“Then, do it. But, Thomas” –he hesitated–“oversee you. Get this right for my Master, or we will find someone who can.”
weat drenched my entire body. I was so sore from the inside out, but manage to just crawl to the bucket in the corner. Embarrassment seared through me at the lack of privacy, and my clumsiness trying to pee. My hands ached and refused to unwind from the tight claws they’d formed around the iron bars. I did what I had to, and the pain and the torture all started again.
Hours must have dragged by, but still neither Devon nor Nadia would reveal how the bond was made or how it could be broken. Martha had given up a while ago on the torture and had returned to the comfort of her microscope and blood counts. How she could work through all this, I’d never know.
Walton, on the other hand, was eager to continue when his companions were occupied elsewhere.
In between sessions, I worried about Will. I couldn’t even tell what time it was. Was he still at school? Or was he standing at the circular drive, wondering why I had forgotten him? Everything in me wanted to just tell them something so they’d let us rest, but I couldn’t. If they could control the bonds, then I was as good as Walton’s, and Will would be too, through me. All I had sacrificed would only make him more vulnerable.
The lights flickered again, and my near soundless cry echoed off the walls. Devon’s yells from across the room became an eerie descant to my own. Our voices had died out about thirty minutes ago, but the pain didn’t care.
Trying to stay conscious was weighing on Devon, as was the pain. I could feel his hunger through our link, but he was dampening it from me along with what agony he could. All this, and he still thought he had to shield me. What was the point?
I gazed at his drenched body hanging near-limp now. Even coughing up blood, he was cool and collected. The strength in the storm. He always had been. As much evil as I faced on a daily basis was nothing compared to the evil still out there he shield me from. I’d never told him thank you. Never shown up on a Sunday just to say hi or check on him. Yet, in the midst of all this madness, he was still protecting me. My chest and eyes warmed.
When Walton schlepped to the side, Devon glanced up at me and smiled. It was the barest movement of his lips, but enough to expose that one dimple. It was enough. Hell with this. We’d get out, and I’d show up on a Sunday just to pester him if I had to. I met his smile with one of my own.
The head South American vampire stepped between us, freezing the flutters in my chest. “Why do you think you have right to keep this secret of the scions?” he asked Devon, smiling, with a slight ironic chuckle to punctuate it.
“We didn’t keep it. We shared it. With our allies. Not you.” Devon’s words were slurred as if he was speaking through his teeth. Maybe his mouth no longer wanted to open all the way.
“And why is this? You said earlier we are enemy. Why? We have done nothing to hurt the US.”
Devon spat on the ground. “You did nothing to help us either. The world went to war, and you sat at home.”
“Bah,” cried the South American. “These are old problems. There are new ones now.”
“Such as…?” Devon prompted him.
Silence filled the room. We waited for the answer, the reason for all this madness.
Suddenly, Martha jumped to her feet in excitement. “The ley markers in their DNA have got to be the key. I didn’t check them on Miss Teen Beat over there, but Carson’s almost red-lining the chart, and I’ve never seen levels like Brady has. I need to check. Tom, help me get another vial of blood from Hannah. Oh, and I want to see if there’s something in the choker that enhances the DEC scions. Get Brady’s for me.”
“Like hell you will,” I muttered into my hands.
Walton brought one of the prongs over and waited before Hannah’s door while Martha stood ready with her syringe. Hannah whimpered under her blanket as if it could protect her from the monsters in the night.
I struggled into a crawling position. My muscles complained and didn’t want to release. As they opened her gate and stepped into the side of her cage nearest me, I jabbed an arm through the bars just far enough to strike the needle and vial from Martha’s hand. She recoiled from shock.
“You’re not going to touch her.” I stared them both down, willing my legs to not give out on me yet. Trying to act like it was a show of aggression, I leaned forward and grasped the bars in my hands, steadying myself.
