by Marcy Jacks
“Oh? The yellow dragon gave me the impression he was more powerful than the prisoner.”
“I think that’s Van’s way. He likes to flatter himself.” Sorin didn’t bother pretending his disgust for Van. Let it come. If it sounded clear in his voice then all the better. At least this was something he could be honest with.
Varrick chuckled at that. “Well, whether this is because of your presence or not, I must say I am impressed. If we can find a way of using this anger against the dragons, then everything will be all right. He’s a friend of theirs, and with enough effort, every mind can be broken.”
Those words were enough to make Sorin’s breath hitch.
He kept his face expressionless. He was getting better at that, but on the inside, he very nearly died.
Broken. Lucian was a powerful dragon, but it could happen to anyone with enough work and patience. Brave men crumbled all the time.
How long would it take before Lucian’s soul left him and he was willing to do anything Varrick wanted just to make the pain stop? When would the proud, strong spirit of the man battling down in the arena below him shatter?
He couldn’t let it happen.
“What say you? You’re the one constantly worried about keeping him intact,” Varrick asked.
Sorin shrugged. He could tell this question was a test for him. He had to tread carefully. “I think it would be a decent idea. He could work under the impression it was for me.”
Sorin looked at his father. “Just don’t kill him. Nothing permanent. I don’t want to be feeling the pain of what’s done to him.”
“Physical pain?” Varrick asked, lifting a brow.
It wouldn’t be, but it would just feel like physical pain, so for that, Sorin nodded. “Yes.”
“Very well. I’ll see what can be done because, if I can unleash a few dragons of my own onto Seth, then this will be a good turn of events and your ordeal would not have been for nothing.”
Sorin sighed. His father often spoke in ways that reminded Sorin how little he cared. The man thought Sorin had been a prisoner of the dragons, that Lucian had been sexually assaulting Sorin. Not just that, but actually raping him, and here he was, calm now with the idea that it could have happened at all, so long as some benefit was presenting itself to him.
“It’s a genius plan, Father. I think he will make an excellent warrior for you.”
Varrick pulled a cigar from a wooden box near his chair. He lit one up and took a deep puff. “Glad you approve. I’ll get started right away.”
Lucian landed another punch on Van’s face. They were both getting tired. The match might even up as a draw.
Sorin wanted his mate to win, and he wanted his mate to be free. He had to think of a way to contact Seth, to tell him what was being done and to get him to hurry up and break Lucian out of here.
They knew where this house was. They must be waiting for the right time to strike.
It couldn’t come soon enough. If they wouldn’t get here fast enough, then Sorin had to act now.
Chapter Five
Lucian busted his hands up a little from the fight. Made sense. He was so dehydrated when it came down to it that he had trouble forming his scales, and his dry skin split much easier than normal.
The fight had felt good. He hadn’t smashed Van’s face into the ground like he should have been able to. Van had been able to hold his own for a fairly decent amount of time, but Lucian wasn’t going to waste his time or breath feeling proud of the man when he was the one betraying everything Seth, Lucian, and all the other dragons stood for.
It was fucking bullshit. He couldn’t stand this.
He couldn’t stand that, after the fight ended, when both he and Van collapsed into a pile on the floor, Sorin and Varrick had walked out of the arena.
As if nothing all that entertaining had even happened.
Sorin didn’t look back.
Lucian didn’t want to believe it, but there was only so much he could handle before he just had to tell himself this was happening. His mate, the man he loved and would protect with his life…he was, and would always be, a blood-sucking vampire.
He’d just been sucking the life out of Lucian’s heart without Lucian ever knowing about it.
Lucian was the dummy. Lucian was the one who should have seen this coming.
And now he was attached to the man. He didn’t ever want to be parted from him. His enemy.
There was the ability to break off the mating, but that…
That might be more painful than discovering Sorin had been playing him this entire time. Lucian didn’t think he had the balls or spine to go through something like that.
Some weaker men had been killed over such a break.
Others who had survived it described the sensation as being like ripping off an arm and slowly bleeding out over the course of months, even years, before any sense of normalcy returned to their lives.
Lucian didn’t want to put himself through that kind of pain. Maybe even more pathetically, he didn’t want to put Sorin through that sort of pain either.
God, the man must think he was pathetic.
At least the food had improved. After the fight, a couple of petrified little omegas had come to Van and Lucian, helping to clean them up and get them back on their feet while the guards watched.
Lucian wasn’t returned to the dungeon in the basement. He was given a room.
Nothing for guests. The furnishings were sparse, but he could easily make a weapon out of pretty much whatever he wanted in here. The wood flooring was plain, though there was an old stain in the corner, which Lucian thought looked like old blood.
The windows had silver-plated bars on them, as well.
Fucking perfect.
When he woke up, the omega was still there, tending to his wounds carefully. The man had seemed shocked. He even trembled as he dabbed the damp cloth over the cut on Lucian’s forehead. He barely made eye contact while applying the new bandages.
“How long have I been out?”
“A little over a day,” he said.
He was possibly in his mid-twenties, a little on the cute side. Freckles, ginger hair. He had the ears of a fox. Lucian wondered what he was doing here.
