Rachel made Beth feel petty and small, crushed beneath the might of her friend’s grief. “I’ll try but it was a shock. I’m not used to it.”
“Like I am you mean?”
Beth nodded. “That’s exactly what I mean. No offence, but it’s true.”
“Riley’s like Ryan. He’d only ever use it to protect you and your kids.” Her eyes filled with tears and she turned her back on Beth and gripped onto the edge of the sink, willing away the urge to break down completely and scream and shout and cry. She wanted to take the world by the throat and yell, give me back my husband.
Beth’s arms went around her and Rachel clung onto her, permitting herself the indulgence of allowing a single tear to fall.
There was the sound of the front door opening and closing and Rachel straightened up, once again in control of herself, eyes cool and sharp. “Well?” she said when Riley and Jules returned.
“We couldn’t find anyone,” said Riley. “But we did find evidence of someone waiting in the bushes around your house.”
Rachel’s face drained of blood. She rushed to the phone.
“Who are you calling?” said Beth.
But she didn’t reply. “Battler,” she said breathlessly when he answered. “Drop what you’re doing for now. Go to my parents and bring them and the kids back here. Someone’s been watching the house. I want everyone together.”
After he’d assured her they’d do it immediately she hung up and rested her head against the wall, trying to control her breathing, which was threatening to get out of control. She’d survived every time they’d been in horrible situations like this before because she’d had Ryan. He’d always been there, even when she was with Danny. Now he wasn’t and she felt so much weaker for it. He was her strength and without him she couldn’t cope. She felt someone come up behind her, felt a warm hand on her back but she didn’t want them. She only wanted her husband
“Rach, you okay?” said Beth.
Rachel sucked in a breath. Get a fucking grip. Slowly she raised her head and forced herself to smile reassuringly at her friend. “Yeah, fine.” She could put on a front, that she could still do.
“I don’t want to stick my nose in,” said Beth, “but wouldn’t they be better off staying where they are if someone’s watching this house?”
“What’s to stop whoever was here from going to my parents, where there’s no one to defend them?”
“Good point,” said Beth quietly.
Rachel looked to Jules. “Are you really a private sector bounty hunter? Because if you’re not and Ashley finds out…”
“I am. I’m properly licenced and I’ve got a good reputation. I did a few legit jobs because I thought it would be a useful cover for me to build up in case I ever got caught somewhere I shouldn’t be. He’ll find everything in order, I promise you.”
“That’s a relief.”
“Come on, let’s take a look at that map again,” said Jules, knowing she needed to be distracted from her worry.
While they turned to the map Riley quietly asked Beth, “Can I have a word?”
“Shouldn’t you be looking at the map too?” she said icily.
“It’ll only take a minute.”
Beth glanced at Rachel, who gave her a sad, pleading look. How was she supposed to resist that? “Fine,” she said unwillingly, following him into the lounge.
“I’m sorry if I upset you earlier, I just wasn’t expecting to see Jules,” he opened.
“You lost it Riley, you attacked her and threatened her with a knife. Alex attacked Rachel with a knife, I had to watch him stabbing her over and over, I had to watch him cut her throat…”
Her hands flew to her mouth in an attempt to stop herself from sobbing out loud.
“There’s one big difference between me and Alex,” he said fervently. “Yes, I can be violent too, course I can, it’s what I do for a living, but unlike him I can control it. I’m not a mindless animal. In the end I didn’t hurt Jules.”
“Would you have done if Rachel hadn’t been there to stop you?”
“I could have killed her easily all those years ago after Zoe died but I chose not to. No one stopped me, it was my decision. I let her live.”
“Aren’t you big?” she said sarcastically.
He took her face in his hands. “I am not Alex and you don’t need to be afraid of me. I’ll only ever protect you and your children. I swear I will never ever hurt you or anyone you love.”
Beth felt herself starting to melt. He seemed so sincere, his eyes gentle and full of love. She thought of Rachel’s words and realised she wouldn’t be in her position for the world. Riley was safe and well and he was here. She wouldn’t ever take that for granted. “If you ever pull a stunt like that again we’re finished and there will be no second chances. Is that clear?”