“Whelp,” Martha spat. Quicker than my dulled senses could see, her hand whipped out and, grabbing the wand from Walton, struck the metal bars just below where I clung on to them.
Hotter pain, this time accompanied with the smell of my own burning flesh, rang through me. My body quivered. The shock was short-lived but intense. I collapsed, writhing in agony. In duet, Walton’s and Devon’s protests filled the space. Martha shrugged them off and smiled down at me. I rolled onto my side and vomited, my arms wrapped around my stomach.
Oh, Devon. If that was the pain he’d been taking to protect me… I squeezed my eyes shut.
“We agreed no direct harm on the scions, Martha,” Walton shouted.
“Grow a pair, Tommy. You don’t want her damaged, teach her some manners.”
“Good luck,” Devon and I said in unison. I smiled, despite the pain.
Rolling her eyes in an extremely non-vampiric fashion, Martha turned her back on me to face Hannah. Hannah had raised her eyes above the level of the blankets to watch us. Holy hells; she couldn’t be more than sixteen or seventeen. Her large, chocolate eyes watched Martha’s every move. How could she be going to the university already?
“Do you need a quick reminder in manners, Hannah?” Martha quipped.
She shook her head fast and stuck out her already bruised arm from its sanctuary.
“Good.” Martha stuck the needle into Hannah’s arm, and the test tube began filling.
I could feel Devon’s interest pique from across the room and tried to ignore him.
“See, Tommy, taking this one was a good idea,” Martha continued. “Got us the double daters, and now we have an untainted base level to compare to their blood without leaving the comfort of your home.”
“I just don’t think we’re far enough, yet. I don’t want to experiment on them.” He glanced at me again.
“Oh, we’ll put them back together once they’re ours. A few good meals for both sides, and everything will be right as rain.”
“Yeah, keep telling yourself that,” I snapped, pulling myself into the back of my cage. My DEC scion choker was next.
“How Devon has allowed you to keep your tongue is a mystery to me,” Martha said. “Are you sure she’s the one you want, Tommy?”
The man’s eyes roamed over me while he locked Hannah’s cage and approached mine. “Absolutely.” He smiled down at me.
Eww. I kept my mouth shut, hoping that letting him keep his fantasy would give me an opening.
As he opened my cage and reached to touch my neck, revulsion snapped in me. I swallowed bile, squeezing my hands into fists. Nothing was worth the feel of his filth on me. I reached out with my mind, trembling. Devon!
What strength he had left rushed into my muscles. It wasn’t going to last long. With a shout, I leapt to my feet. Reaching out, I braced Walton’s extended hand into an armbar. I pivoted on my heel and threw him into Martha. With a surprised yelp, they went down in a tangled heap. I raced through the opening, slammed the cage door behind me, but didn’t stop to search for the key to lock it. Putting on a burst of speed, I dodged two of the visiting vampires as they moved to intercept me. All I knew was, I had to make it to Devon and release him. Together, we could stop this.
Grabbing the intricately scribed silver manacle that bound Devon, I tried to wrench it from the wall. Excitement lit through me. Devon’s eye were bright, watching and urging me on. My will to destroy the manacle poured into my resolve. The manacle moved a centimeter. This was working! Just a little further, and we’d be free to destroy these bast
ards.
Pain exploded behind my eyes as something made contact with the back of my skull. I fell into Devon, and his head slumped into my shoulder. I tried to hold onto him, but his power gave way, and I slinked down his body to the floor.
“Comovente, ah, impressive,” an amused voice said from the shadow over me. The freaking smiley South American was over me.
“Thanks, Chuckles.” I had failed. It was our last bit of strength, and I had wasted it. I fought to keep my face down to hide my panic. I pressed into Devon’s leg, clutching him for support. A small tickle in the back of my mind was the only thing letting me know he was still there.
“Goddammit, hold her there. I’ll fix them.” Martha’s voice rang out in undeniable anger from across the room. Walton reached down to help her up, but she slapped his hand away.
