Rasimus’s gruff voice seemed even lower than usual when he barked, “What?”
Anger flared through Oricus at knowing what his brother had likely been up to, though he tamped it down. “Get Viktor and the ylkovech. We’ve got a problem.”
A beat of silence followed. “Who the fuck are we tossing into the Okeah?”
“Just get down here. Now.”
Oricus dismissed the communication before running a hand through his golden hair that was getting a little too long for his tastes. He glanced at the boyish face that resembled his own—relaxed in its temporary death.
Oricus grimaced. He didn’t hate his youngest brother.
But Elentis had chosen Arian over him. It was Arian who sought out the end of all their existence while Oricus had found the answer to freeing them from the curse the Empress had placed on them.
Elentis was nothing but loyal. He’d gotten too close, discovered the wards. Who knew how long he’d been snooping around just outside them before discovering they were tampering with his mind, making him forget where he was and what he was doing.
Rasimus and what he assumed was Viktor didn’t bother silencing their steps as they rushed through the trees and broke through at a jog, only halting when they saw who lay at Oricus’s feet.
His brother’s expression darkened. “No.”
“He figured out how to get through the wards. Now that he knows their secret, Dominicus is likely already on his way. That’s if Elentis told him where he was to begin with. There’s only one way to find out.”
“Can’t he just world jump back to Earth, being a prince and all?” Viktor asked, arms folded over his chest.
“If he were strong enough,” Oricus stated. “None of us can jump from one world to the next if we’re on the brink of death. A fun little detail we discovered early on.”
“And Arian will know exactly what you’ve done when his best lapdog doesn’t report back to him soon. Dropping him in the Okeah is just solidifying the fact that we’re…here.”
Oricus brushed off Rasimus’s comment. “He can’t possibly know which ocean I’ve deposited our dearest little brother into. The Harbijeer is deeper and the most likely choice.”
Rasimus ground his jaw loud enough for Oricus to hear. It grated on his already fraying nerves. Viktor pulled the can from his pocket and moved to Elentis’s feet.
Viktor glanced up, meeting Oricus’s gaze, and nodded once in confirmation. Viktor shook the canister. A sharp whine emanated from it before he pulled the pin out of the nozzle, leaving it discarded in the sand. When he sprayed the compound the translucent material clung to the unconscious man’s shoes, climbing up his shins, then grew thicker.
The light reflected off the surface, casting a multitude of colors across the hardening shell. When the can was empty, Viktor stowed it back in his pocket, and he and Rasimus began the tedious work of dragging his brother toward the lapping, foamy water.
Elentis’s eyes sprung open the moment the water caressed his back. “Oricus!” He thrashed his arms wildly. “Release Harlow! Arian doesn’t deserve this. He’s going insane.”
Neither Viktor nor Rasimus halted, though the strain of dragging Elentis along with the heaviest and most indestructible material was evident on their faces.
Elentis’s eyes took in the compound molded to his legs and something like a desperate sob escaped him. He met Oricus’s gaze, forcing his brother to feel every ounce of betrayal written on his face.
“He deserves every bit of the misery he’s feeling,” Oricus said, though his words lacked their usual vitriol. “And Miss Marks is quite enjoying her time here.”
When the water lapped at Elentis’s chin, he began to scream, but it soon became gurgled under the waves cresting over his golden hair. Then Elentis vanished entirely, Rasimus and Viktor shortly after.
Oricus stared out at the horizon, watching the turbulent water churn where the creatures below lashed the surface. Minutes passed, how many, he wasn’t sure, until at last two heads bobbed near the shore. Rasimus and Viktor strode out, breathing heavily and smelling like wet dogs.
His lip curled. “Is it done?”
Rasimus huffed, wisely passing Oricus at a distance. It was Viktor that stopped before him, wiping the rivulets of murky water from his eyes. “Da.” Cocking his head to the side, he waited.
