by T. A. Grey
Sarina wasn't even sure where to start; she just knew that it felt great to see a friendly face. She also wasn't sure if the room was bugged for audio. The thought had crept into her mind a few days ago and hadn't left since. She knew her father installed cameras in all the rooms, but sound equipment too? She had to be careful what she said around Alison.
"There's so much to say. A lot has happened since we last spoke. But I met a man...and I love him. Oh, Alison, I do. Every day without him makes my heart bleed. It's a terrible feeling, like hands are in my chest, squeezing the life out of me." Alison reached out to clasp her hands.
"Oh...my...Well that kind of explains this," she said, looking pointedly at the camera staring down at them in the corner. "Tell me about it. Tell me all that you can."
Sarina did. She recounted her tale of going through her breeding cycle with the strong and powerful Alpha, Vane Kategan, there to help her. But along the way, she'd fallen for him, realized that he was right, that her beast fully accepted his even before she ever did.
"And I then I let him claim me."
Alison gasped, eyes wide with alarm. "You did not! You're father will kill you. You had sex with this man during your breeding cycle. What were you thinking? No, no, wait. What did your father do, what did he say?" Alison was livid now, her cheeks flushing.
"Oh, it was horrible, Ali. Vane had just," Sarina looked away, a blush stealing over her cheeks. "He'd just, taken my barrier when father and his men came in. We never...finished. Father has me taking routine pregnancy tests to ensure I'm not pregnant."
Alison's mouth fell open. "He did what? The man's insane. Oh, Sarina. I'm so sorry." She grabbed her friend and held her close as sobs wracked through her body. "No wonder you look so awful," she said on short laugh. "I didn't want to say anything, but now it makes sense. I've seen this happen to others who've lost their mate. Oh, Sarina, what are you going to do?"
Sarina pulled back, wiping her eyes on her sleeve. "I don't know, but I miss him so much. I can't even call him. Father won't let me go to him. I tried to leave, but they literally forced me back here and locked me in. I need to get out of here, Ali. I need to get out now." Then her eyes grew wide. "Let's go for a walk outside."
"What, um, now? Yeah, okay, sure.”
Once outside, Sarina and Alison strolled quietly for a few moments. The two guardsmen lingered behind.
"So now what," Alison said.
Sarina wrapped her elbow through her friend's and enjoyed the dewy wet grass beneath her bare feet. "I need you to help me to escape."
When Alison started to squeak out a response, Sarina pulled on her arm. "Not too loud now. And yes, you heard me. Now, I've already been thinking this over and now that you're here, the idea will work. Will you help me, Alison? I know I'm asking for a lot."
Alison looked up at her friend and smiled gently. "Of course I will help. I know you'd do the same for me. Besides, I owe you for not letting me sleep with Brett at that party three years ago." She gave an exaggerated shiver.
Sarina laughed for the first time in a week. It felt good. "Ok, here's what I need you to do..."
Chapter 18
"You're not going over there." Vera moved to block the doorway.
Vane normally would have laughed at her, but he hadn't the energy or inclination to do so. Her strength was nothing compared to his. Sure she was strong by human standards, but not by his.
"I'm just going to ask to see her and to talk to her father. That's it. Maybe the man can be reasoned with"
"Mmhmm and what happens when he says no and won't let you in the door."
"Then I'll punch the bastard in the face. Now get out of my way before I move you."
Vera sighed heavily and moved aside. "Fine, but I'll be here at the phone waiting to bail you out of jail, because that's exactly where he'll have you put."
Vane glared at her, then slammed the door behind him. Fuck this. He'd put this off for long enough, and he was going to get his woman back. Damn he missed her. Missed her smell, her smile, her soft hands on his body. Fuck.
He started his truck and spewed gravel in his wake. The drive took a little over an hour. That alone seemed to faze him. To think that his mate had been living so close all this time. Everything happens for a reason, his mother used to say. In time, he'd learned that yeah, it did. Everything was for reason and nothing was for chance.
He walked up the steps of the ridiculously huge mansion and banged on the door with his fist. He barely suppressed the urge to yell for her. When no one answered immediately, he hammered his fist again.