“She is not going anywhere,” Chuckles said as he knelt next to me and moved the hair from in front of my face. “Did I hit too hard? You seem to take a lot, but you are still human.”
“Peachy-damn-keen.” Anger was the only way I could hide my terror. I pulled from Devon again, but nothing came. We were both out of energy.
I’m sorry, cherie. I can’t stop this. He was giving up. I could hear it.
I pushed all the energy and confidence I could back at him. We’ll find another chance. They can’t be on guard all the time. All you need is one quick meal, and we’ll be back in business.
I don’t see a lot of food in my future.
Martha’s feet stood before me. I glanced up. She had another damn syringe and was flicking it in front of Devon’s face.
“Leave him alone,” I said, clutching Devon tighter. “I’m done fighting.”
She kicked me away from him, landing the blow on my already sore ribs. Devon called out for me, but he could barely open his eyes. I reached for him.
“You’re going to kill them,” Carson screamed from his cell. “Walton, is that what you want?”
I flicked my gaze to my Canadian friend. Thank God they were still okay.
Nadia added quietly to Chuckles, “Your masters will not be happy with the needless destruction of good stock.”
“Martha, she said she’d stop. She’ll listen now,” Walton whined.
“Yeah, like I’m going to trust her an inch now. Pathetic attempt, really.” She stuck the needle deep in Devon’s throat and pressed the plunger. The clear liquid emptied into him, and I squeezed my eyes closed.
Not relishing the idea of adding more bruising through a fall, I lay down fully and tried to reach out to Devon through our bond, but he’d already slipped into unconsciousness. At least sleep would take me away from this for a bit. Maybe I’d dream of a way out.
“There. Now they’re taken care of,” Martha snapped. “Move her back into the cage, and, this time, bring me the damn necklace. I want to test its properties. There’s probably a catalyst reagent in the metal that enhances her levels.”
“I will never be bonded to you, you insane bitch,” Carson spat.
Look at that–Carson was cursing. Our captors were in trouble now. I wanted to giggle, but it didn’t reach my lips. My pain eased. I welcomed the feeling of euphoria spreading from my brain through my limbs. Everything went heavy.
“Like you’ll have a choice,” Martha fired back at Carson. “Move her.”
Hands reached around my body. Not wanting to be shot with anything else, I played asleep and kept my eyes closed. Plus, I really didn’t want to know who was carrying me.
As the ground found me, a hand caressed up my chest to tug my pendant from my neck. I drove away the panic of someone being so intimate by counting my breaths, keeping them regular.
“Leave her alone.” Carson’s disgruntled voice rang out beside me. “Have you no decency? You are supposed to be better than this. You are only proving them right.”
A loud bang sounded over my head, on the bars between Carson and me.
“Shut it.” Walton growled.
But Carson had found his voice, and he tried again. “Please, Señor–see sanity. Why are you doing this? Why cause so much pain for scions?”
Chuckles’s voice sounded sad. “You keep from us secrets to our survival.”
“Survival?”
“Our old ones are losing their sanity. They murder and wither for no reason. Hunger is met, but pain continues, and our young ones and feeding stock pay price. This alerts those that hunt us and makes everything worse. Our masters must have anchors, too.”
“Then ask. We can negotiate.” Carson was doing his best to turn on full diplomat from behind bars and not doing a half bad job of it.
“Look to them. Even now they give us nothing. We have asked. America, Romaric, say no.”
“They may act like it,” Carson replied in a forced jovial voice. At least he was getting some answers. “But these Americans are not the only kids on the block. Others may have helped before you turned to such violence. In Canada–”
Chuckles laughed. “We have tried. LeBerg jumps to Romaric. Africa does not know. They were destroyed. We did not help. Thus us both… how is it said… in the cold.”
“LeBerg?”
“It is ugly when great man turns to monster. Our masters much older, but have held on long. They need even if we did not fight human wars.”