“Yes, perfectly, thank you,” he said before kissing her.
As Beth sank into his arms she knew she’d made the right decision.
CHAPTER 23
Orion and Actaeon had been gone three hours and twenty seven minutes. Ryan knew because he’d always had the knack of being able to count down time in his head and maintain it while thinking of other things. His wrists were red raw from trying to escape the chains, fingers torn and bloodied from trying to prise up the bolts tethering him to the floor. What use was his fucking IQ when he couldn’t even get himself out of this?
His heart was beating hard in his chest, fear clawing at his stomach, making him want to throw up. They’d gone for Rachel and his kids and he could do fuck all about it.
Footsteps alerted him to the fact they were coming back. He shot to his feet, muscles in his arms standing out as he curled his hands into fists, ready to do whatever he could to fight. But Orion and Actaeon walked in alone. Ryan let out a shaky breath.
“Thank you,” he whispered to whatever force was listening.
“We’ve got something to show you, Prey,” said Actaeon, producing a digital camera.
Ryan’s mouth went dry and sweat broke out all over the body. What the fuck had these lunatics done to his family?
Actaeon turned the camera for him to see and Ryan found himself looking at a photo of Rachel standing at the front door of their home looking so sad and lost. What the hell was she doing leaving herself so vulnerable? Where were the others?
“Looks like she’s missing you,” said Actaeon, eyes bulging with enjoyment. “Maybe we should have a little reunion, bring her here?”
“You’ll leave her alone,” yelled Ryan, yanking the chains so hard they went taut, digging even further into his damaged flesh.
“Calm down, we’ve more family snaps to show you.”
Ryan watched with mounting horror as Actaeon showed him more photos of Rachel in their kitchen, taken from the back of the house through the rear window. It looked like she was talking to someone although no one else was visible in the frame. She wasn’t alone, the others were with her, he knew it. The final three shots were of his boys playing in the garden of their grandparents’ cottage, Gill and Rick with them. Leah was sat in the swing seat looking miserable.
“We can take them any time we want,” said Actaeon maliciously. “If you don’t fucking behave they’ll all end up in the fridge, cut up into tiny little pieces like John here,” he said, nodding at the cold lumps of meat on the floor. “We’ve already got our next prey picked out. How would you feel about him eating braised Aaron or Ethan? Or how about fried Leah or tender, roasted Rachel?”
Ryan drew himself up to his full height, his body seeming to expand and fill the room as his anger swelled up inside him. Orion frowned and took a step back as Ryan glowered at them, so enraged he ground his teeth together.
Actaeon merely grinned, delighted. “Fuck me Prey, you’re going to be the best one yet.”
“Alright you pair of wankers, I’ll play your game but I swear to God I will kill you both. No one threatens my family. No one,” he said, voice going low and quiet, unnerving Orion even more.
Actaeon threw back his head and laughed. “Haven’t you realised yet Prey? This is a game you can’t possibly win. Me and Orion have been hunting on Dartmoor since we were kids, we know every single inch of it like the backs of our hands. We’ll be armed with guns while you will have nothing. You’re a city boy without a clue how to survive in the wild.”
“You’re forgetting one thing Actaeon.”
“What’s that?” he said, amused.
“I’ve faced much more dangerous opponents than you and I’ve always won while you have never faced anyone as dangerous as me, I can promise you that.” He threw Orion the most malevolent look he could muster, who suddenly seemed very unsure of himself. His eyes kept flicking to his friend who, in stark contrast, only seemed even more eager for the chase.
“We begin tomorrow night,” said Actaeon, eyes riveted on Ryan. “Dry weather, not much wind, but the ground will still be wet from the recent rain so it will be easy for us to track you. Tomorrow you’re going to die Prey, despite all your big words and by Friday you’ll be in my chest freezer, just waiting to be consumed by your successor.”
