After another few miles, the road suddenly dead-ended in front of an old brick building that looked as if it had crawled out of the pages of a horror novel. As he gazed at the bars covering the windows—some of which were broken—the arched front door, and the austere, uninviting brick exterior, he suspected this place was once an asylum. To the left of him, an SUV and pickup truck were parked, but he didn’t see anyone inside them or walking around the building.
“What is this place?” Simone whispered; something about it gave her chills.
She leaned forward and craned her head to take in all three floors of the structure. The vines climbing up the side of the building were ivy, but though the plant should be green and flourishing this time of year, its thick brown vines were bare of any leaves and peeling off the bricks. The only thing thriving here was the dense underbrush crowding the structure and probably the rats.
When the front door opened, Ronan stepped out and climbed down the three wooden steps that looked as if they’d been newly erected; Nathan followed him. Simone’s heart leapt when she spotted Nathan. She’d never been in love with him, she didn’t want to return to her past, but he was a familiar, comforting face.
When Kadence elbowed her way past her brother to stand beside Ronan, Simone almost threw her door open and plunged into the night to hug her, but she held herself back. Simone didn’t know what they planned for Killean or her, and until she knew they would both be safe, she had to be careful.
She glanced over at Killean when he rested his hand on her knee. “Let’s get this over with,” he said.
Simone nodded, and Killean turned his attention back to the group standing at the bottom of the steps. They wouldn’t jump him or try to kill him; he may not be one of them anymore, but Ronan would give him the benefit of the doubt until he had no reason to. And then, although he wouldn’t like doing it, Ronan would slaughter him if he deemed it necessary.
“Wait for me,” Killean said, and opening his door, he stepped into the night.
Declan exited the building behind the others, but Killean didn’t see Saxon and Lucien anywhere. He suspected they were in the woods, probably with some hunters, watching to make sure he’d come alone. Killean didn’t blame them for their distrust; he would be just as suspicious if one of the other Defenders fell and tried to return.
Killean walked around the car, and opening the door, he held his hand out to Simone. She clasped it and slid from the car to stand beside him with her chin raised and her shoulders back. Nathan and Kadence’s eyebrows rose at this sign of defiance.
Simone stepped closer to Killean as he led her toward the others. She studied the four vampires before glancing at the ominous woods. The hair on her nape rose when she felt eyes following her from the thick shadows. How many were out there watching, waiting for some sign to bring down Killean?
She’d kill anyone who tried. The possessive, murderous impulse didn’t surprise her. Before being captured, she’d never considered taking the life of another, but now she would do whatever it took to protect him. Her fingers entwined with his as they stopped in front of the others.
“Ronan,” Killean greeted.
“Killean.”
A tense silence followed their crisp greeting until Simone wanted to scream to break it.
“I’d get a refund on your new cologne if I were you, Killean,” Declan said, and everyone shot him a look. “Too soon?” When they all continued to glare at him, Declan shrugged before pulling a lollipop out of his pocket; he unwrapped it and stuck it in his mouth. “Tough crowd tonight.”
“Are you okay, Simone?” Kadence asked.
Simone smiled at her. “Yes. I really am.”
Kadence stared at her before glancing nervously at Killean.
“Did anyone follow you here?” Ronan asked.
“Not that I’m aware of,” Killean replied. “I think we successfully lost Joseph and that thing in Vermont.”
Ronan’s gaze went beyond him to the road. “Then let’s discuss this inside.”
Inwardly, Simone cringed at the idea of entering the building, but she followed Killean as Declan turned and strolled inside. Ronan, Kadence, and Nathan hung back until they passed and fell into step behind them. Simone glanced back at them; she didn’t like having them behind Killean, but Killean never looked back.
It’s okay, Killean whispered into her mind and squeezed her hand. If they wanted me dead, I would be already.
That didn't overly reassure her, but he was right. Simone turned her attention away from the three behind them as they stepped inside. Her mouth almost dropped when they stepped into the elegant foyer. She glanced behind her to make sure the outside world remained the same and she hadn’t stepped through some cupboard leading to a magical world.
The overgrown outside remained the same, but it definitely didn’t match the white marble floors and wide stairs leading to the second floor. A flashlight set on the newel with its beam pointed at the ceiling illuminated the polished oak railing of the stairs.
“What is this place?” she asked as she examined the exposed wires dangling from the ceiling.
“It was an asylum,” Ronan answered as he clasped Kadence’s hand and pulled her against his side while Nathan closed the door. “Now it’s a barely started project of mine. This way,” Ronan said and led them into another room.
The room they entered was stripped down to the beams in the walls, and the plywood floor thudded beneath their feet as they walked toward the table and chairs in the middle of the room. Another flashlight sat on the table with its beam pointed toward more wires hanging from the beamed ceiling.
Ronan pulled out a chair for Kadence to sit, and Killean did the same for her. Simone hesitated before sliding onto the chair while the men remained standing.
“Where are Saxon and Lucien?” Killean inquired.
“They’ll be here soon,” Ronan said.
