Drifter

by Leslie Georgeson

  Ronin barked out a disbelieving laugh. “You’re full of shit. No one lives in that crater. It’s just an old dinosaur dig. My men already went in there.”

  Mitch nodded. “Yeah. And some of them didn’t make it back out, did they? Why do you think that was?”

  Ronin’s gaze narrowed. His lip curled in a sneer.

  Kate’s pulse quickened. Why was Mitch telling Ronin these secrets? Wouldn’t it be better if Ronin didn’t know all of that? What if Ronin went in and killed Ethan? Then the three cones would lose and Ronin would win.

  Ronin jerked his head toward Kate, as if he just realized she was there. He grabbed her arm and hauled her closer. Mitch stiffened, sitting up straighter in his chair.

  Ronin chuckled. “How about you give us a little show, trader girl? Staring at these notes all day has given me a headache and I need a change of scenery.”

  Mitch’s gaze landed on Kate’s. His eyes filled with remorse.

  “Strip!” Ronin ordered. “Let’s see some tits!” He pulled at her T-shirt. Kate cringed, fighting against his hold. The shirt ripped. Ronin yanked her closer until she slammed into the table. She cried out as pain zinged into her hip. With a quick pull, Ronin yanked the rest of the shirt free, leaving her torso bare before them. Kate drew in a deep breath and lifted her arms to cover herself. If he thought he was going to rape her, he’d better think again. She would fight the bastard every step of the way.

  “Don’t fight him, Kate,” Mitch whispered. “He promised if you did what he said, he wouldn’t hurt you.” There was sadness in his voice. Shame. And deep, deep regret.

  Her heart thudded harder. Faster. Was Mitch just going to sit there and let Ronin degrade her like this? How could he? There was no way in hell she was letting Ronin touch her willingly.

  “Now the pants,” Ronin ordered, waving an arm at her. “I want to see some pussy.”

  Kate jerked her gaze to Mitch’s. His eyes were glowing golden now, hinting at an unknown emotion brewing just beneath the surface. Was he pissed?

  Or turned on?

  Kate swallowed hard. Please don’t make me do this, Mitch. Don’t let him degrade me this way.

  Mitch squeezed his eyes shut, pain flickering across his face, and Kate knew he’d read her mind. Then his features hardened and Kate’s heart sank. But what could he really do? Ronin was more powerful than him. Kate knew he was. She had to trust that Mitch wouldn’t let Ronin hurt her.

  Her gaze on Mitch’s face, Kate slowly unzipped her jeans, her back to Ronin. She kicked her tennis shoes off, then pushed the jeans down her legs, her gaze never leaving Mitch’s face. If she ignored Ronin, pretended he wasn’t there, pretended it was just her and Mitch, then maybe she could do this.

  She reached for her panties and slipped them down her legs, leaving her bare before him.

  Mitch’s gaze swept down her body, then up to her face. His eyes flashed with lust, blazing a bright gold.

  Ronin chuckled, his chair screeching across the wood floor as he leaned back. Kate felt his black gaze raking down her body from behind, boring into her. She refused to turn around, refused to let him see what only Mitch could see.

  “You’re attracted to this skinny bitch?” Ronin chortled. “She ain’t got big enough tits. But I haven’t seen her pussy yet.” He grabbed Kate’s arm. “Let me see.”

  Kate resisted, yanking away from him, and rushed toward Mitch. Mitch bolted up from his chair as Kate stumbled forward. He caught her against him, pressing her close.

  “That’s enough, Ronin.”

  Ronin’s chair scraped across the floor as he jerked to his feet. “That wasn’t the deal we made. I said I wouldn’t hurt her as long as she obeyed. She’s not obeying. I agreed I wouldn’t let my men have her, that you’d only have to share her with me. So turn her around and let me see.”

  What? Kate’s heart lurched to a stop. Mitch had agreed to share her with Ronin? Why would he do that?

  Mitch made a hissing sound that reminded Kate of the drifters. A chill crept down her spine. Was the drifter inside him trying to take control?

  “She’s mine,” Mitch whispered. “And I don’t share.”

  Ronin strode forward, towering over them. Kate trembled as the tension thickened. She tightened her arms around Mitch, afraid to let go, afraid to turn around and see what Ronin was doing.

  “Turn. Her. Around.” Ronin’s voice boomed from behind her, making Kate jump.

