9781936653027BorntobeWildArsuaga

by Cynthia Arsuaga

  Chapter 24

  “Enjoy your confines Stefan. When your hunger gets great, your little whore will provide your nourishment. You’ll either kill her or turn her. Either way, you’ll return to us. Maybe next time you’ll think twice about betraying your Lord Master,” Ecaterina said as they entered the area Dragos called his dungeon.

  It was set up as a bondage room. All the equipment and tools needed for play.

  The guards pushed Alexandra and Stefan into the room.

  “Don’t leave him like this. Take these off him. They’re burning his skin,” Alex begged.

  “You pathetic human. This is what you want Stefan? You could have had me, but instead you chose that lowly…vermin, totally unworthy of you. I’m going to enjoy watching you suffer for your foolishness.”

  Stefan gritted his teeth and hissed. The pain racked through his body. “I’m sure you will Ecaterina, you’re a sadistic bitch.” He fell to his knees. Alexandra knelt beside him, wrapping her arms around his shoulders.

  Ecaterina scoffed. “There was a time when you said I was beautiful and you loved my sadistic nature.”

  He did once. Ecaterina was one of the regrets in life he spoke to Alexandra about. “I wanted you once, but that time has passed. I want more.”

  “And you think she can give it to you?” Ecaterina glared at Alexandra sitting next to him. “That fat cow bitch hunts our kind and is working with the Feds. She deserves to die.”

  “Then kill me now, because I will not live without her. I love her.” He turned to face Alexandra.

  “I love you too Stefan,” Alex said.

  Ecaterina took in a hissing breath, “Oh god, you two make me sick. I will make you pay, Stefan Marin, so help me, I’ll make you pay.”

  The vamp motioned for the guard to keep the cuffs on and leave. A moment later, she departed laughing. Stefan and Alexandra were locked in the room, alone.

  Alexandra stood and paced the floor. Fear ran through her. The operation was less than an hour away and here they were holed up in a room with no windows, one door for escape, and decorated à la Bondage 101.

  “What is it with you vamps and bondage? I’ve never seen anything like it, everywhere I go, whips, chains, and bizarre torture chamber stuff.”

  “We like to control everything around us I guess,” Stefan said. He grimaced.

  Kneeling down, she took his hands and gently placed them in hers. “I’m sorry. I was trying to be funny and take your mind off the pain. I’m so sorry.”

  He gazed into her eyes lovingly. “I know you were. I was being funny too.”

  Running her hand along his cheek, she shifted her attention to his wrists. “Are you going to be okay? These burns look nasty.”

  “They’ll heal when the cuffs come off.”

  “I’m so sorry. I should have listened to you and left when you said. We wouldn’t be in this mess right now. This is my entire fault.”

  “Don’t beat yourself up. You are a stubborn woman, but if you’d done what I told you last night and let me handle this, we probably wouldn’t be here.”

  “No, you forbade me to come here. Big difference.”

  “Hmm, maybe, but the result is the same.”

  “Yeah, we’re stuck in a sex dungeon, but hopefully not for long.”

  “The operation. It’s almost time.”

  Turning her wrist to read her watch, “It’s started. Do you hear anything?”

  “No, but this room is sound-proof. Don’t worry. Gregori will find us.”

  “Jordy will find us.”

  “You want to wager on who finds us first?”

  “You’re a gambling man? Never thought that about you, Mister Marin.”

  “I’m not, but I love a challenge, especially with you.”

  “You’re on. What do you want to play for?”

  “Mmm, how about if I win, you have to stop cursing for…say, thirty days. After that, it should be a habit you will hopefully break.”

  “Oh good one. And if I break the rule and curse, is there a punishment?”

  “Well, of course, there’s always punishment for disobedience.”

  “Okay, if I win, I get to change out your wardrobe, add more color.”

  “But, I like my wardrobe. What’s wrong with my clothes? I have color.”

  “What? Five different shades of black? So do you agree?”

  “Yes, but only because I’m going to win.”

  “You think so? We’ll see, Jordy is good. Damn good.”

  “Ah, your first punishment.”

