Burned In Shadows

by Eden, Tigris

  “Get up.”

  “What?”

  “Get up, you’re coming with me.”

  Finally.

  She stood and approached Draven cautiously. She didn’t want to assume anything, but couldn’t help but hope.

  “You say we’re mated.”

  “Yes.”

  He led her through a series of doors.

  “That I have a daughter.”

  “That’s right.”

  “Melissa knew me from before.”

  “Yes.”

  Where was he going with all of this? He took her through the training room and back out into the open room, where once again the stage was set. Enri was there, and a man she didn’t know but looked vaguely familiar. There were other people up on the dais, but she couldn’t tell with everyone blocking her view. There was also a woman standing off to the side of the dais who relished the foreboding atmosphere. She smiled the entire time, satisfied that everything would work itself out. Something terrible was about to happen, and she had a feeling it was her.

  “Why am I here?”

  “To stand trial.”

  “What?” Jes hissed.

  “To stand trial. You were human once before you were given something you should never have had.”

  What the hell did that mean?

  Two guards caught her by the arms and began dragging her up towards the center where everyone waited, watched. She didn’t see Adam in the crowd, so maybe he’d gotten out. Maybe he’d get word back to the team. As she got closer to the stage she noticed the two other forms were men nailed to the cross. Two men who’d taught her to survive. Ronin and Royce.

  # # #

  They were gone. They’d left her. She’d been ready to give them her all, and now they were…..Gone. Anger rose up from somewhere deep, it was a darkness she had no way of controlling. Her mother had stalled her for what seemed like hours. Aria hadn’t cared she was off again. Her little sister hugged her and wished her well. It was Surelle that had needed the attention. Complaining about the new Matria leaving her post so soon after her rebirth.

  “Did you think they would want you after they’d used your body in such a manner?”

  “Shut up.” Belinda whispered.

  She clutched her stomach and tried for calm.

  “Well did you?”

  She was so sure they cared for her as much as she cared for them and maybe even a little bit more. Ronin didn’t like to show it, but he did when they were in private. She didn’t’ deserve this. Not the betrayal and certainly not the loss. They’d ask to care for her, to let them be the one she could depend on. Were they just empty words? Things said so they could get her to spread her legs?

  “They defiled you baby girl. Debased you in a way that is shameful.”

  “Shut up.”

  “Made you a distraction. Something easily discarded when the time suited them.”

  “Shut up.” Her voice was getting louder with every attempt to keep her mother’s words from striking at her soul. Somehow, she’d believed this time would be different.

  “Made you there whore.” Her mother spat the last word and Belinda lost it.

  “Shut the fuck up!”

  “You would still stick up for them after this? You reek of their stink. Soiled in their needs. I didn’t raise the future Matria to be so careless with her body.”

  She turned fiery eyes on her mother. Even Bena tightening her hold around her waist did little to comfort her. How could they go without saying goodbye? Were they so quick to be rid of her?

  “I talked to those men while you were nesting. Tried to engage their intentions. They were unworthy of you daughter. Unfit to walk by your side.”

  She would have stood next to them, hell, behind them if that was what was needed. But to leave without word. Nothing. That was so unlike them.

  “Get the fuck out of my room Surelle. I hope you’re happy. If they’ve left it was because of you and your callousness.” The words felt right, she needed them to. It couldn’t be blind hope. There had to be a valid reason for them to leave before she returned. She’d asked them to wait for her, and in the heat of the moment it felt as if they understood. Her mother had the audacity to look hurt, but was wise enough to retreat.

  Once again her sense of self was failing. When Dietrich left her, she’d been hurt, but never broken. Now, she was scattered. Split into so many pieces she wasn’t sure she could find the courage to piece back that part of her that she’d carelessly handed over to them. Did she even want to? She’d been hesitant, always careful who she let her guard down with. Both Ronin and Royce had convinced her, kept pushing until all her walls had been breached. They’d left no wall standing, not one.

  “Belinda.”

  Dietrich’s voice was quiet. His face unreadable. She hadn’t heard him come in.

  She smiled. It wasn’t a happy smile or a smile of joy. It was cynical, filled with knowledge and harsh reality.

  “This must be fucking funny to you huh Dietrich.” She said in a tone void of emotion.

  “None of this is funny. But I will say it’s fucked up.”

  “You think?” She laughed, and it hurt. She wanted to shed her skin and be rid of all the pain. Replace it with a fresh new skin. A sturdier armor to combat the emotions crawling all over. D took a step toward her, but stopped when her eyes focused on him.

  “Don’t step any closer.”

  A commotion in the hall got both of their attention. Ryan threw open her door his breath heavy and a look of concern on his face.

  “They didn’t leave, they were taken.”

  “Taken?”

  “Your mother arranged the entire thing with that bastard half-brother of yours, Solon.”

  She didn’t dare hope he was right. If Ryan was right, what would that say about her trust? At the first sign of trouble, she’d doubted them right off. She couldn’t bring herself to care. If there was even the smallest of chances they were taken, it meant they had no intentions of leaving her.

  “Where?” Dietrich growled.