Killean rested his hands on the back of Simone’s chair. He wouldn’t sit until Declan did, but Declan had wandered over to gaze out one of the barred windows. From the other room, the front door creaked open, and footsteps thudded across the foyer. Lucien and Saxon glided into the room with two hunters Killean recognized as Logan and Asher.
When she saw them, Simone started to rise, but Killean rested his hands on her shoulders to keep her in place. Her uneasiness rippled across their bond as she eyed the hunters like she might take them out herself. Killean was less than thrilled to be in a room with so many hunters; he may have taken one as his mate, and he understood the necessity of the Alliance, but he still didn’t trust them.
Lucien’s sandy blond hair stood on end as if he’d been running his hands through it, and his eyes were chips of black ice when they scanned Killean; Killean gazed impassively back at him. Out of all the Defenders, Killean knew Lucien would be the least forgiving; it just wasn’t his nature.
Saxon stopped next to Killean and clapped him on the shoulder. His hazel eyes exuded warmth when they met Killean’s. “It’s good to see you,” Saxon said.
“You also,” Killean replied.
Saxon strode over to one of the chairs, pulled it out, sat down, and smiled at everyone. He seemed not to notice the tension in the room as he pulled out another chair and kicked it toward Asher.
“Take a load off,” Saxon said cheerfully.
Asher glanced at Nathan before perching on the chair as if it were Old Sparky. Killean would have laughed at the hunter’s obvious discomfort if hunger wasn’t mounting in his veins. He was becoming increasingly worried he might have made a bad choice by bringing Simone here. He should have put her somewhere safe and come alone, but where would have been safe for her? And being apart from her would have made him more volatile.
She wasn’t like him; he reminded himself. If they killed him, they would hand her a death sentence too, but if they locked him away, they would keep her safe.
CHAPTER 40
Turning away from the window, Declan’s boots thumped across the
floor as he strode over to the table and sat. Pulling the lollipop from his mouth, he removed the wrapper from his pocket and enclosed the end of it. He set the remains on the table and clasped his hands before him.
“Sit,” Ronan said to Lucien.
Lucien shot Killean a suspicious glance, but he settled onto another chair, and Logan sat beside him. Eventually, they all sat.
From across the table, Ronan’s reddish-brown eyes were more red than brown when they met Killean’s. Ronan’s dark brown hair curled at the collar of his shirt as he sat back in his chair. “Tell us everything from the beginning,” Ronan said.
Killean had already told them most of it, but he did so again. He suspected Ronan wanted to make sure his story remained the same and to see him as he told it. Killean didn’t blame him, but the realization he’d lost Ronan’s trust weighed heavily on his shoulders. He would earn it back.
However, he didn’t fault anyone for distrusting him when he wasn’t sure of himself anymore. Although Simone maintained a resolute trust in him that was both humbling and empowering. He wouldn’t break her faith in him no matter how appealing sinking into the pits of blood and death continued to be.
A couple of times, the others interrupted him to ask questions, most of which he didn’t know the answers to, but for the most part, they remained silent while he spoke.
“Joseph and his cronies most likely found you the first time in Vermont because even if that guy waited to report his truck stolen, they could have gotten into the camp’s database and accessed the vehicle information there. Most camps require the campers to register their vehicles while there,” Declan said.
“Wouldn’t it have taken them a while to pinpoint the truck?” Saxon asked.
“Not if they have someone as talented as me with computers,” Declan replied. “If they don’t, once they discovered the camp, they could have taken control of one of the workers and made them get the info. It doesn’t sound like there was much else along this river…?”
His voice trailed off as he looked questioningly at Killean. “The camp was the first thing we came across other than woods,” Killean answered.
“And one Savage had already found you there, so it was only a matter of time before more of them stumbled across it. They most likely assumed you stole a ride from the camp. Once they had the info about the vehicles registered there, they could search the campsites to discover which ones were missing. Once they discovered the vehicle you took, they locked onto its GPS and, viola, they located you.”
No one spoke for a minute, and then Lucien snorted. “I hate technology.”
“It’s endlessly useful and as endlessly dangerous, it just depends on who’s wielding its power,” Declan said and wiggled his fingers at Lucien who scowled back at him. Declan’s silvery-gray eyes shimmered with amusement, and his auburn hair appeared almost black in the dim light. “Though I’m not sure how they found you in the hotel,” Declan said.
“We put some distance between us and the accident scene, but for all I know that was the only hotel in a hundred mile radius of where they found us the first time,” Killean said.
“Or someone working for Joseph could have spotted and reported you,” Saxon said. “We have no idea how many humans and vampires he has working for him.”
“That too,” Killean said.
“What about the car you drove here?” Nathan asked. “Will they be able to figure out you stole it and track it?”
“The newest things in that car are its crank windows,” Killean replied. “I made sure of it.”
“Good,” Ronan said.
“How many people did you have to kill for Joseph to accept you?” Lucien inquired with open hostility.
Killean’s head turned toward him, and their gazes locked. Under the table, Simone rested her hand on his knee and squeezed it as she glowered at Lucien.
“Ten of the worst humans I could find. They were rapists, child molesters, drug dealers, and so on,” Killean said.
