“Mind? No, no, no, I don’t mind. It appears my son has good taste. The bracelet was my mother’s, you know. And it looks like it has found its rightful home,” Lady Ashlu said, with what Susie thought was a note of tenderness tinged with a bit of sadness. She wondered if being at the castle, made Abigail miss her mate. She must have so many memories here. Susie couldn’t imagine the hollow feeling that must be left after losing the love of your life. Then again, depending on the outcome of the council meeting, she may learn all too quickly.
“Thank you, my lady,” she said. “And I won’t be gone long. I am sure I will be fine, there are servants everywhere, and it is late. Plus I’m sure Noth will be hungry when he gets back. I’d like to have something for him.”
She smiled sweetly at the older woman as she quietly ducked out the door.
***
The castle was very different than the Ashlu den. It was constructed more like a fortress, cold and unfeeling. There were no portraits hung on the walls, and even though there were hints of the Symes blue color everywhere, it wasn’t done in the same warm style as Aelnoth’s home.
Susie supposed that when you were running the entirety of Undervale the decorating hardly mattered. Yet still, the castle was not a home like the den, despite the fact that the king, the prince and several members of court lived there. She wondered what the king was like. Up until now, Aelnoth had spoken fondly of both the ruler and his son.
It didn’t take Susie long to find the kitchens. She only had to travel down one level. The layout of the hallways seemed to easily lead her there. The kitchen was large, industrial, along one wall was a series of cookstoves and ovens. In the center, there was a long working table, Susie imagined cooks, bakers, and maids spending hours creating elaborate meals here, cleaning up using the sinks and dishwashers that lined the opposite wall. Even though she knew shifters preferred the hunt, she was still not used to the fact that they also seemed to value cooked and presented meals, very much in keeping with her idea of a true monarchy. She giggled to herself wondering if there were also old-fashioned balls, and were she to stay in Undervale would she need a collection of 17th-century ball gowns for social events, maybe even a dance card with precious lite vellum paper for recording her partners’ names.
“You are not difficult to find at all, and imagine my luck.”
Susie startled at the familiar voice behind her.
“Donna, what are you doing here?” she asked, not knowing why, but alarmed by the tone in the woman’s voice.
“I’m looking for you, silly. You remember I’m with Lady Alard, you remember her? She’s got lots of assignments for me,” she said, leaning over the long table in the center of the kitchen picking at a loaf of bread that the cooks must have left out. “What about you, pregnant yet, breeder?” she sneered.
“Of course not, I think it takes longer than a few weeks,” she replied, giving a small fake laugh, backing up to get closer to the line of sinks. There was no relief in knowing her first instincts about Donna were right, she was insane. It was unfortunate for Susie that Donna was on the side of the kitchen with all of the pans and utensils. Susie had no idea what Donna wanted with her, but there was nothing within her reach she could use as a weapon if it came to it.
“Awe, I figured these shifters had magic seed or something, especially a delicious piece like your Lord Ashlu,” Donna said. “Man… I could not get the image of him in that bedsheet out of my mind for days. You, princess, got real lucky with that dog.”
She hated that Donna referred to Noth as a dog, a common animal. He was the furthest thing from common. Anger began to bubble up within her. This was ridiculous. She refused to be afraid of this woman.
“You mentioned assignments, what kind of assignments?” Susie asked. Donna moved closer to her, looking around. Susie suspected she didn’t want anyone to hear them. That wasn’t good.
“Well…” she began, fingering the loaf of bread, picking it up and cradling it like a baby. “It seems that my master isn’t just Lady Alard, but also her son. I think you know him, he’s the one that caught you? Tylan? Yeah, you remember. It seems he is very interested in you. He sent me to find you.” She cooed her last sentence at the loaf of bread in her arms as if talking to a baby and not Susie.
Susie was scared now. If Tylan sent Donna to find her, that meant he was not prepared to let her go. That was bad. She had to get back to the Ashlu rooms. She had no way of knowing if Aelnoth had returned, and even if he did, he was not going to intrude on her independence. She had assured Lady Ashlu she would be fine. He probably wouldn’t think twice about her going to get food.
