by Leilani Love
Micah bends down, inhaling along Violca’s neck as if searching for the answer. When he pulls back, he has a small smile on his face as if finding the answer he needs. Violca pushes Kati behind her. “What I have and have not done with Chase is none of your business.”
Standing at his full height as he looks down at her, “You are wrong, Violca. You are very much my business.”
Kati can feel her sister’s anger and she squeezes her hand, afraid that if Violca reacts, he might lash out and hurt her. “Violca,” Kati whispers and suddenly there is a loud boom from outside.
“Take the girl back upstairs and guard her,” Micah says as he grabs Violca by the upper arm and tries to pull her. “Kill anyone you see.”
When he pulls Violca, Kati feels her sister’s hold tighten. “No, I won’t leave my sister.”
Micah pulls harder on Violca, dragging her with him. Kati keeps a grip on her hand but the man with the snake tattoo grabs her by the waist, pulling her so hard she is forced to finally let go. Kati screams and fights the man whose arm around her is like a band of iron.
Seeing Violca fight Micah more, he stops and his arm smacks her across the face so hard, Kati can see an imprint of his hand on her sister’s face. When they get to the base of the stairs, the man carrying her heads back up to the room while Micah pulls Violca down another hall. Kati scratches the man’s face as he carries her. She hears him growl loudly in her ear, “Stay still bitch. There are many ways for me to hurt you without killing you.”
Chapter 52
Violca tries to fight Micah as he drags her down the hall. “Why can’t I go with Kati?” Micah keeps pulling on her arm, forcing with her to go with him through a door that leads to the basement.
“It is safer to keep you and your sister apart. You my chère, are going to stay close to me. I will not lose you. You are promised to me, and I will not let you go.”
Violca almost trips at his words, pulling harder to get free. Micah turns his flashing red eyes down at her. Violca forces herself to stand her ground. “I’m not yours, and we will never help you with anything.”
Micah’s canines lengthen, showing over his lower lip. “You will.” His fingers trace along where Chase bit her. “I will take care of the dragon that tried to mark you as his, and then I will take you and make you mine. And unlike your dragon, I will finish the mating.”
Violca tries to focus on what he saying and how he will take care of the dragon. She feels her heart clench, knowing that whatever is going on involves Chase. Struggling more she tries to pull herself free.
Chase rushes toward the hole in the wall, shooting at the guards before he ducks behind a tree for cover. From the number of guards coming at him, he wonders how many men are in the house. Peaking behind the tree, he shoots the guard closest to him, then without really aiming he shoots across the yard hitting another in the leg.
Glancing around the tree again he sees he is going to be surrounded quickly. Taking a deep breath he hopes that Brandon and Scott have made it over the wall and are in the house. Chase’s goal is to cause a big enough distraction to give them a head start. When he sees a statue he runs out from behind the tree trying to aim and fire. As he runs he only sees two of the guards go down. Most of his shots missing, he feels the sting of a bullet hit him in the thigh causing him to fall right when he reaches the statue.
Wincing in pain he looks down noticing that the bullet went straight through and didn’t hit any major arteries. Wishing he could shift into his dragon so he could heal he hears the sound of a gun cocking next to his head. “Well, if it isn’t the dragon shifter. My boss has been waiting for you.”
Chase slowly stands up, wincing slightly when he puts his weight on his injured leg. Looking around he smirks. “Well, who am I to tell your boss no.”
There are five guys surrounding him and several more standing back, their weapons drawn. The two closest to him grab his arms, the guy in front of him smiles, showing his long canines before hitting him with the butt of the gun hard on his temple causing him to see black as his body goes limp.
The guy with Kati shoves her back in the room upstairs and she pounds on the door. “Where did he take my sister?” she sobs, pounding harder. Screaming in frustration, she hits it one more time before turning her back on the door.
Hearing a noise from the balcony Kati’s eyes go up scared. When the door opens she sees Brandon. Running to him, her arms go around his neck holding him tight. Kati jumps when she hears a loud growl and feels someone pulling her from him. She tries to pull her arm from his gasp and is surprised when she sees Scott is the one who grabbed her. She flinches when his hand comes up to her face. “Are you okay, Kati? Who hurt you?”
