Catch

Chapter Four

So far, I’d spent my time with Rurik in the wealthy, touristy areas of Rio. Luckard showed me a different side, one I didn’t care for, haunting in its familiarity. I grew up in similar conditions and spent my adolescence in worse, except all on American soil.

The slum’s roads were narrow with apartment buildings crowding from both sides.

Laundry hung from clothes lines, alleys filled with leaning, makeshift shanties and not a soul visible. I could sense their eyes, though, watching us in the dark.

Luckard dropped me onto my feet and I wobbled on the broken heel of my shoe. He grabbed my arm. “Stay close.”

“Wait, don’t pull just yet.” I kicked off the shoes so I could keep up with his pace then wrapped Joao’s cell phone in my hand. The asphalt poked at my soles. “What do you want with m-me?” I tried to sound strong and failed miserably.

He glanced at me, keeping silent.

“Did that bastard, Tane, put you up to this?”

“Bastard?” He whispered. At the next intersection, he made a left, guiding me with his grip. “I want the truth.”

“Ask me, I’ll tell you what you want. I don’t have secrets.”

“Then why block me from your mind?”

I swallowed. Discussing mind rape with Luckard, when I didn’t even talk about it with Rurik, made me want to crawl into a deep hole. “Someone forced his way in my head and hurt me. I don’t let anyone inside.” I blinked away angry tears. “Not anymore.”

At the thought of Rurik, my blood lust roused. Damn it, I just drank a few hours ago.

Exhaustion burned my eyes, my soul cringed at Luckard’s touch, and now, my fucking hunger took a peek from its hiding place, making it hard to think. Like I didn’t have enough to deal with.

Luckard marched us down the street in silence. He took a right on what I could only call a paved path. It wound between buildings and we passed two allies before he stopped to face me. “Are you blood bound to Tane?”

“Never.” I stepped back as if slapped. “I’m bound to Rurik.”

His dark eyes narrowed as he stared into mine. A muscle ticked in his jaw. “I’ve been told otherwise. I could sense Rurik’s affection for you, but no link to a blood bond.”

“I don’t let anyone in my head.”

“That has nothing to do with it.” He sighed and pulled me farther down the path until we reached a faded, green-chipped door. “If you’re lying, I will find out.” His gaze stayed on the door as he spoke and his grip on my arm tightened enough to make me squirm. “If you’re telling me the truth, then I apologize in advance.”

“What—” The cell hidden in my hand rang.

He snatched at the phone and it tumbled from my fingers to the ground. “What have you been doing?”

“Nothing. I hadn’t a chance.”

He stomped on it with crushing force and I heard it snap. The ringing stopped and my salvation died. He yanked the door open. Its dark maw threatened to consume me.

I retreated.

His firm hold on my arm kept me in place and he dragged me through the doorway.

Once inside he closed and locked it.

My eyes adjusted to the thick darkness, but even with my enhanced vision, I could only see his outline. I stumbled when he guided me to ascend some stairs. They creaked with each step and groaned under our combined weight.

At the top, the rough wooden floors scraped my soles. My stomach turned as we neared another door. I swallowed around a hard lump in my throat.

Luckard knocked and it opened, this one guarded from the inside. They closed and locked the door after we passed. What were they hiding here that needed vampire guards?

Maybe something that craved little blondes?

My racing heart bounced in my chest like a trapped hummingbird trying to escape, which made it hard to breathe. The sweat trickling along my hairline clung the curls to my skin, as I drowned in my retained tears swelling in my eyes.

How the hell was I going to get myself out of this?

Inside the studio apartment, a bare light bulb hung from the ceiling. The grimy walls seemed to absorb all the light, leaving the room dim and each bricked up window closed out the world. The guards went to stand at the far side of the room.

In the center stood a naked, bald man. Four thick steel bars pierced his body at different angles. Two going in from his shoulders and out his flanks, the other two went in his back and out his hips. Anchored to the ceiling and the floor, it made a perfect Nosferatu prison.

