“He kissed me. Not that it’s any of your business.”
“None of my business, your my mate now, we may not like each other but you cannot deny your now mine.”
“I’m your mate because you couldn’t control yourself, it should have been simple. I needed blood not your life essence.”
“You were almost dead.” He backs off slowly.
I remain where I am afraid, he might go for me again, his face still showing his fury and I can still feel his wrath crackling in the air. Unfortunately I couldn’t deny it, I wanted to but I knew I was dying and without that essence I would probably be dead. The magic created when infusing blood with life essence during the mating process linked your lives. You gave a part of yourself to each other with the exchange of blood, by doing that he’d taken away my choice at having a happily ever after, which was why I was so pissed off.
Why was this happening to me?
Why did it have to be with the Lycan King?
“Did you even know what you were doing when you did it?” I almost scream at him. “Do you realise that you’re now a part of me, oh hell I’m not going to turn into one of you am I?”
“Why can’t you understand that I was trying to save you, if I’d have known you’d be this ungrateful I’d have let you die.” He was getting close again his fists balled at his side. “I was only thinking of keeping you alive.”
“Why me, you don’t even like me you’ve made that clear.”
I didn’t even see him move. One moment I was stood against the wall, the next I was pinned again, one hand holding me firmly in place at the waist, the other softly caressing my face. He leans in and whispers in my ear. “Nothing’s been clear since I first saw you.” I wasn’t sure whether that was a come on or a warning of some kind.
My phone choses that moment to vibrate, making us both jump apart. I reach into my pocket and open it, bringing it to my ear, my eyes never leaving Bastian’s.
“Yes”
“You really need to learn how to greet people.” It was Aylesbury. After a short pause he carries on. “Let’s start with hello and we’ll work from there.”
“I really haven’t got the time for pleasantries, I assume there’s a reason for the call.” Bastian seems to have calmed down a bit; he has moved to lounge on the nearest sofa
“Fine, I’ve arrested The Don. He actually walked straight up to me on the street. I have him with me now. I haven’t called it in; I figure you might need to question him before he hits the system. A few of his friends have been telling me stories about someone called Warren being the person who pointed The Don in the direction of the slave ring.”
“Any chance you can bring him to me?” I look over to Bastian, he didn’t seem too peeved at this idea, although he hadn’t a clue who The Don was.
“You want to meet at Rick’s?”
“Yeah. You bring him in cuffed. I don’t want anyone causing trouble in Pack territory because we can’t be held responsible for the consequences.”
“Okay I’ll be there at around seven.” His tone changes back to playful. “Don’t forget to say Goodbye.”
I shut the phone without giving him the satisfaction of a retort. I decided not to finish my discussion with Bastian, he looks rather at ease now and unnecessarily attractive sprawled on the sofa. I notice his t-shirt stretched tightly across his thickly muscled chest. The last thing I needed was to be distracted by him in his currently relaxed state. I tear my gaze away from him as a smile spreads across his face, I scowl and walk off.
I head through the door to the gymnasium and decide to look and see if one of the doors leading from there held an actual gym with weights and cardio equipment. Through the second door I find a locker room. The door leading from there holds a state of the art gym.
Once I go back to my room and change I make my way back to the gym deciding on a full body workout to release the tension. I was doing some leg extensions when Roan saunters in with a sleeveless top on and a small towel draped around his neck. He notices me and comes straight over.
“Hi.” I say, finishing off my last extension. He passes me his towel and I take it knowing I had quite a healthy glow on.
He takes back the towel and starts to say something but shuts up instantly.
“What were you going to say? Tell me.” I plead I just knew it was something to do with Bastian.
“Well I just wanted you to know that we didn’t all agree with what he’s done to you, he could have saved your life without going so far as to making you his mate. He’s taken away your life and any chance you had at a happy marriage.” He looks really bothered about this, almost as much as I do.
“Is that why he went for you earlier in the lounge, he was afraid you were going to go behind his back and tell me what he’d done?” I was shaking again I was so mad.
Roan grabs my arms. “I’m his second you know, and he actually told me to stay away from you, he feels threatened by me and we’ve never even dated.”
“That can be remedied you know, as long as you don’t mind insulting your King. You can come to Rick’s with me tonight, I have a meeting but after we can have a drink and piss off the Beast Master whilst getting to know each other?”
I’d stopped shaking now my anger forgotten in the midst of my revenge plan. I find Roan and most of the Lycan’s I’d met attractive, they just lacked that one thing that meant I actually held more than a passing appreciation for their good looks. I couldn’t put my finger on what the one thing was with Roan but I wasn’t about to pass up an opportunity to show Bastian that he can’t just make me his mate without my permission.
“That sounds great, I’d never pass when a pretty girl asks me out.”
I smile and move over to another machine as he moves over to start his work out. When I finish I call over to him that I’d meet him there at eight-ish.
Chapter Twenty One
I shower then go in search of Quinn, I only had the one skirt and vest and felt like I needed a bit of something more to make my revenge plan work. I find her in her room. I knock and open the door as I hear her muffled voice and stand there shocked. You’ve never seen anything like it, it was a mess and anyone would think she was a teenage boy with the amount of accumulated nick knacks and clothes strewn about.