Ryan’s eyes turned to the meat lying on the floor, all that remained of a life. That could be him very soon, sliced up into neat medallions. He watched with growing apprehension as Actaeon nodded at Orion, who walked over to the dreaded fridge and took out another slab of meat on a plate. He took it to the stove, put a pan on the gas and threw the meat in. Ryan wanted to punch himself when his stomach growled at the aroma, which actually smelt good.
Any appeal the aroma held vanished when Orion slopped the mess of meat onto a plate and carried it over to him. There was no vegetable accompaniment this time. He dumped the plate on the floor at Ryan’s feet along with a plastic fork that couldn’t cause anyone any harm.
“Eat,” said Actaeon grimly.
Ryan gritted his teeth and shook his head.
Actaeon produced the camera again. “If you don’t they will suffer for it,” he said, skimming through the photos of Rachel and their children. “All the others ate the meat. They must have loved their families more than you do.”
“No one loves their family more than me,” Ryan spat back.
“Then prove it. If it helps just pretend it’s veal. I don’t give a shit, as long as you eat it.”
Ryan stared at the photo of Rachel looking so lost and sad before slowly sinking to his knees before the plate. Reluctantly he picked up the fork and released a heavy sigh.
“I’m losing patience Prey,” said Actaeon.
Grudgingly Ryan speared a piece of the stringy meat and raised it to his lips, trying to find the will to put it in his mouth. His stomach rolled over, half-hungry, half-revolted, gurgling in protest as well as demand.
“Just veal, it’s just veal,” he whispered to himself. He kept his eyes focused on the photograph of Rachel to remind himself why he was doing this as he stuffed the meat into his mouth, hastily chewed then swallowed.
“It doesn’t count if you throw it back up,” said Actaeon when Ryan gagged.
He fell onto all fours, attempting to keep the slimy piece of meat down, his stomach gurgling even louder. He screwed his eyes tight shut, trying not to think about the fact that he’d just swallowed what had once been a twenty year old boy who enjoyed kickboxing and going to the gym.
When it seemed as though the meat was going to stay down Ryan threw the fork to the floor and sat back on his haunches to catch his breath.
“More,” said Actaeon.
“You’re fucking joking, right?” said Ryan, his voice sounding weaker than he would have liked.
“One thing you should know about me Prey is I never joke. Eat the rest or we’ll serve you up your fucking wife and kids in a casserole.”
Ryan picked the fork back up and stuck another piece in his mouth, imagining roast beef, fillet steak, rib eye, anything but what it actually was. It did cross his mind that this could all be a hoax, Actaeon was only telling him the meat was human to wind him up, mess with his head, just another torture because it was clear he was a sadistic bastard. But as Actaeon himself had said, he never joked. He was ninety nine percent certain this meat was indeed fried John Owen.
“Well done. You’ve just saved your family’s lives,” said Actaeon as Ryan swallowed the last piece.
Ryan quietly dragged himself to the corner of the room and leaned back against the cool wooden wall, trying not to think about how sick he felt. The consequences didn’t bear thinking about if he threw it all back up.
Actaeon knelt before him, one arm resting on his left knee. “John is now a part of you. You’ll absorb his strength and become even stronger than you already are. We’ve done you a favour because you’re going to need all the help you can get.”
“Just go away,” murmured Ryan, unable to believe what he’d just done.
Actaeon threw Orion a triumphant look. Finally they’d cowed this one. “Your word means nothing here Prey. You have no power, no influence.” He licked his lips and leaned even closer, revelling in his superiority. “You’re completely alone, helpless and weak and tomorrow you’re going to die. You…”
Actaeon released a strangled cry when Ryan threw one of the chains around his neck and pulled it tight. His mouth lolled open, eyes bugging out of his head in pain and disbelief. Ryan grunted as he put all of his strength into it. Actaeon’s hands flailed, trying to pull the chain from his neck but his nails just scraped ineffectually at the metal.
“Oh shit, oh shit,” whispered Orion, hopping from one foot to the other.