  “They were headed back towards your mother’s personal jet, which is no longer there. I checked the coordinates and flight plans. They were headed towards the air field”

  “Let’s go retrieve some fucking people.”

  “How? We don’t know where they’re headed.”

  “One of mine will. I got my eyes stashed all around. Including one at your mom’s airfield and one on board the jet. Let’s go.”

  “Why would you do that?” Ryan asked Dietrich.

  “Just be fucking happy I’m that paranoid. Let’s roll.”

  The three of them filed out of the room, and Belinda prayed she had time to get to them. Even by jet it’d take time to reach them. There was no telling where Solon would have taken them. Her brother would pay, and he would pay with his life.

  Chapter 35

  Jes was in a chair between the twins who looked ready to skin their captors alive. They were supposed to be her back up. Who backed them up? If no one was coming they were in trouble.

  “What happened?”

  “What you see is what you get.”

  “How long have you two been here?”

  “Just a little over an hour give or take.”

  Royce as ever in the face of imminent danger was being sarcastic.

  “You okay.”

  “Mostly.”

  That apparently was the wrong answer. He locked eyes with her and she saw his anger building. Gone was playful, charismatic Royce. In his place was dark and deadly Royce. She’d met him once, when he killed Henrik. She hadn’t liked him when he slipped into that role. His real role. Funny Royce was a façade. This real Royce didn’t care about consequences, didn’t see enemy or friend. All he saw was destruction and chaos. She’d figured his game out, but thought it best to keep it to herself. That he was allowing her to see what he was truly about scared the shit out of her.


  “Calm down.”

  “Fuck calm.”

  Before she got the chance to say another word, the man that looked vaguely familiar took the stand to address everyone. Dark hair, dark eyes, and built like an athlete, he turned and pinned hateful eyes on the twins.

  “The laws of man do not apply to those like us. We deal with treason fast, and swift.”

  There were nods from the crowd. There were at least a dozen people looking on.

  “We are not men, and as such we should not be treated as so. Before us are traitors and an abomination. The Gods have given us true power, true will to exert over those weaker than us. The Gods have also wronged us. Enslaved us for their own personal needs, burned us so that they could use us like pawns in a game. Why should we submit? Why should we adapt because man is considered so fragile? Weak. Why must the Gods have all the fun? Waging war plotting our demise?

  They were buying into this shit.

  “We should not adapt. We will rise. Rise up and put them down if they refuse to bow at our feet. Crush their armies under our heels. Long ago the Gods held my people in chains. Took everything from us. Were the fates there to look out for us? Any of you? Do you think we owe them our favor? We have our own minds, our own bodies. Destiny belongs to those who claim it for themselves. I say fuck them and fuck the fates!”

  The crowd cheered him on as he continued to speak. It was like a sermon only worse.

  “Now The Agency has tracked us for years, thanks to the help of my sons, they’ve managed to keep tabs, compile lists and store data on all our kind. Betrayers are what they are”

  He pointed a finger at Royce and Ronin. That’s when it hit Jes like a punch to the gut. This man was their father. This man was in league with the Red Sun Organization.

  # # #

  The darkness was no longer containable. No longer locked away, but free. He tried funny, tried for carefree. Shit was for the fucking birds. Sanya wasn’t dead, hadn’t been slayed, but held captive by his greedy ass father. His brother was just as confused as he was. She’d been human, and now she was not. How any of it was possible was lost on him. They’d severed the mental connection from their family the day they were given that ridiculous death sentence. Albanus Zarides still had a way with words. Royce meet the stares of everyone who’d seemed happy to condemn them. How did it always come back to this? He knew his dad was a radical, and to some degree he understood. He would have never guessed his old man was working for the reject organization.

  The amounts of hatred that was traded back and forth between father and son were harsh. He didn’t care if it still hurt a little bit. His father was in league with the bastards that had tried to kill Jes, and taken his best friend. Didn’t matter if what they said was true or not. What mattered was the way they went about expressing themselves. Humans were weak, but that was why they needed looking after. The strong enslaving the weak was stupid and useless. If they were able to co-habitat together in peace, there was no reason for war.

  “I knew you two would fuck up again. At least you didn’t make a liar out of me. That has to say something right?” His father sneered.

  The darkness inside of Royce flamed rapidly to life. It didn’t need a warm up, just needed to be set free. His father was going to die. Not because he was a psychopath with a death wish, but because any chance at happiness he and his brother would have had was being threatened by the same man that tried to take it the first time.

  “She is beautiful, even with dirt caked on her skin.”

  Why was he looking at Jes like that? He saw Draven tense in the corner, his black eyes flashing green. The man may act like he didn’t care, but his emotions were all over his face.

  “Don’t fucking touch her,” Ronin growled as he tried to free one of his arms. They were both nailed to a cross, leather strapped around their wrists and feet. It barely eased any pain. The weight of their body’s holding them up as the nails tore against their skin. Streaks of dried blood covered both their arms and legs. Not once did they scream or cry out in pain. They’d been in stickier situations than this. Hell there wasn’t even an interrogation. They’d been slapped around by their father a couple of times and told they would stand trial. As always dear old dad needed an audience.

