He forced his abused limbs to move but, as he rose, Damon appeared from a door at the end of the hall. Dominic ran but he was too slow. Damon caught up with him and tackled him to the floor. Damon got in a couple of vicious kicks before Dominic could get back up. He managed to plant a heavy, retaliatory fist into Damon’s smug face before a punch to his side sent searing agony through him. He collapsed once more, taking shuddering, painful breaths.
“So stupid. What does Evrain see in you?” Damon produced two lengths of rope and tied Dominic up, hands behind his back and ankles crossed. “Be a good boy while I let Symeon know you’re awake.” Damon disappeared, leaving Dominic on the hall floor.
Dominic sobbed, partly from frustration, partly from pain. He tugged on his bonds but they were immoveable.
When he returned a few minutes later, Damon was accompanied by Dominic’s prospective client, Sylvester Marks.
“I don’t understand,” Dominic mumbled, rolling onto his side to get a better view.
Marks smiled, the expression so cold Dominic shivered. As Dominic watched, Marks’ body shimmered, his face became blurred. Dominic shook his head, wondering if the bang on the head had affected his eyesight, but Marks’ face gradually resolved into something new. Marks was Symeon Malus.
I was right. Fuck, what an idiot. I knew there was something off about him.
“A simple glamor,” Symeon explained. “When you can manipulate the air itself, it’s easy to make people see what you want them to see.”
The blond-haired warlock looked down on Dominic with barely controlled glee, an evil glint in his black eyes. Black! Dominic shuddered at how demonic they made Malus seem. Evrain’s green-gold eyes were strange enough—Symeon’s dark glare was terrifying.
“Lock up our guest, Damon. I need to make a call to our novice warlock, something I’m anticipating will be a great deal of fun.” Symeon disappeared toward the back of the house.
Damon pulled a knife from his pants pocket. “There’s nowhere for you to run, Dommy, so behave yourself. Then I won’t be forced to hurt you,” he sneered. He untied Dominic’s ankles and hauled him to his feet. “Though carving a few patterns in you would pass the time.”
“How did you manage not to stab yourself in the ass with that,” Dominic muttered.
“Not a complete doormat, then.” Damon shoved him toward the stairs. “What’s it like getting fucked by Evrain Brookes? I’m assuming you are the fuck-ee rather than the fuck-er. Warlocks are the ultimate alpha males after all.”
“I’m not going to talk to you about Evrain. He’s none of your business.” Dominic stumbled up one flight of stairs, then another.
“Symeon doesn’t agree. Ever since Evrain arrived in this country, he’s all Symeon ever fucking talks about.” Damon’s words had a bitter edge.
“You’re jealous!” Antagonizing Damon probably wasn’t the most sensible option, but Dominic was fed up of being pushed around.
“Am not.” Damon leaned around Dominic to open the attic door. The tip of the knife pressed against Dominic’s back. “What’s to be jealous of when I have Symeon? In you go.”
Dominic stepped into the room. “But Symeon is more interested in Evrain than you.”
“Is not!” The pitch of Damon’s voice rose significantly. He kicked the back of Dominic’s knees, taking him to the floor. “Symeon is going to call your lover boy. What do you think he’ll do to get you back?” He retied Dominic’s ankles, then crouched over him, drawing pictures in the air with his knife. “What are you worth to him?”
Dominic attempted to get into a more comfortable position, but with his hands tied it was impossible.
“He won’t respond to Symeon’s threats. He’s not stupid.”
Unlike you.
“Does he channel through you yet, Dommy? Do you enjoy the pain? Is that what you are, his little pain slut to be used and abused at his whim?” Damon stood, then retreated to the wall. He leaned against it and began cleaning his fingernails with the point of his blade.
“Sounds like you’re talking about yourself there, Damon.” Dominic almost felt sorry for him.
“Fuck you. I’ll be back later, then you and I will have some fun.” Damon’s lip twisted into an ugly sneer. He slammed the door behind him, and a cloud of dust from the frame exploded into the air. Dominic turned his head away but still ended up sneezing.
* * * *
When the phone rang inside the cabin, Evrain dashed through the door, not bothering to close it behind him. He grabbed the receiver, almost dropping it in his haste to answer.
“Dominic?”
“I’m afraid not.”
The voice at the end of the line froze the blood in Evrain’s veins. His voice was glacial as he acknowledged the caller. “Symeon.”
“I’m touched you recognize my voice. Isn’t it a delightful evening?”
