by BJ Brandon
"I've got you, baby," she heard just before her world went dark.
.
Kayne lay in the dark, listening to his mate sleep while going over the last details in his mind for the short mission he was taking the next day. Merc and Rafe had agreed to shadow Chayle while he was away, but with so many others onsite, Kayne had doubts that anyone would be stupid enough to try to get to her on their home base.
"Kayne, did you confirmed the location of the drop today? Is the mission green?" Merc silently asked him, a touch of annoyance coming through their link.
"Of course. What's wrong?" Kayne waited but his friend refused to answer. "Merc, what has you so riled?"
"I went to check on the other female and she's not doing well. The doctors' cannot get her to talk, so they have no idea of her name or age. It just . . ." the annoyance and frustration that filled Merc bordered on rage. "She is terrified of me so I cannot get anything from her but doe-eyed terror and curled into a ball."
Kayne knew what most people saw on the outside was the first impression, and with Merc that was a hardened giant with dark eyes and scary profile. Few got close enough to see the softness that actually filled the man with tenderness inside that hardened shell.
"Send Rafe to talk to her. Maybe his special gifts can reach across and calm her enough to get her to talk. It will also give him something to do to keep him occupied," Kayne chuckled, knowing his brother's temperament.
"Not a bad idea." Merc's agreement eased Kayne's anxiety for his twin. "Just keep your head down, bring the team home in one piece tomorrow, and don't do anything stupid! We'll keep your mate safe."
"My thanks, brother," was all Kayne could say, emotions filling him as he pulled Chayle close to his chest.
Chapter Twelve
The Master stood before the Saint Andrew's Cross with the custom-made whip much like the age-old cat-of-nine easily held in his left hand. Cold black eyes watched as two minions strap Davis onto the Cross, naked and facing him instead of presenting his back, as was the usual custom. This wasn't as a simple exhibition or a lesson. He couldn't allow failure from his followers because that would make him look weak and weakness was NOT allowed.
Davis finally groaned, waking from the drug it had taken to knock him out so he could be stripped and hung from his arms, chained by wrists and ankles. Once he realized where he was and what was happening fear filled his eyes instead of anger.
"What the hell?" he yelled. "Master, why? I've done everything you asked." Davis' whine grated on the Master's nerves, sealing the man's fate like nothing else could.
"You of all people know I do not tolerate failure," he whispered, but everyone in the room heard him and it raised the hairs on the arms and neck of all standing around the room. Some made a move to leave, but the Master stopped them with a raised hand and one phrase.
"Leave and you take his place when this is done!"
Everyone froze in place.
"I did as you asked, Master," Davis begged. "There was no way to follow them, no way to find where they went."
"Your failure to complete your mission is unacceptable, no matter the reason. I cannot allow that to continue." He raised the whip, slapping the space between Davis and where he stood like the professional he was. The hiss and snap caused everyone in the room to jump A small, thin line of blood began to trickle down from across Davis' taunt stomach.
"No Master - please, just kill me," Davis continued to beg, his eyes now wild as the full reality of the situation settled on the room. This man would only leave after the Master had stripped ribbons of flesh from him. It wouldn't matter where the flesh was taken, only that it caused as much pain and prolonged his agony as long as possible.
"Your death will show the others what is expected. Now either take it like a man or scream like a child. I care not!" the Master growled, bringing the whip down across the other man's groin and upper thighs in a viscous strike that ripped all the way to the bone.
The screams and torments of the damned were only part of the hell that the Master visited upon Davis as he reminded his followers what he expected of all of them the next time he sent someone out on a mission. Failure was NOT an option.
Each strip of flesh pealed from the man's body fed the Master's need for revenge, the need to reclaim that which that had been taken from him. The women belonged to him, he had allowed them to survive only because of the need to test the waters of his opponents, never expecting them to actually escape the traps he had set for them each time.
The whip sang through the air, satisfying his need for a taste of blood and pain against animals no better than those who served him now. Those who should not be allowed to roam free instead of caged and tested, taught to serve their Masters as was their design.
Silence finally filled the room except for the whip, and the Master slowed the whip, focusing on what was left of the man hanging on the rack.
"Take that thing down and dispose of it, and clean this mess up." He turned, handing the whip to the naked servant standing behind him without notice.
"Yes, Mater." The automatic answer was whispered, barely audible in the hushed room.
He would find his subjects and bring them back, and he would teach the animals that they were still nothing more than that - just animals. If it was the last thing he ever did.
Chapter Thirteen
Chayle stretched, her eyes still closed as she felt her muscles ache but moving easier than they had a week ago. Reaching toward the other side of the super-king-size bed she felt the empty warmth where Kayne must have been not long ago. The man could move like a ghost when he wanted to, and she was beginning to think it was a natural thing for him rather than learned.
Closing her eyes, she moved her body like a contented cat, remembering the night before after Kayne had dumped her on the bed. By now the entire complex must know that she and Kayne were sleeping together but that was not what bothered her. His autocratic, tyrannical attitude was something she just could not tolerate, her independence fighting it at every turn. With a sigh, she pushed from the warmth of the bed and headed for the massive shower, determined to find the training facilities for some serious workout time before Kayne returned from wherever he had disappeared.
