She tore out his throat with her teeth, sending a huge spray of blood across her white skirt and wrap. The prince’s eyes bulged, and the veins on his forehead stood out. He arched his back and then collapsed. Africaisi drank from the fountain and then leaped to her feet and stared down at the dead man. She spit on him, stepped over his body and walked out the door.
It was time to release the slaves. With the prince dead and the Russians gone, all the bidders erased along with the guards, the slaves were free to go.
She flew up the stairs, disdaining the use of the elevator, and began opening doors. She found Antonio’s Eurasian woman huddled alone on the bed with her arms wrapped around her legs.
“You are free. The police are arriving.”
The girl ran to Africaisi and bowed low before her. “Thank you. I know this was your doing.”
Africaisi touched the girl’s head. “I did this because it was right and because Antonio would want me to.”
“Is he dead, then?”
Africaisi looked thoughtful. “No. I feel Antonio. I haven’t as yet seen him, but he is here.”
She lifted the amulet. “See the fire in the ruby? It is Antonio that lights it.”
Chapter 26
Baine dragged the body of the Arab out of the doorway and tossed it into the trash bin while Antonio and Nicholas hid in an alcove. Meanwhile, the local police and several ambulances pulled in with their sirens blaring.
Baine flipped open his purloined cell phone and dialed Inspector Lefevre. When he didn’t answer, Baine was shocked. The man always answered his phone. Something really bad must be taking place.
“What’s wrong?” Antonio asked.
“Lefevre didn’t answer.”
“Maybe he’s in a dead zone.”
“Something bad is going on in there. Do you think we should go up?”
The three moved to the empty loading docks to stay out of the way of the emergency personnel. The cops piled out of their cars and ran into the service entrance followed by EMTs carrying stretchers.
Two men suddenly burst from a small door in a corner of the docks. Baine recognized them, Rukovskya and his lieutenant, Ahmet Dilara.
Antonio hissed, showing fangs. Baine felt anger flood him and the change coming on. He couldn’t stop it. As Antonio grabbed the Turk, Baine stumbled behind the trash bins and morphed into his favorite mountain lion form.
At the sight of him, Rukovskya screamed and took off running. He turned once and fired a burst from his rifle. The bullets slammed into the metal doors of the dock, ricocheting. Nicholas cried out and fell to the concrete.
Baine took off after the running Russian. He easily overtook him on the asphalt drive leading out of the loading area. The Russian turned once, saw the big cat chasing after him, screamed and fired wildly, hitting nothing but palm trees. Dates and pieces of palm fronds rained down on Baine as he caught Rukovskya with one huge furred paw and slapped him to the road.
The Russian cartwheeled, leaped to his feet, cursing, and started running again. Baine batted him down one more time and waited for him to get up. The Russian ran ten more steps before Baine knocked him down again. This time he straddled him, pinning him to the road.
“Please,” the Russian begged and covered his face with his hands.
Baine growled and attacked. It was over in minutes, the Russian a mangled hunk of bloody flesh lying in the middle of the driveway.
Baine sat on his haunches and cleaned his fur and face while he stared at the dead Russian. When he was finished, he loped to the trash bins, changed back into his human form and pulled on his clothes. The Russian was dead and the Turk a bloodless husk.
“We need to get in there and see what’s going on,” Baine said when he returned to Antonio.
Nicholas leaned against the wall, nursing a bloody flesh wound on his shoulder. “Tell me I did not just see you turn into a mountain lion, chase down that Russian animal, and tear him to bits. And you…” He looked at Antonio and shuddered. “What are you two?”
Baine grinned and slapped Antonio on the back. “We’re the bad guys’ worst nightmare. But you didn’t see me turn into anything. I went behind the dumpster to take a leak. Are you saying a mountain lion killed the Russian? Imagine that.”
Nicholas shook his head. “Whatever you say.”
Antonio grabbed Nicholas’s hand. “Can you stand?”
Nicholas wobbled to his feet with Antonio’s aid. “Yeah, I’ll be fine. It’s just a scratch.”
They went into the building using the door through which the Russian had exited . EMTs and cops swarmed the place.
They found the service elevator. It opened, and a stretcher was rolled out with a bagged body on it. Antonio and Nicholas eased in while Baine watched the EMTs roll the body away and then he stepped inside the elevator.
“What floor?”
Nicholas pushed fifteen. “The slaves are kept on this floor, and the sale is on the floor below.”
When the doors opened, they found the Dubai police in their familiar dark green uniforms screaming at hotel officials in the middle of the hall. Many doors were open, revealing the stunned faces of skimpily dressed women.
Alex spotted them first. “Baine, Antonio, you’re alive!”
Africaisi swept into the room. “Antonio,” was all she said.
He saw her and they flew together, wrapping each other in an enveloping embrace right in the middle of the hall.
