“Yes.”
Mrs. Bamey gasped. Her eyes widened as she turned her head to stare at him. She’d said too much. Oh, she was going to be in trouble. How could she say that? How could he ask that? Humans didn’t know about werewolves…
Rutley’s face was barely recognizable as her vision became so disoriented that she thought she was going blind. Her trembling fingers gripped the table top a little harder as her tears splashed against her blouse.
“Don’t fret, Mrs. B.,” Rutley’s voice echoed in her mind. “You won’t remember any of this when you wake up. Come on.”
She felt as he lifted her up from the table, guiding her down the hallway to her bedroom-or at least she thought it was her bedroom. She couldn’t make heads or tails of anything at the moment. She was so tired.
“Just relax,” Rutley cooed as he pulled the blankets up to her chin. “When you wake up, Lorcan will be back home. I hope.”
“Bring my baby home,” Mrs. Bamey whispered, her speech slurring. “Bring them all back home.”
“Shhh, don’t worry,” Rutley whispered as he kissed her forehead. “Don’t you worry about another thing. This isn’t my first rodeo.”
Before he even set foot out of her room, Mrs. Bamey was overcome by darkness; and in that darkness, she found her first moments of peace since the night her heart had been taken away.
Four
The sleepiness was wearing off again, and Presley was finally able to hold her eyes open without feeling as if it was the biggest burden of her life. She noticed straight away that a reoccurring chill had taken residence in her arms, and it was terribly uncomfortable.
What is going on? She wondered as she tried to lift her arms. She needed to get the circulation going in them again as soon as possible. There was no worse feeling in the world than pins and needles from an unconscious limb.
Well, except for that.
Her heart dropped into the pit of her stomach when she realized she couldn’t lift her arms. They were tied behind her back. Why?
Oh my god, what’s going on? She wondered as her mind went into panic mode. Where was she? How did she get here?
Her green eyes wandered around the room, taking in her surroundings as she tried to answer the thousands of questions buzzing around in her head. Things like this only happened in the movies.
Yet you can turn into a bear, she reminded herself as sweat trickled down the side of her face. Why was it so hot?
Lorcan, she thought. She shifted, squirmed, and wiggled against her restraints. A small whimper of fear managed to escape between her tightly pursed lips as she turned her head from one side to the other. Her blond hair fell into her eyes, but she hardly paid it any mind as she tried to figure out how to free herself.
The sound of the door opening quickly caught her attention, and she lifted her head to see a man standing there. He was tall, thick, and the look in his eyes told her he was nothing more than pure wickedness.
“So you’re finally awake,” the man observed as he crouched down in front of her. His head angled to the left as his golden eyes shamelessly roamed down her body. “You know, little bear, I’ve not seen such a pretty ursithrope since, hm, I think it was nineteen eighty seven.”
She could feel his gaze creeping over her chest and Presley’s brows lowered in disgust. This man gave her the heebie jeebies-and for good reason. His appearance screamed trouble, and the energy that surrounded him made her stomach churn.
The jagged scar that ran from the bottom of his right eye to just beneath his lower lip was faint against his olive skin, and she briefly wondered how he’d received it.
“Nineteen eighty seven was a special year, wasn’t it?” He inquired as he leaned in a little closer. As his fingers touched her cheek, Presley flinched and immediately turned her head away from his caress. How dare him!
“You don’t have to be shy with me, Sugar Bear,” he chuckled. “I was…..close to your parents, you see.”
Presley’s head whipped back in his direction as she stared at him. He had to be kidding, right? Him and her parents? Friends? Impossible! She knew who he was. No one had to tell her. He didn’t have to introduce himself. This was the man everyone had been talking about. He was the alpha that caused Dimitri so much pain; he’d taken Liam away from his family. This was the monster she desperately wanted to slay.
The icy sensation of dread that had been pooling in her stomach for the past few minutes began to rise into her chest, gripping at her lungs. The familiar shudder that rippled through every muscle in her body reminded her that she was capable of killing the man in front of her; and oh, she would if given the chance.