He lifted his head and my gaze met his black soulless one.

“Tane.” Just when I thought things couldn’t get worse.

“Oh for crying-out-loud, getting Rabbit to yabber at me all night is the most diabolical torture yet, Luckard.” He slurred his words. I’d witnessed this vampire slug back martini after martini and never reflect it. His eyelids drooped closed for a moment as his shoulders sagged. He shifted his feet to support more of his weight and stood taller.

“Nice to see you again, Rabbit. What brings you to Rio?”

“You anal-sucking-zombie-breeder, what do you want with me?” Luckard held me as I tried to step forward. My anger clouded any logical reasoning. I hated this dark creature made into a pincushion.

Tane grinned. “I’m not exactly running the show here, sweet cheeks.” His head rolled on his shoulder before he straightened again. With dilated pupils, he tried to stare at me. What was he on? It had to be strong to keep him from breaking out.

Someone banged on the door with a thunderous knock. I jerked in Luckard’s grip as I jumped.

He pulled me to the side; the other two vampires who helped him jump me and Rurik at the beach sauntered in.

Blondie’s eyes brightened when he saw me. “Good, you caught her.” His darker, more somber companion ignored us and approached a table by the wall.

Quicker than my eyes could track, Luckard struck my admirer. “No thanks to your help.” Luckard towered over him with power oozing from his body.

The blond shuffled away to the corner and held his jaw.

“Al, hand me the dagger.” Luckard outstretched his hand to the darker one by the table and dragged me next to him. Only then did I recognize what sat on the tabletop.

Knives, hooks, whips…

My insides shrank and a shiver shook me as I watched the dagger pass hands. The leaf shaped blade protruded from a plain brown leather hilt and tapered to a sharp gleaming edge.

Luckard rolled it in his hands as he brought it closer to me. “Rabbit is such a pretty name.” The blade flipped over his thumb and the hilt followed, then reappeared to land in his palm again.

He wanted me to watch the knife.

I drew in a deep breath. I’d been holding it without knowing. My throat constricted so I could only whisper. “What do you want? I don’t have secrets.” The blade had my full attention, I didn’t want it coming any closer.

Luckard twisted my wrist already in his grasp and swung his body around to brace my shoulder under his armpit. My hand extended in front of him and trapped behind his back, I couldn’t move my arm in his hold.

The point of the dagger stabbed into the fleshy under-part of my forearm.

My scream vibrated in the room and I beat on his back with my fist as he cut into my skin and parted the flesh toward my elbow.

I struggled and tugged and kicked and punched. His broad back blocked my view and I didn’t know if not seeing made it worse. Blood warmed my hand as it flowed from the wound. He cut deep and it stung to the bone. Screeched words such as help and stop changed to animal noises as he cut closer to the tendons.

He released me and I retreated to the door. I cradled my injured arm to my chest and pressed against the wound to slow the bleeding. It throbbed in time to my racing heartbeat. My gaze slid to the equipment on the table beside Al. They planned to hurt me more. I sobbed once and swallowed the others that threatened to follow.

Luckard never moved. He watched Tane, who grinned at all of us.

“Eric lied to you. I felt none of her pain.” Tane retorted.

How was Tane’s lover involved in this? I’d met him twice. Reserved and cold, with death in his eyes, Eric was far from cute and cuddly, but they were meant for each other.

He told Luckard about a possible blood bond between me and Tane? Why? Then I remembered the murderous jealousy Eric showed toward Colby when Tane showed some interest.

“No, I think you’re the one lying. I doubt this sweet little piece of flesh can tolerate much pain.” My assailant glanced at me over his shoulder. “She’s the link I need to break you.”

“Look, she’s not even healing. Any of my blood-bound slaves would be able to repair such a scratch. Why would I let her travel with Rurik if she belonged to me?”

