It was an expert knot. Her captor knew exactly how to impede her escape.
This was a disadvantage, but she promised herself that she wouldn’t make it easy for him.
CHAPTER THREE
Nick struggled against the chains used to bind his hands behind his back. It seemed that resistance encouraged his attackers to pull even tighter. He knew he should have stuck with the first set of mountains, but he just had to climb the highest one. An adventurous escape was what he was looking for when he came out here, but now it had gotten him captured. For what…he did not know.
As they all moved across the rough terrain, he sized each one of them up. Three of them. It had taken three men to subdue him. They’d caught him by surprise as he stopped at a waterfall to fill his canteens. The cowards had jumped him, catching him off guard.
He refused to show any weakness, but when he was free these motherfuckers would pay for tying him up like a bitch. They’d purposely bound him in chains and all in the right places to ensure that if he did try to shift, it would be painful.
Nick threw yet another sideways glance at one of his captors. The wolf returned a sneer and tugged on the chain wrapped around his neck. Nick returned the threat, growling as the metal squeezed at his throat.
He knew them all. They were once loyal members of the Caedmon Pack. Now they were known followers of Darius, the most recently banished member. There was talk that Darius may have still been in the area, but none of them had anticipated any opposition after the fight and verdict on the night of the Blue Moon.
Maybe the coward should have been executed. Clearly, the idiot wasn’t acting in his right state of mind. Greed certainly led people to do some foolish things.
Nick clenched his teeth in an attempt to subdue his irritation, and looked up at the late afternoon sky. By its position, it was nearly four o’ clock. He should have been on the top of the mountain by now waiting for the beautiful sunset, but no—that had been ruined for him.
Their boots crushed frozen leaves and bramble as they walked deeper into the mountains. Occasionally, Nick would trip on a stone stuck in the gravel, but he held his balance.
“Where are you taking me?” Nick barked, not caring about the consequences.
“Isn’t it obvious?” A wolf named Jonathan answered. “I’m sure you’re aware of the punishment for trespassing.”
Nick was well aware. In Caedmon culture, they’d hold anyone as prisoner who trespassed on marked territories without permission. Especially if they were up to no good.
“Last I checked, these lands belonged to Devin Caedmon.”
Jonathan laughed. “Are you sure?”
“It’s a known fact according to the will of his father.”
“Not all forty thousand acres were deeded to the late Daniel Caedmon.”
Nick frowned. It was just like Darius to pull something up—anything—to hold against Devin.
They climbed a hill several yards before reaching the mountains up ahead. Nick was then pulled toward an old dilapidated outhouse.
Jonathan pounded on the door, and someone snatched it open.
They shoved Nick inside and on instinct he landed on his elbows to prevent falling face first into the dirt. He held back a curse as his skin scrapped against the rough ground. Bracing himself on his knees, he came to a standing position once again. When he looked up to face his opponent, he discovered there were several more of them waiting in the interior. Like vultures.
He noticed Darius right away as he approached.
“Look who's come to visit.”
Nick said nothing. One thing was certain; he was pissed as fuck. If he wasn’t so curious about what type of shop Darius had set up here, he’d have put up a fight long ago.
“Good job, boys,” Darius drawled. “You brought me nice bait once again.”
Bait?
“What are you doing around my parts, Nick?” Darius circled him. “Certainly, you’re not here in search of what you lost so many years ago.”
Nick growled. Why couldn’t Darius let that rest? “I was minding my own damn business. Is this what you’re up to these days? Rounding people up like criminals.”
“My territory…my rules.”
“Since when did these become your territories?”
Darius laughed. “I’m claiming my half of the forty K acres. It’s only fair that I bring up my father’s will since Devin has brought up his. He didn’t think he had rights to it all, did he?”
“You’re supposed to be gone. You were banished.”
“I’m not that easy to get rid of. Did you think I would run off like a screaming baby like that brat you call a leader did?” Darius spat on the ground. “Depriving me of something I own, and then covering it up is a shady move. I didn’t know Devin had it in him.”
“I know nothing about what you speak.”
“What a liar! You’re his advisor. How could you not know anything?”
Nick frowned. “If I did, I wouldn’t tell you jack shit.”
Jonathan tugged hard against the chain around Nick’s waist, and he nearly upchucked his lunch.
“We’ll see if Devin cares when you come up missing,” Darius sneered. “Chances are he doesn’t give a shit. All he cares about now is fucking a human whore.”
“You want to play dirty?”
“Dirty? Seems fair to me. I hold you as bait and bastard boy comes running. I’m not sure what you’re worth dead or alive, but I don’t plan to hand over my share of the wealth so that he can lay claim to it all.”
“You want land?” Nick asked.
“My half as deeded to my late father.” Darius smiled. “And the title I was deprived of.”
“And if Devin disagrees?”
“I’ll behead you.”
Nick hoped Devin never agreed. Darius should have been slayed on the night of the Blue Moon.
“What ever happened to a fair fight around here?” Nick challenged.
“Blood thirsty?”
Nick nodded at Jonathan. “I’d like to start with him.”
