into my life.”

I wasn’t sure how to respond to that, so I didn’t. I shrugged and continued to eat.

I was pleased to see Ashley finish her whole plate of eggs and bacon, along with two pieces of toast smothered in grape jel y. When she

saw me staring, she smiled. I, on the other hand, had just taken my last bite of oatmeal when Levi cal ed. I groaned and answered it. “I’m stil mad at you,” I said into the phone. “Why? For taking away my car, that’s why. And in case you didn’t know this, you’re my husband—not my father. Yeah—

wel —that’s beside the point. Oh whatever. I’l be home when I get home. If I come home at al .” I snapped the phone closed.

“Gee, Charity, should you have been that hard on him?” Ashley asked.

“Probably not!” I snapped. “I know I’m being childish, but I just hate that he’s always right. I shouldn’t have driven so fast in my new car. It’s just that I’ve never had a nice car before. And it drives so awesome. I know he did the right thing, but it stil makes me mad. I guess I should cal and apologize, huh?”

Just then the doorbel rang.

“Surely Levi couldn’t get here that fast.”

Raven went to the door to answer it. As soon as he turned the doorknob, the door flew open and a big man barged in and grabbed Raven,

slamming him to the floor. Two more men rushed in and piled on top of him. Raven was knocking them off one by one and throwing punches,

sending them flying across the room. Within moments, however, Ashley and I watched in horror as the men wrestled with Raven, subduing him and

tying him up, needing enough chains to render six vampires helpless. I recognized the men as members of Wesley’s pack.

I was reaching for my phone when two of the men rushed at us. We threw our hands up in surrender. I couldn’t risk the babies being injured in

a scuffle. It was then that I noticed that Fang was stil quiet and curled up by the sofa. That was some mind trick, I noted with annoyance.

They tied our hands with duct tape behind our backs and two men began ushering us out while the last one stayed behind with Raven.

“Charity!” Raven cal ed, but then was silenced with a hard blow to the face, and another to the lower stomach.

“Stop it!! I shouted. “Don’t hurt him! He’s a friend of the werewolves! Please!” I cried out right before one man slapped duct tape over my

mouth.

The men escorted Ashley and me out and into a black car parked in the back parking lot. Amazingly no one saw us.

We’d been driving for at least twenty minutes when the car pul ed over and we were rushed from the car and led across an empty parking lot

toward what looked to be a vacant warehouse.

We were taken around the back where they unlocked a door and led us inside. Boxes were stacked everywhere. Maybe this is where the

east pack’s supplies are held. The two men took us to the far corner of the building and sat us on our butts, against the wal . I squealed as one man, the biggest one, jerked the tape from my mouth, causing it to bleed.

“Don’t move or speak. Wesley wil be here soon to talk to you.”

“Please let her go. She has nothing to do with this,” I begged.

“Silence!” the biggest one barked, and went to stand against the door, arms crossed, watching us.

Wesley rushed in, looking flushed and excited. “Where is she?” he demanded.

The big one against the door pointed.

He approached us, phone in hand, and knelt by me, looking me over thoroughly. “Why is she bleeding?” he asked the big one as he wiped

at my lips.

I jerked away from him. “Don’t touch me!”

“She was talking, so we taped her mouth shut.”

“I told you to make sure she wasn’t harmed in any way!”

“I’m sorry, Sir. It won’t happen again.”

He grunted and then turned back to us. “I’m sorry for the interruption this morning, ladies, but I need you to help me with something.”

“Wesley, please let Ashley go. She has nothing to do with this.”

“Yes, but you wil be less likely to do something stupid if she’s here.”

Oh man, he had me on that one.

“What do you want with us?”

“Wel , you see you’re going to help me convince that stubborn husband of yours that it’s in his best interest to accept my chal enge.”

“So that’s what this is about? Your need for power has clouded your judgment. Levi wil rip you apart for this. Surely you know that. He’l never

let you win this way.”

“That’s where you’re wrong. He’l lose or lose you.”

“Are you saying you’d actual y kil me, even knowing I’m pregnant?” I was appal ed.

“No. What kind of a monster do you think I am?”

“The furry kind. And the vicious kind.”

“Maybe, but I’d never real y harm you, but he doesn’t know that.”

“How can you say that? You tried to kil me in Virginia.”

“Now, Charity, that was a mistake. I wanted the man taken out because he was a threat, but I never intended for those animals to harm you or

your mother. It was a test to see if I could trust this Eli, which I couldn’t. The animals obviously got out of hand. I apologize for that.”

“Wel , I don’t accept. I shouldn’t be here. You need to release me, Wesley.”

“Soon enough. But first I have to make a cal to Levi. If you’l excuse me.”

He stepped aside and dialed. After only a few seconds, he spoke. “Yes, Levi, it’s me. Are you surprised?......What do I want? Wel , I’m glad

you asked. I happen to be standing here looking down at your lovely wife, al tied up and looking very pissed…..And how long ago did you talk to

her?......Wel , I assure you she
is
here. That vampire was easy enough to subdue. But I believe he’l need a doctor though. If he means anything to you I suggest you get to him right away.”