Finally, the door opened to reveal a thin, elderly man in a white shirt and black pants. "May I help you, sir?"
"I'm here to see Sarina."
The thin man didn't even blink. "And you are?"
"Vane Kategan. Her mate." This had the man's white eyebrows rising to his receding hairline.
"I see. One moment please," he said and closed the door. Vane paced around for the next several minutes, his heart racing, wondering if he'd finally get his woman back.
This time the door opened and two, barrel-chested guards loaded with guns and knives stepped out. Behind them was the king. Vane curled his hand into a fist to keep it from slamming into the smug man's face.
"Where's Sarina?" Vane commanded.
"Oh, my daughter's here, however, you will not be seeing her. Ever."
"She is my mate! You cannot keep her from me. She is mine." Vane growled. His beast was pacing agitated circles in its cage, circling and circling looking for a way out. The king might just give him that reason.
"No!" the king shouted. "She is mine. My daughter, my property."
Vane stiffened at the king's words. He noticed that even the guards seemed a little taken back. "Your property? You would treat your own daughter as property? What kind of father are you?"
The king laughed, and it was an empty sound. "I own her. I dictate what she does and who she doesn't do."
"I have already claimed her body. She has accepted me as her mate. Pack law says you must abide by her choosing. It’s her choice, dammit."
"I am the king. I don't need pack law to tell me what to do with my own daughter. Besides, you should know that she is to be married."
Vane's blood froze in his veins. He stared at the king's cold, blue eyes and could see the sneering truth in them. Vane wanted to hit something; he fought to bring air into his lungs.
"No, she wouldn't. You can't." His nostrils flared.
"Indeed I have. A fine man has decided that even though she's used now, he'll take her leftovers. He wasn't too happy about that. I must say it cost me extra in their marriage proposal to remedy that situation. I'd invite you to the wedding, but I'm sure you understand that someone of your...class isn't welcome."
Vane popped his neck to keep from choking the bastard. His beast raked its claws across the cage door, bending and scraping the metal until it almost opened.
"I will not allow her to be married off against her will.” Another scrape across the cage door and sparks went flying.
"Oh, she's quite willing. I assure you. She's always had a fondness for the prince."
Vane was seeing red. Prince? Prince...his mind raked through names, faces, people. There were only two last known princes. One was already married and the other...
Oh, shit. "You bastard." Vane took a hard step towards the piece of shit. The two guards stepped close together and blocked the doorway. "You're selling her to Prince Conlin. You'd sell your own daughter to an abusive, rich son of a bitch. You disgust me."
The king's empty smile fell. "Gregor, grab Sarina."
A guard at the top of the stairs disappeared down the hall. Vane opened his legs into an aggressive stance as his eyes flew to the top of the stairs. A few seconds later there was a commotion, what sounded like a piece of glass falling over, and then he saw her. The guard held her struggling body in a bear hug, trapping her arms at her sides.
Her eyes met his and her struggles i
ncreased by ten. "Vane! Vane!"
"Sarina!" he shouted, making a lunge through the door. The guards caught him and held his struggling body. They grinned down at him, laughing. "Sarina, I won't let you marry him. I will save you!" he shouted as several hard, sharp blows hammered into his skull. Then he was falling backwards, over the stairs, and down to the ground. He landed hard, his teeth chomping together.
Bright lights swirled and flashed before his eyes. He blinked, but they wouldn't go away. And then he felt someone climbing on top of him, grabbing his wrists. Vane threw the bastard off and stood in a flash. Fuck, he thought, grimacing at the two cop cars parked behind his own. Those were cop lights, and they were just pulling up.
"Goodbye, Vane Kategan." The king’s smile ate up his face.
Vane lunged for the bastard, but a guard stepped forward and caught his chin with the bottom of his boot, snapping his neck to the left.
"You motherfucker." He was an alpha, he could smell the guards’ power, and it wasn't nearly as powerful as his own was. Vane threw his fist at the guard who kicked him, and elbowed the second bastard in the nose, which exploded in a gush of blood. The cops were closing in on him.
