Eye of the Beholder (18 page)

The temperature dropping the madder Danny got? That was just plain freaky.

Was it a conspiracy? Where all of these people involved? And how did DeWitt fit in? He wasn’t related to the Grimms. Was he? She snarled. Something about DeWitt really got under her skin. She’d love to find something on the cold bastard. Was he involved in Oliver Grimm’s murder? What did he know that she didn’t?

Well, she intended to find out.

They pulled up outside the office building. The men exchanged silent glances and, as one, headed for the front door.

Circumventing the security measures was easy for Logan. A little hand waving, a few muttered phrases and the red glowing light glinted green. Travis resolved to see to it that his own security became Jotun proof. Who knew what tricks Grimm had up his sleeve thanks to his blood bond with Rina? Nik nodded and went in first, nonchalantly looking around. The others swiftly followed.

“So, Detective. What are you hoping to find?” The others stopped at the sound of Nik’s voice.

“Besides your asses in jail for breaking and entering?”

Jeff strode over to the detective. “I don’t have time for this. That fucktard has my sister in his sick little room again, and I’m going to get her out no matter what it takes. Stay out of my way or I
will
run you over to get to her.”

“Your license will probably be revoked when they find out about this little stunt.” She blew out her breath. “What makes you think your sister is here?”

Nik grinned. “She’s here.”

She rolled her eyes. “I wasn’t asking you, Mr. DeWitt.”

“We can prove it.” Logan walked over to one of the offices. Muttering and waving his hands he unlocked the door and threw it open. “Step into my office, Detective.”

Her eyes were big as saucers. “How did you—?”

Jeff rolled his eyes. “Lady, welcome to Dysfunction Junction.”

Val grunted and gestured toward the door they’d all just come through. “Hold on a second, Jeff. We need to check something out.”

Jeff nodded and followed Val toward the front door. Travis shook his head, wondering what the two of them were up to.

By the time he got into the office Logan had the computer up and running and the camera in the torture chamber turned on.

What he saw on the screen turned his world white.

“Don’t you have anything to say to me?”

Jamie tilted her head, desperately trying to throttle back the choking fear. “Die, dickhead, die?” She screamed as he touched the jumpers to her skin, burning electricity coursing through her once again.

She’d woken naked and strapped to the cross. A car battery sat beside her, the jumper cables lying beside it. Various bats, whips and knives lay on a table. Surgical instruments gleamed in the low light.

Dear old Granddad had been right there, smiling.

Joy.
She swallowed the panic as the nightmares threatened to overcome her once again. She had to hold on. Travis was coming for her.

“Sharing blood with Loki has made you more durable.” Grimm smiled. “This should be fun.”

“Speak for yourself.”

“I had originally planned on killing you and leaving your body to rot.”

“Swell.” She gritted her teeth against the tears as he picked up a bat. She knew what he could do with that. What he
would
do with that.

“But, you know what?”

She was almost afraid to ask. The heated look on his face had her swallowing in sick fear. “What?”

One hand reached out and squeezed her breast. “I really didn’t get a chance to truly enjoy you the last time I had you here.” He smiled when she sobbed. “I’ll have to make sure to rectify that error.” He took a step back, picking up the baseball bat. “But first…” The
crack
of the bat as it broke her thigh was loud, but not as loud as her screams.

He began systematically beating her, the swings almost impersonal. He did it in eerie silence, her cries his only accompaniment.

She hung, limp, damp and exhausted, pain her only constant.

“Hmm. I wonder where loverboy is.”

She opened one eye, the other long since swollen shut. She couldn’t answer him. Her jaw was broken.

“Maybe he knows you’re not worth it.”

She lifted her head, pain throbbing in time to her heartbeat. “Worf it.”

He looked pleasantly surprised. “Yes, Jamie.” He leaned in close, a knife in his hands. “You aren’t worth it.” He plunged that knife into her, right above her heart. Blood spurted down her skin as he pulled it back out. “Good. I got an artery.”

She sobbed.

“Where’s dear old Uncle Val? Do you think
he’ll
save you?” Grimm shook his head sadly. “He’s been too much of a pussy to fight me head on so far. What makes you think this would be any different?”

“The fact that I’m right behind you, dickhead?”

