Taming the Beast

by Alicia Montgomery

  “First, we keep you safe,” Nick said. “Creed seems to be doing a good job, so we’ll stick with that plan. No one in Fenrir or any of the Lycans know any details about your security plan, and we want to keep it that way, in case there are any leaks.”

  “I’m going to be assigned downstairs for now,” Meredith said. “They’re putting me close to Daric, just in case. Sorry, Jade, you’ll be alone up here for a while,” her friend said sadly.

  “Meredith…” She thought about her not seeing her friend and her chest tightened. The other Lycan didn’t seem too happy either. “I can come by and see her, right?”

  Nick frowned, and Jade shot him a pleading look. He shrugged. “Meredith needs her downtime too, so, of course, you’re free to visit her and socialize.”

  “Good,” Jade said, breathing a smile of relief and giving Meredith a reassuring smile. “I’ll come by when I can. I do have to get to work.” She shook her head. “I’m sorry. Please tell the Alpha. I shouldn’t have waited so long to talk to Marcus.” She took a deep breath.

  “We still have Daric,” Meredith reminded her.

  “Has he started talking?” Jade asked.

  Nick’s jaw tightened, his ice blue eyes going steely. “Not yet. But we’ll make him talk.”

  “He might be the only chance we have to figure out how the mages are doing all this,” Jade reasoned. “I should talk to him too. Find out what he knows.”

  “I’m not sure—”

  “Please,” Jade said. “We’ll take every precaution. Maybe I can try and talk to him? Convince him to help us. Besides, I should really check on the bracelet. I’ve made a few improvements on the design and Lara was able to help me test it.” She got up from her desk and walked over to her 3D printer. She took out a large, metal band. The latest version of her bracelet. “This one is thicker and harder to take off. I’ve also added tracking capabilities, though I haven’t tested them yet.”

  “Fine,” Nick said. “Let’s go now.”

  ***

  Jade didn’t spend a lot of time in Fenrir’s basement levels. In fact, she’d only been there once, when Meredith broke into her lab, and she and Lara watched the interrogation. The security on the sub levels was already tight, but now they were even stricter. They had added extra guards and Nick had talked about having Vivianne Chatraine, head of the New York witch coven, come down and add protection spells.

  She followed Nick and Meredith to the end of the long hallway. They passed the first door on the right, which Meredith explained was where she was staying. A few doors down, they passed another cell that looked like it had its door blown off, which Jade guessed had been Marcus’ cell. She shivered, thinking about the way the mage died. Despite what he did to her, he didn’t deserve such a gruesome death.

  Finally, they reached the end of the hallway, where a burly Lycan guard was standing outside a metal door. He moved aside as Nick approached them.

  Nick opened the door and entered first. “Daric,” he called.

  The man sitting on the narrow bed in the corner of the room didn’t move. Jade stifled a gasp. She didn’t almost recognize the warlock, though she’d only seen him once, when she checked to make sure the bracelet was secure. She remembered glancing at him, thinking he was extraordinarily handsome. The man in the cell was unrecognizable. He had a thick beard that covered half his face and his long blonde hair hung down in limp strands. He was dressed in a dark gray jumpsuit that hung loosely from his body. His shoulders hunched over, making him look smaller than his over 6’5” frame. Thick shackles wrapped around his ankle connected to large chains bolted to the wall.

  “Daric,” Nick called again.

  Daric’s head turned, looking over at them. “What do you want?”

  “You know what we want.”

  He let out a huff. “And what makes you think I will tell you anything?”

  “We have ways of making you talk,” the Beta said, crossing his arms over his chest.

  “Do your best,” the warlock challenged. “It can’t be worse than what happened to Marcus. Or what awaits me if I betray Stefan and he finds me.”

  “How did they know about this place?” Nick said, walking over to him. “Are you communicating with them?”

  “Would I tell you if I did?” The warlock’s blue-green eyes narrowed up at the Lycan.