“Your mother was just as beautiful,” he continued as he gripped her chin between his thumb and fingers. His eyes burned into hers as a smirk lingered on his lips. “She was special to me.”
I’m going to bite your face off, Presley promised silently as she squirmed to get away from him. I’ll give you a few new scars to add to the collection.
“You’re not very talkative, are you?” He questioned as he tilted his head the other way. “I could never get your mother to shut up.”
Presley rolled her eyes, her lips tightly pursed together as she fought the bile rising in her throat. His hot breath tickled her chin and she felt nauseous just from the thought of this man trying to kiss her.
He better not try it…
“So, Presley, I’m sure you’re wondering why you’re here and more importantly, why you’re tied up,” He stood once again and began to pace the floor of their confined room. Presley wasn’t even sure where they were. It was a place that didn’t seem familiar to her. There was only one hotel in Kadenburg and she’d been in all twelve rooms -for random parties as a teenager- none of them had dull yellow paint on the walls such as this.
“It’s a precaution for me. I do hope you understand,” he leaned down in front of her again, his fingers curling around the back of her neck as he pulled her face closer to his own. “It’s a bit eerie how much you favor your mother. I can see your father in you, too, but you’ve got your mother’s eyes,” He twirled a golden lock around his finger as his eyes lit up from the smile on his face. “And this hair! Genetics are a magnificent thing, aren’t they?”
Presley didn’t respond as she kept her cold gaze on him. His golden eyes were tainted by a darkness that threatened to seduce her, and Presley would be damned if she let one of them manipulate or intimidate her. She knew exactly what he was and she understood that he was her enemy according to the laws of nature.
So what if she didn’t fully understand her background yet? Presley had enough common sense to know this man was the bad guy and he’d taken her for a reason. It wasn’t just a friendly chat to reminisce about his ‘friendship’ with her parents. No, he had other plans and she could feel the impending danger gnawing away at her ribcage.
“Didn’t your parents ever teach you it’s rude not to speak when spoken to?” He asked as his grip on her chin tightened. Presley winced, letting out a quick breath as her eyes flashed with anger. “Oh, wait,” he smirked. “That’s right. Papa Bear’s dead and Mama Bear didn’t want you. I keep forgetting that small detail.”
With a frustrated cry, Presley lunged at him. If it hadn’t been for the chains wrapped around her wrists, she would have clawed his eyes out.
His laughter bounced off the drywall surrounding them as he released her chin and stood once more, waggling a finger at her. “Manners, Miss Goult! It’s not very nice to attempt an attack on such a courteous host such as myself.”
Presley could feel the pressure growing in her head. Her body was trying to swell in anticipation of her shift-but for some reason, it just wasn’t happening.
The man observed her in silence before he crossed his arms over his broad chest, another smirk toying at the corner of his lips. “Something seem a bit off?” He pondered aloud. “Is something keeping you from changing?”
“What did you do to me?” Presley asked in a hoarse voice.
“So you do speak!” He jeered as he pulled a chair closer to her, straddling it as he rested his arms against the back of it. “Tell me, Presley. How does it feel to know you’re only moments away from death?”
Presley tried to blow her blond bangs out of her face as her eyes moved to meet his once again. Her chest rose and fell with shallow breaths as her heart pounded an angry fist against her ribcage. Her pulse was so erratic that she feared she’d go into cardiac arrest at any moment. Perhaps ursithropes were not immune to panic attacks. Was that what she was having?
He released an exaggerated sigh, rolling his eyes before he peered at her again. “You’re not going to answer that question, hm? You’re much quieter than I imagined,” he speculated. “You’re the polar opposite of your mother.”
“Don’t talk about my mom,” Presley warned.
“No?” He perked up a little, a brow lifting on his forehead as he grinned. “Is that a soft spot for you? Mommy issues, hm? We’re more alike than you realize, Presley,” he lifted his self from the chair and then approached her again, leaning over until they were face to face. “I lost my mother when I was a pup. It’s hard to grow up without that maternal guidance isn’t it? No compassion, no nurturing; just some man who does what he thinks is best,” he rolled his eyes. “Uncles.”