Jamie saw Uncle Val leaning against the wall. His face was cold as he stared at Grimm. For the first time, he looked like a killer to her.

Thank God.

“Val, you worthless piece of shit.” The scary cheer in Grimm’s voice belied the wary look on his face.

“Surprise.”

“How did you enjoy your evening in jail, son?”

Uncle Val smiled. “They’re coming for you. Can’t you feel it?”

“Warning your old man away? How…unexpectedly loyal.”

Uncle Val chuckled darkly. “Oh please. Kir is going to spit your black heart on Gungnir and roast it over a campfire.”

Grimm threw his head back and laughed. “You think
Gungnir
can kill me? Is
that
what you’re counting on?”

Jamie saw the flicker of fear on Uncle Val’s face before it was quickly wiped away.

“Shh.” Jamie felt something tugging on her bonds, but her eyes were too swollen, her head too painful to move and see what it was. But the voice was familiar.

Jeff? How did he get in here?

“You’re an idiot,
Dad.
” Uncle Val shook his head. “You took Tyr’s woman. Tortured her again. You think he’s going to let you live?”

Grimm smiled.

“You’ve been hanging around Kir too much recently. You’re starting to sound like him. Chock full of useless optimism.” Grimm tapped the bloody bat against his calf.

Jamie lifted her head, hoping to see Travis somewhere,
anywhere
. Her bruises and broken bones were beginning to mend.

Jeff got one hand free. She turned and saw him wink at her as he started on the next one. She left that arm where it was, hoping that if Grimm turned he would only see her where he’d left her.

She caught the glint of something in Grimm’s hand.
Oh fuck, the knife!

She flung her hand untied hand out just as Grimm threw it at Uncle Val, her will pushing beyond her fingertips, finding the knife, deflecting it. It landed with a dull clatter on the concrete floor.

Uncle Val looked at her, astonishment on his face.

She felt rather astonished herself.

Grimm turned to her, his face mottled with rage. Frost began to form on all of the surfaces of the room. “Stupid bitch.”

She looked him up and down, a strange elation filling her. She felt stronger, her wounds healing faster. She wanted to say something like,
Try it again, dickhead
,
but her jaw still wasn’t working right. She settled for a glare instead.

Grimm lunged for her, but she was ready. She flung her arm out and Grimm flew across the room, landing against the wall with a sickening thud.

Her other hand came free and she grabbed for the arm of the cross. With her feet still tied she had no balance.

So she stared at the frost coated knife on the floor. She held out her hand, willing the knife up. It moved, twitching, before practically embedding itself in the ceiling. With a sigh and a thought she yanked it free, wincing as it hit the floor.

“I think you need a little more practice, pumpkin.”

She grinned at Uncle Val, who was watching her with pride. “This is
so
cool,” she slurred, grateful she could talk again.

She glanced at where Grimm was. Terror raced through her skin. He was gone. So was the knife.

Uncle Val groaned. “Fuck. Not again.”

Travis whirled, blocking the thrust of Grimm’s knife with his right arm, ignoring the shallow slice of the blade along his skin. Behind him he could hear Logan trying to line up for a shot at Grimm, his fire heating the room behind Travis. The glimmer of the light of new green leaves also let him know that Baldur had risen, ready to fight his father if Tyr should fall. Travis just wished he’d thought to arm himself before rushing out after Jamie.

“Stupid move, taking Jamie, Old Man.”

“You gave Gungnir to Kir already? I thought you’d make sure you weren’t making yet another mistake, Tyr.”

He merely grinned. “It’s time for you to face Justice, asshole.”

He dodged yet another swipe of Grimm’s knife. The former lord of the Aesir might have been sitting behind a desk for the last fifty years but he was
still
a warrior god. Travis knew he wouldn’t be able to hold the other man off for long. He needed a distraction so that he could try and force Grimm to face what he’d done. The blackness in the Old Man’s soul was nearly the only color left. Even a hundred years ago his soul hadn’t been
this
dark.

What the hell else had Grimm been up to?

He began maneuvering backwards. If he could get Grimm positioned just right Kir would be able to finish him off. It was a slim hope, considering how the bastard had survived Val’s attack, but it was the only one he had at the moment. He had to keep Grimm busy until Jeff and Val could get Jamie safely out of the building.