Ryan watched Orion from the corner of his eye as he strangled Actaeon to death but the man was strong and fit and it was taking time to constrict his thick, muscle-bound neck.
Ryan pulled him backwards, the veins in his arms popping out with the strain, sweat breaking out on his brow as Acateon’s entire body kicked and jerked, legs flailing. Ryan could see Orion scrabbling for a tranquiliser pistol, shaking hands loading it, turning to aim…
Ryan twisted his body as Orion fired, dragging Actaeon in front of him. The dart embedded itself in Acateon’s stomach and within seconds his movements started to slow before ceasing altogether.
“Oh fuck. What have you done?” Orion roared, blood filling his puffy face, turning it beetroot. He lowered the gun and started to pace, shaking his head. “He’s going to be so angry when he wakes up, so angry.”
Ryan touched Actaeon’s neck, just to make sure and was dismayed when he felt the pulse fluttering beneath his fingertips.
“Stop it,” yelled Orion when Ryan tightened the chain on Actaeon’s neck again, determined to finish the fucker off, the bastard who’d threatened to cannibalise his wife and children and hunt him down like an animal.
Actaeon started to gurgle as his air supply was cut off again but he didn’t wake up, the drug was too strong.
“I said stop it,” yelled Orion.
He fired again but Ryan wasn’t quick enough to pull Actaeon’s limp body before him as protection. The dart hit him in the shoulder and, even though he pulled it out immediately, he felt the drug start to take hold.
“No,” Ryan whispered, attempting to tighten the chain and failing. All he could do was slump against the wall and watch Orion unravel the chain from his friend’s neck and pull him out of arms’ reach. Ryan tried to grab him but his hand clawed uselessly at the air. He watched as Orion checked Actaeon’s pulse and breathed a sigh of relief. Shit, the bastard was still alive.
Orion looked to him with sad, teary eyes. “He’s going to kill us both when he wakes up. What have you done?”
So, Orion was afraid of Actaeon, who was obviously the dominant partner. Ryan tried to think how he could use that to his advantage but his fuzzy mind wouldn’t let him.
“This is bad, very bad,” continued Orion. He got to his feet and started to pace the room, shaking his head, jowls wobbling. “He’s going to be so angry and that’s not good, not good at all.”
He was still muttering t
o himself when Ryan finally lost consciousness.
Mark had volunteered to carry this task out. Grant had worked for Alex so Katia would recognise him and Hayden was the best driver out of the three of them, so they could make a quick getaway. He tailed Katia through the shops, who was happily wheeling her sons in and out of designer boutiques and jewellery shops. She must have felt secure under the protection of the Slatterys because she seemed oblivious to her surroundings, her greedy blue eyes drinking in the window of every shop she passed. Watching her he understood what Grant had meant, there was something wrong about the woman, something unnatural, although she did seem to dote over her kids. Mark felt not a flicker of guilt about this assignment because with her as a mother they’d only end up becoming twisted psychos, just like their dad.
He hung back until she left the shopping centre, a rake of bags hanging off the double buggy. The further they got from the shops the more the crowd thinned out. As they approached the car park Mark spotted his chance. He rushed up behind her and she turned at the last second, eyes wide and startled. He grabbed her, spun her around so her back was against his front and produced the syringe from his jacket pocket.
“This is from Mikey Maguire. Don’t worry, your boys will be well looked after by their family in Manchester.”
He jammed the syringe into the webbing between her left thumb and forefinger. Immediately the drug started to take effect. Her chest tightened then filled with an unbearable crushing pain. She slid to the ground, reaching out a hand for her babies as Mark took the buggy and wheeled it away, strolling calmly, pretending to be a father taking his sons out for a walk.
“No…my babies…,” she rasped, tears forming in her eyes as she watched them being taken from her. “My boys…”
The stranger disappeared round the corner with her babies and she was helpless to stop him.
“Oh my God, are you alright?” said a voice behind her.
As Katia fell onto her back, a wail of despair falling from her lips, she saw a middle-aged woman with frizzy hair leaning over her.
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