When she finally walked into the training facilities an hour later the first thing Chayle did was let her curiosity loose and investigate. It held the standard weight training and running equipment, but the rooms off to the left caught her attention. She knew from their previous visit that the showers and dressing rooms were to the right so her curiosity took over as she started opening doors. A Janitors' closets, a small kitchenette, and storage room were the first doors she found.
It was the last one that had her mouthwatering, dropping open in awe.
A state-of-the-art holographic cave sat silently beckoning her to enter and explore. A console displayed various screens, easy enough for her to figure out once she was sure what she was looking at, and Chayle found the system complete with pre-programmed workouts that had her drooling. The blackout walls inside the room were cavernous, giving the perception of going on indefinitely so that many of the programs were interactive, learning and intuitive. She scanned the huge selection of programs to find everything from laser targets to hand-to-hand combat opponents. Finally, she made a selection, took a deep breath, and stepped into the cave, and another world.
So lost in the program, it was a couple of hours later Chayle felt the hairs along the back of her neck prickle, awareness seeping into her consciousness at being watched. Sweat stung her eyes and wisps of hair had sprung loose from where she had braided it to keep the long tresses out of the way. Her trainer had once told her the long braid could be used as a tool against her in a true fight and the smart thing would be to cut it short, keep it that way. However, Chayle was vain enough about her hair that she refused to cut the length that fell just below her shoulder blades. Now she brushed the moisture from her damp face, reaching over to push a pause button on the wall n
ext to her. The action figure she had been sparring with instantly froze in the middle of throwing a punch that would have killed most unsuspecting victims.
Breathing hard, Chayle cocked one hip and propped a fist on it, turning to look back over her shoulder at the blackout screens where the control room sat. For some reason she knew it was not Kayne who was watching her, and it pissed her off that someone had interrupted her workout.
"If you're going to stand there and act like a voyeur then you can leave!" she spat, eyes flashing with annoyance. A deep voice came over the intercom, vibrating through the room.
"You're pretty good." She did not recognize it, but refused to show anything other than distain for the interruptions.
"Go away. I'm busy and if you keep bothering me, Kayne will kick your ass!"
"Really?" There was a moment of silence, then the side door clicked open and a very large male slithered into the closed space.
Slithered was the best word Chayle could use to describe him as he took a wide stance. She quickly took in the military haircut, the wide shoulders, and dead eyes. Her brain instantly calculating that something was not right.
"You aren't one of Kayne's men, are you? How did you get onto the grounds?" She took a couple of steps back, positioning her back so she was not trapped in a corner.
"You don't need to worry about that because you're coming with me. My Master had plans for you and the other one, and he doesn't like to be cheated out of his work." The eyes did not change as he took a couple of steps forward looking too confident for Chayle's piece of mind.
"Well, your Master can go screw himself, because I'm not going anywhere with you!"
She almost missed the slight motion of his shoulder, that little "tell" that indicates when an opponent is about to attack. He came in low, ready to sweep her up but Chayle was ready. With a quick slide to the ground beneath him and between his legs, she punched straight up with her legs and into the one area of a man's anatomy that would always bring them down . . . his groin.
She kicked with everything in her legs, back and abs, making sure that when he fell it was all the way down. Chayle would only have one chance and she knew she could not miss.
He dropped like a stone, his scream of agony music to her ears as she turned for the door to the control room. As she flung the door open she ran into an immovable wall, felt steel bands wrap around her and the control she had fought so hard for disappeared with a terrified scream.
"Kayne!" Her terrified scream echoed throughout the facility, vibrating off the walls.
"Shush, little one . . . I've got you!" The arms holding her did not squeeze but held firm, pulling her behind him and pushing her into someone else's waiting hands. She barely had time to registered Rafe's massive body entering into the holo-cave before a sob escaped. Rafe turned to look at her, an grin lighting up his face.
"Not to worry, Chay . . . he'll not bother you again and he will tell me who sent him! I promise."
"He said it was the Master, Rafe," she whispered. "It's the same ones who took us before." She was shaking now, frantically looking around for Kayne. "Where's Kayne, why isn't he here?"
"He had a quick mission but will be back before sundown. My brother didn't want to worry you."
Anger hit hard as adrenaline surged through her system. "Worry?" she screeched, not recognizing her own voice.
"Take her back to the main house and guard her. There may be more that got through the perimeter and the guards and I don't want to have to explain to my brother why she has additional bruises." Rafe's matter-of-fact attitude almost sent Chayle over the edge.
"I'm not going anywhere until that son of a bitch tells me what his boss wants!" She fought off the gentle hands of one of the men trying to lead her out the control room door as Rafe motioned for two others she had not seen to follow him. But she was not going anywhere and it was time these men understood that.
Rafe's men hauled the intruder out of the holo-cave and through the exercise facility toward a back entrance she had not noticed before. The other men were so distracted that she slipped out of the grasp of the one holding her and followed.