They were in the corridor outside Grimm’s chamber. He could hear Val, Jamie and Jeff inside. The fact that the two men had gone after Grimm alone was nearly enough to earn them his wrath. The fact that they’d distracted him long enough for Jamie to begin healing had stayed his hand.

“Tyr.”

He shuddered as Jamie’s sweet voice flowed over him. She stepped up behind Grimm, the shining truth of her soul a gentle balm to his sight. “Jamie.”

Grimm whirled, intent on capturing Jamie. Travis reached for them, knowing he’d be too late, and that some wounds not even Logan could heal from.

Jamie flung out a hand and Grimm went sailing down the hall to land at Detective Mancinelli’s feet. Travis turned to follow him, knowing he couldn’t leave Grimm near an innocent.

But he was too late. Grimm stood, faster than expected, and was on Mancinelli before she could blink. He had an arm wrapped around her waist, his hand roughly cupping her chin. The blade of a knife rested against her throat. “One move and she’s dead.”

Travis saw the fluctuations in Mancinelli’s soul, saw the terror and disbelief flashing as Grimm morphed once more into her partner.

“Hey, Mancinelli. Miss me?”

“Fucker.” The detective held her own in the face of the seemingly impossible.

Grimm licked her cheek. “Not yet, sweetheart. But soon.”

Nik stood stock still and watched, his face inscrutable. But Travis saw the other god’s soul and knew he was torn. Something held him back from helping the detective, but Travis couldn’t tell what it was.

Logan and Kir were sneaking up on Grimm from behind, trapping him in the corridor. It was only a matter of time before it was all over. If they could just get the woman away from the mad god they’d be able to attack.

“Piece of cake,” Jamie muttered next to him. She was limping, favoring her right side. He couldn’t see her face, but he knew she hurt.

She held out her hand, palm up. The knife in Grimm’s hand wobbled as he fought the pull.

“Stop it, you stupid bitch.”

The knife snapped back, slicing into Detective Mancinelli’s throat. Jamie screamed as the blade bit into the woman’s neck. With an aggravated hiss Grimm dropped the detective. “We’re not done yet.”

With a pop of displaced air he was gone. Just like that.

Travis looked frantically but could find no sign of Grimm’s soul. The man was well and truly gone.
“Fuck!
How the hell does he keep
doing
that?”

“Amen,” Jamie breathed, leaning up against him wearily. He looked down at her, not surprised to find she was crying. “Oh god. I think I killed her.”

Immediately Travis dampened his light, his eyes returning to normal as he took in the condition of his woman. She was wounded, but she was healing before his eyes. “You didn’t kill her. Grimm did.”

“C’mon, c’mon.” Travis turned to find Logan crouched over Mancinelli. Her blood was rapidly soaking the floor beneath her. Nik was standing over him, his fists clenched at his sides, his silver eyes glued to the woman rapidly bleeding out under Logan’s hands. “Work, damn it. Work.”

Travis ran over to find Logan holding his palm over the wound in the detective’s throat. Her wide eyes stared up at him as she struggled for breath.

And then she stopped struggling.

Logan sat back with a weary sigh. “Where’s Grimm?”

“And he just disappeared?” Jordan was fiddling with her earring again. Never a good sign in her older sister. Jordan was still pissed as hell at being left behind, but she’d set that aside once she heard what Grimm had done.

“I wouldn’t have believed it if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes.” Travis was stroking his hand up and down Jamie’s arm. He hadn’t let go of her since she’d leaned against him in the hallway at Grimm and Sons, sobbing over having killed a woman.

She was still freaked out over what had happened. Everything was going to be just a little bit different now. She had no idea how those changes would affect her family.

“It’s time for me to go.” Nik stood, his expression tight. “There are other things that require my attention.”

Travis nodded while Uncle Val shook the other man’s hand. “Thanks, Nik.”

Nik smiled that cold, cynical smile of his. “Not a problem.” He walked over to Detective Mancinelli and cupped her chin in his hand. “Stay out of trouble.”

“
Excuse
me?” The detective’s hair was still damp from the shower they’d convinced her to take. She was bundled up in Jordan’s robe, her clothes currently in the wash. Jamie wasn’t sure if all of the blood would come out.