She quickly looked around the room, she couldn’t outrun a wolf, but she knew she could outrun Donna. The problem was Donna was between her and the exit, and if she ran out the opposite door, she had no idea what she would be running into. She had to think fast.
As if sensing she was about to make a break for the unguarded door, Donna shifted her body. “I wouldn’t think about it, princess. Tylan will be here any moment. You see he was right behind me. Don’t give him chase, he is not in his right mind. I would hate for him to hurt you.”
“You’re not in your right mind, you crazy bitch,” was all Susie could think to reply.
Donna began to laugh maniacally. Susie made a break for the door and slammed right into Tylan. He laughed. She suspected he had been there the whole time, and enjoyed Donna toying with her. He grabbed her by the arms, lifting her off the ground and slammed her against the stainless cooler door. She gave a grunt, not as much from pain but from surprise. “Well lookie here, you in need of a knight in shining armor, princess?” he asked, still laughing but giving Donna a nod, “You can leave us, Donna, I’ll take it from here.”
“Yes, my lord,” she said giving him a deep curtsy, “I did a good job right, sir? I did what you asked?” Susie was disgusted by the begging in Donna’s voice. The woman had no self-respect.
“You did good, Donna, and you will be rewarded later, I promise. Now get out of here, go back to mother, before she realizes you’re gone.”
“See you soon, princess.” She gave Susie a sick smile as she slunk out the other door.
Susie took the brief opportunity while Tylan was preoccupied with Donna to slip the bracelet Aelnoth gave her off her wrist and slide it to the floor below as quietly as possible. If ever there was a time being short came in handy it was now, there was less distance for the bracelet to fall, and it made less noise as it hit the ground. She held her breath waiting to see if Tyaln noticed the small clanking sound as the bracelet hit the ground. The thought that she would leave a breadcrumb for Noth must not have even occurred to Tylan, because he gave no reaction. There was at least a brief a moment of relief. If Aelnoth came looking for her, he would know she would not have taken the bracelet off on her own. She had no idea how he would find her. She had to keep Tylan talking. She needed to buy time, and she had to keep him here in the kitchens. It was her best hope of being discovered.
Tylan grabbed her by the wrist. “There is no way I would let him keep you, you know that, right? You were mine, he knew it. Yet he chose to make a fool out of me and my mother.”
“There was no guarantee he would’ve been able to keep me,” she shot back. “The king and elder council could have found that he was wrong, cast him out. You could have all of his lands. If you take me, there is no way the king will grant the Ashlu lands to the Alard clan. Did you think of that?”
Tylan’s eyes flashed yellow, and Susie flinched. They were a different yellow than Aelnoth’s wolf. Tylan’s eyes were more of a brownish yellow. She thought they looked sick. He was barely able to contain his anger as he ripped his shirt open, showing her his bare chest. No clan tattoo.
“DO YOU THINK I CARE ABOUT MY MOTHER’S PETTY LAND PLANS?” he shouted, Susie went ashen, he was insane. “She loves me, but I am nothing but her bastard. A mistake. She had a fling, you know. Yes, my mother is a whore, just like you, princess. Only she didn’t
stoop so low to mate with a human… oh no, she sold her self to another shifter. And me? I’m the result. I’m an Alard in name only, to save her husband’s face at court. Not worthy of the mark of my people. So you see, princess, I don’t give a shit about the Ashlu lands, or the king.” He didn’t care about Alards at all, he didn’t have a pack. A lone wolf was a rogue wolf, and Susie quickly realized she was in real trouble. Tylan took a deep sniff of the air.
“Ah there it is,” he said. “You have no idea how long I have waited for that scent. The scent of your fear. You belong to me now, princess.”
He came toward her with a white cloth in his hand. Susie said a quiet prayer, and whispered Aelnoth’s name.
“Forget your precious Aelnoth…” Tylan said softly, as he brought the cloth down toward her face. She tried to avoid it, turning her head away from him but his grip was too strong. He grabbed her chin sharply bringing her to face him. He brought the cloth down to her face, and her last conscious thought was of Aelnoth.