“How restrained of you in your role as God,” Lucien drawled.
An uneasy silence descended over the room, and then Killean gave Lucien a smile that could have frozen fire. “I’d kill a hundred more of them to set her free again. Perhaps, one day, you’ll understand why.”
“And have you stopped killing?” Declan asked.
“Yes,” Killean said and tore his eyes away from Lucien to focus on Declan.
“And you plan not to murder humans anymore?” Nathan asked.
Killean tried not to feel annoyed as he met the blue eyes of the hunter leader. Not so long ago, the only ones with any right to question him and his actions were the Defenders, but things were different now, and these hunters hadn’t slaughtered his family.
Despite his relationship with Simone, he had to remind himself of this. Times were changing, but he still wasn’t ready to completely trust these hunters. It would come in time, but old habits died hard.
“I have no intention of killing humans anymore,” he answered. “I will continue to kill vampires.”
“So you haven’t had any problems since you stopped killing?” Logan’s pine green eyes were doubtful as he asked this question.
“I didn’t say that,” Killean replied. “Not killing has been difficult at times.”
“But you believe you can keep yourself under control?” Nathan inquired.
Simone’s fingers tightened on his leg, and when she leaned closer to him, she drew the eyes of everyone at the table. Killean rested his hand possessively in the small of her back.
“Yes, I do,” he said firmly, and they all looked from Simone to him. Bracing himself for what he would reveal next, he held Ronan’s gaze as he spoke. “There’s something you should know about Savages. I believe it’s not only bloodlust that drives some of them to continue killing after they start.”
“What else then?” Ronan inquired.
“Hallucinations,” Killean said and told them about the ones he’d experienced. “If I feed daily, I can keep them at bay, and my bond to Simone helps keep me grounded, but most vampires don’t have a mate to help them. If all Savages experience the same kind of hallucinations when they try to stop killing, it could explain why those who would never choose to be killers eventually turn into a Savage.
“Joseph said some of the hunters take longer to fall in line and have to be starved and allowed to kill more than once before they break. However, it could be the hallucinations that break them and not the bloodlust. I suspect if I gave in and started killing again, the hallucinations would stop.”
No one spoke as they absorbed his words with incredulous looks.
“Those poor bastards,” Asher finally said.
“It was horrible in there; you have no idea,” Simone said. “The torture, the humiliation, the terror…”
Her voice trailed off as her fingers bit into his knee.
“I’m glad you’re with us,” Kadence said. Her silvery blonde hair fell forward to brush against the table as her azure eyes shimmered with tears. “At least one of you was saved.”
Simone smiled at her, grateful to have Kadence’s support in this room filled with antagonistic men. She didn’t get any outright hostile vibes from them—well, maybe Lucien—but she also didn’t feel overly welcome.
“If we can find them, maybe we can save some of the others who were taken,” Nathan said.
“By now those hunters have killed more than I did, and they don’t have a mate to pull them back from the madness. I only see blood on my hands that won’t come off; what they see could be a hundred times worse. Saving them is worth a try if they can be located, but there might not be anything left to save,” Killean said. “But I don’t think they can be located.”
“Maybe not, but Joseph will turn them loose one day, and if we can capture some of them, we can try to save them,” Nathan replied.
“We’ll deal with that if and when the time comes.” Ronan leaned forward and pinned Killean with his unrelenting stare. “Why didn
’t you come to me before taking this course of action to find her?”
“Because you would have tried to stop me,” Killean said. “And I couldn’t have that. There was no other way to find her. We were there, and we still have no idea where Joseph’s hiding place is. You would have done the same for Kadence.”
Ronan couldn’t argue that, and Killean knew it. There wasn’t anything Ronan wouldn’t do to save his mate.
“I believe what you’re saying, but you have to know I can’t let you live with the hunters and us,” Ronan said. “There are children and others who aren’t trained in fighting with us. I can’t put their lives at risk should you falter.”
“I understand,” Killean said. He’d expected as much.
Anger and sadness rose in Simone as she gazed back and forth between Killean and Ronan. Killean tried to hide it, but through their connection she felt his twinge of distress. “That’s not fair!” she blurted.
“Simone—”
“No!” she interrupted Killean before facing Ronan. “He sacrificed himself and everything that meant so much to him to rescue me! If not for Killean, I’d probably be one of those things by now. You have no idea what it was like in there or what they did to us. It could have gotten so much worse for me, but Killean came for me. You can’t punish him for that!”
Nathan and Kadence sat with their jaws hanging open while Logan and Asher looked as if she’d spoken some alien language they couldn’t begin to comprehend. They’d expected her to come back as a docile vampire, but she would never be docile again.
Ronan’s eyebrows were in his hairline, but the corner of his mouth quirked in amusement, which only annoyed her more. He could kill her before she rose from this table, and she doubted many who dared defy him survived, but she didn’t care. Killean deserved better than this. The other vampires looked either amused or as if she were a bug stuck to the bottom of their shoe.
“I knew the consequences when I left, Simone,” Killean said. “It’s not a punishment; it’s the way things must be.”
Bound by Darkness (The Alliance, Book 3) Page 25