  Just do it, Kate. It’s not like seeing you naked is going to give him any kind of power over you. Just do it and keep Mitch from getting hurt.

  Kate drew in a deep breath and stepped away from Mitch. Mitch’s gaze darted to hers, worry crossing his face. She slowly turned around and faced Ronin, trying to be brave.

  Ronin’s gaze raked down her body, then back up. He snorted. “You’re too damn skinny. I want to see a woman with some real curves.” He let out a sound of disgust and turned toward the door. “You’ve got five minutes with her, Mitchell. Then she goes back to the dungeon.”

  Ronin opened the door and walked out, slamming it shut behind him.

  Kate sagged back into Mitch’s arms. Thank God, Ronin hadn’t touched her. Or forced her to have sex with him. She would have fought viciously, though she knew it wouldn’t have been enough. If Ronin chose to rape her, nothing would stop him.

  Mitch spun her around, squeezing her against him. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t know what to do. I had to agree to that or he was going to give you to his men. I know he prefers voluptuous women, so I figured he wouldn’t really force you to have sex with him, and thank God I was right. He was just testing me, seeing if I would do what he ordered. Please, please forgive me.”

  Kate pushed away from him and reached for her discarded clothes. Her heart hurt thinking about what had just happened. She’d been forced to strip in front of Ronin, the vilest man in Africa. Humiliation swept through her.

  But he didn’t rape you, Kate. He didn’t even touch you inappropriately. And Mitch wouldn’t let him if he tried. You know that. Mitch only did what he had to do to keep you safe.

  Kate snatched up her shirt, but it was no longer wearable, ripped as it was. She tossed it aside and quickly donned her underwear and her jeans, then slipped her tennis shoes back on her feet. Her throat was so swollen with emotion that she couldn’t speak right then.

  Mitch yanked his shirt over his head and held it out to her. “Here.”

  She hesitated, then took it without looking at him.

  He sighed. “I’m sorry, Kate. Please don’t hate me.”

  She yanked his shirt over her head and forced herself to look into his eyes. “You let him humiliate me. You let him see what only you have seen before.” Her breath hitched and a tear trickled down her cheek.

  Mitch squeezed his eyes shut. “I know. I’m sorry. Fuck.” He turned away from her, raking a hand through his hair. “What was I supposed to do? Let him toss you to his men? I was terrified he’d do the same thing to you that he did to Lisa. I would have agreed to anything to keep you safe, Kate. That’s how much I care about you. I never would have permitted him to touch you. I swear. I would die before I let him hurt you.”

  The tightness in her chest loosened, relaxed. She believed him. Mitch truly cared about her. He’d only done what he thought was the best thing to keep her safe. And really, she hadn’t been hurt. Just humiliated. She was still her tough self. She wasn’t a wimp. She wasn’t a crybaby, dammit.

  Kate sniffled, wiping angrily at the tear. This was nothing she couldn’t handle. She would get over it and move on. She’d survived much worse than a little humiliation.

  She lifted her gaze to Mitch’s. “I forgive you.”

  He closed his eyes and breathed out a sigh of relief. “Come here.”

  Kate rushed into his arms. This was where she belonged. With Mitch. Nowhere else felt safe. No one else made her feel so happy.

  “Ronin’s playing a game, and I don’t like it. He has to know you’ve been bitten. If I
can sense the drifter in you, then so can he. He may even suspect we’ve bonded, yet he hasn’t killed you yet. He’s toying with me, I can feel it. I’m scared shitless of what he’s going to do to you, Kate.”

  Kate leaned back. She swallowed hard. “What do you think he will do if he finds out we’ve bonded?”

  Mitch sighed. “The same thing he probably already plans to do: kill us. It’s just a matter of time. I have to keep him happy until I can get you out of here.”

  Kate had suspected as much. How long did they have before Ronin killed them?

  While Mitch had been in the drifters’ lair, Kate had discovered the gift he’d shared with her. She wanted to let him know about it now.

  “I know what my new gift is now.”

  Interest flickered across his face. Then worry. “And? What is it?”

  “Watch.” Kate walked over to the table and touched it. She closed her eyes and imagined herself as part of the table. She opened her eyes and looked down.

  She’d disappeared. Her body—all of her—blended into the table.

  Mitch’s eyes twinkled. “That’s awesome, Kate! You inherited the camouflage. I’m so relieved.”