Chapter 24
Aelnoth and Symes entered the Ashlu rooms quietly. It was late and he didn’t want to risk waking the boy, even though he knew Susie would not sleep until he returned with information. He was thrilled to be able to tell her it would be over soon. The king would be lenient. He was surprised when they entered the room, to see his mother pacing nervously.
“I didn’t want to leave Jason,” she said. Aelnoth instantly knew something was wrong. Where was Susie? Why was his mother still here?
“Mother, where is Susie?” he asked, trying to keep his tone even and quiet.
“She said she wanted to get something to eat, bring you something to eat. I told her not to go, but she insisted. She said the castle was filled with servants, she would be fine. I was foolish to let her persuade me,” the older woman said.
“How long?” he asked.
“She was only supposed to go quickly. She said she’d be right back. I thought she could use some fresh air. I should have put my foot down. Forced her to stay,” Abigail sobbed.
Aelnoth shook her, trying his hardest to snap her out of her rambling thoughts.
“Mother, how long?” he repeated.
“Hours,” she said.
“Shit,” he heard Symes behind him. “Tylan.”
Tylan took her. Aelnoth was so close to finally having what he needed, and that bastard took her. He would rip his body limb from limb. He would not rest until he found her, and if Tylan hurt one hair on her head he would bring the entire Alard clan to their knees.
“We have to find her,” Aelnoth said, turning to his friend. “You’ve spent time with Tylan lately, where would he take her.”
“He has been staying in the vacant wing on the western turret side of the castle,” Symes said.
“Not in the Alard rooms?” Abigail asked.
“No, it seems he has been growing increasingly removed from his mother and the rest of the pack. I didn’t think anything of it,” he said, casting an apologetic look at Aelnoth. “His anger toward you had served my need. I apologize, but I didn’t think anything of it.”
“There is no need to apologize,” Aelnoth said. “We have worked out our differences. But we have to find her, if he has no pack or clan loyalty there is no telling what he will do.”
“Let’s start in the kitchens, maybe we are wrong and Tylan has not found her,” Symes said.
“Good idea,” Aelnoth agreed, turning to his mother. “Mother, please stay with Jason. Allow no one in the rooms. No one, is that understood?”
“Yes, yes. Go, find her…” Abigail said.
***
The kitchen was empty, Aelnoth stomach dropped. He scented the air, she had been here, and she had been afraid.
“You smell it?” Symes said.
Aelnoth gave his friend credit. Even though there was no love lost between him and humans, he had not left Aelnoth’s side all night.
“She was afraid,” he said, pushing down his own worry to focus on the task at hand. He walked around the kitchen, taking in the air around him. “There was someone other than Tylan and Susie here, there was someone else, can you tell?”
“Yes, plain as the nose on my face, there was another human here. Not Susie, but someone else,” Symes said.
Aelnoth recognized the other human scent, but from where? He racked his brain it was so familiar. When had he smelled it before…
“Donna,” he said. “Alard’s slave. She must be working for Tylan as well,” he said. “Damn that human, she is so desperate to be one of us. Alard probably kept her believing he could turn her to buy her loyalty. Damn!”
“Noth, I think you need to see this,” Symes said calling him over to the cooler.
Dread crept in. He was holding the bracelet.
Aelnoth took the jewelry from Symes. He turned it over in his hand trying desperately to pull some piece of information from the cold gold. She was such a smart woman, she must have taken it off to send him a sign. She knew he would look for her. If all was well she would have never removed it. He gave it to her for her own protection. If anything happened to her, how could he forgive himself? This was his fault. He allowed her to be left alone. He allowed her to be taken. Tylan had Susie and she was in trouble. His stomach went cold and his anger flared, coupled with fear. Fear of losing Susie, his heart, his blood.
He tried to find her scent at the doors leading out of the kitchens, there was nothing. When she left here she was not walking. He shuddered at the thought of what Tylan had already done. A rogue wolf was unpredictable. There was no telling what Tylan planned to do. He needed to be put down. Aelnoth hoped they weren’t too late.
“Take me to the vacant rooms, now,” Aelnoth said through tightly clenched teeth. “He is a dead wolf.”