Oricus rolled his eyes. “Out with it.”
“While I’m more than happy to drop every one of our enemies into the ocean to drown for all eternity, I have to wonder why this and not a memory wipe? Clearly your little warlock is capable of it.”
Oricus shot him a warning look. “Tampering with memories is risky. This is dual purpose. It’ll send a message to my brother to stop looking.”
Without waiting for the rest of Viktor’s argument, Oricus turned and stalked back into the forest.
HARLOW
She waited until her dinner had been delivered, ignoring the steaming platters to lean against her door and listen. With no clock and no window, it was impossible to know what time it was.
The hall was silent. After what she deemed was ten minutes, she scanned her thumb on the electronic pad and the door hissed a breath as it opened.
Peering out, she waited, straining to hear a sound. At first there was nothing—then all at once a damp, rumpled mass of muscle and loose locks of dark hair stormed in front of her. With a squeak, she started, freezing when Rasimus’s greenish-grey eyes pinned her in place. He halted, fully fixed on her.
His nostrils flared, pupils blown wide.
For a moment, neither moved. His body seemed to expand, and Harlow felt the pull behind her navel—a cord tugging her forward, luring her into the mammoth of a man’s presence. But she fought against it, digging her heels into the stone.
As if the invisible thread snapped tight, Rasimus took a step toward her, then stopped, seeming to catch himself. He shook his head, then turned, stomping past her and disappearing down the hall.
Harlow exhaled raggedly, leaning against the doorframe for support.
She’d wanted to ask why he was wet or looked so frighteningly pissed off, but she didn’t have time to waste.
Drawing over her mouth the brilliant green scarf that covered her curls, she took a deep breath and crept out the door, closing it softly behind her.
She stepped lightly, doing her best to mute any sound her flats made. But every tiny clack made her teeth grind together. At this rate, she wouldn’t make it down the hall, let alone find an exit. From what she’d been told, she was allowed to wander the halls, but she didn’t want to draw any of the servants’ or her mates’ attention.
Her attempt at blending in was pitiful, she knew, but there were few materials at her disposal. The farther from her room she got, the more opulent the castle became. Stained glass windows matched the rivers of jewels encrusted into the floor. It almost hurt to look at it all, a gross display of wealth that, in her opinion, no one deserved. Her favorite part of the mysterious place were the vines and roots crawling over the walls and ceiling.
Harlow passed the staircase that led up to Geoff’s rooms, along with others that she suspected would take her to her other mates’ rooms.
She was thankful for the empty halls, though a thread of dread slowly unfurled in her gut. Was she being set up? Was Oricus secretly watching her to see where she was going? The thought made her steps hasten, hoping to lose the phantom feeling of being watched.
After a few more random, dizzying turns, she stumbled to a halt, seeing pure, golden light pouring in through an open doorway.
No, surely it couldn’t be so easy.
She stepped toward it slowly, reaching toward the warmth she knew was on the other side.
A chorus of masculine laughs reached her, forcing her body to flatten against the cool stone wall. Voices she didn’t recognize followed.
From just outside the door, she realized.
They spoke in a language that
was biting and harsh, yet musical. Sensual.
Heart hammering, she waited. The voices drifted further away, yet a sweet-smelling smoke wafted in, making her nose curl. Someone stood just outside the door.
Leaning forward, she tried to pinpoint his position. Definitely a “he,” if his gruff muttering that followed was any indication. She forced herself to take deep, steadying breaths while praying he wouldn’t come back inside once he was done smoking whatever it was she smelled.
Finally the shuffling of boots sounded on gravel, moving mercifully away from where she hid.
Harlow swallowed hard, easing away from the wall. If this door had been left open, there had to be a reason. Which meant she needed to hurry out of sight before whoever opened it returned to close it.
The warmth that drifted in slid over her skin. Stepping into the light, she shivered with pleasure, blinking against the harshness of it. Once her eyes adjusted, she sucked in a sharp breath.