The guards fell to their knees and Vane was about to finish them off, charge in through the door and fight his way to Sarina when bolt bolts of electricity surged through his body.
He growled as he lost control of his limbs. He fell to the ground with a loud thunk. He could only glare his hatred at the guards as the police rolled him onto his stomach and handcuffed him.
"You are under arrest for harassment, trespassing, and assault. You have the right to remain silent. You have the right to an attorney...."
Vane ignored the human cop reading him his rights. All he could hear was the blood rushing through his body, his beast howling in anger. God, he was so close to her. Could smell her scent. But he could barely move his pinky after being tazered.
He was shoved into a marked car with bruising hands. He barely managed to keep his mouth shut. As the cops drove away, Vane knew he'd get her back. He was more determined than ever. He'd seen her and thank god, she didn't look hurt, just sad, and desperate. And so lovely, it hurt. He knew and understood that look. For he’d been living it this past week.
Closing his eyes, he leaned his sweaty temple on the cold window. "Sarina, I'm coming for you, my love."
Chapter 19
"Oh, Alison! It's so good to see you again. How are you? How's the family?" Sarina asked, nodding her thanks to the butler for showing her in.
"You don't look so great. Sarina, you need to be careful. Have you been eating?"
Sarina rolled her eyes at her friend. "I am as fine as I can be all things considered." She shrugged and took a seat across from Alison. "I saw Vane two days ago."
"Oh my God! What happened? What did your father do? Tell me now," Alison begged.
"It nearly broke my heart, Ali. I didn't see all of it. I was back in my room of course. But then, next thing I know, father's yelling for Gregor to get me. Then Gregor comes into my room and picks me up like I was a doll or something. I didn't know what was going on so I was fighting and kicking at him. He dragged me to the top of the stairs and then I saw Vane and he saw me and it was like electric power surging through my veins. I yelled for him, and he yelled for me. Oh, Ali, it hurts worse after seeing him again. He tried to come after me, but the guards beat him. They beat him, Ali." Sarina couldn't stop the tears from falling. Seeing Vane being hit by her father's men had put her in a rage.
"If I hadn't been so weak, so pathetic then I would have gotten away from one guard. It took two of my father's strongest guards and being tasered to keep him from me, but I saw it in his eyes, Ali, he wasn't going to stop at nothing. He was going to get me. It was all there in his eyes."
Alison hugged her friend close. "I'm so sorry. I'm so, so sorry. Good things are coming though, Sarina. Good things," she whispered into her hair. They pulled back and both of them were weepy. They looked at each other and burst out laughing.
"We are such train wrecks."
Alison nodded, snatching a tissue off the table. "Can I tell you something honestly?"
"Of course. Always."
Alison sighed heavily, her shoulders slumping forward. "I'm jealous. I wish I had what you had with Vane, you know? I know most lykaens try to find their bonding mate, but for some it doesn't happen."
"Whoa, whoa, wait. Alison what are you talking about? Are you nuts?" When her friend only looked at her, Sarina smiled. "Listen, you're going to find your mate. Why wouldn't you? And don't be ashamed of being jealous. If our situations were reversed, I'd feel the exact same way, Ali. Swear." She lifted her hand over her heart.
"Yeah, but that's what I'm trying to say. After Conlin, it’s like I can’t even bring myself to date or even to look at someone like a probable mate. The better looking he is the more I shut down. And let's face it, Sarina. I'm not that beautiful. I'm one of the few lykaens who actually has to wear glasses. I mean, what kind of a freak of nature am I?"
"Hey, now. I have trouble seeing in the dark, so does that make me a freak of nature?"
"Um, yeah, it does."
Sarina rolled her eyes. "Listen, your glasses are sexy. They're square, sleek, and black, and they make you look like a naughty librarian or something. Don't look so shocked! I mean, honestly, you never saw that about you?"
A faint blush crept up her cheeks and she shook her head.
Sarina arched an eyebrow. "Well, you will find your mate, Ali. I'm certain, ok. Certain. You are beautiful, sweet, smart, and courageous. Plus you’re the best cook in the state."