"Kayne's going to kick my ass if anything happens to you!" he hissed, drawing Chayle's attention to a man standing behind her. She had not seen him before, but now that she had it would be impossible to forget the mountain of a man guarding her back.
"He will if you don't help me, I'll see to it," she promised. Her eyes narrowed when long, tawny hair was pulled back from a hard face sporting a scar that ran from the right eyebrow to just above the upper lip. It did not detract from the handsomeness of the face or the strong bone structure that hinted at his Native American lineage, but the look in his eyes reminded Chayle of a wounded animal hiding in the shadows waiting to attack.
"My orders are to take you back to the main house, Miss." His hiss came out low and lethal, yet Chayle only felt a sense of protectiveness from him.
"Please . . . "she begged, hearing the waver in her voice and hating it. "I need to hear for myself, know why they took me."
Chapter Fourteen
Chayle watched the guard's face and saw the instant before something settled in his unusual eyes and he shook his head. Slowly a grin ghosted his full lips and a huge shoulder shrugged his agreement.
"Hell, we only live once, right? If Kayne kills me at least I had a hell of a ride!"
"What's your name?" she whispered, amazed at the sudden change in his appearance and attitude.
"Gabriel, ma'am," he quickly answered. "And if you're going to watch Rafe get any answers before that dude expires I'd suggest we get down there." His firm hand guided her toward the doors the other men had disappeared through and Chayle instantly heard screams.
They descended a set of stairs that led to a dark, subterranean cavern below the training facility where she immediately found the man who had tried to grab her strapped to a chair in the middle of a room. Somehow, she had expected to see blood and violence.
Instead he sat there with his eyes closed, arms clamped down to his sides with straps and his legs wide apart and strapped to the legs of the huge metal chair.
No one touched him, no one spoke, but Rafe and another man stood on either side of him, eyes closed and breathing evenly. Suddenly the man screamed, twisting and struggling as if demons were chasing him, his eyes wild and blank as he searched the room for whatever he saw in his terror.
"Tell me who sent you," Rafe whispered into the room, his voice gentle yet scary as it vibrated against the walls.
"No . . . " screamed the prisoner, "you don't understand! He'll kill me!"
"No, you don't understand," Rafe replied, his stance becoming more menacing when he finally opened his eyes.
Chayle soft gasp did nothing to distract him from the task at hand, but she had never seen anyone's eyes change to that color before. The blue-gray swirls continued to focus on the man strapped in the chair as if he were the only thing in the room.
"Your Master took someone who was beyond replacement, and now you have invaded my home and tried to take her from my brother again. Not only have you failed but your Master will never have his hands on her again." The profound confidence in his voice, the assurance that his words were law seemed to rock the prisoner's world.
"She is only one of many, he can gain others but she was one of the first who was successful. Her and the young one! He won't stop until he has them for his breeding program, and many will die until he gets his property back." The man suddenly wailed as if in supreme agony, "He is the Master for a reason, he cannot be stopped!"
Suddenly the man began to convulse, his head shaking back and forth, foam coming from his mouth like a rabid dog. Chayle watched in horror as Rafe untied the man and started CPR but it seemed nothing could save him. Finally, he and the other man stopped their efforts.
"He's gone, sir." Rafe looked stunned, and looked over his shoulder at Chayle.
"Something triggered the episode, Chayle. I did not do it. What
ever he was afraid of was deep seated enough that it killed him." Rafe could only stare at her as she began to shake.
Chapter Fifteen
Kayne raced into the training facility just as their team doctor was loading the prisoner onto a gurney and had already covered the body with a sheet. Chayle was sitting in the corner, her face white and hands shoved between her knees.
"What the hell happened?" he growled, rushing over the pull Chayle into his arms and rub her back as he wrapped his massive arms around her.
"The guy under the sheet tried to take me again," Chayle whispered, but she slapped a hand on Kayne's chest when he growled loud enough for the entire room to hear. "Stop with the growly shit. He's dead, ok?"
"How?" He looked to his brother and Mercury, but both kept quiet for a minute.
"Oh for pete's sake. I watched the whole thing. Do you think I haven't gotten it yet that you guys are not entirely normal like most of us?" she growled herself this time, pointing at Rafe. "Tell the big guy here before he kills the creep again just for the hell of it."
"I like her," Gabriel commented from his position against the wall. He had not moved ten feet from Chayle until Kayne's arrival, so Chayle was surprised to see him so far across the room.
"Mine," Kayne growled again, his arm tightening around Chayle.
"Stop it!" she slapped his chest again. "Concentrate, will you?"
Kayne looked down at her in shock. She had slapped him again, in front of his brother and men. He heard Gabriel laughing against the wall and wanted to go put some serious hurt on the junior team member but he could not do that as long as Chayle was here. It seemed she liked the man and Kayne was not having any of that!
Taking a deep breath he looked around the room.
"Someone, anyone other than Chayle, had better tell me what happened here. Now!"
His order echoed in the room for several heartbeats before Rafe finally recounted what had happened, in complete detail. Chayle just stood there, nodding her head the entire time, or pointing in agreement like she knew exactly what Rafe was talking about. Which, once his brother got to the end, Kayne realized she had watched the entire thing.
