by Faith Gibson
“Did you use your Gryphon voice on them?”
“I did. Not even the guards could tell me where Josiah had gotten off to or where David might be. I’m glad Xavier was here, though. I thought Tamian was going to burn the place down.”
“I know how he feels. If I wasn’t sure there were innocent people in the prison, I’d burn it down around Gideon and Lewis.”
“Their day’s coming.”
Yes, it is. Ryker wasn’t going to let either one of the males get away with what they did to Juliette and Mac, but he wasn’t going to tell his dad that. Ryker had a plan. One he would carry out alone, once he got Rhi away from her father and back where she belonged – home with him.
“I’ll let you get back to it then. I hope I’ll see you soon.”
“Keep the faith, Son. Rhi is your mate. She’s your second chance. I don’t think Zeus would take her away from you so soon.”
“I hope you’re right.” They said their goodbyes, and Ryker sent up a prayer. It was rare he prayed, and when he did, it wasn’t for himself. This time, he was selfish and asked for Rhi to be kept safe and brought home to him. When he reached the cabin, he gathered some firewood and stacked it in the pit. He went inside and searched until he found a box of matches. Once he had the fire going, he sat down on a stump and waited for Sultan to return. Ryker set his forearms on his thighs and let his hands dangle between his legs. He stared into the fire, mesmerized by the dancing flames.
Sometime later, the snapping of twigs caught his attention. Ryker looked over his shoulder. Sultan had both hands full of dangling rabbits.
“It’s not steak, but…”
“They’ll fill our bellies.” Ryker rose to help the Hound skin the animals. Sultan disappeared inside for a few minutes. When he returned, he was carrying a bowl of spices. After washing the blood off the meat, Sultan skewered each rabbit onto the metal spit before applying a layer of spice to each one. He then placed the rod into the vees of the stand.
Sultan went to wash his hands, and when he came back, he had a bottle of whiskey. He offered the bottle to Ryker who took a long swig before passing it back. “This reminds me of the camping trip.”
Sultan grinned. “Yes, but without the twins entertaining everyone.”
Ryker couldn’t help but smile thinking of Mayhem’s boys. He and Sultan passed the bottle back and forth, with Sultan turning the spit while Ryker told him about Sutton’s phone call.
Once the rabbits were done, they removed them from the fire and chowed down. Ryker had eaten plenty of small animals in both his lion and eagle forms, but he preferred his meat cooked. Whatever spices Sultan used covered the gamey taste, and Ryker picked the bones clean, washing it down with more whiskey.
Sultan added wood to keep the fire going, then sat on the ground, leaning against a stump. Ryker wasn’t one to get into anyone’s personal business, but something Sultan said earlier had him curious. “Can I ask you a personal question?”
Sultan took a drink before handing the bottle back to Ryker. “Of course.”
“You said everyone in your family only has one son. Since Crystal died before your child was born, does that mean you still have a chance at another child? Sorry if that’s insensitive.”
Sultan rubbed the back of his neck. “It’s not, and honestly, I don’t know. I’d like to think if I ever found another mate, Zeus would allow me to have my one child. Even if the baby turned out to be a girl and broke the cycle, I’d really like to know what it’s like to raise a child. I’m not getting any younger.”
“I hear you. I lost out on so much time with Mac. Don’t get me wrong; I love that girl to pieces, but I would love to have a baby with Rhiannon. I want to make a home with her.” Something niggled at the back of his brain. Something David had said before Ryker passed out. “Let’s get you home.”
“Shit, that’s it.” Ryker grabbed the satellite phone and dialed Lucy’s number. “Luce, I think I know where David took Rhi. Before he shoved her in the car, he said, ‘Let’s get you home.’ Have Henry check their old residence and see if it’s still in his name.”
“I’m on it.” Lucy hung up on him, but Ryker didn’t take offense. The situation was dire, so manners took a back seat to urgency.
“You think he would take her somewhere so obvious?” Sultan asked.