  * * * *

  They formed two lines, one to the right, and the other to the left. The army captain led the group from the right. “On my count.” With his fingers he counted down starting with five…four… three…two…

  “Ready dude?” Jordan whispered.

  “As I’ll ever be,” Johnson replied.

  Earsplitting bangs pierced the night as doors careened open. The Special Forces unit ploughed through the glass shouting and brandishing their weapons. Screaming voices along with general panic greeted the first wave as confused employees scrambled out of harm’s way.

  Seven seconds.

  “All secure, sir,” the voice came over the radio.

  The Special Forces unit moved like locusts through the floors of the two-building complex of SGM, rounding up all the civilians. The vampire contingent made their own way, like shadows, tracking Dragos’ blood clan. Within thirty minutes, they secured the buildings, removing everyone to holding areas outside. Only the Executive and Basement Levels remained. With their reinforced walls and entry points the Army needed heavier ordnance to break through.

  Within an hour two antitank rocket launchers sat before the main entrance to the Executive Level. Behind them the Special Forces gathered. The doors went down in a roar of flying concrete and rebar. Through the dense swirling cloud of smoke and concrete dust, civilians spilled out toward the waiting military, trampling those not quick enough to move. Martin, Johnson, Palmer, and Jordan rounded the corner from the elevator lobby of the Executive Level and saw several black clad Special Forces tackle someone to the floor. Three other bodies sprawled on the floor, twitching and blood oozing from gunshot wounds.

  The leader of the black dressed military unit turned to the Chief, “Let us secure the space first sir.” He proceeded to open the double doors to Dragos’ offices.

  “Wait,” Martin said. “I think we should wait for the other vampires.”

  “We’re good, sir.”

  A few moments later, a staccato sound from several automatic weapons unnerved the four men. Dead silence.

  “Should we go in, sir?” Johnson asked.

  “No. We need to wait for Gregori and the other vampires,” Martin said.

  “How do we reach them? They didn’t have radios,” Palmer said.

  “Great, now what do we do?” Jordan asked.

  Thirty seconds passed.

  The elevator bell dinged.

  Gregori and several other vampires arrived.

  “Is Dragos in there?” Gregori asked Martin.

  “Most likely. A unit went in. There was gunfire, and now silence. Got a feeling it’s not good,” Martin said.

  “Stay here. We’ll take care of it,” Gregori said.

  And then more silence, followed by a preternatural growl, and silence.

  The door to the offices jarred opened slightly. Constantine, one of the vampires stepped out, “You can come in,” he said.

  The four men entered Dragos’ offices tentatively. They walked toward the group of black shrouded vampires circling a man seated at a large desk. As they approached, they witnessed the ripped and torn remains of the Special Forces unit that initially went in to subdue Dragos. The vampire group turned their attention to the four in unison.

  Papers were scattered over the floor and the desk. The low hum of a machine running could be heard.

  Gregori stepped forward, “Chief Martin, what would you like us to do with Dragos,
cut his head off, stake him, or burn him?”

  “None of the above,” Martin said, pausing. “What’s that noise?”

  “Uh, we caught him shredding documents when we arrived. He forgot to cut the shredder off. Teo you want to get that?” Gregori asked his Knight vampire.

  “Great, now we have to piece paper puzzles together.”

  “Well, what do you want to do with him?” Gregori asked.

  “I got word earlier from Washington. If we captured him intact, we were to bring him in to stand before the High Tribunal. So, let’s tak8e him in and move him out to be shipped to D.C. on the next flight out,” Martin said.

  The high back leather chair slowly swiveled, revealing Dragos. A wicked smile creased along his face. “I’ll never stand trial. I’ve done nothing wrong. I will have this tied up in the courts for years for illegal search and seizure and violation of my rights, it will make your heads spin.”

  “Then we’ll only have to make yours spin in return,” Gregori said. “What you have done is an abomination to both vampires and humans alike. There is no redemption for this.”

  Jordan elbowed a path through the crowd and slammed his fist on the desk, “Where’s my sister, you perverted piece of trash!”

  “Who are you and who is your sister?” Dragos asked.