“There’s some food over here for you. You’re supposed to eat it.”
Lucian pushed himself up. His chest was bare, and when the sheets pooled at his waist, he knew he was naked under the covers.
The omega wouldn’t look at him.
Lucian understood then. It wasn’t exactly unheard of for slaves who pleased their masters to be given scraps. This omega was probably waiting for Lucian to grab him and drag him into bed.
Not going to happen.
“Can you hand me the food, please?” He pointed to the tray. He figured it was best to keep his voice calm and his words polite. Not that this omega hadn’t heard vicious things in polite and calm words before, but it was the only thing he could think of.
The omega got up, grabbing the metal tray from the small table near the door, and he returned with it. The room was so small it barely had room for the bed Lucian lay on.
He lifted the lid when it was presented to him.
The man’s tail was missing, and Lucian could tell it wasn’t just hiding beneath his clothes. Someone had cut it off at some point.
Lucian squashed the pity he felt. He had his own problems to worry about.
The meat was cold, but it was still meat. Steak, chicken, potatoes, and gravy that had been left to get cold and so it had turned into a sort of gel.
The bread rolls Lucian had been eating were there, along with butter and a plate of vegetables.
“I’m supposed to make sure you eat,” said the omega.
Lucian looked up at him. “Varrick?”
The omega opened his mouth, seemed to think on it, then nodded. “Yes, sir. He…wants you in good condition.”
Lucian growled. “Prick.” He had a mind to not eat at all, but if he was going to get out of her
e, then he needed his strength.
Plus, it didn’t matter how cold the food had gotten. He was fucking starving.
Lucian dug into his meal. He looked up at the omega who stood there, looking away from him but not moving either as Lucian stuffed cold potatoes into his mouth and bit off pieces of steak.
He wished he had some salt.
“When was the last time you ate?”
The omega jumped. “I…last night, sir.”
Lucian had no idea what time it was now. He held out one of the rolls to the omega. “Take it before I change my mind.”
The omega looked at it then at Lucian, and just when Lucian thought he wouldn’t move, his hand snatched out and he took the roll.
Lucian was glad for that. He didn’t want any omega starving in front of him.
“I souldn’t be oing gis,” said the omega, his words muffled as he filled his mouth.
Lucian shrugged. “Won’t matter soon anyway. When my friends come for me, you’re going to be a free shifter.”
The omega made squirrel cheeks as he pushed the bread into his mouth, as though terrified it would be taken from him if he didn’t eat fast enough. When he finally swallowed the bread, he looked sad.
“Your friends won’t come.”
Lucian shrugged. “Okay then.”
He knew this omega had to say certain things, had to make sure Lucian didn’t get his hopes up, but it didn’t matter. Lucian absolutely was going to get out of here, and when he did…
He stopped eating. He had no idea what he was going to do about Sorin.
“Where is Sorin?”
The omega tensed, swallowing hard, and the last of the bread seemed to lodge in his throat as he coughed, turning away.
“Sorry, sir.”
Lucian took another bite of his food. He ripped the second roll in half, mushed it into the cold gravy, and handed it to the omega. “Don’t be sorry. Just tell me where Sorin’s been.”
The omega looked at it with the same worry and hesitation he’d had for the first roll, but then he took this one, too.
Thankfully he ate slower this time.
“He’ll be coming to see you, soon.”
“He will?” That made Lucian pause.
The omega nodded. “I’m to send word for him when you wake up. He’s been here a few times.”
Lucian’s heart pounded. “He has?”
Oh God. Was he wrong? Had he been wrong to doubt Sorin? His mate had come to see him. What could that mean other than he cared?
The omega nodded, and that wasn’t nearly enough satisfy Lucian.
“What did he do when he was here? Did he say anything? Did he sit next to me?”
He wanted to ask if Sorin had touched him, held his hand, stroked his cheek, anything at all that would renew Lucian’s hope.
The omega appeared sorry for what he was about to say. He shook his head, fox ears falling flat on his hair.
“No. He never got too close. He…he did make sure to threaten what would happen to me or anyone else caring for you if you were further injured. He said he would drain us himself, so you must be important to his father.”
That wasn’t the sort of important Lucian wanted to be.
But he still had hope. Sorin could still be pretending. Those words and threats against the omegas, when Miles had spoken of how kind Sorin was known for being…that could easily be because he didn’t want his father to know how much Sorin loved him.
He hoped that was it.
“Finish your bread roll and go get Sorin then,” Lucian said. “I want to be able to see him.”
The omega nodded, his ears perking as he licked his fingers and left the room.
Lucian thought that was odd he’d be left alone at all, but moving around just a little bit more on his bed was enough to let him know why he didn’t need a guard.
He pulled the sheets back and stared down his legs.
The chain had a lot of slack, but there was definitely a shackle around his ankle.
He growled. Fucking perfect.