“I don’t know these answers and don’t care.” He stepped closer to my demon. “Let’s see if she can mask the pain as well as you do if we turn the tables around.”

It was all the warning I got.

Luckard shoved the blade hilt deep into Tane’s flank and twisted the blade.

Sharp piercing pain exploded in my side. The world blacked out as I squeezed my eyes shut and fell to the floor. I wanted to make it better, but had no dagger to pull out of my flesh. Only agony existed.

Deep laughter rumbled from Luckard. “They are bound. Chain her up.”

Hands slid under my arms and lifted me. Face first, I was pressed to the wall spread eagle, manacles applied to my ankles and wrists.

“This didn’t work when you tortured Eric,” Tane chewed out. “Why do you think it will work with her?”

“Because she didn’t betray you. I don’t think she even realizes she was bound to you.” Fingers ran over my curls. “Poor thing is going to suffer and without healing abilities she won’t last long, not like Eric.”

I shook my head and threw his hand off my hair. “I’m not bound to him, asshole.”

“Then tell me, Rabbit, how come you feel his pain?”

“He’s projecting it on me. Using his powers to fake it.” I tugged on the manacle. The hand with blood slid a little out but not enough to escape.

“For what reason.”

“He hates me. Probably snickering right now while he watches.”

I heard Luckard turn. “How did you bind her without her knowledge?”

“We are not bound!” I pronounced each word loud and clear.

“Al, stab him again.”

The pain jabbed into my left thigh. A cry welled up in my chest. I bit my lip to keep it inside. The salty, warm taste of my blood triggered my hunger beast to awaken more.

Searing pain coursed up my leg to my spine. Was it true? Were we bound?

“How interesting,” Luckard whispered in my ear. “You’re trying to hide it. Whatever he did to place you in such denial will pale in comparison to what I’m about to do.”

“Can I have her before you start, master?” Blondie asked.

“No.”

“She’ll be nothing but pulp once you’re done. Just like the other one.”

“No, not yet.” A hand trailed along the skin of my bare back. “It is a shame to mar such soft skin.”

I closed my eyes. Things were bad. I’d survived terrible things before, nothing of this caliber, though. Think, think, think. Trapped in chains with a room full of vampires. My only hope left behind in some alley.

Rurik.

If we were linked, he should hear my mental call. With effort, I tried to let down my mental shields. The walls were slow to crumble, each stone stubborn to disappear, but with a push and a shove it cleared away. I cried out to him and listened for a response, but heard nothing, so I tried again.

A stinging bite broke my concentration. It started between my shoulder blades and the burn fanned out. Shock made me shout in surprise.

With another clack, someone struck me again.

I glanced over my shoulder.

Luckard welded a short length whip. “Who is the source of your drug, Tane?” He clacked it to snap at the untouched part of my lower back.

Things tumbled together in my brain. The damn drug. We’d used it on Dragos to kill him in Budapest over a year ago. It was the only thing I knew of that affected vampire abilities, made them slower, weaker, unable to use their mental skills.

I groaned—from both pain and the dazed expression on Tane’s face. They’d given him his own drug. That’s how they imprisoned him.

Tane remained silent.

I tensed, my muscles quivered and the lash fell again, picking another untouched part. Tears spilled from eyes unchecked. I leaned my forehead on the cool wall. Dear God, help me.

“This is boring. Pass me the cat-o-nine-tales.”

Nine? Oh shit. “Why-why are you hurting me? He doesn’t care about me.” My voice broke and cracked from the abuse of my screams.

“Each lash you get he feels too. I sense something there as well, I think he does care.

You might try to hide it, Tane, but eventually your mind will crumble and I will know all.”

The first touch of the cat-o-nine-tales bit deep. Blinding, white-hot torment flashed through me as little metal barbs snagged my skin. My flesh ruptured more than cut. I arched my back and couldn’t breathe.

“Where do you get the drug?”

My knees gave out and I hung from the chains. “Tell him, Tane, please tell him.”

