Revelations Coming (The Dark Truth Novel Series) (10 page)

“I’m fine now, thank you.” she whispered in monotone.

Riken wanted to reach out to her, comfort her and the loneliness in her voice. She had on one of his sweatshirts that he kept on the plane and though it was three sizes too big, it looked perfect on her. It made his chest swell at the thought of the little way he had some mark on her. She had to have been smelling his scent the entire plane trip, didn't it affect her at all? Didn't this close proximity to the Prince of the Rex Deus have any effect on her? And ingesting his blood, surely that would have made her swoon to him. Well, it obviously did affect her in some way. She was still putting off waves of anger, her arms were banded around herself. Riken wanted to beg her. Beg for what, he wasn't entirely sure. To see a smile maybe? A kiss? Riken sighed and stared out his window hoping she would want to talk about it soon. Pulling up to his estate in the Northern part of France, he had hoped to see something in her face. Acknowledgment that this was to be her home from now on. Of course it was no palace on the ocean, but Riken's estate was nothing to scoff at. The castle was built in the 17
th
century for his parents, nestled on 111 acres of rolling forest. It looked medieval as castles tend to look but inside Riken spared no expense. He held out his hand for Venus as she exited the vehicle but she tucked her hands into the center pocket of the hoodie instead ignoring his courteous gesture. Riken had to bite his tongue to avoid admonishing her, from taking her roughly to the ground to show her that she was his. He shivered at the mental image and willed himself to follow her as she walked towards the castle. Corbin opened the gate for them and bowed low to the Prince. He did not set his eyes upon his Queen, which elevated him all the more in Riken's eyes. He embraced his friend and ushered Venus inside the castle.

7

Arias roared when Justice brought him the news. She was back in Riken's hands.

“My Lord,” Justice said his head bowed low. “She thinks you abandoned her.”
Arias roared again this time lifting his big fist and smashing it into Justice's face. His lieutenant flew back several feet crashing into a flimsy table. Blood poured from a three inch gash on Justice's face that was slowly knitting itself together. The Mashiach struggled back to his knees waiting for more punishment. Arias trembled with wrath and a need to strike out more. He snarled clenching his fists.

“She was supposed to come to me and beg that I turn her. She was supposed to realize that she would die if she didn't surrender herself fully to me.”

“My Lord, she is thinking as a human would. In her eyes,” Justice paused gulping because he knew for sure this would earn him another blow. “You left her when she needed you most. She feels betrayed and unwanted and that is why she went to your enemy.”

Arias' chest tightened. He knew Justice was right. He sank to his knees feeling like the air had been kicked out of him.

“You asked why, Justice.” The man nodded, his face drawn waiting for the knowledge. “There is an enemy of mine among our Talmidim, mounting an army against all Mashiach. An enemy we thought was dead long ago.”

It could only be Ivan Grozny, Justice thought. The only thing on this earth that Arias feared. Ivan, the Terrible. A Talmidim as old as Arias himself which was a feat unto itself. Talmidim tended to only survive for a century or so before they became too crazed and had to be put down. Arias' father sired Ivan after the Tsar's severe depression over the loss of his wife. Ivan had been the worst Talmidim, his fury and distrust fueling a bloodlust so deep that he became known as one of the most violent rulers in history. Arias' father dispatched the young prince to kill Ivan off for the sake of the bloodline and Arias had believed all these long years that he had managed to kill the crazed ruler.

“How is it possible my Lord?” Justice asked.

“He has been waiting all these years Justice, watching, learning. He is different from Talmidim as we know it. He is much more like the born with his power, and strength of will. He still is ruled by his bloodlust but he is cunning. He has found out about Venus,” Arias said, his voice full of pain and Justice couldn't hold back a gasp from escaping his lips.

“The first night I landed here, I was ambushed. He could have killed me without a second thought. He is their leader. All the Talmidim that are cutting ties with the bloodlines, he is their leader. He asked about Venus, Justice. If it was true about the legends. I denied everything to protect her. I denied how important she was to me. I insisted that she was little more than a pretty addition to my harem of women.”

“He's the one who ordered the attack of the palace,” Justice said enlightened.

Arias nodded.

“You think we are being monitored?”
Arias nodded again. “That is why I tried to pretend she did not matter to me. I could not speak directly to her or it would tip him off that I treat her as my equal and not as a slave.” A sob caught in his throat as the enormity of what he had done crashed upon him. “I should have gone to her that day. I should have protected her myself.”
“My Lord, you did what you thought was best,” Justice said quietly.

“It was still not the right choice. Either way, I have lost her,” Arias said, his face twisting with emotion.

He reared back and hit the marble floor, splintering the tile into tiny shards that tore at his fist. He relished the brief stings of pain, self-inflicted punishment that was nowhere near enough.