"No, I'm not. Thank you for saying so though, but I'm not. I'm too shy, too reserved, too modest, too everything except the good things. I'm terrified being here today."
"Ali, listen, terror and courage are practically the same thing. At the very least, they belong in the same boat together. I think they go hand and hand, personally. I mean think about it, if you're standing on a bridge about to bungee jump over, you definitely have courage for being up there; however, you're terrified too, terrified that something might go wrong, your cord might break, your vest might snap. But still you jump. That's you, Alison. You're a bungee jumper."
Alison opened and closed her mouth a few times. The shock on her face showed just how little she realized about herself.
Throwing her hands up over her face, Alison shrugged. "I'm so sorry, Sarina. Here I am for you today, and you end up giving me a lesson on my psychological issues. That was wrong of me to bring it up at a time like this."
"Oh my god, if I keep having to roll my eyes at you, I'm never going to see straight again. Quit apologizing. This is a hard time for both of us. So what do you say? Are you ready for a walk outside? It's nice and sunny today, almost swimsuit weather."
"Yeah, let’s go. I could use a little exercise after all that emotion." She snickered at her own joke, and Sarina smiled, though it didn’t reach her eyes. They left the bedroom together, the two guardsmen falling in line a few feet behind them.
Alison elbowed Sarina lightly in the side. "There's a new movie out that looks pretty good. It’s about a werewolf, vampire, love triangle movie a human female. I think it’s meant for a younger crowd, but I still want to see it."
"Sounds good to me. I'd like to go see it, but I don't think Daddy will allow me out of the house for a movie. Even if I take the ridiculous entourage with us." She glanced over her shoulder to give the guards a nasty sneer.
* * *
They walked through the back doors and were greeted with sunshine. Sarina closed her eyes for a moment and tilted her head up, basking in the soft heat.
"I can't wait for swimsuit weather," Alison said.
"I know. We're both a wee bit pale."
"Nothing wrong with pale. It's when we start looking like walking corpses that maybe we should consider tanning lotion and sunlight." Alison grinned at her friend as they settled into a comfortable stroll.
Sa
rina snickered, but it was forced. Her stomach was tight with nerves and her heart was beginning to race. She tried to control it though. She couldn't mess this up.
Just then, Alison fell into a coughing fit. Harsh hacking sounds fell from her throat that surely must have hurt. Alison's hand futilely covered her mouth as greater, wrecking coughs whooped from her.
"One of you, go get some water. Now!" Sarina ordered, shouldering her friend under her arm and bringing her to a bench to sit down. The guard's hesitated, looking at each other in question. The one on the left nodded and the other sprinted away towards the kitchen.
"There, there," Sarina soothed, rubbing soothing circles across Alison's back. The girl's face was turning red from her exertion. Sarina glanced back at the kitchen and glared in frustration. "Where is he already? It shouldn't take this long. Try to take deep calming breaths, Ali."
When the guard turned to look towards the kitchen, Sarina moved fast. She grabbed the heavy, decorative lawn gnome and swung it in a wide arch at the guard's head. The pipe-smoking gnome connected with skull. There was no blood and she glad for that, but adrenaline surged through her body making her faster, stronger. She swung again and slammed the gnome into his cringing face. This time she connected with his nose and a spray of blood exploded from his face. He collapsed to his knees holding his nose.
"Let's go!" Sarina hissed at Alison who'd already stood, the coughing completely stopped.
"Hey, what's going on?" Shit, it was the other guard coming back with the glass of water. He took one look at his friend and tore off after them.
Sarina and Alison ran as if the devil's hounds were chasing them. They were both pumping on pure adrenaline and lykaen strength triggered from fear. They beat around the bend of the mansion and sprinted the distance to Alison's car parked up front.
The hard, heavy rhythm of the guard's feet behind them was getting closer and closer. "Got your keys ready?" Sarina panted over the roar in her ears. Alison answered, but the roar was too loud to hear what she said, but she heard the jingling sound of keys and it was a sigh of relief to her. They nearly reached the car, just a few more feet and she could lock herself inside. She reached for the door handle as Alison ran around the front of the car to the driver's side door.