* * * *
Lucian was awake. Sorin walked quickly through the halls, down to the servants’ quarters, and passed all the narrow doors on the way, his heart lighter than it had felt since he’d lost consciousness after his fight with Van. He’d already snapped at the little fox omega to not follow him and to say nothing of Lucian’s condition to anyone else. He felt bad for that but not as bad as he felt for not being there when Lucian had opened his eyes.
Sorin hadn’t been able to stay in the arena, so to know his mate had woken up and Sorin hadn’t been there…
He pushed it aside. It didn’t matter right now anyway because Sorin and Lucian were going to get what they wanted.
Varrick’s men had discovered there was suspicious activity outside the mansion and around the property.
Seth was nearby. He was coming. He was still looking for his way in, but he was almost here.
And if Sorin could just get this time alone, if he could just get down there and explain everything in these few precious minutes, Lucian would know everything. He just had to get there before anyone else found out. Everyone knew in a house filled with servants and staff that a secret between two people was no secret at all, and it was a small miracle that Van hadn’t spilled—
“Where are you heading off to in such a hurry?”
Sorin’s legs damn near gave out at the taunting words, spoken low and even with a touch of glee.
Everything suddenly felt cold and pale. Oh God, no, this could not be happening. Sorin turned, watching as Van came out of one of the omegas’ doors.
Sorin wanted this to be a dream, a figment of his own paranoia because Van could not be here. There was no way he could be…
No, it made sense, actually. Van used the pain of the omegas to make himself feel important. He was their shoulder to cry on. He was the one who promised them everything was going to be all right and hugged them tight when they needed it.
For that, the omegas in the other house seemed to love Van, so it made sense that Van would want to be down here with them, soaking in their pain so he could make them reliant on him.
Van narrowed his eyes. He pointed down the hall. “You look like you’re heading to Lucian’s room.”
“Why wouldn’t I be? I want to see him. I still have a connection to him, and being near him helps it.”
God, Sorin hated this man so much. He glared at Van. He was fully dressed, and Sorin smelled nothing sexual had happened, but it seemed strange nonetheless. “Did I interrupt you trying to get the pants off some poor omega?”
Van glared at him. “No, that’s your kind that does that. I’m already committed to one omega in particular, and here I’m just helping the omegas get through the day. Not like they have anyone else to talk to.”
“Uh-huh, and it has nothing to do with your selfish reasons.”
“Is there a way to offer comfort for selfish reasons?”
Once upon a time, Sorin would not have thought so. Now he knew better.
“You don’t care for the omega in there. You just love how much they need you after you’re finished soaking in their pain. You just want someone to look at you like you’re a good person. You don’t actually mean it.”
“Right, as if you’re in a position to judge that.”
Sorin glared at him. He hated this man so much, and he hated that Van knew he had power over him, and he hated that Van was clearly going to use it.
With that smile on his face, there was no way in hell he wouldn’t.
“I think you were going to share some good news with Lucian before anyone else came down to hear you. I know about what the guards reported to your daddy.”
“You don’t know shit.”
“Uh-huh.” Van walked right up to him, his hand sliding around the back of Sorin’s neck, and he gripped tight, pulling Sorin close enough that their foreheads touched.
“Now, you’re going to listen good and hard for me. I appreciate that
you covered for me back at the arena—”
“I only did it because I knew you’d rat out Lucian and me otherwise.”
Van shrugged. “Whatever, don’t care. The point is that now you’re going to do something else. I’ve been thinking about this since I found out what you were up to.”
Sorin shook his head. “You’re not going to make me hurt him.”
“What? No, you’re going to let him go. I want you to help Lucian get back to the clan. I still have to look out for their safety. Much as I hate Seth, he is still keeping the omegas safe from your father. Except for Micah, but that’s for another time.”
A brief wash of relief overcame him. “Really?” He couldn’t believe it. His guard rose as quickly as it fell. “What do you want? You clearly want something.”
“Smart bloodsucker.” Van patted his cheek. Sorin yanked his face away.
“So what do you want me to do?”
“Simple. You help him get back to Seth and the others, but you’re going to make sure Lucian doesn’t take you with him.”
Sorin bit his lips. He should have seen this coming. Van hated Sorin, and as far as he was concerned, Sorin was just as bad, even worse, than Varrick and the other vampires in his family who had used and abused the omegas.
Of course he wouldn’t want Sorin escaping with Lucian.
But there was a flaw in his sick plan. “Lucian loves me. It doesn’t matter how mad I’ve made him. He still loves me, and the mating is still there. He won’t leave me behind.”
“Right.” Van nodded. “But you’re going to make him want to leave you behind. Don’t look at me like that. Just keep your mouth shut and your ears open, and it should be simple.”
Chapter Six
Lucian pulled the bed sheet around his waist as he stood up. The chain only had so much slack, but he could step away from the bed.
The problem was the bed was bolted to the floor, and what he’d thought was a mirror was just a piece of flat, reflective steel.
It probably wasn’t good if omegas were breaking the glass and slicing their wrists. Pretty much everything was bolted to the floor, and what appeared to be cheap wooden furniture was actually reinforced with more metal. He might be able to break some splinters of the wood off, but unless he could get a decent piece, it wouldn’t be good for a weapon.