“You don’t know a damn thing about my uncle,” Presley contended as she tried to work her wrists free from the iron links that bound them.
“Again, you are wrong, little one,” he boasted with a wide smile. “You think you know so much about everything and everyone you’ve ever known, but the truth is you don’t know a damn thing, Sugar Bear. You’re as oblivious as you are beautiful.”
Presley’s eyes narrowed on the man as she watched his gaze lower over her body and her skin felt like it was crawling. He stared at her as if she were a piece of meat he couldn’t wait to devour, and Presley was extremely uncomfortable with the thought.
“It’s a shame you’re one of them,” he commented as he leaned back in the chair, gripping the back of it with his hands to keep his balance as a smile appeared upon his lips. “It’s so much more fun being one of us, Presley. We’re faster; we’re more skilled at hunting; and if you assumed we’re better at fighting, you’re correct.”
Within only seconds, he was crouching before her again, his hands framing her face as he bumped his nose against hers. “We’re also fantastic lovers.”
Presley scowled, jerking her head back violently in an attempt to free herself from his grasp.
“Don’t touch me,” she hissed through clenched teeth.
“What’s the matter?” he teased as he brushed the backs of his knuckles against her cheek. “Are you afraid of me or something? I assure you that you don’t have anything to fear when it comes to me,” he smirked, “at least not while I’m in my human form, Sugar Bear.”
“I am not afraid of you,” Presley stated firmly. Okay, so that was only partially true. She was freaking terrified, and she was worried, too. She could remember fuzzy details from that night…how long ago had it been? How long had she been here, exactly? She licked her dry lips, nostrils flaring as she settled her gaze on his face again. “Where’s Lorcan?”
“Lorcan,” he repeated thoughtfully. “Lorcan, Lorcan….hm, that name doesn’t ring a bell. Could you give me a description?”
“Lorcan! Where’s Lorcan, you idiot!” She exclaimed. Any patience she’d had previously was out the window now, and she was getting angry. Her skin tingled, body heat rising several degrees as the pulsating throb in her skull returned full force. And the sudden slap against her jaw didn’t help anything.
The sound from the impact of his palm against her cheek sounded like a shotgun going off, and the ringing in Presley’s ears was overwhelming.
The dull throb of pain made itself known as every muscle in her body tensed in an agonizing way. The urge to shift into her bear form was too much; she was going to kill him.
“Let’s get something straight, Sugar bear,” he said in a low whisper. “If you ever speak to me that way again, I will not hesitate to rip that thumping little heart out of your chest and eat it. Do you understand?”
Presley’s gaze hardened as she stared at him, unwilling to submit to the monster before her. This was the man that murdered her father, and Liam, and he was surely going to kill her, too. She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of intimidating her into defeat.
Breslin’s eyes flashed with anger, his silver hues glowing as his fingers curled around her throat. He applied gentle pressure as his nose bumped against hers. “Do you understand?” He asked again, articulating each word as a low growl sounded in his throat.
Presley whimpered, feeling as his grip threatened to crush her windpipe. The flesh of her wrists was being rubbed raw as she struggled against them, grunting in frustration.
“Answer me, you little bear bitch,” he seethed.
Presley’s lips parted as she blinked, feeling the oxygen escaping her head. Her ears hummed in protest, her brain screaming for the blood flow to return; god, she was really going to kill him. “Fuck….you.”
She could see the wild animal clawing just beneath the surface as he bared his fangs, a guttural growl reverberating in his chest as he shoved her backwards, tipping the chair over as the back of her head made contact with the floor. She whined softly, but she didn’t really have time to worry about that right now.
“Wrong answer,” Breslin muttered.
As a tear escaped from the corner of her eyes, she heard the door slam. She was left in complete silence.
What was going to happen now?
