Provoked

CHAPTER 23

Amber snuffled back a frightened sob, her face cradled in Kane’s chest. Man, musk, and smoke filled her senses. He stood several steps below her, and she was still shorter.

Her mind reeled. For an instant, she’d hurt that demon. With her brain. Then the other guy had retaliated and pretty much shut her down. While she wanted to be one of those tough warrior women from a romance novel, she wasn’t. She didn’t want to fight in a war.

Talen stood on the bottom step after having planted the charges. “Fire in the hole,” he muttered.

The explosion rocked the underground area. Shards of rock and a piece of rebar slammed down. Kane tucked Amber closer, shielding her from the debris.

He was always putting himself between her and danger.

The dust settled. She lifted her head and wrinkled her nose at the burning air. Even in the midst of hell, the vampire protected her in a way that made her feel safe. “If I didn’t know better, I’d think you actually liked me.”

His eyes darkened, and he brushed dirt off her shoulder. “I do like you. Probably too much.”

Was there any such thing as “too much”? She doubted it. Her vision wavered. Darn mind attacks. She had to get that under control.

Talen shouted, “I need help with the door.”

Kane grabbed her hand. “Stay behind me while we get Jase.”

She clutched his hand as they hurried back down the steps. Talen bent at the knees and pressed one shoulder to the steel door, which hung drunkenly from one corner.

The sounds of battle continued aboveground.

Kane studied the situation for a moment and then released her. “Get ready to shove,” he said right as he kicked the door square in the center.

Talen shoved.

The door shot open.

Talen threw the metal against a side wall. His loud exhale filled the sudden silence.

Amber peered around Kane. Two men and one woman sat on the dirty floor wearing filthy and ripped clothing. Bruises covered their exposed flesh. They were emaciated, their eyes darker than black.

Neither Talen nor Kane moved.

“Um, is Jase here?” Amber asked.

“No. Jase isn’t here.” Kane reached for his gun and nodded at Talen. “Make the call.”

Talen glanced at Amber and back at Kane. “You sure?”

“Make it.” Kane kept his gaze on the prisoners.

Talen grabbed his phone and texted something. “It’s done.”

Kane stepped toward the trio. “Jase isn’t here. Who are you?”

The nearest man shoved to his feet and then swayed. Long, matted blond hair reached his shoulders. Knife wounds dotted his torso. “Ivan Newtrovsky, vampire.” He nodded to the other prisoners and leaned against the wall. “Geo Meloni, vampire, and Sally Rhine, wolf shifter. We were having a nice drink together in Prague six months ago when the demons took us.”

Kane kept his gun pointed at the floor. “Why were there only two demons guarding the door?”

Geo pushed to his feet. “They brought us here yesterday. More forces are supposed to arrive today.”

A buzz sounded from Kane’s pocket. He grabbed his phone and answered it. Listening for a few minutes, he finally nodded and hung up. “That was Dage. They’ve tracked eight helicopters and several trucks heading this way.”

Sally allowed Geo to help her up, fear widening her eyes. A cut above her left eye bled profusely. The shifter had that shell-shocked look of most victims. “They’re coming. We have to go. Please.”

The desperation in her tone had Amber’s stomach lurching. Fear weakened her knees until she wanted to run. “Let’s go.”

“Not yet.” Kane eyed the ceiling, nodding toward the far corner. “I hear a slight hum. We’re being recorded.”

Talen pointed toward the far wall. “Speaker. They must’ve played recordings of Jase earlier either to mess with us or to trap Dage. It worked, but they must not have known Dage could teleport.” Talen’s face held no expression, but his voice rumbled with rage.

Kane shook his head. “No. Dage would’ve been a nice surprise. They wanted to trap a demon destroyer, or at least record one in action.”

Sally tried to rush forward, but her legs gave out on her. Geo grabbed her arm to keep her from falling. She shook her head, blood spraying from the deep cut to hit the walls. “Please. We need to go.”

Talen tucked his gun away, grabbing a picture from his pocket. “Have you seen my brother?”

The three prisoners all looked and then shook their heads.

Talen sighed. “I didn’t think so.” He eyed the injured trio. “We can send them to the Realm hospital up north.”

Kane shook his head. “No. They go to the hospital in Minnesota.”

Geo frowned. “Everyone knows about that place. The Realm hospital, wherever the secret location, is better. We’ve been tortured for six months. At least send Sally for treatment.”

Sorrow rushed through Amber at the plea. “Kane, please . . .”

He glanced down, his face cold. “They go to Minnesota.”

A chill swept down Amber’s spine. He had no mercy . . . none. “Why?”

“Because that’s what I’ve decided,” he said grimly. Grabbing her arm, he pulled her toward the steps. “Talen, get those three secured on a helicopter heading for Minnesota.”

His hold was unbreakable, his face unreadable, and his heart untouchable.

His arms strung to the ceiling, his bare feet scraping the floor, Jase faced his attacker, a low buzzing filling his skull. For a couple of hours he’d counted strikes, and then he’d lost count. So he had started over.

Suri wiped blood off his hands, sighing at the red stains coating his dark uniform. He’d even gotten blood in his silver hair this time, and the red goo covered his two guards. Of course, they’d taken plenty of shots at Jase with poles.

Suri shook his head. “Well, your brothers sure as hell fell into my trap in Arizona, now, didn’t they?”