  She reappeared in front of him again, grinning. “I’m glad you shared that gift with me. It’s really neat. I’m still trying to figure it all out.”

  Mitch pulled her close for another quick hug. “Yeah, I kind of like it too. It’s one of my favorites.”

  They exchanged a smile.

  “What about you? Did I pass my gift along to you?” She watched him, waiting, anxious to find out.

  “I don’t know yet. I can’t tell.” Mitch lowered his gaze. “But I’m so relieved I didn’t pass on the empathy. It’s too much of a burden.”

  Kate hesitated, watching Mitch’s face. He was still worried, and she didn’t blame him. She was worried too. Until they got away from Ronin, their lives were at stake.

  “Why did you tell Ronin about Ethan living in the crater? Won’t that make him want to investigate?”

  Mitch looked her in the eye. “Yes, but I’m not sure if he believed me. But if he does, if he goes in that crater to investigate, that’s not necessarily bad. Ronin might be the only way to get Ethan out of that crater. Ronin won’t kill him outright. Right now, Ethan is too valuable to him. Ethan knows things that Ronin desperately wants to learn.” He paused, his gaze intense on hers. “I found Ethan while I was in there. He was the giant drifter again, but he didn’t hurt me. He ran away after I talked to him. I think he ran so he wouldn’t hurt me.”

  Kate considered that for a moment. “But how will you stop Ronin from killing Ethan after he extracts the information from him? You said Ronin was more powerful than anyone.”

  Mitch sighed. He rubbed a hand over his face. “I’m not sure yet, but I’ll come up with something. I thought Ronin was more powerful than anyone, and one on one, I still think he is. But if the three cones all work together, with their bonded mates, I believe we can overpower Ronin. Bonded pairs are more powerful than anything.”

  Kate nodded. “But Ethan hasn’t bonded with a woman, has he? If only two of the cones are part of bonded pairs, then how will they be more powerful than Ronin?”

  Mitch groaned, obviously frustrated and overwhelmed by the questions she’d asked. “I don’t know, Kate. For now, let’s just concentrate on getting out of here alive. It’s not going to be easy. No matter what happens from here on out, just trust me, okay?”

  She wrapped her arms around his waist and squeezed. “I trust you.”

  Mitch kissed her softly. “I’m sorry Ronin humiliated you. I’ll do everything I can to prevent that from happening again.”

  Kate looked into his eyes. “You wouldn’t have let him touch me if he really tried, would you?”

  “No.” Mitch tightened his arms around her. “I would have killed him first. I was just playing along, making him think he had control over me. You’re mine, Kate. No one touches you but me.”

  She smiled. Some women might find such possessiveness offensive, but not Kate. She wanted to belong to Mitch. Only him.

  She stroked her fingers through his short hair. He lowered his head, pressed his lips to hers again. Emotions swirled between them: trust, happiness, and a budding love.

  The door burst open, crashing against the wall. Two of Ronin’s soldiers strode into the room.

  “Time’s up, Mitchell. She’s going back to her prison.”

  Kate clung to Mitch, not wanting to let him go.

  “It’s all right,” he whispered. “It won’t be for much longer. Be strong. Be brave. Just trust me.”

  Kate struggled as the soldiers dragged her away, her gaze never leaving Mitch’s until they hauled her around the corner and she couldn’t see him anymore.

  The soldiers dragged Kate down the stairs to where Ronin waited. They shoved her forward. Kate halted in front of Ronin, eyeing him warily.

  Ronin smirked. “Don’t fool yourself into thinking Mitchell cares about you. He doesn’t care about anyone but himself. He’s a grand manipulator, don’t you know? He can get anyone to do whatever he wants. Well, except for me. I’m only tolerating him right now because I need him. He and I both have the same goal: to control the mountain. I’ll use him as long as I need him, then I’ll dispose of him.” He reached out and stroked a big finger through her hair. Kate flinched and drew back.

  Ronin was lying. Mitch wasn’t a manipulator. He was kind and genuine and caring.

  Ronin chuckled. “Don’t believe me? That little show we put on for you up there? That was all planned. He promised to hand you over to me if I let him have five minutes with you first. Did he fuck you during those five minutes?” Ronin quirked a brow. Kate glared at him, not wanting to believe a word he said. Mitch wouldn’t do that to her. He wouldn’t.