“Well, they haven’t lived there for ten years, and Spencer has an apartment he stays in when he’s working. We know he didn’t take her back to Haven, so it’s the only thing that makes sense.”
“I hope you’re right, Ryot. I pray you’re right and one step closer to getting Rhi back where she belongs.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
Rhiannon
Rhiannon’s back ached. When she opened her eyes, she realized why. She had fallen asleep on the floor. No, she had passed out from being drugged. Again. Stretching her legs out, she noticed something wrapped around her ankle. It was a piece of black plastic attached to a band. She pulled on it, but it wasn’t coming off. What have you done to me now?
Pissed at the man, Rhi stormed out of the bedroom and down the steps. “David!”
“You don’t have to yell,” he said, walking out of his office.
“What is this?” Rhi stuck her leg out, pointing at the thing around her ankle.
“That is a monitor. Since I have things I need to take care of away from here, it assures me you won’t run away. You see, not only is it a monitor, it also contains an electric current. If you try to step foot outside the house, it will send enough shockwaves through you to hurt immensely. Should you be so stubborn as to push through that pain, once you are more than fifteen feet outside the door, it will zap you with enough juice to stop your heart.”
“Why would you do that to me?”
“Because I can’t risk you getting into the wrong hands again. Do you have any idea what would happen if everyone knew what you were capable of? It’s bad enough Josiah found out.”
“How did he find out?”
“I’m afraid that was my mother’s doing. Instead of bragging about your abilities, she told him as a warning of your pagan nature. Of course, he didn’t believe her until he saw you in the garden, bringing a dead plant back to life. When he confined you to the indoors, I had no idea how he was going to use you.”
“But you’re the one who put that zapper chip thing in my leg. That’s how he controlled me when it was time for me to perform my magic.”
“Yes, well, I didn’t realize when he took control of the remote he would use it in such a way. He said he would only use it if you became belligerent and needed to calm you down.”
“What about going outside and working in the garden? Now I don’t even have that to look forward to.”
“It’s autumn. You will need to wait until spring to plant anything, so it’s really not a hardship.”
“Maybe not for you.” Rhi glared at the man, her heart filling with even more loathing. He had practically placed a bomb around her ankle.
“If I thought I could trust you, it wouldn’t be necessary. I’m sorry, Rhi. I truly am.”
Rhi rolled her eyes. “Yeah, I’m sorry too. Sorry my mother ever met you.” Rhi ran out of the room so he wouldn’t see her tears. Wouldn’t see how broken and defeated she felt. If what he said was true, she couldn’t ever leave the house again. Rhi went straight to the window and looked toward Jimmy’s house. The lights were out, so she couldn’t tell if he was home or not. Leaning her forehead against the cold glass, Rhi let the tears fall. She looked past her reflection into the dark of night. The quarter moon was barely visible through the clouds, but it was enough. The moon had always called to her, and Daisy had said it was the goddess’s beacon. Rhi rubbed her inner forearm, wishing she had the same tattoo her mother had. It was a triple moon goddess inside a circle of lavender.
Ryker was out there somewhere. Was he looking at the moon, thinking about Rhi, the way she was dreaming about him? She spent the rest of the day staring out her bedroom window, sil
ently begging Jimmy to come back upstairs. To look out his window and see her. The longer she stood there, the more she lost all hope. When her eyelids started getting heavy, Rhi crashed on her childhood bed. It wasn’t as comfortable as she remembered. Sure, it was better than the cot she had at Haven, but it didn’t compare to the bed at Claudia and Stefan’s home where Ryker had made her feel like a woman for the first time in her life. The way he’d made her come apart had her wishing for so much more. If she ever found her way back to him, Rhi was going to jump the male. Give herself over to him fully. She would make it her life’s mission making him happy in whatever way he needed.
When she finally succumbed to sleep, her night was filled with dreams of his kisses both on her lips and elsewhere. It was as though her subconscious was replaying their stolen moments. She woke with a smile on her face until she remembered where she was. When her father knocked on her door, her smile faded.