Baine walked down the hall to Alex. Suddenly, he felt awkward. He’d chased her halfway around the world, and now here she was. They didn’t know each other very well, and the last time he’d spoken to her, he’d been rude.
It seemed Alex didn’t remember his bad behavior. She threw herself into his arms. “Baine, I thought you died. I saw the boat explode, and then Antonio’s amulet landed at my feet. I’m so glad you’re alive, so glad.”
He held her close, her almost-naked body pressed against his. She felt terrific. He buried his face in her hair and smiled.
Over her shoulder, he saw Nicholas enter the room. He looked around and walked out, obviously disappointed.
“Alex, where’s Lyle?” Baine asked. “Nicholas came for him.”
Alex grabbed Nicholas’s arm. “Oh crap, I think he was in the sale ring when everything started to happen. Come with me, I’ll take you.”
Alex led Nicholas and Baine down the hall and into the stairwell. They went down one flight, and Alex took them into a circular room with a stage in the center. Lyle was there, hanging suspended from his wrists.
“Lyle, oh, Lyle,” Nicholas cried. He ran to his friend and tenderly lifted him up so Baine could unsnap his bracelets.
Lyle fell into Nicholas’s arms and sobbed on his chest. “Nicky, thank god you’re alive. You won’t believe what I’ve seen. A demon woman came through here. She killed everyone. There were gallons and gallons of blood. It was horrible. I thought I was dead for sure, but she didn’t touch me. She killed the Saudi prince. He’s over there.” Lyle pointed to a body in black robes lying in a pool of blood and shuddered. Then he waved his hand to indicate the cubicles around the stage. “She went through them like a chainsaw, killed every one of those horrible bidders.”
The EMTs pushed into the room and stopped at the first alcove to deal with the dead bidder. A female slave rose from the floor in front of her dead master, edged past the emergency personnel and ran out the door.
Blood was everywhere. The smell tickled Baine’s nostrils.
“Africaisi did this,” Alex whispered. “She was pretty mad.”
“I guess so,” Baine said. “Let’s find Antonio and get out of here.”
They ran upstairs, collected Antonio and Africaisi and headed back to the stairwell. More and more officials swarmed through the doors. They’d be lucky to get out of here without being detained. When they started down the steps, they ran into Inspector Lefevre and his men going up.
“Baine, Antonio,” the inspector grabbed each one and kissed t
hem on both cheeks. “I am so glad to see you here and doing well.” He stepped back. “This lovely woman must be the Alexandra I have heard so much about.”
He looked at Africaisi. She had blood stains on her linen skirt and her wrap. “What has happened? You must explain everything.”
An officer of the Dubai police shouldered his way down the stairs, grabbed Baine and spun him around. He spit out a long string of incomprehensible Arabic.
Inspector Lefevre stepped forward. “Please, monsieur, do you speak English? These people are with me.”
“I am Police Captain Farouk Basir. You must all come with me. I have many questions.”
Lefevre moved up the stairs, forcing Basir to back up. “Let us go to a quiet place where I can tell you how many miles these gentlemen and I have come to find this woman and these two young men. Sadly, they have been held prisoner here in your country and sold into slavery. Interpol has an extreme interest in this matter. Yes, I too have many questions.”
Basir’s demeanor changed. He bowed slightly and smiled. “Inspector, I wish to do everything in my power to help Interpol get this terrible mess cleared up. I have grave problems myself. I have to explain to the King of Saudi Arabia why his son, Prince Fahd bin Abdul-Mishaal, was found grotesquely murdered in the Burj Al Arab. It is most distressing.”
Lefevre held up one finger. “One moment, please.” He turned to Baine. “Take these women and the young men out of here. There is an Interpol van parked behind the hotel. Go sit in it.”
Baine saluted. “Thank you, sir.”
Lefevre smiled slightly and tipped his hat. “It has been totally my pleasure.”
* * * *
Alex opened her eyes and stretched. The luxurious leather seats of Air France first-class were both comfortable and spacious.
Baine sat next to her. When she stretched, he grabbed her hand and whispered. “Come with me.”
She followed him down the aisle to the bathrooms in the front of the cabin. When she passed Antonio, she felt her cheeks heat up. But he said nothing, just brushed her hand quickly as she walked by, and winked.
Baine opened one of the bathroom doors and pushed her in ahead of him. Once the door was locked behind him, he grabbed her in a tight embrace.
“I’ve wanted to be alone with you for two days.” He bent his head and kissed her.
There was barely enough room for both of them to stand in the tiny bathroom. Alex had to put her feet outside his and lean back over the toilet.
When he slid his hand under her sweater and unhooked her bra, she laughed. “Baine, there’s no room in here for this.”
“I beg to differ.”
