Destiny Forgiven (Shadows of Destiny) (13 page)

_{“Maddox.”}

_{His father. Maddox looked up. Saith’s lips were moving. He could only hear distant mumbles. Numbly, he turned around.}

_{“Maddox.”}

_{He opened the door.}

_“Son!”

_{He stepped into the hallway. When he closed the office door behind him, he knew nothing would ever be the same.}

_{The rebellion is growing stronger. We’re coming for you. Just please, please don’t give up.}

_{Felicity to Maddox in a letter, March 2004}
 

_{Only half her portion of food filled her stomach. Felicity placed the empty plastic cup on the floor where she was kneeling. They didn’t trust her with glass, apparently. Her stomach had shrunk in the last two weeks she’d been there. Maddox must’ve had the eggs, ham, and biscuit sent to her. She wished he was here to eat with her.}

_{Something had scared him off a couple nights ago and she hadn’t seen him since. One of the nicer guards had thrown a pair of cotton pants and shirt in the cell for her so at least she didn’t have to sit bundled under the thin blanket anymore. And she trusted Maddox to keep her safe from the guards. She was getting to him. It was only a matter of time. Telling herself that over and over soothed her, even if it was too hopeful.}

_{Dalton would laugh at her. The real Dalton, not Maddox’s lame attempt to imitate him. They were so different. Dalton was serious and focused. His mind was always ten steps ahead, making sure they were prepared for every possible event. He’d say hope was a childish indulgence. Survival was about skill and resourcefulness.}

_{Dalton would’ve rolled his eyes at Maddox. Before
Maddox was Inkman, he was the quintessential boy-next-door. Goofy, whimsical, hilarious. Women loved him. He was a sweetheart most of the time then sexy as hell when he wanted something. Even as an adolescent he had the predator thing down pat. When he looked at her with that dark lustful gaze, her stomach
thunked
and it was a struggle not to melt on the spot. He still had that going for him – even as Dalton.}

_{She’d definitely never be able to see Dalton the same way, but at least her intestines were still in her body. That was her first thought when she envisioned being tortured. Her stomach cut open and organs splashing out onto the floor as she choked on her own blood. Or maybe she’d watched too many movies.}

_{Her stomach rolled with nausea. Maybe she shouldn’t have eaten so much.}

_{Snap out of it, Felicity. This isn’t
Braveheart
.}

_{No. It was worse.}

_{“You’re lucky, girl,” someone said, startling her.}

_{She turned toward the cell door. The officer that had beaten her after she’d half-shifted peered into her cell. His evil smirk made her shudder. There was something twisted about him – more than any other guard there. More than Inkman.}

_{“You’re lucky the captain says he’s the only one that gets between your legs, slut. There’s a lot of us waiting for him to get tired of you. And we don’t take turns.”}

_{She swallowed hard. He continued to stare as if expecting a response. What did someone say to that?}

_{His voice lowered. “Maybe I won’t wait.” The lock clicked. “You won’t tell, will you?” The door creaked open and he stepped inside.}

_{She thought about scrambling back but there was no point. Where was she going to go? It didn’t matter to him whether he raped her here on the floor or up against the back wall. At least the floor was more comfortable for her.}

_{He knelt down in front of her and leaned in. With the light behind him, a shadow fell over his face, making him look more menacing. “You won’t tell if you want to live.” His breath smelled like alcohol. He reached a hand up and pushed a strand of hair off her shoulder.}

_{Anger bubbled up and loosened her tongue. “Of course I’ll tell, you asshole!”}

_{He flinched back.}

_{“You have more to lose than I do. I’m gonna die in here anyway.” Maybe she’d be raped, maybe she’d die, but she wasn’t going to be anyone’s bitch. She wasn’t going to let this fucker off the hook.}

_{His dark chuckle echoed in the cell, making him sound more menacing. “Yes. But I have some say in
how
you die.”}

_{She looked beyond him, to the open cell door. What were the chances she’d make it if she ran? Slim. But sitting there like a helpless victim wasn’t her style. Using all her strength – which wasn’t much – she punched the guard in the throat then took off. She dodged the hand that shot out to grab her and flew through the cell door.}

_{A body appeared in her path and she barreled into it. Shit. It had been far too easy an escape. A hand clamped down on her shoulder. She looked up.}

_{“Where do you think you’re going, shifter?” Maddox stared down at her. But the words didn’t match the face. His eyes were focused on her – soft and warm. Not cold and hard like Inkman.}

_{He looked at the guard and she followed his gaze. He stood in the center of the cell, seething and clutching his throat. His glare cut her like a knife.}