  “Like I said, we will find ways to make you.” Nick sounded like he almost relished the idea of torturing Daric for information. On the outside, cool and collected Nick Vrost seemed like he was in control, but Jade could feel the contained maelstrom inside the Beta.

  “And who do we have here?” Daric turned to Jade and Meredith. His eyes flickered over Meredith first, then zeroed in on Jade. “Ah, the good doctor.” He raised his hand, showing off the bracelet. “I suppose I should thank you for this piece of jewelry.”

  Jade said nothing, her fingers growing tight on the new bracelet in her hands.

  “Don’t be shy, doctor. Come here and show me your new toy,” Daric mocked.

  She swallowed a gulp and walked closer, Meredith following behind her. This was her chance. Maybe she could trick Daric into telling her how the mages were controlling the Lycans. “I’m going to put this on you and remove the old one,” she explained. “It’s a new version. You won’t be able to remove it, and if you try…well, let’s just say you don’t want to know what happens if you do.” A lie, but he didn’t know that. There was no way he could remove it anyway. This version used nanotechnology to keep the bracelet sealed, and was powered by a supercharged battery that could last up to a year. The only way to remove it was by using a key fob, plus a password authorization from her computer.

  Daric was silent as he held out his left hand. Jade placed the new bracelet on his wrist, securing it tightly. She took his other hand, and removed the old bracelet. This older version only required the key fob to remove.

  “Will you tell us how the mages are controlling humans? And how to stop them?” she asked, looking him straight in the eyes. “It might save you a lot of pain. Perhaps we can even give you something in exchange.”

  Daric gave her a sardonic smile. “And what would that be…sweet doctor?” He asked, touching his fingertip to her chin.

  “Don’t touch her!” Meredith hissed, stalking closer. Nick gave Jade a warning glare.

  Jade waved her friend away, her eyes never leaving Daric. “We could…offer you some freedom. Like Meredith. She’s a prisoner here, too, but she’s allowed to roam and leave.”

  “So, you would hand out treats to me, like a good little puppy?” He glanced at Meredith.

  “Why you—”

  “Meredith!” Nick warned.

  The other Lycan let out a growl but lowered her fists to her sides.

  “You’d prefer to stay down here forever?” Jade asked.

  “There could be worst things,” Daric said mysteriously, his eyes going cold.

  “You should think about it,” Jade said.

  Daric gave her a menacing smile and leaned down to whisper in her ear. “I won’t be thinking about your offer, but let me give you some advice. Watch your back and stop playing with fire. You don’t want to awaken the beast.”

  Jade felt her blood run cold at his warning. “What…what are you talking about?”

  “You need to be careful who you give your heart to,” Daric warned.

  “I don’t—“ Jade let out a cry as Daric’s large hands grabbed her by the shoulders and slammed her against the bed.

  Meredith shouted, jumping into action. Her arms wound around Daric’s neck, using her body weight and Lycan strength to pull the giant away from Jade. They both ended up on the ground, with Daric rolling over Meredith and pinning her hands over her head.

  With a loud growl, Nick grabbed the chain connected to Daric’s ankle and yanked it, sending the warlock flying back against the wall.

  Jade ran to Meredith’s side, helping her friend stand. “Are you all right?”

  Pure shock r
egistered on her friend’s face. “Yeah…” Her eyes seemed glazed over, and she rubbed her hands over her arms as if she was cold. “That guy…he gives me the heebie-jeebies!” Jade looked down and saw the goosebumps forming over the other Lycan’s pale arms.

  “Let’s get out of here then,” Jade said, putting an arm around her friend. “Mr. Vrost?”

  Nick gave the unconscious Daric one last disgusted look. “Yes, let’s get out of here.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  Sebastian stared down at the reports on his desk. Aiden sat across from him, watching him silently.

  “This is all we got?”

  Aiden nodded. “Yeah. We have three possible suspects. Or rather, three companies who would benefit if Fenrir’s Food R and D division were to shut down. But without knowing what she’s working on, we can’t pinpoint who would directly benefit from Dr. Cross’ death.”

  “I’m working on finding out.”