The demon leader had showed Jase the video of the Kayrs brothers infiltrating the demon compound. Seeing his brothers had brought a sharp ache to Jase’s chest. “Yet they got away.”

“Yes, they did. With prisoners of mine who’ll do anything I want.”

The demon leader thought he was an expert at brainwashing. Jase forced a chuckle. “My brothers are smarter than you.”

“Maybe. But it was also interesting to see the destroyer in action. Her skills are, well, subpar.” Suri wiped more blood off his chin.

She didn’t seem nearly as talented as Jase had expected. Of course, gifts often manifested themselves in odd ways. The woman would learn to use hers. More interesting was the way Kane seemed to shield her, as if he actually had feelings for the woman. Had stoic Kane finally fallen?

Suri stretched his neck. “Those three were relatively easy to break—I did so enjoy myself with them. Of course, you’ve been much more of a challenge. I have to admit, I figured you’d be broken by now.”

Jase smiled and hiccupped back a laugh. “That’s a lame goal, asshole.”

Suri flashed fangs. “Think so? I know the king rather well—if I send you back broken, he’ll never forgive himself. Never forget what going to war with me cost him.”

The feeling had completely deserted Jase’s limbs. “Bullshit. This is a game to you—one I’m winning.” Demons couldn’t stand losing, and so far, Suri had failed. Jase blinked blood from his eyes. “Besides, if you know my brother at all, you know he’s going to rip your skin from your body the first chance he gets.”

The whip flew out and caught Jase around the neck, cutting deep. Pain flared inside his throat. He hadn’t seen the whip.

Suri coiled the leather at his side. “Just give in to the pain, Kayrs.” Low, seductive, the soldier’s voice wound past Jase’s ears to his brain. “Give in, and this ends.”

Jase spit out blood. “I trained my entire life to combat you, dumbass.” He’d known Suri’s plan from the beginning. Break Jase, rebuild him, and send him back home as a demon spy. “You really don’t understand family.”

“Family?” Suri roared, his eyes flashing yellow and then back to black. “I know family. And I know my sister met with you—offered herself to you.” Rage mottled his face an ugly red.

“I refused.” The faces in the wall nodded in satisfaction along with Jase. Shit. He was seeing faces in the wall again.

Images of pain and death instantly shot into his mind. He fought back, trying to draw shields into place, when the whip hit him across the face. The images buried deep. Pictures of his family, of sweet Janie, being destroyed by werewolves, being eaten by monsters he’d never imagined.

He groaned low, and then stars exploded behind his eyes. For once, he leapt into oblivion.

Water shot at him, yanking him back to the present. Only one half of his face worked, only one eye could see. He turned his head from the powerful spray so he could breathe. How tempting to stop breathing.

Coughing out water, he felt a rib break. The pain seemed slight compared to the rest.

The water turned off.

Suri rolled his eyes. “Leave him there. I have business and we’ll pick up here in an hour.”

A broad face in the wall stuck out its tongue at the demon leader.

Jase chortled.

“I think he’s half-crazy,” one guard whispered to the other as they followed Suri.

“You’re half-right,” Jase muttered and then laughed. The face in the rock laughed with him. “I guess we’ll just hang out here.” He laughed harder, tears running down his face as his ribs protested.

His skin chilled and he fought a sneeze. Too much pain in a sneeze.

The door slowly slid open.

His head lolled as he tried to focus on the doorway. “Willa.” Man, she was pretty.

The demon gathered her skirts and stepped through water and blood to get to him. A sharp blade glinted in her hand.

Finally. Jase turned to face her fully—exposing his chest. If she hit his heart, he’d bleed out eventually. It’d be better if she took his head off, but she was probably too small. Then he took a deep breath, waiting.

Her black eyes were wide, and her pale hand shook. Stretching up on her tiptoes, she slashed the knife through the ropes holding him upright.

He crashed down.

“Hold on,” she groaned, her arms encircling him as she helped him to the ground. She smelled like spiced oranges, and his stomach growled. They hit with a thump. She shook her head. “You got blood all over me.”

“Sorry,” he slurred.

She reached into her pocket for a large coffee mug. “Here’s a fresh dose.” Gently, she put the cup to his lips.

The scent of fresh, female blood had his fangs shooting down. Opening his mouth, he drank deeply until the mug was emptied. For the past few days, every time he’d been alone, somebody had secretly delivered him fresh blood. Nourishment from a different female each time. Willa was paying a fortune to buy him blood. “Why are you helping me?”

She shrugged. “Maybe I’m a nice person. Maybe I think you’ll help me get away from my psychotic brother.”

Yeah, Suri was a freaking nut job. “I’ll help you.”

Hope filled her porcelain face. “You’ll mate me?”

His retina began to repair itself, and his ribs clicked back into alignment. “We don’t need to mate. I can save you.” The face in the wall snorted. Actually snorted.

Willa sighed. “You can’t even save yourself.”

The rock face nodded in agreement.

“What do you know?” Jase growled at the rock.

Willa stiffened and then glanced around the room. “Who are you talking to?”

“Nobody. You need to go—if he catches you in here. . .” Jase ripped the rope bindings into small pieces so Suri wouldn’t know a knife had been used. Even so, Jase slipped the knife out of Willa’s pocket. He’d get free, and then he’d get her free.

She nodded. “Okay. But we’re going to have to move soon—he’s sending me away in a week.”

“We will.”

As the demon slipped out of the room, Jase pocketed the knife. It was time—do or die.