Directly in front of her in the sky were two massive fiery suns. But Earth didn’t have two suns… She racked her brain trying to figure out the source of her information.
It was true, she knew it in the core of her being.
Which meant…she wasn’t on Earth.
Harlow’s heart rate spiked again. There’s got to be a different explanation, she reasoned with herself. There are no other planets in the galaxy with gravity or oxygen…
Time to go, she decided.
The thought entered her mind a split second before her body put it into action. She sprinted onto the loose stone path lined with tall, well-kept trees bearing a deep pink fruit she’d never seen before.
Oh my god, I’ve been abducted by aliens.
Throwing a glance over her shoulder, she took in the structure that was indeed a castle, though it looked as though the forest behind was eating it. Trees grew through the walls, branches seeming to lovingly cradle the rough, dilapidated stone.
Her body hit something hard, throwing her to her back and knocking the air from her lungs. Harlow’s blurry vision made the figure that stood above her multiply. With a groan she squeezed her eyes shut.
“Well, what do we have here?” the heavily accented voice asked.
“Too fast to be a servant—wait.” A pause. “Remove that scarf.”
Her eyes flew open, hands instinctively batting away any attempts to touch her.
Another masculine chuckle sounded to her right. Harlow rolled, leaping to her feet with a feline grace that felt new and strange.
Five men stood in front of her, several grasping blades. Her heart stuttered.
“Hmmm, looks like Oricus’s bitch got out,” a man with dark skin and even darker hair spat. He’d be handsome if his expression wasn’t quite so ugly.
Another scoffed behind her, forcing her to take stock of not one, but three others behind her, all of them attractive. “The one that he offered everyone but us, right?”
“Yeah,” the blond one stroking a sword like a lover said. “We’re all lucky to get one mate, but she gets a dozen. Fucking whore.”
They all laughed.
Harlow’s lips parted. “Excuse me?” she snapped.
The stalky, bald man to her right barked a laugh. “Maybe we should fuck her to see if she can take the eight of us on at the same time.”
Those words caused her to reel back, forcing a guttural sound from her throat. “Don’t you dare fucking touch me.”
A tsking came mere inches from the back of her ear. “I’ve got news for you: your so-called mates don’t give a shit about you, girlie. They’ll fuck you like you’re a toy—a plaything—but that’s all you’ll ever be good for. I’ve seen them all fuck like machines but never touch the same pussy twice. Bond or not, they won’t give that up.”
Rex’s face flashed in her mind, his expression one of genuine concern. Smart, kind Geoff, who had assembled puzzles with her. Tadaj, who’d brought her painting supplies without her even asking. No, the asshole didn’t know what he was talking about. None of her mates were confessing their undying love, but none of them had fucked her…yet.
She snarled, whirling to meet each face that formed a cage around her. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“You’re not allowed out here,” a slimy voice whispered against the back of her neck. “I guess we’ll just have to punish you.”
Before she could scream or react, a fist impacted with her stomach, making her double over with a gasp.
Hands grabbed for her, tearing at her clothing, nails biting into her skin. Harlow fought, flailing her limbs. A monstrous strength filled her limbs, but it didn’t matter. They were strong too, and there were too many.
A hand covered her mouth while each of her limbs were restrained.
Where the hell is my so-called magic? She reached for the elusive sensation she’d briefly felt days ago, but it was nowhere to be found.
She screamed, though the sound didn’t get far. Blow after blow struck her face. Her abdomen.
Where are you guys? She called out to her mates, both in her mind and out loud. They were supposed to be bonded to her. Surely her terror and anger were broadcasting a signal from motherfucking space. Desperation swelled, stinging her eyes with tears. Pain exploded throughout her body, vanishing moments later only to be replaced with yet another punishing strike.
“You’re nothing special, bitch. We’ll show you just how little you are.”
The sound of pants unfastening made bile burn her throat.