Chapter 25
Her head, oh god, how her head hurt. Susie opened her eyes blinking back the sharp pointed pain that hit the center of her brain. It took her a moment to take in her surroundings. She was alone. She was on a pile of blankets and pillows in the corner of a round room. It was dark but there was some light coming from a sconce on the stone wall. Suddenly she remembered the kitchen, Donna, Tylan all of it. Tears sprung to her eyes.
She didn’t know where Tylan had gone, but she knew she didn’t have much time before he returned. By the appearance of the room, she knew she was still in the castle. If she could just get out of this room, she could find her way back to the Ashlu rooms. She tried to get up. She couldn’t stand, the effects of whatever Tylan used to drug her combined with the roughly knotted rope at her leg attached to an iron ring in the wall kept her stuck.
“Dammit,” she muttered. How could she get out of this? Tylan was unhinged. She couldn’t plead with him. Her only shot was to escape before he returned. She felt around on the wall, finding a jagged edge of stone, she figured it could be sharp enough to wear away at the rope that secured her. If only her head wasn’t still swimming. She needed to focus.
“Ahh, you are a resourceful little chit aren’t you, princess?” She stopped abruptly, closing her eyes against the bitter voice that interrupted her attempts to break free. Tylan was back.
Blinking back tears of frustration, she chose to address the wolf head on.
“Tylan, what is your plan? Why take me? You lost, it’s over. You can’t possibly think Aelnoth won’t come for me?”
“Oh, I know he will, and I look forward to it,” Tylan said, his sick smug grin was back. Susie knew he clearly thought he had the upper hand. She was afraid he was right.
“You can’t hurt him Tylan,” she said, not willing to give up. He quickly crossed the room and knelt in front of her. He slapped her across the face hard. Susie yelped in pain and surprise. She had never been struck before.
“I can hurt him and I will hurt him,” he snarled at her. “You’d do well to learn not to talk back human. You’re no longer in a posh summer house run by the weak Ashlu. I won’t tolerate insolence from my breeder.”
Shit, shit, shit that hurt, she
thought, rubbing her cheek. He was overly concerned with being found wanting, and Susie knew if she continued to challenge him, a slap would not be the worst punishment he would dole out. He was planning to kill Aelnoth, that much was clear. She didn’t know how she could stop him, or get a warning to Aelnoth. He had als0 called her his breeder. There was no way she could let that happen. If she kept challenging him enough maybe she could make him angry enough that he would resort to killing her instead. Then there would be nothing left to fight over. If he killed her, the Undervale rule of law would see him punished properly. He would be no threat to Aelnoth. Aelnoth loved Jason, she could die knowing that her son would be happy under his father’s protection. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
“Tylan, you can’t hurt him. He is a mighty shifter and leader. Aelnoth would crush you, and you know it. You have no plan, no pack, no clan. You have nothing. You should give up. Let me go, and leave Undervale. That is your only hope at survival, and you know it.”
She used all of the skill she could muster to put on the bravado she needed, bracing herself for his next blow.
He did not disappoint, he took a handful of her hair and pulled her neck back hard, he slapped her again this time across the other cheek. She winced in pain, letting out a small cry.
“You think you can trick me again, don’t you princess,” he said. “I might kill you, but then again, I might not. What would you say, if I just beat you and kept you chained here, as my plaything? There are other ways to break a philly, besides death. I could be quite entertained by you for some time.” Pulling her hair back again, harshly, he dropped his lips down to hers forcing her into a brutal kiss. Susie kept her mouth as tightly shut as possible against the onslaught of his unwanted affection. He pulled back laughing. “That’s ok, princess. Keep your virtue for now. You won’t hold out forever. And when I want you to, I’ll make you scream.”
Both cheeks and her lips throbbed from Tylan’s attacks. Thankfully, he was so intent on hurting her, he hadn’t noticed she had continued to work the rope around her leg against the broken stone. All she needed was another moment and she would be able to free herself, completely without his knowledge. Susie didn’t know how, but she needed to keep Tylan distracted.
One Night One Secret Page 12