Evrain fought back the urge to throw the handset across the room. “Get to the point, Symeon. I have better things to waste my time on than verbal sparring with you.”
“Now, now. Mind your manners, boy. I thought you might be interested to hear about my new house guest, but perhaps I’ll call back at a more convenient time.”
Symeon’s voice reverberated with malice, and Evrain had to take a deep breath before he replied. He had to sound calm. Showing his fury would just make Symeon happy.
“Let me talk to him, now.” He walked back outside, receiver pressed to his ear. The small vein at his temple pulsed and dark clouds, the color of fresh bruising, began to gather in the sky overhead.
“So you’ve worked out who I’m talking about. I warned you, Evrain. I told you to take care of him.”
“Put him on the fucking phone, Symeon!” It was a damn good job that Evrain had taken the precaution of venting when he’d had the chance. Power sparked from the tips of his fingers. His entire body thrummed with it.
“I’m not sure that’s going to be possible. Mr. Castine is somewhat indisposed at the moment.” Symeon couldn’t have sounded more gleeful if he tried.
“Put him on now, Symeon, or this conversation goes no further,” Evrain snapped.
“Oh, very well, as you and I are friends. Anything to oblige. Damon, fetch our guest. And make sure he is suitably restrained. You are ugly enough without the addition of any more bruises.” Symeon’s voice became more distant as he addressed Damon.
Evrain took a small measure of satisfaction from the fact that Dominic seemed to have caused some damage to at least one of his captors. He waited impatiently for seconds that seemed like hours.
“Evrain, is that you? I’m sorry…” Dominic whispered, his words tentative. It was the best sound Evrain had ever heard.
“Stop apologizing, you idiot. Are you okay? What happened?”
“Yes, I’m in one piece, more or less. I was on my way back. They ran me off the road. I managed to get out of the truck but they knocked me out. I don’t know where I am.” His voice shook slightly, and Evrain knew that he wasn’t telling the truth about being okay.
“It’s going to be fine. I love you. That lizard Symeon is going to pay for this.” There was a bit of scuffling and a curse.
“That’s not very polite, Evrain.” Symeon had wrestled the phone back. “Please consider your words more carefully.”
In the background there was the sound of a vicious slap and a gasp of pain. Evrain’s fist clenched around the phone, and he swallowed the profanity he was about to utter. Lightning split the sky.
“What do you want, Symeon?”
“Ah, the million-dollar question. Perhaps I should just ask what you are prepared to give me in order to save your sweet lover’s life?”
“How about my promise to tear you and your boyfriend into tiny pieces?” The urge to do serious damage had Evrain’s fingers twitching. He clenched his fist.
“Damon, you can take our guest back to his room. You may have one hour to do whatever you want to him. No permanent marks, though.”
Bile rose in Evrain’s throat. “No! Call him off, Symeon. Just tell me what you want.” Evrain couldn’t bear the idea of Dominic left helpless with Symeon’s deranged boyfriend. It was possible that Damon had killed Aggie, though Evrain had no proof. Symeon wouldn’t dirty his own hands. Thunder began to rumble in the clouds, mirroring Evrain’s black mood.
“Haven’t you worked it out yet?” Symeon crowed. “I thought you were supposed to be intelligent?”
“Stop playing games, Symeon.” Evrain fought to keep his voice calm even as he seethed inside at his own helplessness.
“Fine, you precocious little brat. There’s only one thing that will secure your redheaded angel’s freedom. You. I want you. But I’m going to make you wait to find out how you can make the heroic sacrifice. I’ll call you in the morning. Sweet dreams.” The loathing in his voice was chilling.
Forked lightning split the sky and thunder cracked the heavens as Evrain screamed his fury into the night. He would willingly give himself up to save Dominic but Symeon would have no intention of letting him go. Now he had Evrain’s greatest weakness in his clutches, he’d want to keep him, at least until Evrain was no longer a threat. Evrain wasn’t too proud to admit he needed help and he knew exactly where he could find it. He marched back into the cabin, slamming the door behind him.
Evrain’s mind was in turmoil. He couldn’t remember Gregory’s number. He swapped Aggie’s handset for his mobile and thanked the Lord for speed dial. The call connected. Evrain tapped his foot impatiently as he waited for Gregory or Coryn to answer. He didn’t give any room to the thought that they might be out or away from home. He started muttering curses at the receiver and nearly didn’t hear when someone finally answered.