  Ronin snorted. “No, he didn’t, did he? He must not want you as much as you thought. Like I said, Mitchell only cares about himself. I gave him his five minutes and now you’re mine. He and I made a deal. You will now provide my men with some much-needed entertainment. Mitchell played you, trader girl. He used you to get what he wanted, then he tossed you aside.”

  Kate paled. Mitch wouldn’t do that. He wouldn’t. “You’re lying.”

  Ronin smirked. “Am I? Think about it, trader girl. Mitch loved a woman once, but I killed her to get him to do what I wanted. He’s been a loner ever since, not getting close to anyone or anything. Losing his woman destroyed him. He’ll never let himself love again. He’ll never care about you. You’re just a means to an end. That’s all you are to him and all you’ll ever be.”

  Kate’s heart twisted painfully. Part of what Ronin had said was true. Mitch was a loner. Ronin had killed Lisa. What if Mitch could never love again? What if he was using her?

  Ronin shoved Kate back into the soldiers. “Take her to the women’s chambers. Tell the ladies to get her ready. Tonight she’s going to be entertaining the men.”

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  An uneasiness settled into Mitch’s gut the moment the soldiers dragged Kate away. He didn’t trust Ronin for a second. He doubted Ronin would return Kate to the dungeon unmolested. More than likely, Ronin would hand her over to his men and let them have their way with her. Mitch couldn’t allow that to happen. He couldn’t let Ronin break Kate’s spirit the way he’d broken Lisa.

  Mitch had to find a way out of here tonight. Before Kate was hurt.

  He had no idea how to get them out of this. But he had to start thinking fast. Mitch had told Ronin about Ethan living in the crater because he knew Ronin probably wouldn’t believe him. Ronin was so arrogant and conceited that he believed he was the most powerful man in Africa. He wouldn’t believe another man was stronger than him and he sure as hell wouldn’t believe Ethan was living with the drifters.

  But if Ronin decided to search the crater for Ethan, he would have a better chance of removing Ethan than Mitch would. And Mitch truly believed Ronin wouldn’t kill Ethan outright. He would likely drag Ethan
back to Aftermath and torture him until Ethan told him everything he knew about the drifters and the mountain. Of course, there was always the chance that the drifters would kill Ronin—slim though it might be. And if that happened, all the better.

  Putting Ethan’s life in danger wasn’t part of Mitch’s plan. He needed Ethan to help control the mountain and stop Ronin. But in the event Ronin did go search the crater for Ethan, Mitch believed Ethan could take care of himself. Ethan had shifted into a giant drifter. Did that mean he was more drifter than Mitch was? There were still unanswered questions, things Mitch didn’t know about the drifters. He wasn’t even sure if Ethan could be saved from whatever was happening down in that crater. But Mitch had to try. And if trying involved bringing Ronin into the picture temporarily, then so be it.

  Of course, there was always a chance everything could backfire and Ronin might kill all of them, including Ethan, and then gain control of the drifters.

  Mitch didn’t even want to think about that. He had to be positive. There was so much at stake now. Mitch’s task would be more difficult than he’d first believed. If he’d been self-serving before, he wasn’t any longer. This was about more than him now. It wasn’t just a matter of getting revenge against the man who’d killed Lisa. It was a matter of saving Kate from Ronin’s soldiers. It was about having a future with the woman he loved.

  And possibly even saving the world.

  “Ronin wants you to come down into the meeting area.” Chuck, a short, squatty soldier with thinning blond hair, stood in the doorway. “We’ve got some new entertainment tonight. Everyone’s excited.”

  Mitch’s stomach churned. He feared what the “new entertainment” would be. Reluctantly, he followed Chuck down the stairs to Aftermath’s meeting room on the main level. Seven or eight long, rectangular tables filled the room. A group of soldiers had already gathered there, some seated at the dining tables, others standing along the wall. Most had mugs containing some type of alcohol in their hands. Mitch knew from previously being a soldier in Ronin’s army that Ronin had made a deal with one of the traders—a man who brewed his own alcohol and traded it in 50-gallon drums—to provide alcohol to his army. Half the men were already drunk. A few haggard-looking women came out of the kitchen that opened off to the right, tending to the men and refilling their drinks. Boisterous laughs and drunken voices filled the room, making Mitch’s ears hurt with all the noise. Emotions churned around, bouncing from wall to table, floor to ceiling. His senses became overwhelmed with the rush of all the different emotions. Bombarded by the onslaught, Mitch closed his eyes, trying to center himself, and tried to push all the emotions back.