Jonathan snarled then looked to his leader.
“You don’t call any shots,” Darius snapped.
“Come on now,” Nick taunted. “It’s either now or later. Because when I break loose, I’ll have your punk ass servant bitch boys wishing they had never captured me.”
Nick braced himself as Jonathan lashed out, jerking the chains against him. The blood raged under his skin, and the wolf inside him sought to be unleashed.
“Into the cell.” Darius jerked a finger behind him. “Down below. When you are done locking him in, bring me the key.”
His boys acted quickly, pushing him down toward a door in the floor and down a set of stairs. There was a holding cell off to the side, complete with metal bars and a lock. After stripping the chains off him, they shoved him inside and secured it with deadbolts.
“How could you fall for Darius’s tactics?” He asked them.
Their only answer was a door slammed shut.
“Idiots,” he mumbled.
Selene scrambled into position at the sound of heavy footsteps approaching. Her heart beat wildly, as if it would burst through her breastbone at any minute. A sharp pain shot up from her fist through to her arms and she realized that she clutched at the broken glass too tightly. It was not her blood that she wanted to shed tonight.She drew her legs up toward her body as the door swung open.
Scarface came into view. He shed his trench coat and removed two chains from around his neck and hung both on a hook beside the door.
She held her breath as he came and stood next to the bedside, eying her like an owl. The stare left her feeling sick to the stomach.
“The maid said you refused food.”
“I don’t want any.”
Scarface shrugged. “Fine with me. But you’ll become hungry sooner or later.”
“I’ll die before I eat anything you offer,” she said, forcefully.
“That won’t do, doll.” He fu
mbled with the chain around his jeans and it fell to the floorboards about his feet. “Not if you plan to deliver what you owe me.”
Selene bit her lip. “Please don’t. Darius…”
He seemed shocked at the mention of his name.
“There are other ways to get a baby. There are clinics in almost every state where women sign up to be surrogates every month.”
His forehead creased in anger. “Are you trying to tell me how to go about my business?”
She swallowed. “I just…I don’t want to do this.”
“If you want to live, you will do this.”
“Why me?”
“I told you already. You’re of good breeding age, and strong enough to do so. You survived a car crash like that; you will survive delivering my pups.”
“Pups?” Who referred to their babies as pups? It proved that this man was a psychopath.
He reached out and slid a stiff finger up her calf, and she cringed.
“I will be quick.” His hand came to rest on her abdomen. “Still not healed completely from the accident, I see.” He tore his shirt over his head, and tossed it over the footboard. His chest was extremely hairy, but underneath all the fuzziness there was no doubt that he was a strong man. And determined to get what he wanted no matter how much it would hurt her or how wrong it was.
Selene tore her gaze away as he unzipped his jeans. She didn’t want to do this. She didn’t want to murder a full-grown man. But she had to do something if she was going to escape this horrible fate alive or dead.
His hands worked the knot of the rope around her ankles and he pulled those off too. “Give me nine months...”
“You’re a sick bastard.” Her voice quivered as she spoke.
“Bastard?” Blood shot red eyes bore into her. He grabbed hold of the front of the gown and ripped it, baring her naked flesh.
Selene shrieked, and brought her legs up toward her chest again. She perspired from fear and her bra and panties clung to her like a second skin. Her blood was heated, but she shivered like a scared school girl.
Scarface reached behind her and snatched the rope off her wrists. It gave way easier than the ones that bound her feet. He took no notice as he climbed on the bed, kneeling over her.
“Lie down.”
There was a nasty grin plastered on his lips as she slid down. She hadn’t noticed it before, but there were long fang-like teeth sticking out on either side of his mouth. Something like an animal would have. They were pointed and curved inward a bit, and looked sharp at the tip.
She squeezed her eyes shut as he reached into his waistband.
“Open your legs. Haven’t you done this before?”
She shook her head, still averting her gaze away from his body.
“Don’t lie to me, you fucking bitch. Spread your legs before I do it for you.”
She forced her legs open slowly. “Don’t make me do this.”
“I like the way you resist me.” He chuckled. “Are all human females like this?”
As he came down over her, she said, “I am so sorry…”
He grabbed at her thighs and took hold of her cotton panties. “Oh? Now you want to apologize. Have you changed your mind, you little slut?”
She felt something heavy against the inside of her thighs. Raising the broken glass over them, she squeezed hard, breaking through her own skin. She took a deep breath and thrust the sharp end of the glass straight into his neck.
Scarface hollered like an animal and scrambled off the bed, clutching his neck. The piece of glass was still lodged in his throat and when he pulled it out, blood spewed everywhere.
“Oh, God.” Her breath rushed out of her.
“I’m going to kill you!” He rushed for her. His penis lay flaccid between his legs.
She screamed at the top her lungs, and ran across the other end of the room.
A maid and another man rushed through the door.
“Sir, what’s happened?” The maid asked.
“She stabbed me!” Scarface pointed in her direction. “Chain her.”
They ran to subdue her, but this time she wasn’t passed out. She was wide awake, and she would not make it easy for them. She kicked and screamed as they tackled her.