“What?” Gregory did not sound impressed.
“Gregory, it’s Evrain.”
“Oh! Hi, Evrain. Sorry I snapped. Coryn and I were…kind of in the middle of something.”
Evrain could guess what that meant, but felt no remorse. “Your hanky-panky will have to wait. I’m in serious trouble. Symeon Malus took Dominic.”
“What the fuck! I’m putting you on loudspeaker. Tell us everything.”
Evrain recounted what he knew, which wasn’t much. “What do I do, Gregory? Symeon said he’ll call again in the morning but I can’t sit around on my backside doing nothing all night.” He threw himself into one of the armchairs by the fire. The dying embers spat and hissed angrily.
“Coryn is already packing. We’ll get the first available flight, charter a plane if we have to, and we’ll be with you in the morning. In the meantime, I suggest you go and see if you can find Dominic’s truck. If Symeon ran him off the road, he had another vehicle. He would have wanted to get away as quickly as possible so the truck is likely still there. Do you think you can find it?”
“Dominic was coming back from an appointment with a client at a derelict property somewhere outside of town. I know which road he was taking. He can’t have made it back to town or people would have heard the accident. If he didn’t go too far off the road, I should be able to find the spot.” It was good to have something to do.
“Even if the truck’s not visible from the road, there should be obvious damage to the verge, trees, that kind of thing. Use your senses. The earth will tell you what you need to know.” Gregory paused. “Are you in control, Evrain?”
“I vented earlier but it’s a bit stormy around here. I haven’t flooded anything or set anything alight yet. It’s so good to hear your voice, Gregory.”
“If he’s close, Symeon will be able to feel your agitation. Don’t give him that pleasure,” Gregory said. “Do you have anything to use as a damper?”
“I don’t understand.” Evrain had no idea what Gregory was talking about.
“Certain metals will damp down your power a bit. If you can find a bracelet—something of Aggie’s perhaps—in pure silver or gold, that should do the trick. Put it around your wrist. You’ll probably get a headache but it won’t do you any harm.”
“Okay. I’ll go and have a poke around in Grandma’s jewelry box. Then I’ll go check on Dominic’s truck.” Tears welled in Evrain’s eyes. He blinked them away. “Thanks, Gregory. I don’t know what I’d do without you. I’m not ready for this.”
“Nonsense, boy. What are godparents for if not to pull you out of scrapes? Be careful on the road and we’ll see you soon. I’ll be looking forward to giving Symeon Malus exactly what he deserves.”
Evrain had not yet arranged to send his grandmother’s jewelry to England for his younger sisters, as stipulated in Aggie’s will. The carved wooden chest she used as a jewelry box still stood on the dresser in the master bedroom. He placed it on the bed and opened the lid. The top tray contained brooches and rings, so he lifted it out. Underneath he found a gold watch, various pendants and a string of pearls. There was a charm bracelet, laden with miniature models and a small, square envelope with his name inscribed on it. He lifted it from the box, his curiosity piqued.
“What’s this?” Evrain tore open the envelope and tipped the contents out onto the bed. There was a note, in Aggie’s hand, and a solid gold bracelet forged from heavy links with a sturdy clasp. He slipped it on, snapping the clasp shut. It fitted perfectly, laying close to his skin. He took a few deep breaths. He felt a bit calmer, or at least a bit less likely to cause mass destruction. The note was very short.
Evrain read it out loud, “Evrain, in some circumstances the power is not easily mastered. This will help. Grandma.”
He fiddled with the bracelet, which was strangely warm to the touch. “She knew something bad was coming. She knew!” He tossed the paper down on the bed and went to find his car keys.
Chapter Fifteen
It had been wonderful to hear Evrain’s voice, but Dominic didn’t want him to do anything that might put him in danger. Symeon had taken the phone away before he’d had a chance to get that across to Evrain. His cheek burned where he’d been hit and now Symeon had abandoned him to Damon, who would probably want to do it again. Dominic’s stomach contracted and he went cold all over. Damon looked like he wanted to beat Dominic to a pulp, and Dominic had no doubt that the brat wouldn’t hesitate to do it. He would enjoy it too.
Damon only took him as far as the hall where he couldn’t hear the rest of the conversation between Symeon and Evrain. After a few minutes, the door to the room he’d just left swung open. On its own. Dominic rolled his eyes. “Does no warlock ever open a door by hand, like the rest of us mere mortals? Who’s he trying to impress?”