Quinn was lounging on her bed with a book and she looks up as I enter to see my amazed expression. “Not very pleasant is it? But I call it home.” She gets up and clears a space on the bed for me.
I just gape at her. “Where do you normally sleep?”
“Its not that bad, Cain’s is worse, so much so that if he brings a date home he usually takes them to one of the guest rooms.”
I didn’t dare move. There might be something alive in there.
“Seriously it’s not that bad”
“I’m seriously doubting coming to see you, I might just turn around and go see Jessica.”
I start to turn around, not really meaning to leave. Quinn leaps off the bed and grabs my wrist. “Don’t go.”
“I was only faking. I came to see if I could borrow something to wear tonight, I’m going to Ricks and I feel like dressing up a little.”
“Oooh excellent, I have just the thing” She moves over to her closet and starts rummaging, eventually pulling out a black dress, the skirt of the dress is made up of various layers and strips of different material, the bodice is plain black and sleeveless. It was gorgeous with my boots and Raven’s jacket I’d look just right.
“You Quinn are amazing, that dress is just right.”
“There’s only one more thing I think you’ll need and that’s a bit of kohl liner for your eyes, it always good to add a bit more smoke to the fire”
After passing me the eye liner I expressed my thanks for all her help then I returned to my room to put together my borrowed ensemble. I had to admit I looked great. The dress fell just right, each layer of material making it look less like a normal black dress and more unique just like me.
I decide t
o head straight over to Rick’s and grab one of the sofas while they were still available before the night started filling up the bar.
As I walk over I think about what I’m doing, Roan might be pissed off and I might be pissed off, but I could be ruining his standing with The Pack, and if he really did like me then I was also stringing him along. He was nice to look at but definitely didn’t have that spark, like I felt around Bastian. Oh hell, did I really just think that. I hate him.
It must be the fact that we were now mated, I was sure I didn’t think of Bastian in that way before. Or did I? Great, this is all I need, attraction to the one guy that I think I don’t want.
I walk into Ricks and go straight to the bar, I really needed a proper drink but there wasn’t much point, it took a hell of a lot to get me drunk so I settled for a juice.
I sit on one of the sofas with my back towards the door and see that there were a couple of booths fitted in at the left hand side of the bar, they were a lot more private and would serve my purpose better so I move into the furthest one from the bar, instructing the young girl behind the bar where I was once my guests arrived.
It was a lot darker back here which would add to the atmosphere I wanted to create for The Don.
The door to the bar opens and I see Roan step through with a couple of the other Guardians, Bryn and Bronwyn were not too far behind them. They must have just come down from upstairs.
I wave Roan over while the others headed towards the dinning area. As he sits down I feel suddenly guilty, I know I can’t string him along, it wasn’t fair to lead him on just because I was mad with Bastian.
“Hey.” I greet him.
“Hey, I thought maybe when your meeting was over you’d want to grab a bite to eat with those drinks?”
“Actually I’ve been thinking, I shouldn’t have asked you here, I only did it because I was pissed off at Bastian. It’s not that I don’t like you... I guess I don’t really know what else to say.” I bow my head, he looks defeated. “I’m going to go straight back to my room after this.”
He reaches out to me and lifts my chin so I’m no longer staring intently at the table, at that point I see Bastian walk in instantly looking at us and how Roan is holding my face. I look into Roan’s eyes and see that he was back to his normal happy self just like when I first met him.
“I understand you don’t want me that way, you could still stay though, just as friends. A few drinks and dinner that’s all I’m asking.” He smiles and releases my chin.
“Okay then I’ll stay but only for a drink.”
I let my gaze wonder back to the bar and see Aylesbury has come in early. Roan gets up and goes to join some friends leaving me to Aylesbury and the strange looking fellow that accompanies him.
As they near I can see them more clearly, thankfully Aylesbury had listened to me and brought the guy here under duress, his hands were cuffed and Aylesbury had a firm hold on his shoulder. He was a thin wiry man, his pinched bony face was accentuated by the dark hollows around his eyes.
Aylesbury shoves him into the booth and sits down at the side of him. Aylesbury was a big guy, but instead of being infused with an Alpha complex, he had a rather soft personality which worked in his favour when working under cover. He would lull them all into a false sense of security and then take them down. Occasionally though he had a temper.
Aylesbury smiles at me his blue eyes glistening even in the dull light of the booth. “Red, long time no see. Nice to see your old self is back in the picture.”
“No I’m Red’s evil twin sister so I’d watch it if I were you.” I could tell he was relieved to see me alive and well, knowing him he probably blames himself for not making the connection between The Don’s supposed Slave ring and my missing teen. Although I doubt he would have made the connection without finding The Don and he had only just turned up.
“I know, I know. You want to get straight to the point and I want to get this asshole down to The Guild for processing.”
I looked at the wiry guy that sat next to Aylesbury. “What’s your name?”