  “Is that the angle you’re working with her?”

  Sebastian’s fists slammed down on the arms of the table. “Watch your mouth,” he growled.

  “Hey, hey.” Aiden raised his hands in surrender. “Jesus, Sebastian, calm down! What’s the matter with you? Sleeping with a client, really? Why does she have your fucking panties in a twist?”

  Sebastian let out a breath and fell back down in his chair. He rubbed his face with his hands. “Damn if I know, Aiden.” He looked out the large windows behind his desk, staring at the view of midtown Manhattan from his office. He could see the tall, black tower that was Fenrir Corporation’s headquarters spiraling high into the sky and wondered what Jade was doing now.

  “Sebastian,” Aiden said in a serious voice, shaking Sebastian out of his reverie. “Look, I’m your friend. Do you need to talk? Have you been having nightmares about Afghanistan again?”

  Sebastian shook his head. “I’m fine. I just need sleep.” He was tempted to grab the bottle locked in his liquor cabinet, but knew he couldn’t. Jade’s life depended on him, and he had to keep his head clear.

  “Well, what do you want us to do?”

  “Grant said to just keep to the same security plan,” Sebastian instructed.

  “Are you going to be with her tonight?” Aiden asked. “I just need to know so I can fix the rotation schedule.”

  “I don’t…no,” he decided. “But I want hourly reports on Jade’s movements.”

  “And what about finding out who’s trying to kill her? Anderson still not budging?”

  He shook his head. “He keeps evading the question, but he knows something. I don’t want to push him too much or we might lose this contract.”

  “We don’t need it,” Aiden pointed out. “As is, we already need to expand to meet demand.”

  Sebastian huffed. Yes, there was always demand for war somewhere in the world. “Still, Fenrir’s a big client and local, too.”

  “Fine,” Aiden shrugged. “You’re the boss.” The other man got up from the chair. “See you later, Sebastian.”

  He gave Aiden a nod and then turned back to his window. Late summer storm clouds were rolling from the distance, painting the sky a dark gray. He sat there for what seemed like hours, watching the clouds come closer and closer.

  Jade. Last night, they had been so close. He had her in his arms, ready to lose himself in her. And then the threat came back. Aiden had called him, saying Grant Anderson was looking for Jade. There was a breach at Fenrir and one of their employees was killed in the break-in. Anger and fear replaced lust, and The Beast was roaring at him to protect Jade and destroy anything and anyone who wanted her dead.

  Even now, the rage was there, simmering under the surface. Working all night trying to find out who was trying to harm her was the only thing that kept the animal at bay. After dropping Jade off at her place, he went straight to the office. He summoned his most trusted employees, putting them to task. He also called in as many favors as he could, trying to find out as much information about Fenrir Corporation, but came up with nothing, at least nothing they didn’t know already. Short of hacking into their personnel files, he couldn’t find the answers, and it was driving him crazy.

  Sebastian stood up from the desk and took off his suit jacket. He needed to do something to blow off some steam. He changed into his gym clothes and headed to the basement level of Creed Security Headquarters.

  He spent the rest of the day in Creed Security’s basement training rooms. He lifted weights, sparred with his employees, and even emptied a few rounds in the target range. It was a good distraction, and his muscles were sore and aching by the time he hit the showers, but it didn’t help calm the fury building up inside him. He needed Jade. Needed to know where she was and that she was safe. He glanced at his phone several times throughout the day, but according to the hourly reports he was getting, she stayed put at work.

  He went back up to his office to use his private shower, blasting the water up as high as he could take it. It felt good on his tired muscles, soothing and relaxing him. He shut off the tap as the steam hung thick around him, the white clouds quickly sucking out of the tiny stall when he opened the shower door. He put on a fresh white shirt from his closet, shrugged his jeans on and towel-dried his hair.

  Sebastian picked up his phone then opened latest message. Still no movement and it was already 7 p.m. A strange ache gnawed at him and the questions blasted into his brain. Why wasn’t Jade on the way home? What did she do all day? Has she eaten? The thought of Jade hungry and alone set off his protective instincts. Fucking hell, he was acting like some mother hen.