  “Alexandra, Alex Carlton, short, cute, redhead, the bounty hunter whose been after your ass for the past couple weeks,” Jordan said, his voice elevated.

  “Well, I hate to disappoint, but by now my dear Cat’s fangs have probably done her in.”

  “You bastard, if anything has happened to her, I’ll…”

  Dragos stood and hissed. The other vampires alerted and moved closer. Johnson and Palmer wrestled Jordan back away from the desk.

  “Son, back down, we’ll find her,” Martin said, turning to Gregori, “Can you get the information from him to find her?”

  “We’ll get the information from him. Get Jordan out of here.”

  * * * *

  The door lock clicked, the knob slowly turned to the dungeon chamber. Alex and Stefan alerted, sitting upright.

  “Be ready to go shopping tomorrow night buddy. Did you bring enough cash with you?” Alex asked, grinning.

  “It’s not Jordan, Alexandra,” Stefan said, solemnly.

  “Oh, what makes you so sure?”

  “Because he sensed it was me you stupid human vermin,” Ecaterina said.

  Alex flinched, tightly grabbing Stefan’s arm.

  “What do you want now Ecaterina. Come to gloat about my condition?”

  “You know why? The Feds are here and a whole hell of a lot of vampires which I suspect you had something to do with. Dragos sent me here to fetch the little human as insurance for a bargaining chip out of here.”

  Stefan growled. “No!”

  Ecaterina moved with speed shoving Stefan onto his back and lifting Alex, pushing her up against the wall. “I’d take your life now whore, but Dragos wants you alive. It’s your lucky day.”

  Alex stomped on Ecaterina’s foot then kneed her in the crotch. Ecaterina released her momentarily and Alex broke away, running toward Stefan.

  “You little fat bitch!”

  Tackling Alex from behind, she slammed her to the floor, then flipped Alex over in one motion. Alex tried fighting back, swinging punches, but missing. Ecaterina moved too fast. Grabbing Alex’s wrists, Ecaterina pinned her arms to the floor.

  “Fuck Dragos’ orders. You need to be punished for this.” Her fangs elongated and leaned in to bite.

  Alex’s eyes widened.

  Silver-cuffed arms encircled Ecaterina’s throat and she cried out in pain. As Stefan yanked her back, the grip on Alex’s wrists relaxed.

  Stefan tightened his stranglehold and Ecaterina’s skin sizzled. She tried to reach behind to pull from his grip, but his strength was obviously greater.

  “Get out of here Alexandra, run!” He demanded.

  “Not without you. I have something better for her.” Alex bent her left knee, pulled up her jeans and unsheathed the extra wooden stake strapped on her shin. Scrambling to her feet, she took in a deep breath then let it out.

  Acting instinctively, she gripped the stake with both hands, lunging forward. “This is for the virus and biting me you skinny ass bitch!” Plunging the wooden dagger into the chest of the ebony-haired vamp with all her strength, Alex felt the black latex give way, then the flesh underneath.

  Alex had practiced the vamp-kill many times with her brothers. The stiletto thin stake slipped between two of Ecaterina’s ribs, piercing her heart. At the first nick the vampire’s eyes widened and a death rattle issued from the core of her being. It was just as Alex’s dad described. Color drained from Ecaterina’s flesh gradually turning it to a pale dry gray. As the last of Ecaterina’s death cry dwindled to silence, Alex withdrew the stake and the vampire’s once luxuriant flesh crumbled like a stale cake.

  Alex dropped the stake to the floor. Her heart raced. Stefan raised his arms and encircled her tightly. She shivered.

  “It’s over, prinţesa mea. You’re safe now. Let’s get out of here.”

  “I’m obeying you this time. No questions.”

  The door crashed open, Alex and Stefan jerked around.

  Jordan, followed by Johnson, Palmer and several vamps appeared in the room.

  “Alex? Are you all right?” Jordan asked, running toward her and Stefan.

  Stefan released his embrace. She ran to Jordan and hugged him. “I’m fine. Did you get Dragos?”

  “Yeah, Gregori and his guys have him confined in his office. He said they’re taking care of him, whatever that means. Dragos said he sent Cat to take care of you. Where is she?”