“She’s right, I don’t care. If I didn’t speak when you tortured Eric then I won’t now.”

“But you kept this one a secret. Suit yourself.”

They tortured Eric, Tane’s lover, to get this information. I didn’t stand a chance. The next lashes made me cry out and I didn’t have any strength left. I could only hope they ended it soon. Blood dripped from my back and made a sticky puddle at my feet. My only consolation was that the dead felt no pain.

I closed my eyes as the next lash whistled through the air to strike. The lack of contact snapped them open. A jungle towered in front of me and I kneeled on a beach. I blinked, unable to comprehend what just happened. The night sky spread full of stars and gentle waves crashed behind me. I twisted around to gaze at the dark ocean.

My wrists and ankles freed, the pain gone and no vampires. Where the hell was I?

Maybe I died—

Tane stepped out of the foliage and approached me.

—and gone straight to hell.

He sat in the sand and faced me. “I’m shielding you.”

“What?”

“Are you deaf? Did he damage your ears?” He raised a brow.

“What the hell is going on?” I jumped him and pinned his shoulders to the sand.

“You let them torture me.” I pounded my fists on his chest. All my hatred poured out.

He’d used me in Budapest and now he did the same here. In his eyes, I was worth nothing.

He lay in the sand and watched. Never once did he try to stop me.

I straddled him and panted. Tears poured from my eyes in hot streams. With my hands, I swiped them from my cheeks and glared at him. The straps from my dress had slid from my shoulders during my tantrum to bare more cleavage than I cared for. I tugged them up.

His gaze followed my actions. “Are you done?”

I nodded.

“Get off then.” He twisted his hips and dumped me on the sand before sitting cross-legged. “I sensed you give up. Rurik would never forgive me if I let you die.”

“I’m not dead?” The sand felt so soft and silky. Emptiness claimed the spot where I’d housed my rage. I didn’t want to move. He was right, with nothing left inside to use in a fight, I gave up.

“Don’t be so dramatic. Of course not, I brought you into my head. The pain can’t reach you. You can hide here until it’s finished.”

“Then he’s still lashing me.”

“Yes, until he realizes you’re unconscious. They’ll wait for you to heal and start again.”

“I’m not healing. I need to feed from Rurik.”

He pursed his lips then gave me a small smile. “You really still believe you’re bound to him? After everything Luckard proved with sensing each other’s pain, and the fact I could draw you into my head?”

I blinked. Where Rurik was sexy, kind hearted, and thoughtful, Tane was virile, ruthless, and brilliant. My mind understood what I’d witnessed and felt with my body, but my heart wouldn’t listen. Not yet.

I broke contact with his stare. “They did this with Eric too?”

He sighed. “Yes.”

“He’s dead.”

“Yes.” He stared out at the ocean.

“I’m sorry.” Eric seemed like the only person Tane cared about when I met him in Budapest.

“I’m not. He betrayed me.”

I sighed. “I’m still sorry.”

Silence hung over us as he watched the waves and I watched him. The moonlight glinted off his bald head. A set of full lips softened the strong jaw line that made him look hard. His ears tapered to delicate points and curled along his scalp and he wore a golden loop in one.

“Thank you.” He broke the silence with his whisper.

“I don’t want to die.”

“You won’t, Rabbit.”

“Don’t call me that.” It came out automatically. “Even if you tell them what they want, they’ll kill both of us.”

He rolled his eyes and grinned. “I wouldn’t place such a dangerous weapon as my drug in the hands of incompetence. I’ve sent a mental message to my warriors. They’re coming for us.”

I sat bolt upright. “You can do that? Why let them hurt me and place those bars through your body?”

“It’s a rouse. Luckard is too bloodthirsty and stupid to have conceived this plan on his own. Someone else is helping. I need to find out who.” He brushed my hair from my forehead with his hand. “You’re too full of questions I can’t answer. Go to sleep now, Rabbit.”