–––––––
The sound of water dripping nearby stirred him from sleep, and Lorcan forced his heavy eyelids to open. The tips of his fingers tingled, as if they’d fallen asleep on him some time ago and were just now trying to awaken. God, he hated that feeling.
His mouth felt dryer than the Sahara Desert; what he wouldn’t give for a drink of water.
Where am I? He wondered as he lifted his head, trying to take in his surroundings.
Drip drip drip.
That is annoying, he groaned softly, coughing soon after as chemicals assaulted his nostrils; burning his lungs. What in the world was that God awful stench?
“You’re finally awake.”
Lorcan’s head turned quickly in the direction of a female’s voice, and he was surprised to see the woman standing in the corner of the room. She had her arms crossed over her chest, a look of concern etched over her attractive features as she frowned.
“I was beginning to worry that last dose was too much for you to handle.”
“What did you do to me?” Lorcan asked in a raspy voice. He curled his fingers against his palms, accepting the knowledge that his hands were restrained. That was probably very smart on his captor’s behalf.
He could remember now. He knew why he was here….and he also knew that meant Presley was in trouble, too.
“Where is she?”
“She’s fine, for now,” the woman replied as she moved closer. She crouched down before him, reaching for something as she sighed. “The Etorphine will sweat out of your system eventually….that is, well, if I didn’t have to inject you again.”
Lorcan blinked slowly, his eyes moving to her face again as he frowned. “You’ve drugged us?”
“It’s the only thing I could do to prevent further damage,” she insisted. “It was either that, or shoving pepper down your throat. Which would you prefer?”
She had a point. Pepper didn’t sound pleasant at all. He licked his lips, swallowed down the lump in his throat, and then watched her cautiously as she lifted something into view.
Was that a bottle of water?
“You must be thirsty,” she said in a softer voice, her eyes darting from one side to the other. “Don’t play tough guy with me, Lorcan, just take a sip.”
He kept his eyes on hers, unsure of what she was playing at as the mouth of the bottle rested against his li
ps. As she tipped the bottle back, he wasn’t sure he’d ever been happier to taste warm water so much in his life. He greedily swallowed each mouthful, his eyes closing as he groaned. The room-temperature water soothed his mouth and throat before hitting his empty stomach. When was the last time he’d had anything to eat?
“Here,” she whispered, pulling the bottle away from his lips. “Try to keep this down, okay? It might be easier to feed you now that you’re conscious.”
Lorcan blinked, watching as she pulled a wad of napkins from her pocket. She quickly tugged away each layer, revealing a sandwich. His mouth instantly watered, and his stomach growled in demand. Yes, he was starving.
“Here,” she broke off the corner of the sandwich, lifting it to his lips. “Just take it easy. Don’t try to force it, okay?”
Lorcan happily accepted the bread between his lips, chewing it quickly before swallowing it down with an appreciative moan. It felt nice just to have something in his stomach for a change.
“Why are you doing this for me?” He asked, licking the crumbs away from his lips. Was that a trace of honey he tasted?
The woman shrugged, lifting her pale green eyes to stare at him. “Redemption, perhaps,” she replied. She broke off another piece of the sandwich, carefully placing it between his lips. “I’m not very keen on what’s happening around here.”
After swallowing the second bite, Lorcan was immediately able to tell a difference in his body. His vision was clearer, his mind was more focused, and he didn’t feel as weak. That had to be honey he tasted. He watched the woman as she pushed dark hair away from her eyes and pursed her lips together.
Why did she look familiar?
“We don’t have much time,” she whispered as she glanced towards the door. “I need you to listen to me carefully, Lorcan, okay?”
He nodded.
“Tonight Breslin is planning to have a big feast,” she hissed the last word as her eyes darkened. “He says it’s to celebrate his victory over claiming Kadenburg, and he-”
Lorcan growled as his upper lip curled in disgust. “He hasn’t claimed Kadenburg yet,” he snapped angrily. “My father won’t allow that.”
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