  “She means more to you, than me?” Sanya asked him as she walked up and placed a clawed hand against his chest.

  “A rock means more to me than you, you fucking cunt.”

  She flinched, and it served the bitch right. Letting them believe she was dead.

  “I am better, stronger. This one stinks of fear.”

  Royce nodded his head in Jes’ direction. He was doing his best to stay calm.

  “If she’s scared it’s only because she fears what will happen to us. My girl’s fierce, my girl is loyal. Stronger than any of you motherfuckers.”

  Draven growled again and prowled closer to Jes staring down on her with menace.

  “Thought I was your mate? Thought we had a daughter.” His hand rose, and Royce watched as Jes braced herself for impact. But it never landed on Jes. No, he slapped the fuck out of Sanya. Sent her flying into the crowd. His black eyes darting towards Royce and his brother.

  “You fuck her?”

  Neither of them answered. They had other shit to tend to. His father’s guards were fast approaching, and when his kind went feral all bets were off. Royce’s ribs were cracking. He’d had enough of this shit. Time to let his darkness fly free.

  # # #

  “Did you let them fuck you Jes? You got two seconds to answer me.”

  She wasn’t answering that question, even if she wanted to. Things were completely out of control. There were guards rushing the stage, and Draven had his back to them.

  “Watch out!” She shrieked as she pushed out of her chair and stood back. Draven tossed the guy over his shoulder and continued to stare her down. She rushed to Royce who was closet and tried to free him as Draven continued to go rounds with the guard.

  Darkness, even when the lights were on rolled everything over. She’d seen this before, back at the plane when Royce had been about to kill Henri. She just hadn’t recognized it for what it was. She’d never seen the mask come off. Bones snapped, and his shoulder dislocated. Jes took a measured step back. He was in the process of breaking free when complete chaos erupted. There was a loud explosion. It shook the ground like a massive earthquake. People went into action to face off with the new threat. Draven pulled her in front of him just as another explosion rocked the foundation of the building. She had to hold onto him just to steady herself.

  “I find out they fucked you. I will kill them all and take my daughter from you”

  “Well, you fucked Melissa. Does that mean I get to keep your daughter from you and kill that fucking bitch?”

  His eyes softened, and he hooked his arm around her waist, lifted her chin up so she was able to look him in the face. His gaze was deep, knowing and green. The ground shook again, and Draven held her tighter.

  “Not gonna kiss you when there is shit going down, but I will be soon.” He quickly released her and put a knife in her hand. Why did he keep giving her knives?

  “Seriously? Another knife?

  He shrugged and went to aid Ronin who was pissed off, majorly pissed off.

  “You know me from before?” Draven asked.

  “You need to remember your friends and your family.” Ronin grumped. He cringed when the nails were pulled from his hands and feet. There wasn’t time to take in pain as fighting ensued all around. Ronin jumped into the fray but didn’t change into his hulking form. Jes was unable to find Royce, he’d gotten down on his own and was now facing off with his own set of opponents.

  Draven turned her and said, “Don’t get yourself killed. Lots to talk about you and me.” Then he was gone too.

  Enri’s death walkers were out en masse, and they too didn’t care who they took out. It didn’t matter if it was recruits or members of her team,
everyone was engaged in some sort of hand to hand with someone else. She tried joining the battle, but chains were wrapped around her neck.

  “Fucking bitch!” Melissa snapped out.

  “You don’t know when to quit do you?”

  The chain was making her slow, but she managed to tug hard enough, Jes was seeing black spots.

  “I was supposed to be his mate!”

  “No bitch, you weren’t meant for him. I was.”

  Jes tried to make her body become pliant. Stepping back with her foot and using her hips she easily pulled Melissa over her shoulder bringer her to the ground. She placed her foot over the other woman’s throat and snarled. Yep, the fangs were back.

  “I’d kill you bitch, believe me I want to, but Captain wants to see you first.”

  “Jes!”

  She looked up to see Belinda dressed in all black. Gun slung over her back, blade attached to her hip.

  “Belinda all commando and shit.”

  “Hush, this here is my first organized rescue attempt. But looks like you got this under control.” Bells tossed her a gun and a clip. Jes quickly pointed it in the direction of Melissa’s head daring her to move.

  “Bells, knock this bitch out for me please.”

  “My pleasure.”

  The butt of her gun came down hard on the side of Melissa head. The other woman instantly knocked out.

  “See Draven is on our side again.”

  “Think it may be temporary but let’s just go with it.”

  The fight was coming to an end. Jes looked out in the sea of bodies checking for Royce. She still hadn’t located him, and any attempt to connect with him through their mind was blocked off. Enri’s death squad was obliterated. Bodies lay in pieces on the floor, and what little survivors were left had been secured and were all being herded away from the scene by Adam and Dietrich. Ronin was also looking for someone but seemed pretty upset they weren’t among the bodies. She could only assume it was his father and he’d somehow gotten away.

  A shadow stretched tall in a corner. It was throwing off powerful emotions that she felt all the way to the bottom of her feet. The giant had its back to her. As she approached it dropped it hands to it sides. The thing was hunched over something she couldn’t see.