  He sat down at his computer, trying to get some work done. But he couldn’t help but glance at his phone, waiting for the next report to come in. Finally, an hour later, the message came. Jade just left Fenrir and got into a cab.

  “Where the hell was she going?” he muttered to himself. He tapped the phone, calling Zac.

  “Boss,” the young man answered. “We’re on her tail.”

  “She’s not going home?”

  “Negative, boss. She’s heading downtown.”

  “Text me as soon as she gets to wherever she’s going.”

  “Sure thing.”

  Sebastian got up and paced around. Jade was deviating from her routine. Where was she going? Was she meeting someone? Jealousy gripped at him, and he had to sit down to calm himself. When his phone rang minutes later, he quickly answered.

  “She got out in the Lower East Side. A club called White Elephant.”

  “Send me the address,” he ordered. What was Jade up to?

  ***

  The White Elephant was an unassuming music club off Houston Street on the Lower East Side. The outside looked like any typical New York bar, sandwiched between a bodega and a dry cleaner. Zac was waiting outside by the time Sebastian pulled in.

  “She’s still in there, boss,” Zac said, jerking his thumb towards the door.

  “Anyone follow her?”

  “Just us.”

  “Good,” he said, tossing him his keys.

  Sebastian entered the club, his eyes scanning the area. The inside was dark, and the low ceilings made it feel even smaller than it looked. Various concert posters, pictures, and albums hung on the exposed brick walls. The bar took up a third of the room, and there were several tables and chairs set up around the stage. After noting all the exits, he turned his attention to the stage. A band was playing classic rock songs, and the crowd seemed to be enjoying the music. He spied Jade, sitting up front, her eyes fixed on the band as she swung her head side to side in rhythm with the song.

  Seeing that she was safe, Sebastian relaxed. He walked over to the bar and ordered a beer, his eyes leaving Jade for only a second. What was she doing here?

  As the band went straight into the next song, and Sebastian continued to nurse his beer, watching Jade, her attention focused solely on the stage. Did she know them? He shook his head. No one in the band looked younger than fifty. They were all older musicians, and based on the type of music
they played, had been playing for a long time. Classic rock tunes, some bluegrass, a little country and southern rock. He actually enjoyed their music.

  The set wound down, and the band leader announced their break. Jade got up from her chair and then walked up to the guitarist. The older man gave her a warm smile, removed his instrument, and then Jade launched herself into his arms.

  “What the fuck?” Sebastian slammed the bottle down so hard the woman next to him jumped in surprise. She flashed him a dirty look, but he ignored her. Who the fuck was that man? He seethed, watching as Jade seemed to hold on to the older man tighter as he ruffled her hair affectionately. When they pulled away from each other, he sat down on one of the amps, and Jade planted herself beside him. They bent their heads together, chatting and laughing as the rest of the band came over to greet Jade.

  Sebastian saw red. Who was this man? He didn’t like the way he sat so close or looked at Jade with familiarity.

  Jade was in the middle of a conversation when she suddenly frowned, and then swung her head in his direction. Her mouth opened into a perfect “O,” her face a mask of shock.

  The older man followed her gaze, his intense green eyes landing on Sebastian. Jade whispered something into the man’s ear, stood up, and strode over to him.

  “Sebastian,” she said, her eyes wide with surprise. “What are you doing here?”

  “I’m here to keep an eye on you,” he stated. Her shoulders sank at his answer. Disappointment?

  “Right.” She straightened her shoulders. “You didn’t have to come in here and check on me,” she said in a cool tone.

  “Blue Sky,” a voice behind Jade called. “Everything okay?”

  It was the old man, the guitarist. Sebastian took a closer look at the man. He was short, a couple of inches under 6 feet, but had a compact and stocky build. The man was maybe in his mid-fifties but looked good for his age, so he could have been older. His long, salt-and-pepper hair was pulled back in a ponytail and tattoos curled out from under the neckline and sleeves of his shirt.