Authors: CT Nicholson
Elle glanced down a
nd realized she’d been scrubbing the same spot over and over. “How long have you been there?”
Tossing the sponge down, Elle pulled
off her gloves and washed her hands.
“
Long enough. Maybe he’ll come around. You need to quit thinking about him.” Anya sounded more mature than ever.
Turning vampire may have been a good thing for her.
Maybe.
“
I just need to keep myself distracted.” She sprayed the mirror with Windex and began wiping the glass with paper towels. Windows and mirrors didn’t really clean well for her. Streaks started to form across the mirror within seconds of finishing.
“
Someone’s here to see you.”
Elle jerked her attention
back to Anya. Her heart raced with excitement and she even had a small smile across her lips. When Princess came galloping through the bathroom door, Elle couldn’t help her disappointment that her visitor wasn't Aiden.
Thoughts of him faded slightly when Princess came to a halt
and started growling at her. Elle’s mouth dropped as her dog growled at her for the first time. Trying to make Princess feel less threatened, Elle dropped down on her knees and let Princess sniff her hand.
“
Most dogs don’t like vampires. Maybe they sense the predator in us.” Nicolas stood outside the door, arms crossed over his chest, his legs steady as if he was ready for a fight.
“
She’ll have to get over it.” At first Princess stayed resistant but after only a few seconds of sniffing, she pounced on Elle. The small dog knocked her off balance and she laughed when Nicolas moved in to save the day.
“
She’s okay.” She laughed for the first time since coming home. “Thank you, Princess. I needed that.”
The sound of Nicolas’s phone echoed around the small bathroom. She rolled her eyes.
Someone else checking in but not Aiden. Apparently he really didn’t care. Not once did he call and check on her.
“
I can’t believe you call that music. You can’t understand any of those screaming words.” Anya hated Nicolas’ ringtone and spoke up every time his phone rang.
Nicolas ignored her.
“Yeah,” he spoke into the phone and moved down the hall.
Elle strained to hear and her shoulder's dropped when Ethan spoke.
“Aiden’s gone. We can’t find him anywhere. There’s only one person who could have him right now.”
Jumping to her feet, she wacked her head onto the open cabinet above the sink.
How did that get opened?
“
Sorry, I was looking at what you had in there. You should really spring for a little bit better soap for your guests.” Anya picked up the bar soap from the shelf.
Not caring one damn bit about what soap she had, Elle moved into the hall so she could hear
a bit better.
Nicolas ran his hand over his
shaved head.
“
What do you mean he’s missing? How long? Wasn’t he with the others?” Nicolas gripped the phone tight, his knuckles turning white.
She hoped he didn’t crush the phone.
What if she killed him?
“
Slow down. He’s been missing for a few hours—”
“
Hours! Why am I just hearing about this now, damn it?” Nicolas glanced her way before turning away as if she wouldn’t be able to hear him anymore.
“
We weren’t sure. As for the others, they all went in separate directions. Turns out she sent a few rogues running around with her blood on them. She’s smarter than we thought.” Ethan spoke and Elle could even hear his fingers flying across the keys on his computer.
“
Or you all aren’t as smart as you thought.” Nicolas growled aloud in frustration. “I’m bringing the girls back and I’m going on the hunt as soon as the damn sun goes down.”
“
No. I’m not going back there. If she’s got Aiden she doesn’t give a damn about me. If she even knows I’m alive.” Elle needed a moment to think. Going back to Sanctuary didn’t suit her one bit.
Nicolas glared at her.
“I’ll carry you back if I have to, but I’m not staying around here while my cousin is in danger.”
Anya spoke up.
“You’re not carrying anyone. We’ll be fine.”
With one hand propped on her hip, Anya draped her free arm around Elle’s shoulders and gave Nicolas a daring look.
Thank God for Anya. Elle needed the support and when Anya made her choice, nothing or no one could change her mind.
“
Fuck. I’ll be there after dark.” Nicolas gave them both a pissed look before stomping away.
“
What a baby.” Anya laughed before she started ranting about the soap again.
Two long hours later and Nicolas left them after spending twenty minutes lecturing them about staying
put and not letting anyone in. Not that his rule really mattered. If a rogue wanted in, they’d just bust through the door like last time.
“
What are you thinking about?” Anya sat on the couch with her feet curled under her.
Elle didn't know if Anya would like where her thoughts were going
but she started talking anyway. “I want to help find Aiden. I can't stand the thought of that bitch hurting him.”
Anya's brows rose.
“Why didn't you want to go back with Nicolas?”
“
I needed to know you’d help me. The only way I'll be able to find him is by spying on Ethan. He's our best chance.” She didn't know what she planned to do if she found Luciana and Aiden.
“
Sounds like a plan. I already had a bag packed in case you decided to go back.” Anya ran from the room with her vampire speed and was back in seconds.
Elle grunted when the bag slammed
hard into her hard. “You need to watch your strength.”
“
Sorry. It comes so easily.”
Kneeling, Elle hugged Princess
before she put some food and water in the empty bowls. Once out the door, she took a deep breath.
Since meeting Aiden, her life had been nothing less than adventurous and she truly didn’t care. She hurt knowing she could never have him but she couldn’t stand around
while he got himself killed. . Her heart dropped and her throat tightened. What if he still wanted Luciana?
No.
Elle shook her head and dismissed her crazy thoughts. Aiden may have loved Luciana, but he could never be with someone so cold and evil. Reassuring herself, she slid into the passenger seat of Anya’s car and nodded for her to go.