“I don’t have to talk to anyone without a lawyer.” He said indignantly, trying his hardest to sound like a hardened criminal of a higher calibre.
“Look asshole you’ve got two options you either talk to me now or I whisper one word and The Pack will take you into their custody and I’m sure you’ve heard their justice system is a lot harsher than ours.”
“I’ve done nothing to The Pack.”
“You may not have done anything but I believe that you have information that they want real bad, based on that assumption they will use any means necessary to get what they want.”
Aylesbury sits back looking smug, he knew just where I was heading with this, at least he thought he did I had one more avenue up my sleeve. “Failing that, I could always suck the answers out of you.” I lean forward and flash my fangs, now I knew how to make them ascend, I had a feeling they would come in handy.
The smugness disappears from Aylesbury’s face and he now sits with his mouth open. “What the hell do you think you’re doing? It’s against the law to do that! I’m taking him back with me there’s no way I’m going to let you near him now, you’ve gone rogue.” Good he was playing along, we had worked enough cases to know when to bounce of each other’s performances.
“Aylesbury you will not get within ten steps of this booth unless he spills. Comprende?” God it hurt having my fangs out like this, maybe I won’t use them again.
“Okay.” He says to me. He sits back down and grabs the other guys face turning it so he is facing me. He then whispers into his ear in a very threatening low voice. “You will answer all her questions, she hates me enough to kill me without me pissing her off and if I’m dead then who will protect you from her and The Pack?”
He swallows then speaks to me as Aylesbury let go of his face. “My name’s Don, short for Donald, Donald Jefferson.” I already knew that but it’s always good to start small and work your way up.
I let my fangs go back in hoping Don or Aylesbury couldn’t see the relief on my face. “That’s more like it. Now why have you been telling people you’re affiliated with Warren of the Lazarus?”
His face drops, that was the last thing he was expecting. “I can’t tell you.”
“Can’t or won’t? You did a good job of telling your criminal friends what you were up to and now you choose to cover your back.”
“It’s not that.” He starts to flap his hands about in what I understand to be sign language, although I know nothing of how to interpret it. I look over to Aylesbury who shakes his head.
“Wait.” I tell Don. I see Dante lingering near the bar and speak knowing that he could hear me without shouting. “Dante I need a pen and some paper can you get me some?”
I look back at Don and say. “Perhaps one last drink will loosen your tongue?”
I hoped that the reason behind his reluctance was that he was scared of someone or something close, in which case I wanted anyone else that was listening to think the interrogation was still going on.
Dante arrives with a pen and paper; I smile at him and say. “Thanks for that I forgot my note pad and figured I might need to make a few notes when he gives me what I want.” Dante bows slightly and moves off to linger near the bar again.
I pushed the paper at Donald. He instantly starts scribbling. “Aylesbury, what may I ask is the point in bringing me a canary if he will not sing?”
“This bird best start singing soon, I really don’t want to die tonight and if he doesn’t then I will quite happily not process his papers and leave him to you and The Pack. I trust you won’t leave any evidence after you’ve finished with him.”
Donald gives us a dry look that says we were over doing the fake interrogation. Oh well. “Of course, I’ll ask that they won’t.”
Donald pushes the paper back towards me and I read his almost intelligible scrawl.
I’ve been to the caves.
I’m in o
ver my head.
I know they are gonna kill me. That’s why I started mouthing off about them, I needed to get arrested. It’s the safest place for me now.
I don’t know much about what they were doing only that they wanted test subjects, I don’t know what for but the money was good.
As I was dragged in here I saw the two most frequent visitors at the caves until recently, the two Fae with dark blue hair. You know the twins.
The twins, that was who were mentioned during my escape, I never even thought it could be them. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing, I wrote back to him completely abandoning the pretence of conversation.
Do you know why they were there?
Was there a girl named Brook in the caves? She’s about my height same colouring as the Fae you described, looks about fourteen, fifteen?
I push the paper back and Aylesbury reads over his shoulder, He looks at me and cocks his head to one side trying for a silent conversation, I knew he didn’t know exactly what was happening but still he understood I was shaken, He mouths to me. “Are you alright?” All I could do was nod.
Donald pushes the paper back again.
The Lazarus where never interested in anyone younger than you, if there is a girl in the caves nobody has ever noticed her and they certainly haven’t taken anyone that young.
Can I please go to jail now!
I couldn’t believe it I felt betrayed, I should have known, how could this happen without me knowing. “Aylesbury, he clearly doesn’t want to tell us what’s going on. He’s obviously just a liar and a cheat. Take him back to The Guild.” As Aylesbury gets up I speak to thin air. Knowing that the only ones who could hear me were The Pack and the ones I wanted were close. “Bastian, I need you.”
Bastian appears almost immediately, flanked by Dante and Roan. They box in Aylesbury from the exit. I sit defeated in the booth for one last moment before getting up. “Aylesbury needs an escort to The Guild.”
Bastian motions for Dante to accompany him and they move to exit immediately. Aylesbury looks back at me and I say to him. “I promise I will explain later, you may get to see some action after all.”
Hunted (Scarlet Dawson Book 1) Page 14