“I made your favorite.” David pushed open the door, carrying a tray of fluffy pancakes and bacon. That had been her favorite breakfast when she was younger, but it was more from cooking alongside her mom than the food itself. He set the tray on the dresser. “I have to leave for a while. There are things I need to take care of at work, but I shouldn’t be too long.”
Rhi did her best to remove the scowl from her face. She had a plan, and it wouldn’t work if she didn’t get David to let his guard down. “Thank you. It looks delicious.” He puffed up, smiling like he used to whenever he looked at her mom. “Uh, if I take a shower, is this thing going to electrocute me?” She wiggled the ankle with the black box.
“No. It’s waterproof. I bought your favorite shampoo and conditioner along with a few other items I thought you might need. They might not be what you prefer, but I figured anything was better than the shit they had at Haven.”
That comment surprised Rhi. For the last ten years, David had done Josiah’s bidding. He’d married one of the women who bowed down to the cult’s leader. “What about Marion?”
David frowned. “What about her?”
“Where is she? I mean she is your wife.”
David scrubbed a hand over his face, and when he turned to Rhi, she noticed how tired he looked. He glanced at his watch. “I suppose she’s sitting in the chapel like a good sheep.” David snarled his lip. “I don’t love her, Rhi. Nobody could ever replace your mother. But I needed a wife to make it look like I was following the path.”
“I don’t understand.”
“I know, and I promise I’ll explain everything soon. But right now, I have to get to the office. There’s plenty of food, and I subscribed to the biggest package available through the cable company. You should be able to find plenty of movies to keep you occupied while I’m gone.”
“Thanks. I’m sure I’ll be fine,” she lied. Rhi wouldn’t be fine until she was back with Ryker.
David stared at her a few seconds before walking out and shutting the door behind him. Rhi blew out a breath. This acting like she was giving in was for the birds. Rhi stood from the bed and picked up a piece of bacon, staring at it. She took a tentative bite, wondering if he had drugged her food. When she didn’t feel weird after a few minutes, she finished off the slice. Rhi opened her door, listening for him to leave the house. The whirl of the garage door opening then closing seconds later let her know it was safe to move about the house. She carried the tray downstairs and set it on the dining room table. Instead of sitting, she took a bite of pancakes and walked around the downstairs while she chewed. While most everything looked the same as it had before they moved to Haven, some things were different. There were no photos anywhere.
She padded to David’s office hoping to find a phone. There wasn’t one. Nor was there a computer. Not that she would have known how to contact anyone other than the police using either. She opened every desk drawer, not knowing what she hoped to find. They were empty. She then searched all the closets expecting to see everything that had been there before they left. They too were empty. She left her parents’ bedroom to search last, knowing it would be hard to see her mom’s things scattered around. What she saw didn’t make sense. Instead of being thrown back into the past, the room was empty. There was no bed, no clothes in the closet. There were no toiletries in the attached bathroom. She had expected to feel sad from seeing her mom’s things, but this hurt worse. And if there wasn’t a bed, where had David slept?
Rhi returned to her bedroom and took a good look at everything. The curtains were lilac, but the fringe at the bottom was missing. The furniture was white, but the knobs were brass instead of being the purple ones her mom had bought especially for her tenth birthday. There were no scuffs. No markings of wear. The comforter was white. Plain white without the lavender floral print. Everything was new. It was all a ruse. David hadn’t kept the house and its belongings the way Rhi first thought. But why? Why go to the trouble of making her think everything was the same?
She made her way back downstairs, her breakfast now cold. Rhi couldn’t eat it anyway. Her stomach was in knots. Rhi needed the solace of nature, so she headed for the back door expecting to see more black wires. There were none, but she assumed it was because of the shackle around her ankle. Her ankle monitor beeped, reminding her of David’s words. Rhi wasn’t sure how excruciating it would be, but at this point, she would risk it. She stuck the foot with the monitor out the door, and a pain went through her leg akin to what happened when the chip had been activated. Rhi grabbed onto the doorframe for support, gulping down air to keep from vomiting.