He growled, a low rumble deep in his chest that made her heart beat faster, and lifted her to sit on the sink. He shoved her skirt up over her thighs and slid her tights down around her ankles along with her panties. The feel of his hands on her made her face heat and her sex throb. She’d had a lot of sex in captivity, all of it with Mina. Just thinking about Baine’s big dick instantly made her creamy wet.
He shoved his face between her legs and spread them, holding an ankle in each hand. This was not what she wanted.
“No, Baine, I want you inside me,” she breathed. Grabbing his thick hair, she pulled his head up, kissed him and thrust herself at him.
He reached down, opened his pants, slid on a condom and then filled her with his huge organ. When she started to moan with pleasure, he covered her mouth with his hand and shook his head. “Have to do this quietly.”
She nodded, bent her head back and closed her eyes. Baine shoved her sweater up and sucked her nipples and her neck as he pulled her ass tight to his groin with his hands. He put a cheek in each hand and squeezed, rubbing her against his body, his dick filling her completely.
They stayed connected like that for a few seconds. Then Baine groaned softly and started moving inside her.
It was over for Alex quickly. Constantly stimulated for weeks, deprived of pleasure, she was more than ready, reaching a fever pitch in minutes. The feel of Baine’s huge cock chafing all the right spots and stretching her opening wider than it had ever been stretched had her gushing. She had to bury her face in his chest to keep from shrieking with pleasure.
Baine pressed her head against his shoulder and pushed his face into her hair. Alex felt him climax, his dick swelling even larger as it pulsed deep inside her. They clung to each other for several minutes, catching their breath and enjoying the closeness.
Baine stayed inside, her staring at her features as though memorizing them, and touched her face gently. “I thought I’d never see you again.”
Alex didn’t know what to say. She’d been through a lot, and her emotions were in turmoil. She couldn’t believe Baine had followed her around the world trying to save her. It was wonderful and in some ways frightening. Just like him.
“Thank you for saving me. No one ever did anything like this for me before.”
“I’d do it all over again. You’re worth it.”
Epilogue
Spanish guitar music swirled inside the Backstreet Bar from the lone guitarist sitting on a stool in the back. Alex sat with Baine, Lyle and Nicholas at a small table next to the dance floor. She’d been at home, recovering, for a full week now. This was her and Lyle’s first outing.
“How is Oliver doing?” Lyle asked.
“He’s slowly recovering from the ordeal of living with his father for two weeks. The poor kid lost twenty pounds.”
“Was that from Jerry’s cooking or worrying about his mother?”
“I guess a little of both. You should see Mrs. Pulansky’s dogs. They’re nothing but skin and bones. They totally freaked out when I got home, but they didn’t have the energy to jump the fence. Mrs. Pulansky said they haven’t eaten since I left.”
“Animals do love you,” Baine said as he wrapped his big arm around her shoulders. “You’re irresistible.”
Alex smiled and snuggled into his embrace. “Yes, I am.”
The guitarist changed to flamenco, the sharp staccato notes accompanied by slaps on his guitar.
Antonio flew onto the floor dressed in his bullfighter costume. His white shirt was opened to reveal lots of smooth chest, and he carried a blood-red rose clamped between his teeth. Alex held her breath. He was so beautiful. His ruby amulet gleamed at his throat. He swirled around, tapping his heels on the wood floor for two or three moments, and then froze with his arms over his head.
Africaisi leaped over the bar and joined him, the skirt of her red dress held high to reveal a black ruffled slip and long white legs. The castanets on her hands clicked in time with the music.
Their dance was like nothing Alex had ever seen. They held the audience enthralled as they whirled and clicked their heels. The pace of the guitar quickened, the musician’s head bent over his instrument as he concentrated. Faster and faster they danced as Antonio leaped high, lifted Africaisi, pulled her close and bent her backwards in a mesmerizing display.
When they finished, the audience clapped wildly. Antonio and Africaisi bowed, and then Antonio presented the rose to Alex. She took it and held it close. Her chest was filled with so many strange emotions—love, happiness and fulfillment. She turned to Baine and smiled. He kissed her hand and lifted his glass. The four of them held their glasses high.
“To life,” Baine said.
“To life!”
About the Author
I grew up the oldest of a large family. After years of torturing my younger brothers and sister, I left home to make it on my own. Now I’m a mom with three kids, working nights as a bartender. I love the nightlife, baby.
I read a lot and I love people. As a bartender, I use my photographic memory to remember people and their names. I never forget a drink.
For fun, I like to hike, read, and shoot automatic weapons. I’m deadly accurate with a bow.
I wanted to get into writing, so I partnered with my mother, a published author, and together we have published more than twe
lve books.
For your reading pleasure, we invite you to visit our web bookstore
TORRID BOOKS
www.torridbooks.com
The Secret, the Shifter and the Sex- Slave Shanghai Page 17