Venus fingered through the clothes in the enormous closet that Riken had bought especially for her. They were all things that he wanted to see her in, not things that she normally would wear. It added to her depression. No one knew her favorite song, her favorite book, or movie, or color. No one knew her at all. They saw her as a vessel for what they wanted in the end, a child. It made her want to hit something. She took out an outfit that would have graced the covers of Dominatrix-R-Us. It amused her that saint-like Riken would imagine her in it. Venus certainly had a dark humored side and she was in a bad enough mood to play deeply into it. The leather clung to her like a second skin, the zipper barely going all the way up to hold her generous chest in. She stepped into the five inch heeled stiletto boots and stepped into the line of the mirror to appreciate the view. She liked this look actually. Part hunter part seductress. Get her a belt of stakes and she'd be ready to go out onto the town and dispatch more of those nasty Talmidim. Hmmm, she thought to herself. A calling. Perhaps her calling? She exited the room and traveled down the ancient stone stairs to the dining hall where everyone else awaited her. Her boots making a tantalizing click-clack echo on the stone floor. She couldn't wait to see Riken's expression, no scratch that she couldn't wait to see Michael's.

Michael heard her coming, her heels clicking in a pattern that he could imagine matched the sway of her hips. He wanted her so bad and he felt like a complete and utter dick for rejecting her back on the plane. But he just couldn't do it. He was saying no for both of them, saving them both the heartache. But it sure felt like his heart was breaking right now, he thought miserably. Michael heard Riken's gasp and he looked up and cursed. Holy hell, Michael thought his eyes wide, drool surely escaping his lips. Venus stood before them, head to toe in black leather. The flare of her hips, the swell of her breasts, and the roundness of her ass held firmly within the confines of that fabric. She had her hands on her cocked hips, her eyes hard with an anger he felt horribly about for putting there. All she needed was a whip and she'd be one of his dreams come true in the flesh. She stalked past them both and slid into a seat at the far end of the table that Corbin held out for her. Michael glanced over at Riken who too was wide-eyed and his mouth hanging open. Michael turned his attention back and groaned aloud when she crossed her long legs painfully slow. He could only imagine her wrapping those strong, slender legs around his waist. God, he prayed, keep me strong.

Venus felt undeniable pleasure from the male appreciation in the room. But she didn't let herself enjoy it too much as least. She still had yet to crack a smile though how far Riken's jaw had dropped sure did make her want to laugh. She felt powerful and she was going to finally use this power for something she wanted.

“Good evening,” she called out in a throaty purr.

She saw Michael swallow hard and Riken adjust himself under the table.

“You look well little one,” Riken said smiling sending out a flare of his power that he so often used to seduce her, or make her dripping wet.

But she was no longer a helpless little girl from Montana, a girl whose head had been stuck under the sand for eighteen entirely long years. She knew why he did that, to see her swoon for him. To make her beg for him. Like hell, she thought. She threw up a wall around herself to soak in that power. It affected her still but nothing she couldn't handle. Riken's eyes flashed with surprise and begrudged approval as he recognized what she did. Eyes were narrowed on every move she was making throughout dinner so she deliberately made each move sensual, each syllable out of her mouth a tantalizing purr. The two men that mattered most in this game were nearly falling all over themselves for her. However, the male right next to her saw through her game. Corbin. He could see what she was doing and he was not affected by her at all. In fact there were a few times that a smirk graced his face or a laugh turned into a cough over the attention lavished upon her.

“Are your accommodations adequate?” Riken asked lifting a wineglass to his lips.

“More than adequate. I thank you for your hospitality,” she said softly. “However, I don't intend to stay here long.”

Riken stiffened and pushed away from the table. Michael clamped a hand on his shoulder which Riken shrugged off.

“What do you mean?” Riken demanded.

“I mean, I won't be here tomorrow,” she said her eyes blazing.

“The hell you won’t,” Riken grumbled. “You're not leaving this estate!”
“Just try and stop me,” she threatened, rising from her seat preparing to storm out now.

Riken was at her side in a flash, his hand secured around her throat squeezing not so gently. “You will regret those words little one.”

Riken caught her hands easily as she tried to swing at him. He scooped her up, throwing her across his shoulder and left the room. Michael scooted his chair back wanting to stop Riken. He was breathing heavily, the angel affected by seeing the little figure draped over the Vampyre's shoulder, still struggling against him. Riken flashed Michael a look and Michael sank back down defeated. She is not mine, he repeated to himself. Not now, not ever.

Riken held her tight in his arms effortlessly controlling her flailing limbs and savoring each time she got close enough to bite him. He kicked open the door to his bedchamber, closed and locked the door mentally, and threw her onto the bed. She sat there glaring at him.