_{She gulped. If she was ever in the same room as him again, she had no doubt he’d kill her. Or worse.}

_{Maddox nodded at the guard. “I’ll take it from here, Grant.”}

_{Only then did she notice the knife in Maddox’s hand. He held it against her neck in warning then turned her away from Grant.}

_{“Captain,” he called after them.}

_{Maddox stopped and Felicity did too.}

_{He set his cold stare on Maddox. “Hit her once for me.”}

_{Maddox nodded then gave her a little push. Was this Maddox or Inkman? Who would she meet for interrogation today?}

_{At the end of the hallway, he opened the door to the room she’d first met him – well, where she’d first met Inkman. Had it only been a few weeks ago? A spot of blood in the middle of the floor where she’d cracked her head was a cold reminder.}

_{“Sit,” he commanded, nodding to the chair.}

_{Hesitantly, she did. It was probably best to be on good behavior until she knew who she was dealing with.}

_{He watched her for a long time. So long that she started feeling self-conscious.}

_{“You look terrible,” he finally said.}

_{She almost laughed. “Do I? Well, I’ll have to inform my stylist she’s doing a shit job.”}

_{No response. Not even a flicker of a smile. His shoulders drooped and he frowned. “You need to sleep.”}

_{“Yeah, well,” she fumbled with her hands, “hard to sleep hungry, cold, and hurting.”}

_{His lips tightened. “You need to give me something, Felicity.” Desperation leaked in his voice.}

_Felicity?

_{“I can keep them from hurting you again if you just give me
something
.”}

_{She shook her head. “I –”}

_{“Sleep first.” He walked toward her. “You need rest. Then we’ll continue this.”}

_{Silently, he walked her through the maze of the prison then to the familiar back hallway and elevator. Neither spoke until they reached the privacy of his room.}

_{She stood awkwardly in front of the bed. He rocked back on his heels and sighed. “Take those off,” he ordered, motioning to her clothes.}

_{She looked down at the gray scrub-like clothing. “Why?”}

_{“You’re going to sleep in my bed,” he answered as he moved toward it and pulled the covers down. “I don’t want you to get it dirty.”}

_{Before she could make the argument that they were new and pretty clean, he smirked. “Plus it’s
my
bed. I make the rules.”}

_{Typical Maddox. She sighed
and stripped off her shirt. “Not like you haven’t seen me naked before.”}

_{Boldly, he perused her
bare chest. “And I think about it every night.”}

_{Her face heated but she smiled. “Perv.”}

_{His lips turned up in a crooked grin and he pointed to the bed. “Get in.”}

_{She slipped under the covers and he tucked the blanket under her chin. Was Maddox seriously tucking her in to bed? This was so surreal. And fucked up. She almost laughed.}

_{“Sleep,” he said. “But then you better start thinking through some answers, little girl. I’ll have questions when you wake.” He frowned and pushed a lock of hair from her forehead. “I can only keep them away for so long, Felicity. My father will get impatient. You have to help me.”}

_{Too tired to plot now, she yawned and nodded. A bed had never felt so comfortable. The silk sheets felt cool against her naked skin but the heavy quilt on top was warming her up for the first time since the bath.}

_{He needed answers. If she was smart, she’d stay awake and decide what lies to feed him. What would sound plausible enough to last a little while longer? She wasn’t afraid of Maddox anymore. His father though…. Even as a child, he sent shivers down her spine. She could only imagine what he’d be like now. A place like this would exaggerate his menacing presence.}

_{Answers. She could tell him one of their weapon sources. That wouldn’t be so bad, would it? They had others. She yawned again. Her lids grew heavy.}

_{Maddox shut off the light and sat down at his desk. Rain pinged against the window. It was the first sound from outside the prison she heard since she’d gotten there. A small smile settled on her face. A soft bed, Maddox nearby, and a lulling rain storm. Who cared what he expected when she woke? For now, she’d pretend she was home. That Maddox loved her. And that she could sleep soundly because he’d always keep her safe.}

_{I haven’t heard from you in months. Are you okay? I’m making a plan. I’ll be there soon. Just hang on.}

_{I miss you.}

_{Felicity to Maddox
in a letter, June 2004}
 

_{Felicity woke to the sound of heavy rain falling on the roof and something tugging at her limbs. She tried to bring her arms down but there was no slack.}

_{What the hell? Her eyes shot open. She was still in Maddox’s room, but that did little to relieve her panic. Pieces of rope wrapped around each wrist then pulled them tight over her head. The same was done to her ankles only her legs were parted and tied wide open. The covers had been thrown off and her sex felt vulnerable and cold. Her heart pounded and she thrashed her body on the bed.}