by Dannika Dark
Christian approached the tub and sat back down on the stool. “What did he do to you?”
“You saw the marks.”
“What else did he do? You were despondent when I found you, Raven.”
I lowered my eyes. “He never forced himself on me, if that’s what you’re trying to ask. Not that it’s your business.”
“Not my business?” he said, voice rising. “Are you stark raving mad? I can’t make heads or tails of your remarks.”
“He juiced me, beat me, and sometimes pleasured himself while watching me bleed. That’s his thing, but not all the time. He usually can’t get it up or keep it up.”
Christian froze, his expression inscrutable. “First of all, we both know that juicing is a form of rape. I’m not a Mage, but stealing light is no different than drinking a Vampire’s blood against their will. I’m not good with soft words, but I don’t think less of you.” He reached out and touched my hand. “I still find you desirable.”
Horrified, I stood up and scampered out of the tub. Before he could turn around, I wrapped a robe around me. “Is this a game to you?”
Without waiting for an answer, I stormed into my bedroom and crossed over to my desk. The fire in the hearth provided comforting light and heat, the wood crackling and hissing as the flames roared. As I stared at my desk, something seemed out of place, but I couldn’t put my finger on it.
“Did you move my things?” I shoved the jewelry box aside and straightened a few papers.
Christian entered the room but said nothing.
I looked around, searching for an answer. Then I realized the thing that had changed was me.
“I feel like I’m going crazy.” My feet carried me to the arched windows, but all I could see was my ghostly reflection in the bits of glass between the diamond-shaped lattices. “How long did it take before everyone gave up looking? Houdini said you would, but I didn’t believe him.”
Christian took my arm and turned me to face him. I averted my gaze and stared at his hand.
“Why won’t you hold my gaze?”
“How do I know Viktor didn’t send you in here to charm me for information? I don’t want anyone in my head.”
“And I promised I’d never do that.”
I rubbed my face, a nebulous fog clouding my thoughts. “Tell Viktor I just need a few days and I’ll be better than I was before. I’ve got a fire in me now, and I won’t stop until every lowlife in this city is either dead or incarcerated.”
The music box suddenly played seven notes, and I jumped.
“It does that sometimes,” Christian said. “Must be jammed.”
The jewelry box reminded me of Fletcher’s threat. “My father… I have to see if he’s okay. Fletcher threatened to—”
“I’ve taken care of it. I knew that Fletcher would know where to find him.”
I jerked my head. “How did you know my Creator had me? The auction was anonymous.”
That perked Christian right up. He gave me a smug grin and put his thumbs in his pants pockets. “Your maker told me his name. I knew straight away that your Creator was the only person who would have bid that high for a girl with mismatched eyes.”
“So Houdini gave you information?”
“Aye. And I informed him that he’d sold you to the devil himself.”
My gaze drifted down. “Then he wanted you to find me. He wasn’t just going to leave me there without hope.”
“This charade is more than I can fecking take,” he bit out. “Why are you defending the man who turned you over to a torturer?”
“He couldn’t have known. You just said yourself you had to tell him the nature of our relationship. It’s not right what he did, turning me Vampire all those years ago, but he said that he really did want to keep me and make me a companion. Fletcher took me before that could happen.”
“You’re defending a man who sells women for profit.”
“But he never planned to sell me. I know it’s fucked up, Christian, but he doesn’t mean me any harm.”
Christian drew in a shaky breath and blew it out slowly.
I sat on the edge of the bed, trying to keep my thoughts away from that dark place I’d spent the past month. The warm fire and soft bed were familiar… and yet not.
After a few minutes of silence, Christian sat down beside me. “Are you sure Houdini didn’t feed you his blood? Your loyalty makes me think otherwise.”
“It’s not loyalty.”
“But you don’t hate him anymore.”
“I just have a better understanding of him now, and maybe because of that I don’t hate him the way I hate Fletcher.” I rubbed at an invisible scar on my wrist. “Don’t tell anyone. About Fletcher, I mean. I’m sure they can guess, but I don’t really want to talk about it anymore. It’s over, and they don’t need all the sordid details.” My eyes flicked down to his lap when something caught my attention. “I’ve never seen you wear a ring before.”
Christian’s hand clenched into a tight fist, and he leaned forward. “Why did Houdini leave your memory of him? What did you give in exchange for that?”
I found it strange that Christian kept circling back to Houdini instead of Fletcher. “I don’t know, he just did. I begged him to let me keep my memory.”
“Think about it, Raven. You have knowledge of his crimes, his description, possibly where he lives, and how he’s related to you. Why would he set you free with all that valuable information? Just because you asked?” Christian glared over his shoulder at me. “Think hard.”
When I did, another headache came on. All I wanted was to sleep and find a way to fill the hollowness inside me. Being here was still surreal, and I kept expecting to wake up from it and find myself chained to a wall. I dreaded the inevitable conversation with Viktor and whether or not I still had a place on this team. Worst of all, I didn’t have anyone I could confide in. Not completely. “I’m tired, and I want to be alone. Can we talk about this in the morning?”