My heart sank at his words. Raven was injured because of me. He was trying to protect me, something he shouldn’t have needed to do, and

yet he wanted to. I began to cry, I couldn’t help it.

“Oh, it seems I’ve upset Charity with this news. Maybe she likes this vampire more than she should…..You stil don’t believe me? Fine, if you

want proof—here it is.” He lifted his phone and snapped a picture of Ashley and me and then hit a few buttons.

“Wait a moment and you’l have your proof.”

He smiled as he lifted the phone away from his ear. I could hear Levi growling from where I was sitting. When he was done Wesley

continued. “You’l get her back unharmed, I promise. Al you have to do is meet me, with your pack, in the clearing in one hour. You’l accept my

chal enge, and I’l defeat you. My pack wil once again honor and respect me. If I don’t win—you’l never see your bride again. If you kil me—you’l never find her.” He winked at me.

Slime ball.

“Once I’ve defeated you, I’l give you her whereabouts, and then, and only then, can you retrieve her. In the meantime she’l be treated wel , I

promise you……Wel , you’l just have to take me at my word……Oh come on, Levi, I’m many things, but I always keep my word. Do we have a

deal?.....Fine. I’l see you in one hour.”

“No, Levi!” I tried to yel to him, but Wesley had already disconnected the cal .

“Try not to worry too much, Charity. I won’t kil him, but after I’m done with him he’l wish I had.”

He turned and whispered something to the big one and then slipped out the door with the big one fol owing him.

I stomped my feet in fury as I rested my head against my drawn up knees and angry cried. It wasn’t pretty.

“Charity,” Ashley final y spoke, “it’l be fine. Levi wil let that stupid jerk win and then they’l come for us.”

I peered up at her. “Ashley, could you stand to have Josh beaten to the point of death? Could you just sit back and let it happen, knowing he

was suffering?”

She sighed. “No.”

“I have to get us out of here.” I started pul ing on my ropes, trying to free my hands.

“Charity, that big guy’s right outside the door. How are we gonna get past him, even if you could somehow manage to get out of the ropes?”

“I don’t know yet. Let me think.” I continued to work at my hands, but they wouldn’t come free. Then I had a thought. “Ashley, get me angry.”

“What? You mean angrier than you already are?”

“Yes. Say something—anything to get me angry and worked up.”

“You mean like the Hulk?”

“Yeah, yeah, like the Hulk.”

“Okay. Um, Wesley’s gonna hit Levi in his beautiful face over and over. He’s gonna hurt real y bad. He might even break some bones, some

ribs perhaps. Are you sure about this?”

I was concentrating hard. “Keep going—it’s working.”

She continued to babble about Levi getting hurt until my anger and grief won out, causing my strength to kick in. I jerked hard, angry tears

streaming down my face, and the ropes broke free.

“Ash, I’m free,” I whispered in triumph, wiping my face.

She stared at me in disbelief. “Great. Now what?”

I reached in the front pocket of my maternity jeans and pul ed out a tube of lip balm and quickly applied a fresh coating. I closed my eyes and

sighed. What I did next was the most logical thing in the world for me to do. I inserted my fingers into my mouth and—wel —what do you think? I

whistled.

Ashley looked at me, wide-eyed. “I’ve heard stories, but that was beyond awesome.”

I smiled. “Thanks.”

“But what about the bad guys?”

Oops.
Just then the big one rushed in.

I quickly put my hands behind my back.

“What on earth was that?!” he demanded.

I looked at him innocently. “We were wondering the same thing, weren’t we, Ashley? We were saying ‘what on earth made that awful noise?’”

Ashley nodded her head vigorously in agreement.

He eyed us suspiciously as he approached. He bent over Ashley and checked her hands
. It was now or never
. Without further thought, I

reached out and grabbed his feet, jerking them out from under him. I then clasped my hands together and hit him across the back of the head,

knocking him out cold.

“Oh-my-gosh! Charity, how on earth did you do that?” Her face was beaming.

“I have no idea,” I said, my face mimicking hers. I rubbed my bel y. “Thanks, little guys.”

“Charity,” Ashley said as I untied her hands, “isn’t there another one somewhere?”

“Yeah. We’l have to be cautious.” I reached over the big one and searched his pockets until I found his phone. I dialed.

“Hector, thank God…...It’s a long story……We’re in an abandoned warehouse, but I’m not sure where……Oh, you heard that?......Okay, I’l

do it again. Please hurry.” I put my fingers in my mouth again and whistled.

“Uh—Charity,” Ashley said, pointing toward the door.

I turned in time to see the other man entering the building. “What’s going on in here?”

“Oh—wel , you see this guy was about to take me somewhere to use the bathroom. You know ‘cause since I’m pregnant I have to pee a lot,

when he col apsed. I’m not sure what’s wrong with him. Maybe you should take a look at him.”