Kati realizes that it is not anger on his face but concern. “I’m okay, but they took V, we have to find her.”
Kati’s hears her voice quivering. She looks at Brandon who is glaring at Scott before turning to her. “We will get her Kati, I promise.”
The door opens and the guard with the snake tattoo appears in the doorway. He looks at Kati, smiling wickedly. “Well aren’t you full of surprises.” He smirks. “I hope you don’t mind if me and my friends join the party.” The snake guy steps back and three of the other guards come in.
Scott pushes Kati behind him and growls low in his throat. Brandon and Scott stand in front of her and Kati feels frustrated with herself. She is tired of cowering.
Scott and Brandon lunge at the first three guys. Three more rush in the room, joining the fray.
Kati looks up to the door and sees the man with the snake tattoo smiling at her. He circles around the group, his eyes focused on Kati. Keeping her back to the wall she circles around until her legs hit the bed. She hears the sound of furniture breaking and looks up to see Brandon lying on his back, the table in the room broken and two of the guards standing over him.
Hearing a noise close to her, Kati glances up as snake man grabs a hold of her ankle. Trying to kick and scramble, she screams in frustration, but he easily pulls her to standing between the two beds. Grabbing her by the arm, he drags her over the other bed. At the door she hears a loud growl. Looking over her shoulder, Kati sees Scott and the rage on his face is undeniable. Scott’s hand slices the throat of the guy he is fighting, and Kati notices that at the end of his hands, claws have appeared.
“Interesting.” At the deep sound of tattoo man in her ear she turns and sees him smiling at Scott before yanking her out of the room. The fierce sound of an animal growl follows them and the tattoo man chuckles. “Well little witch, who would have thought you have your own personal cat body guard.”
Chapter 53
Micah takes Violca to a room at the end of the hall and pushes her into a chair. Picking up his phone with one hand his other stays on her shoulder. She can’t hear what the voice is saying, only his reply. “Good, bring him down to me.”
Micah looks down at her, his eyes red, his teeth poking out from his lips as they curve in a wicked smile. “Your lover will be here any minute.” His smile broadens. “Looks like we will be able to take care of your little dragon shifter before we leave.”
He gestures toward her and she gasp when ropes suddenly tie her at her wrist to the arms of the chair and she feels ropes sliding around legs. “One day soon you will be mine, and I will be able to trust you but today…” His voice trails off and he winks. “I look forward to winning you over my love.” He traces his finger down her jaw and she shakes her head, pulling away. His eyes narrow and his arm comes up as if to smack her before he collects himself. “You will learn to crave my touch.”
Violca gives him a look that lets him know she will never be that girl. When he steps away she looks around. If she had to guess, she would say this used to be some old-fashioned torture room. There are chains hanging almost everywhere along with a wall with different kinds of whips, some weird looking sticks, and some different types of knifes.
In the center of the room hanging from the ceiling are two chains w
ith wrist restraints. A small shudder runs up her spine. Micah looks at her, his canines showing again. “I can teach you and your sisters how to use your magic, Violca. Once you learn how to use your powers there will be no stopping what we can do together.”
Before she can reply the door opens behind her. Violca tries to look over her shoulder. After the first guy walks through she is able to see two other guys dragging Chase between them. Gasping when she sees him she whispers, “Chase,” but he does not even move.
They drag him to the middle of the room and put his wrist in the restraints. He groans as he hangs awkwardly from his arms. Hearing his groan Violca finds herself blinking back tears.
Chase moans, his head coming up slowly. His eyes look her over as if reassuring himself she is okay. Micah growls at him when he sees him checking out Violca and punches him in the stomach, causing the chains to rattle as he swings to the side. Chase grunts in response. Chase’s eye color turns more of a golden color and Micah smiles at him. “You can’t shift as long you are in my home dragon shifter.”