****
“Why the fuck are you doing this?” Aiden growled as he struggled against the titanium chains. He couldn't move much with his legs chained together and connected to something at the foot of the bed. The bitch chained his arms above his head, giving him no room to maneuver. To top it off, she’d stripped him naked.
“
I loved you Aiden and you turned me into some kind of monster. When my parents realized what I was, they tried to kill me.” She spoke softly as she ran one sharp nail up his calf, and thigh before resting on his flaccid cock. “Hmmm, we need to do something about this.”
“
You just don’t do it for me anymore, babe.” Aiden needed to keep her distracted. He never realized she’d talked to her parents about them. Of course they wouldn’t have taken the news of their baby girl turning into a vampire well. If Luciana had told Aiden the truth, maybe he could've saved her from the hurt and kept her from turning rogue.
She smiled up at him and grabbed him in her hand. When his cock
failed to respond to her touch, her eyes turned to ice and she moved away. “Fine! I’ll just torture you. That’s probably a lot more exciting anyway.”
The house she h
eld him in looked even more run down than the first one where they’d found Elle and Anya. He could tell this house was where the rogues stayed. But not Lucian. Aiden couldn't smell or see any sign that Lucian was ever there. He probably didn’t even know anything about the dump.
“
You lied to our son. He believes I’m the bad guy. Does he even know the difference between vampires and rogues?” His body started to shake with anger as he thought of what she’d done to their Lucian over the years.
“
I never lied! You did this to us. You tried to kill me! When I found out I was pregnant, I knew what I had to do.” She grabbed something and kept it hidden from his view.
Aiden knew
she laid it all on his shoulders. If she needed to torture him then he’d deal with the pain or possibly his own death. He got himself into the situation and he needed to take responsibility. That and find a damn way out of there.
Once again she slid up his calf, but not with her nails. In her hand
this time she held a Bagh Nakh; a tiger claw. “I’ve learned a few tricks over the years and practiced with many weapons but this is my favorite. So many have died with this.”
The cold laughter sounded around him as four sharp claws tore a line up his calf
and thigh. His fangs were already extended and he stiffened under the claw as it came within a millimeter of his cock. Surely she wouldn’t. He shook his head and held back a scream.
Luciana swatted his chest playfully with the same hand. The
Bagh Nakh swiped against his skin leaving four small cuts. Blood beaded on the cuts and slipped down his chest.
“
Oh Aiden, I don’t think I could mess up my favorite part of you.” She clucked her tongue at him as she tapped the claw down his stomach to end right below his belly button. With every tap she caused four more punctures and more blood. “If you don’t show me some kind of reaction down there, I might get angry enough, but for now the rest of your body is mine.”
One large swipe across his stomach seared him and his scream broke through his control and echoed
throughout the room. The pain was excruciating but he tried to stay awake.
“
How're you still awake? I thought you’d pass out within minutes.” She rubbed her hands together in anticipation. “This may be better than I realized. You’re the first torture who lasted this long and you’re the main prize. Well, I would've liked some more time with your weak human girl but she’s dead now.”
Aiden hid his relief as he realized
Luciana didn’t know the truth. The truth that Elle was alive and safe inside Sanctuary. With every swipe he endured, all Aiden cared about was knowing Elle would be safe from Luciana.
Maybe he should
've been there when she woke and told her how he really felt. But seeing her eyes darken under his touch. The taste of her still lingered and he’d take the little piece of heaven Elle gave him to his grave. His days came to an end and seeing Elle again would be a dream come true.
Now he
'd die at the hands of Luciana but if he did, he prayed the others took her out fast and easy. He wanted no more casualties because of him.
Agonizing pain tore him away from his thoughts of Elle
as Luciana slammed her fist into his thigh, causing the sharpened claw to stab deep. The pain felt like the claw went completely through his leg. He could feel his muscles, veins, and tendons ripping and breaking with every torturing twist of her hand.
“
Maybe you’ll come back to reality and listen to what I was saying.” The wicked gleam lighting Luciana’s eyes showed she enjoyed her display of authority. “Nicolas will be fun, too. After all, he was the one who came to kill me.”
Chapter
Twenty-Five
Nicolas paced the floor waiting for night to take over and release him from what lately had felt like a prison. Thinking about Anya and Elle without his protection pissed him off. He didn’t understand why they wouldn’t come with him to Sanctuary.
“
Stubborn females.” Thinking Anya ditched him at the club confused him and finding out she’d actually been kidnapped didn’t help. He tried to get close to her but any time he touched her, she’d move away. She confused the hell out of him and with Aiden missing, he didn’t need that kind of problem weighing on him.
“
Nicolas?” Julian trudged toward him with his mouth set in a grim line. “You should be resting until time to leave.”
“
Yea, just like you?” Once again, Nicolas spoke without thinking ahead. His proof showed as Julian’s white brows lifted when his eyes widened with shock.
“
It still eludes me why I’m still shocked by the things you say. You’ve always been one to speak your mind.” Julian laughed as he smacked him on the back. “Go get something to eat at least.”
Nicolas shook his head in confusion.
“Why've you been so happy lately?” When he looked up at Julian for his answer, Nicolas saw something cross Julian’s face before Julian smiled.
The sadness Nicolas saw made him regret opening his mouth more than any other time he said something stupid.
Averting his gaze, Nicolas started to leave. “I think I’ll head to get some food like you said.”