He sat up straight, hands on his knees. “I don’t wish to quarrel on your first night back. When you’re rested, we’ll discuss the matter.”
“I might not want to discuss the matter. If you have something to say, get it over with already.”
A knock sounded, and Claude peered inside. “I thought you might be hungry, female.” His nostrils flared in his attempt to pick up my emotional scent.
“Leave it on the bedside table,” Christian said. “Wait in the hall. I’ll be out in a minute. And stop flashing your fangs everywhere you go. You’re scaring the help.”
Chitahs usually showed their teeth as a means of aggression, but sometimes when Claude was being overprotective, they came out. He retracted them and flashed his golden eyes at me. “I’m here if you need anything.”
I touched my wet hair. “Thanks.”
When the door closed, Christian stood up and turned the ring on his finger. “Can I ask you something before I go?”
I stared at the metal puzzle box on my desk. “Depends.”
“Do you remember what I said to you in the graveyard?”
I frowned. “When I found you in the crypt?”
He looked toward the window. “No, the other time.”
Pain lanced through my temple. “I don’t remember another time. Can we do this tomorrow? My head is killing me, and I just want to sleep.”
Christian clasped his hands behind his back and bowed. “Don’t worry yourself about it. You need rest. Eat every bite on that plate, and if you want anything else, I’ll be outside the door.”
I turned to watch him go. “All night?”
He turned the knob and showed me his profile. “I’ll make it right again, Raven. I vow that every wrong will be made right, even if you don’t know what was done to you.”
“I’m well aware of what was done to me.”
His face hardened, and with a quick bow, he left the room without another word.
Chapter 26
Two weeks later.
I
anchored my left foot on a hold and gripped a larger one above me. Maybe I should have worn a harness since we didn’t have crash pads on the floor, but in our rock-climbing room, there were no rules. It was one of the few rooms with overhead lights since scaling walls by candlelight was insanity. It wasn’t the most professional layout, but whoever built this room put a lot of work into the high walls, attaching holds of all sizes and shapes throughout. The activity had gotten me through the past couple of weeks, training my focus, patience, and endurance as well as rebuilding lost muscle. Moping around wasn’t my style, and nothing felt more kick-ass than scaling to the top.
After my rescue, I’d shoved aside my emotions and worked on conditioning my body back to its original state. That meant rest, eating in my room, and working out privately. That was the great thing about Keystone—no one hovered.
“You’re going to break your neck up there,” Christian said from below.
I peered over my shoulder when I saw one of the ropes next to me whipping around. “I like the challenge.”
“Viktor wants to speak with you.”
Finally.
Viktor had attempted once before to speak with me, but I’d asked for some recovery time. They hadn’t found Fletcher or any additional homes registered in his name. He’d disappeared off the face of the earth, and so the case died. It didn’t take a genius to figure out that Viktor wanted to assess if I was capable of continuing my work with Keystone. I’d spent the past two weeks getting my mind and body in shape so I could not only convince him I was ready to go back to work, but say it with conviction.
“Shall I tell the boss you’ll be another hour?” he asked.
I changed my hand position and grabbed the nearest rope, which was anchored to the wall above. Using a method Blue had taught me, I put the rope between my legs and carefully brought the tail end around my waist and over the front of my chest like a seat belt, letting the rest drape over my shoulder in the back. Then I grabbed that end with my right hand and the part in front of me with my left and walked down the wall. She’d advised me not to grab the rope freehand and climb straight down since one slip could mean either rope burn or a broken neck. Within seconds, my feet touched the floor.
“Should I change?”
Christian looked down at my tight black shorts but gave no reply.
I wiped my sweaty face on my T-shirt. “Can I ask you something before I talk with him?”
He nodded, hands in his pockets.
“Why did you leave me?”
A spark of confusion crossed his face.
“At the club, I mean. Why did you leave me alone in the parking lot? I’ve been going over that night, trying to figure out where it all went wrong. I trusted that guy because he didn’t look like a Vampire, but you must have heard our conversation from inside. When he charmed me and started up the engine, didn’t you realize what was happening? Why didn’t you come for me?”
Christian lifted his chin. “No answer will be good enough.” He turned on his heel and left the room.
I jogged after him until I caught up. “That’s it? That’s all I get? You were supposed to look out for me that night. I take blame in this too, but you’re my partner. You’ve been around the block enough times to know when a Vampire’s charming a person.”
“I shouldn’t have left you alone.”
“He led me to his car. He spiked my drink with sensory magic. Didn’t my behavior seem off?”
Christian didn’t answer. Typical.
Our brief walk led to a study on the first floor. Viktor was seated in one of two wingback chairs facing the fireplace. Christian remained in the hall and closed the door once I was inside.
I glared at a statue of an archer taking aim at one of the chairs. “You should tilt him in a different direction.”
Viktor leaned around to see what I was referring to and chuckled. “I like to keep people on their toes.”