Chase growls, pulling slightly on the chains. From the angle his arms are at Violca knows he must be in pain. Micah looks at the guards. “Go find out what is going on upstairs. Make sure the other girl is well guarded and anyone who is trying to take her is killed.”
Scott growls loudly when he sees the man with the snake tattoo pull Kati out of the room. His claws come out and he slices the throat of the one who he is currently fighting. Picking up the other he throws him against the dresser. The guy groans as he hits the wall and passes out. The third charges at him, and Scott punches him quickly, pushing through him as he runs toward the door.
Scott sees Kati being pulled down the stairs. Growling, he catches up with them at the bottom of the stairs. The guy pulls out a knife and holds it to Kati’s throat. “Care to try me cat man?”
Tattoo man pushes the knife hard enough against her throat that he breaks the skin. Scott can see and smell the blood. His hands clench in fists at his sides as he takes deep breaths to calm himself. His cat is just below the surface fighting to get out, wanting to protect her. “Let her go, and I promise to kill you swiftly.”
Kati whimpers and he growls at the back of his throat. Scott feels something holding him back and wonders what is keeping him from shifting completely.
Scott hears Brandon behind him. “Kati, down!” Brandon shouts a split second before he raises his hand as if he is reaching for the knife. The knife seems to get yanked out of the tattooed guy’s hand and goes flying across the room into a wall as if on its own. His hold on Kati loosens and she drops to the floor. With Kati out of the way, Scott punches him in the face.
Scott grabs Kati by the arm and pushes her in Brandon’s direction before the tattoo man lunges at him, knocking him to the ground. The tattoo man punches him in the face and Scott bucks his hips up, forcing the guy off him. “Get her out of here,” he growls to Brandon as he and the tattoo man trade blows.
Scott hears Brandon hurry outside as the tattoo man taunts him. “You seem a little old to be lusting after some young girl, don’t you think?” He smirks. “You know it’s illegal right? Do her sisters know?”
Scott swings and connects with his jaw, a growl escaping him. The man is part demon and stronger than the average human, and he finds himself wishing he could shift. The only part of him that changes is his claws, which lengthen as he swipes across the man’s stomach. The man grunts, his head going down, and Scott uppercuts him, slicing across the demon’s jugular. The tattoo man falls at his feet, grabbing his neck. Scott can hear the man’s heartbeat slow, dying at his feet.
Breathing heavily, he goes down the hall trying to find out where Violca is being kept. Inhaling deeply he smells her scent. One of the doors opens and three guys step out. They stop when they see him. Grabbing his gun, no longer having to worry about Kati being in the cross hairs, he shoots the first two guys, killing them instantly. The third guy lunges at him and Scott throws him against the wall before hitting him in the back of the head, knocking him out. The third guy crumbles, and Scott heads down the stairs.
Chapter 54
With another punch to Chase’s gut, Violca bites her lip, having figured out that when she cries out, Micah seems to enjoy it more. Micah’s voice is growly when he speaks, “I can’t believe you stupid dragon shifter actually tried to mate with her. She is way above you, and you will pay for daring to touch what is mine.”
Violca notices Micah’s arm changing. His skin is turning black, almost reptilian, while his fingers turn more into yellow claws. Pulling back, Micah slices across Chase’s stomach, and Violca can’t help but cry out. Seeing blood, she calls out to Micah, “Please, stop. Please, Micah, leave him alone and I will stay with you.”
“Violca, no,” Chase says, before he gets interrupted with a punch to his jaw.
Micah pulls back as if to punch him again and Violca whimpers, “Please.” Micah pauses a second and Violca finds herself praying that he will listen to her. When he turns and finally looks at her, she swallows hard before straightening as best as she can, determined not to give an edge. Micah’s skin almost looks to be crawling, his eyes glowing red as he walks toward her, his movements predatory.
When he stands in front of her, Micah reaches up, his yellow claw like hand touching her cheek, tracing it until it gets to her neck. She can still feel where Chase bit her, it pulsing just under her skin. Micah’s claw traces the mark and she shudders.