  “There.” Alex pointed to the pile of gray ash on the floor. The wooden stake lay next to the powdery mound.

  “Alexandra killed her,” Stefan said, smiling.

  “We did it together.” As she reached for his hands, the cuffs rubbed on the blistered skin.

  “Ouch,” Stefan said, grimacing.

  “Sorry. Does anyone have a key to get these handcuffs off him?” Alex asked.

  Palmer pulled out a key and removed the manacles.

  “Jesus Christ, what is this place?” Martin blasted, walking into the room.

  “Exactly what it looks like, Chief. A bondage dungeon, like the club Euphoria. Except I think this was Dragos’ private club,” Palmer said.

  “What is it with these vamps and B and D? Jesus they are into freaky shit.” Martin shook his head, walking toward Alex and Stefan. “I take it that’s the Cat, Dragos referred to.”

  “Who did the honors?”

  “Alex did, with Stefan’s help. You ought to recommend her to Washington, Chief. She’s good and would be an asset on our team,” Johnson said. He winked at Alex.

  “Good idea, Johnson. What do you say, Alex. You interested?” Martin asked.

  “I…I don’t know. I’m a hunter, not government material. Can I think about it?”

  “Sure, you can get back to me later.” He turned and surveyed the room. “Good work boys. Looks like our job is done here. And everything else is done upstairs as well. The vamp club was secured and all the vamp lairs too. I’d say tonight went down like textbook. Let’s wind this up, process the paper, and get the bad guys on a bird to Washington before the morning.” He patted Johnson on the back and walked out of the room.

  Gregori and Sorin appeared at the doorway and motioned to Stefan, smiled and quickly disappeared.

  “Do you need to talk with them?” Alex asked.

  “No, we’re good,” Stefan said.

  “And what are your plans Alex? I don’t know about you, but I’m starved. You want to grab something to eat?” Jordan asked.

  Lovingly glancing up at Stefan, she said, “No, we have plans, but thanks.” Turning to Jordan, she grinned.

  * * * *

  A week later, Alex pulled into the employee parking lot of the SGM corporate offices before the sun disappeared ove
r the horizon. Waiting nervously for this moment all day, she would see Stefan for the first time after six long nights. Taking the express elevator to the Executive Level, she fidgeted in anticipation the entire twenty floor ride. He should be awake by now.

  The elevator came to a smooth stop, opening its doors to the Executive Level Lobby. Adjusting the top on the black wrap dress, she took a deep breath, stepped out, and walked toward the two vamps standing guard at the double doors to the CEO’s office.

  She nodded and started to speak, “I’m Alex…”

  “Yes, ma’am. Master Stefan is expecting you,” the bodyguard said, opening the door. He smiled and winked.

  Walking through the door, she stared at him. He seemed familiar. Then it dawned her, he was the guard near the lab. Funny.

  The smell of orange blossoms and coconuts permeated throughout the room. Yummy. Stefan. All male and all mine.

  “I heard that.”

  “I wanted you to.”

  Turning on her heel, she couldn’t hold back the grin. Standing in front of the desk, he looked handsome and well-dressed as usual. “When are you going to stop reading my mind?”

  “When you stop telecasting so loud.”

  The space between them narrowed.

  “Damn woman, you look good enough to eat. I’ve missed you.” He brushed back a tendril that had fallen away from her hairclip.

  “You don’t look bad either in this lavender shirt. It brings out the color in your eyes.”

  “Thank you. I have a stylist now who insisted I add a little color to my drab wardrobe. Too much black she said. Something about a wager to make me over in thirty days. Do you think I can be converted?”

  “It’s only been six days, but who’s counting.” Wrapping her arms around his neck, she rose on tiptoes, pulling him closer to kiss.

  Breaking the embrace, “I told my parents about us.”

  He winced. “How did they take it? As bad as Jordan described they would?”

  “Actually, pretty good. As long as I’m happy, they’re happy for me. Mom wanted me to marry a doctor, but I told her you were running a drug company, so that was close enough.”

  He chuckled.

  “Does this mean what I think it means? You want to be with me and try having a long-term relationship?”