She closed her eyes. She wasn’t going to watch this. She wouldn’t give them the satisfaction of weeping.
Darkness rose to her mind, gently pulling her into its embrace.
ORICUS
In his chambers he shucked off his suit jacket, tossing it onto the back of his chair before sinking into it. With one hand he grabbed the crystalline bottle of liquor from his desk and with the other, he swiped a hand over the vacant mirror. It shimmered before his captive’s room came into focus.
Empty.
He paused with the bottle inches from his lips. With a flick of his wrist he moved the focus through the halls. Some were bare; others showed the occasional servant carrying out their duties.
Oricus rose, setting the bottle down and snatching the mirror from his table. “Show me the girl.”
The image that unfolded turned his blood to ice.
He was out of his chambers, racing down the steps in an instant. For over a month he’d suppressed the emotions that usually assaulted him from the bond. Now, however, he pushed his awareness down it.
His stomach turned violently.
Pain. It pummeled him like a freight train.
Her fear sliced through him next, making his chest physically ache. A growl vibrated in his chest. His feet carried him faster, blurring his surroundings.
He let the bond guide him. She was still so far away.
It took everything within him not to smash through the walls to get to her.
As if his own fear triggered another rush of emotion from her, he felt her terror fade into something darker: acceptance.
A sensation he knew. His body pushed him harder. If he didn’t get to her in the next two seconds, he’d give in and tear through every bit of stone that stood in his way.
At last a slice of sunlight cut through the hall, revealing an open door.
Strike one.
The scent of her blood coated the outside air.
Strike two.
Eight trusted members of his clan hunched over a figure on the path. His vision edged with red. Their fists struck her, and to her credit, not a single whimper escaped.
Was she breathing?
Finley fumbled with his nasty-ass cock while the others pinned her down, fondling her.
Strike three.
The beast took over, raging in a haze of crimson. His roar shook the ground and in unison, all of their faces snapped to him, draining of color.
&
nbsp; Mine.
My mate.
Kill them.
Two scrambled back, transforming like they might challenge him. The beast chuckled right before snapping their necks in quick succession.
Too quickly.
They were like him, unable to die. Even while he shredded their bodies, his maw coated in gore and his claws flinging entrails all over the neatly manicured grass, he envisioned what he’d do to them when they regenerated.
A second beast roared, and Oricus swiveled his head to find Rasimus barreling toward them.
What happened? Rasimus’s voice boomed in his mind. Oricus snarled at the fierceness of it.
His body moved to block Harlow from his brother’s view.
The answering growl was pure menacing challenge.
Move, Rasimus ordered.
She’s mine, Oricus roared.
The grizzly black beast’s head reared back. She’s mine too, don’t forget. What happened?
I think even you can piece together what happened.
A deep, rumbling vibration echoed in Rasimus’s chest. In the space of a breath his form shrunk, leaving him a naked man. He tried to get around Oricus.
He snapped his jaws in warning.
“Careful, Oricus, someone might think you’re starting to care for her.”
Rasimus’s words were a slap of reality.
She wasn’t his mate. Slevana was his mate. She’s dead.
Harlow was revenge. A chess piece. A weapon. Nothing more. But assuring himself of that fact did nothing to ease the wild protectiveness he felt. The wrath brewing for those that hurt her.
He moved aside, letting Rasimus scoop Harlow’s bloodied form into his arms. Her face was mottled with bruises, her clothing torn, revealing every inch of her pale, delicate skin.
An ache shot through Oricus, tempered by her pained whimper.
Not your mate, he reminded himself.
“Don’t touch me,” she said weakly.
Oricus turned away, unwilling to hear the deep, rumbling answer his brother gave. Shaking the blood from his fur, he took off at a hard sprint.
Somehow the girl was getting to him. He’d acted exactly as a mated male would. Not as one who truly thought her disposable.
Chained to Darkness Page 9