Micah’s hand wraps around the back of her neck, pulling her up higher as he bends down, claiming her mouth with a rough kiss that feels like he is bruising her lips. She can hear the sounds of the chains rattling and a growl coming from Chase. Looking over Micah’s shoulder, she sees Chase’s eyes flashing gold as he pulls harder on the chains.
Micah pulls back and a long, forked tongue comes out to lick her lips. Turning her head, keeping her lips pressed together, Violca whimpers. Micah’s voice is harsh as he leans into her. “He will die for touching you, trying to mark you as his. No one touches what is promised to me.”
Violca turns and spits in his face, her fingers curling around the edge of the chair. She can feel the hair on her arms sticking up as the energy pulsing in her body gets stronger. “No one,” she says between gritted teeth, “can promise me to someone else.”
Micah throws back his head and laughs. “For you my dear witch, I will kill him quickly.”
The door is kicked open and Violca looks over her shoulder just in time to see Scott shoot Micah in the chest. Picking up Micah, Scott throws him to the far side of the room. He easily cuts through the binds at her wrists and her legs. “Run, V. Go outside, your sister and Brandon are waiting for you.”
She snorts, following him as he goes over to help Chase. He is not able to cut his binds like he did Violca’s. Violca hurries over to Chase and wraps her arms around his waist. Scott growls at her. “I told you to run,” he says, before reaching up and using his strength to pull the chains out from the ceiling.
“Too bad, I am not leaving him.” Parts of the ceiling fall on her head as Chase suddenly sags against her.
Hearing a noise behind them, Violca turns and sees Micah heading toward them. Her whimper causes Scott to turn in time to see Micah swing at him before grabbing Chase from her and flinging him across the room. Grabbing her arm roughly, his face next to hers, she can almost see a beast under his skin. “Mine,” he growls, his face so close to her she can feel his breath on her lips.
“Never yours,” Violca says, her hands going to his chest. The power she felt earlier, builds up, shoots from her fingertips into his chest, causing him to fall back. She sees Scott getting up as she turns to help Chase. “Come on, get up, we need to get out of here.”
Chase moans. “V, run.”
Violca shakes her head, blinking back tears. “Not without you.”
Violca feels the wind brushing past her and her mother’s whispering in her ear, I bind my life with yours. My power and s
trength belong to you. I am yours from now to eternity. The words repeat in her ears again and Violca looks into his eyes and repeats her mother’s words, “I bind my life with yours. My power and strength belong to you. I am yours now to eternity.” Her teeth throb. Violca follows her instincts and leans forward, biting him in the crook of his neck, somehow knowing instinctively it’s the same place she bit him last time. She can taste the metallic taste of his blood on her mouth and hears him moan.
Chase’s deep voice whispers in her ear, repeating her words, “I bind my life with yours. My power and strength belong to you. I am yours now to eternity.” Chase bites her neck and she whimpers when she feels his teeth cut her skin. His tongue comes out, licking where he bit and she does the same to him.
Violca can feel both Chase and his dragon. Her eyes widen as she looks at him. Before she can ask him, she hears the sound of a growl so loud that it shakes the room, causing her to jump. Turning, she sees Micah charging at them. Scott tries to stop him, only to be knocked away. He grabs her by her shirt, pulling her up off her feet. She hears Chase trying to get up, only to have Micah pin him in place with a blast of power that Violca can feel.
“What the fuck did you just do?” he shouts at her. “You are mine, I will break your bind and make you watch as I kill him slowly, you will learn not to defy me.”
Feeling Chase’s pain behind her, her breathing picks up and she feels her strength building. She can feel and see her mom with her. Micah’s eyes widen as Violca feels herself being picked up off the floor by an unseen force. Violca raises her hand and points at Micah, not recognizing her own voice as she begins to speak, “I bind you, I bind you back to the hell in which you came, never to return. With the power of the earth, the power of my ancestors I bind you. Return back to hell Micah.” She hears him scream and smells smoke before her world goes black.