“You have a special sense of humor.”
“Would you like a drink?”
“I might need one.”
“Have a seat, my dear.”
He filled the empty glasses on the table next to him with a clear liquid. When he handed me mine, we clinked our glasses together before taking a drink.
It felt like nighttime in a room without windows, but the fire added warmth and blanketed us in amber light.
“I cannot imagine what you have suffered at the hands of your Creator,” he began. “We had no other leads. I took the matter to the Mageri, hoping they might have something in their records about property or contacts. We were only able to connect with his banker. They sent Enforcers with a warrant for his arrest, but he never showed up at work or home. Shepherd watched his house for a week until Wyatt installed motion-activated cameras. Most immortals have an unlisted residence, so all we could do was wait.”
I gulped down my vodka and then set the empty glass on the floor. Viktor’s explanation sounded more like an apology. “What’s done is done. Has he turned up? Is that why you called me up here?”
Viktor swirled his glass. “Nyet. Fletcher Black is a ghost. But I want you to know that he will always remain in our case files. Do you understand? An attack on you is an attack on Keystone.”
I rested my forearms on my knees. “I’m sorry I messed this up, Viktor. Christian and I had everything planned out—every precaution taken. I wasn’t expecting…”
He set his glass on the table. “Go on.”
I possessed a strange loyalty to Houdini and wasn’t sure if I wanted to divulge details. He needed to be stopped, but he was also my maker. How could I break my promise not to come after him? On one hand, he’d never harmed me. On the other, he’d proved how cunning and capable he was. The veiled threat didn’t put a target on my back but on those around me.
“The Vampire who took me was my maker.”
Viktor’s lips mashed together, and his grey eyes narrowed. I knew right away that Christian hadn’t told him a thing.
Viktor stroked his beard once and finally broke the silence. “Does he have a name?”
“Houdini.” That was no secret. He’d signed those damn notes, so it wasn’t as if he was hiding it.
Viktor’s gaze traveled up to the ceiling. “Ah, now it makes sense. He was the one complaining that I had something of his. You were that something.” Viktor shut his eyes and sighed.
I kept my mouth shut about the key. The fewer details he knew, the better.
“What can you tell me about him?” he pressed.
I shook my head. “Nothing that will help us find him. Fletcher’s top on my list; I’ll worry about Houdini later.”
“Did your maker harm you?”
“No.” My gaze drifted back to the fire. “Houdini kept me in a room with a bed, a comfy chair, and a bathroom. He fed me, made me tea—it was more like staying at a bed-and-breakfast.”
Viktor leaned forward, resting his forearms on his knees. “You understand I had no choice. There is only so much one can do without evidence. We’d hoped Christian’s search would yield better results. I commend him for his persistence. It seems like just yesterday you were at each other’s throats. He carried so much guilt for the trickery.”
My eyebrows knitted. “What do you mean by trickery?”
Viktor waved his hand as if I already knew. “The blocking device.”
“What? What are you talking about?”
His eyes settled on mine. “Christian has not told you about that night?”
I shook my head.
“When he was inside, a sonic frequency intercepted his ability to hear. At first he thought it was the sound system—whatever plays the music on the speakers. Your kidnapper used something to block Christian’s ability to hear.”
A vague memory drifted in my mind of sitting in Houdini’s car and how he’d turned on the radio but no music came on.
Oh shit.
I covered my face with one hand. I’d been doing a lot of mental gymnastics to place the blame on Chris
tian and get him to admit culpability. His answer had come across as disingenuous, but instead of calling him out on it, I’d drawn my own conclusion. The only person who deserved blame was Houdini. If I didn’t learn to trust my instincts again, I was going to push away the only people I had left who had my back.
“When you have a chance, give Wyatt every detail you can about this Houdini.”
“There’s nothing to tell.”
A storm brewed in Viktor’s eyes as he studied me. “Why are you protecting him?”
“Because he’s not the issue. I know what he’s doing is wrong, but the women who went with him did so of their own free will. I don’t know how much evidence we can stack against him because of that. What we really need to do is go after the buyers. They’re easier to catch, and if we make an example out of them, it might prevent others from getting the same idea.”
Viktor crossed his legs and lifted his glass. “As it so happens, this wasn’t in vain.”
“What do you mean?”
He polished off his drink and then groomed his beard with one hand. “You inspired us to dig deeper into this problem. We reviewed the files you singled out as belonging to him because of a misspelling. Very clever find. Wyatt was able to uncover new information on the buyers who won the auctions. Do not ask me how he does these things, but he identified several buyers as one person. Somehow he found more, uh… bids or requests? I think that is the correct word.”
“I know what you mean. I thought the black market was private?”
“Da. But there are back doors, and people who know how to break in get lucky sometimes. Wyatt is talented with all that hackering.”
I chuckled. “You mean hacking.” Viktor was a well-spoken man, but sometimes he had his moments where he struggled with English. Particularly when tired or angry.