“Where do you want her?” The man heaved her over his shoulder.
“Let me go!” She beat at his back. Certainly, someone would hear her and come to help. But she was out in the middle of nowhere…how would anyone hear her?
“In the dungeon.”
The dungeon?
“It’s occupied, sir.”
“I don’t care. Lock that bitch up.” Scarface ran to the opposite end of the room toward the sink and faucet.
“I won’t do it.” Her protests turned into cries. “Kill me now!”
Selene meant it. No way would she allow someone to disrespect her body that way. To bring an innocent baby into this world under these circumstances were out of the question.
“You have two choices…your body or your life.” Scarface turned to glare at her. “You want to act like a rabid bitch…then I’ll lock you up like one.”
As they hauled her away, she tore and pushed at anything she could get her hands on. She grabbed up a lamp and hurled it at the maid, as she was carried toward the door. The maid ducked and the lamp crashed into a hundred pieces on the floor behind her. She clawed at the door frame and clutched at the hook hanging on the wall. Her struggles didn’t seem to faze the man who carried her. He kept taking her away. To where…she had no idea.
Finally, they were outside and the night air blanketed her. Her lungs burned from screaming. She lifted her head, and looked out across fields of absolutely nothing. Was there anybody out there to help her? Her prospects didn’t seem too good.
Her shoulders slumped in defeat, and she let the man carry her like a sack of potatoes across the field.
Selene tried to contain her agony and impatience, but her entire body was consumed with it. Tears fell down her face, and she balled her hands tighter into fists. Her fingers met a solid metal object. Her heart jumped when she glimpsed a small key with a piece of broken chain hanging from it. In her fit of rage, she’d grabbed something.
A key.
CHAPTER FOUR
Nick raised his head in alarm as he heard the doors overhead being slid open. The voices were muffled, but he made them out to be the man who guarded the cell and Jonathan, the man who’d caught him.
He pushed himself off the stone wall and came to stand by the bars as the men moved closer. There was no use in them bringing him any more food. He’d rather rot in this cell than accept something they’d poisoned.
The door to the dungeon flew open and a fresh night breeze flowed inside. He inhaled deeply, savoring what freedom would taste like. Wolves were never meant to be caged. It was a dreadful punishment. The punishment for trespassing.
Jonathan came down the stairs, and Nick immediately flashed fang. When he saw a body over the man’s shoulders, he withdrew them just a bit.
He carried a female.
Nick couldn’t see her face, only long black hair cascading down as she hung her head toward the floor. She wasn’t even moving. Was she dead?
One of the men unlocked the cell door. They brought the woman’s limp body into view.
He should have made an escape for it then, but shock had him frozen to the spot.
They threw her on the floor and slammed the doors shut.
“Lookie there, you’ve got a cell mate.” Jonathan chuckled as he trekked back up the stairs.
The woman whined, but still made no move to get up. Her long thick hair still covered her face. She was half naked with only a matching floral bra and panty set on. There was an undressed wound at her side and a wide scrape down the left side of her arm. She curled into a ball facing away from him and started to cry.
“I should have killed him,” she whimpered. “God, I should have killed him.”
Nick shrunk back. The woman didn’t seem to kn
ow that he was in the cell. She was talking to herself.
“Why didn’t I listen to you, Dad? You told me not to go anywhere alone,” the woman continued.
He didn’t know whether to leave her be or answer her. Her scent wafted toward him. It was a delicate blend of nutmeg and brown sugar. An underlying scent also told him that she was human.
“I’m so scared.” She cried some more.
Nick cleared his throat. “Hello?”
The woman jumped up like a leopard, scrambled into a corner of the cell, and screamed. It was a high pitched shrill that should have shattered the glass windows in the room above them.
“I didn’t mean to scare you.”
“You’re one of them!” She shouted. “What kind of people are you?”
He pressed his lips together and ran his tongue across his teeth willing his fangs to disappear. “No, I’m not.”
“You better not come near me!”
He stepped closer. “Sssshh…please. You’ll draw attention.”
“I’ll kill you!”
He tried to hold back his amusement. No woman had ever uttered those three little words to him. “I’m locked up in this cell with you. Do you really think I want to harm you?”
“Just stay right there.” She held up a hand. There was a jagged cut on the palm and her fingers were covered in blood.
From the scent of it, it was her blood and someone else’s. Someone familiar.
He wasn’t taking any chances; he didn’t want his blood added to the equation. “Okay, okay. I’ll stay back.” He took a few steps back.
The woman hugged her body with her arms in an attempt to cover up. She shivered as well. He figured the combination of fear and cold had taken over her.
He pulled his shirt over his head and offered it to her. “Here.”
The woman eyed him like a hawk, her gaze sliding from his face to the shirt he offered. Stepping forward, she snatched it, ran into her corner, turned her back, and pulled it over her. She sat down, bringing her knees to her chest with her bloodied hands balled into fists.
“Don’t be afraid,” he said. Following suit, he moved to the other corner and sat down facing her. He wanted to go over to her and comfort her, but figured that wasn’t the wise thing to do given her threat to kill him.
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