“How dare you?” she hissed.

She started to get up but Riken dropped down onto her, flattening out her lovely body with his much larger one. She gasped as they made contact. Good, finally a sign she still wanted him. He took both of her hands in one of his and stretched them above her head. She struggled against him and Riken dove into her open mouth. He swallowed the vicious things she was going to say to him but she also refused to kiss him.

“Get off of me,” she said through clenched teeth.

He nipped at her throat, his free hand massaging the fullness of her breast. She bucked harder.

“Damn it Riken, get off!”

He ignored her protests and slid his hand lower towards the heat that emanated from between her legs. He could imagine how wet she was for him. She squirmed as his fingers rubbed against her and he thrust helplessly against her.

Venus was brought back to Montana mentally, years of sexual abuse as he held her down. She knew she could toss him off her but mentally she was paralyzed. Panic rose up and closed off her windpipe. Riken heard a sob and it took him a second to figure out it came from her. He drew back, her face streaming with tears. He let go of her instantly, ashamed at how he was forcing himself on her. Once he was off of her, her sobs came harder.

“Venus,” he said with despair.

She struggled to her feet, her enormous green eyes shooting him a look of hatred. Her hands swiped at the tears carelessly.

“Don't,” she warned. “I'll be out of here tomorrow.”

Venus stormed out of the room leaving Riken’s heart torn in two.

“What are we going to do about Ivan, my Lord?” Justice asked as Arias packed up his belongings.

“What can we do?”

“We should launch a full attack on him.”
“I need Venus somewhere safe first,” Arias said without an inch of give in his voice. Justice nodded.

“Then we are going to France?” Justice guessed.

Arias grunted and zipped up his last bag of weapons. Justice loaded the SUV hoping his master knew how difficult it would be to convince his Queen to come back to him. As they say, Heaven has no rage like love to hatred turned. Nor hell a fury like a woman scorned. Venus would surely make the Prince pay dearly if she chose to forgive him.

“My Lord?” a lower Mashiach called, bending over in a ceremonial bow.

“What is it?” Justice barked.

“Naylor is back from the States with the package you requested.”

Justice turned toward Arias. “Do you want France to wait for five more minutes?”

Arias smiled and popped his knuckles expectantly. “It may take a little bit longer than five minutes,” he laughed.

Arias took his time to get to the dungeon, thinking of wonderful ways to torture this human that harmed his Queen. He only wished that Venus was here to confront him before he died, or that she knew that he was going to avenge her. She will know eventually. The Dubai mansion had an entire underground level dedicated to the dungeon. Torture devices from the playbook of any sadist sat waiting. It had been many years since they used the dungeon for purposes such as these, too  long. Memories of the last time filled his vision. A traitor…what was his name? Arias couldn’t remember. But one of his bloodline was turned in for treason, for sharing information with the Rex Deus. Everyone knew that the punishment for such a crime was death. And death by torture was Arias’ favorite approach. Arias had started the punishment though it got tiresome after the man stopped screaming and left Justice to deal with the end of it. But for this human awaiting in his dungeon right now, Arias alone would complete this task.

The human male was locked in one of the cells, tied down to a wooden chair. A hood covering his whole upper body. Arias’ nostrils twitched as he scented that the human had pissed all over himself. Arias spit on the ground, disgusted with the filth in front of him. The human, known as Richard Campbell sat there shivering and sobbing uncontrollably and Arias felt no pity. He entered the room and pulled the hood from the man’s face. Richard Campbell screamed against the gag in his mouth and swayed back and forth in the chair until he toppled the whole thing over. Arias shook his head.

“Justice, untie him and strip him down naked and hang him from the cuffs for now.”

As Justice worked quickly, Arias paced back and forth from wall to wall of the cell.

“Richard Campbell…I want you to listen very carefully you sack of shit. I am going to remove your gag only because I want to hear to speak, not to hear you scream. If you scream, I will cut off your balls and feed them to you. Understood?”

The man’s wide were white saucers, so big that he thought they might pop out of socket. He nodded and Arias pulled the gag out of his mouth.

“Please,” the man pleaded. “Please I don’t know why I’m here. You must have the wrong man.”

“Richard Campbell, you are here because I want a few answers. If you don’t tell the truth I will know because I can smell a lie. Answer me truthfully and I may show you leniency.”

“Yes, yes…I’ll do anything. Ask me anything.”

“What brings to mind when I say Venus?”

Richard Campbell’s face goes blank, shame flooding it turning his cheeks into a pink that Arias wanted to cut from his face.

“I don’t….”

“Ah, ah, ah Richard. No lies, remember?” Arias taunted fingering a 6 inch blade.

“We had a foster child named Venus. She ran away.”