Silence filled the room, broken only after several minutes by a faraway ringing. My euphoria had faded, and worry was slipping back in. This wasn’t just a power play; this was desperation. Desperation meant we were up against zealots serving masters half a broken world away.
And we were losing.
A door opened.
“Está?” Chuckles called out.
“Seu superioré rogo essas dois.”
“Para que?”
“Não sei.”
Chuckles spoke louder. “Your superiors are demanding, Walton.” Suspicion clouded his voice. “Why?”
“How should I know?” snapped Walton.
“Could they already be missed?” Martha asked.
“I don’t freaking know. I’m working on the case. It could simply be the humans are whining about something else. I’ve covered our tracks, but we have to go.”
If only we could be missed. Maybe Shahid was asking questions? Was he still waiting for us outside? He had to know by now something was wrong. Maybe the cavalry was on its way.
“I can’t leave now. I need to test the metal,” Martha insisted. “This is more important, and I need more chemicals.”
“Your name is on all the lab reports for this case. They want me, they’ll want you,” scoffed Walton.
With an exasperated sigh, Martha said, “Fine.”
“Give me list. We will gather your chemicals. Time is getting short,” Chuckles responded.
After a time of moving things around, the group was ready to go. A couple of small objects were thrown at each of the cage doors.
“Eat and drink, Carson, and tell her to do the same when she wakes up.” Martha snapped with her best dominant little girl voice. “Oh, and just for fun: let’s leave some blood for our guests to stare at while we’re gone.”
There was a clinking in the center of the room. Curiosity made me try to lift my head, but it only twitched a bit.
Finally, they left with a word of warning from Walton. “Hannah, don’t let the others touch their bars. I’m turning on the power.” With his ominous words, the door closed, and a humming started around us.
Great, now we were in electrified cages, but I had two hopes: The DEC may have an idea we were missing, and the medicine they gave Devon didn’t work.
I was still awake.
ren’t they a ray of fucking sunshine?” I moaned as I continued to force my muscles to move through the mire of lassitude they were stuck in. I waited for the old school fussing about my language from Devon, but it didn’t come.
“Holy hell, I thought you were unconscious,” Carson exclaimed.
“No such luck. I wish; believe me. I’d rather sleep though this.” I m
assaged my arms to encourage movement.
“But Devon?”
“I think he’s faking.” I reached to him out now that the fog was lifting from my mind and I could sit up against the wall again. Devon, why do you think it didn’t work? When he didn’t reply, I spoke aloud. “Devon, why didn’t it work?”
There was no answer.
Glancing over, I could see Nadia moving, but Devon hung limply on the manacles.
“How is this possible?” Nadia questioned. Her voice was weak, raw from screaming, but her disbelief rang though. “I can see him. He’s out completely. It’s not an act.”
But… that was impossible. Devon couldn’t be out while I was awake.
“Are they actually breaking our bond?” Unexpected fear slid into me. I’d complained about the bond, but I hadn’t wanted it removed just to be sired with someone else. I would not be attached to Walton.
“I thought there had to be a aster to sever the bonds.” Carson’s panic sliced through his voice. He was terrified, a far cry from the diplomat offering solutions. “I didn’t think it would be possible. We have to do something. Nadia, how can we strengthen our bond?”
“I don’t know. I won’t let them separate us.” Her emotions were as raw as his. I knew they had a thing, but the intensity of their fear and feelings for each other were clear in their unbreakable stares across our prison.
Devon? I pushed his mind.
I got nothing but fuzziness.
“Who are you people?”
I turned at the unfamiliar voice. Hannah had made her way from beneath the blankets and watched us while she chewed on the dry bar of food Walton had thrown in her cage.
Using my foot to roll my bottle of water to me, I picked it up and cracked it open. After smelling it first and deciding there were no strange odors, I took a long swig. “We’re from the DEC.” I saluted her with the bottle. “How are you enjoying your rescue so far?”
Of Scions and Men Page 24