Would the pulsing continue if she crossed the threshold? Or would it be one zap and that was it? Only one way to find out. Rhi jumped through the door, landing in a crouch. The pain zinged through her body again, but it was just the one jolt. That she could handle. She took a few minutes to garner the strength to get up and keep going. When she felt as though she wasn’t going to pass out, Rhi stood and walked down the steps until she was standing on the grass. Kneeling, Rhi placed her palms against the cold ground. Shivers ran up her arms, more from the energy pulsing through her than the cool morning air. Closing her eyes, Rhi dug her fingers through the grass until she reached the dirt below. Why had she been given a gift if she wasn’t allowed to use it for good? Not that trying to heal a disease wasn’t good, but the reason behind the healing hadn’t been to help the person, but for Josiah to gain more money.
Rhi grabbed handfuls of grass, pulling it up by the roots, then flinging it into the air. The more she pulled, the worse she felt. This yard had been her haven before being stolen away to the one where her life turned to crap. “Oh, Momma. Why did you have to leave me?” Tears streamed down Rhi’s cheeks, her grief finally catching up with her. After the funeral, instead of finding solace in the garden, Rhi had hidden away in her room. Now, looking back, she berated herself for not coming to the spot she spent so much time laughing and joking with the one person who never let her down. Daisy had softly imparted her wisdom out here when they were on their knees, planting, nurturing, growing life in each and every plant and flower.
It wasn’t her mom’s fault she got sick. Rhi couldn’t blame Daisy for the way her life turned out. That was all on David. In that moment, Rhi wished her gift was one of doling out pain instead of healing. “Forgive me, goddess.” Rhi had taken her mother’s words to heart about putting only positivity out into the universe less the negative came back to her threefold. She had been good. She had done what was asked of her. So where was the reward? Why was she a prisoner again?
Rhi curled up on her side, carding her fingers through the blades of grass under her hand. Sobs wracked her body as she let herself fully mourn all she’d lost.
“You are strong, my little flower.”
Her mom’s voice was a whisper, but Rhi heard it, nonetheless.
“You are powerful, my Rhiannon.”
“But I’m not,” Rhi cried, her throat tight.
“You are powerful. Use your gift.”
“I have nothing to use it
on.”
“Use your gift, Rhi. Call on the energy of the earth and use it.”
“Mom?” A soft breeze blew across Rhi’s skin even though there was no wind moving the trees. “Mom,” Rhi whispered. The monitor’s beeping drew her gaze to her ankle.
“You are powerful, Rhi. Believe in yourself the way I have always believed in you.”
“I am powerful.” Rhi took a deep breath, held it, then exhaled. She removed her shoes and socks, letting the feel of the earth beneath her feet ground her. Rhi closed her eyes, holding her arms out to her sides. Inhaling deeply, she drew in the scents of nature, the goddess’s reminder of her gifts to her children. Rhi let her mind wander back to when she was a child and her mother taught her prayers and chants. She grasped the one she needed, but after repeating it in her head, she knew she had to change the last line if this was to work. Rhi centered herself and spoke aloud.
“Mother Earth, hear me calling
I’m your daughter, you’re my home
Sister moon, hear me calling
In the night, we are not alone
Father Sun, hear me calling
Let your strong light shine in me
All my ancestors, stand by me
Give me strength to be set free.”
Rhi repeated the chant three times, her voice rising in volume each time. The power from the earth flowed through her, and with the last “free” she spoke, Rhi felt electric. She opened her eyes, focused on the monitor, and pushed the energy from her body through her hands. The plastic cracked and popped. Rhi pushed harder with her mind, gritting her teeth, growling with exertion. The plastic case exploded, and Rhi crossed her arms over her face to shield it from the shrapnel.
