Confusion clouded the woman’s face. “I don’t know. Señor Aiden only said you were coming.”
“Who’s Aiden?”
Her eyes filled with fear as she leapt out of the chair, wringing her hands. “Tu abuelo. Your grandfather.”
A man stood in the doorway. “Not to worry. Jake has had a difficult night and is confused.”
Jake recognized the voice. It was him. “Where’s my mom?”
Maria stood in the center of the large room, swinging her gaze between Aiden and Jake.
“That is all, Maria,” the man said.
She hesitated, watching Jake with terrified eyes.
Aiden took several steps into the room, his cold eyes watching her while his face remained expressionless. “I said that is all, Maria.”
Her hands shook as she hurried past him.
His gaze followed her with a look of boredom. He turned his attention to Jake.
Jake jumped off the bed, his hands clenched at his sides. “You told me that you were taking me to see my mommy!”
Aiden cocked his head to the side. “No, that’s not what I said at all. I said we were going to get your mother.”
Jake’s breath came in short bursts. “Then where is she?”
Sitting on the side of the bed, Aiden leaned forward, clasping his hands. “Lesson number one, Jacob: Always make sure the person states in very clear and concise words what they mean. Is their language ambiguous? Make them clarify. Take Raphael, for example. He thought he pinned me down and made the situation fit his desires. Yet he forgot that there are always loopholes to squeeze through.”
Aiden laughed like he’d said something funny. But Jake was mad. He wanted answers and Aiden was talking about someone he didn’t know. “I don’t care. I want my mommy!” His chest filled with fire.
Aiden raised an eyebrow, yet looked bored. “You should care, Jacob. If you had asked me to clarify last night, I would have told you that we were getting your mother but letting her go. For now.”
“I never saw my mother.” But he didn’t remember anything that happened last night after Aiden took him from the house, either.
Aiden placed his hand on Jake’s head. “You were there. You just don’t remember.”
Jake wanted to ask why, but with Aiden, anything was possible. “I want to see my mom,” he said in slow, even words.
Aiden laughed. “You’re a stubborn child, aren’t you? You’re a lot like your mother, you know. She was stubborn too.”
“How do you know my mom?”
Dropping his hand, Aiden’s smile fell. “I’m her father.”
Maria had said that Aiden was his grandfather, but Jake didn’t believe it. First, Aiden looked closer to Will’s age instead of the grandfathers he’d seen on television. And second, Mommy said she didn’t have a dad.
“Everyone has a father.”
He’d read his mind.
Aiden laughed. “After all our conversations, it shouldn’t surprise you.”
He was right, but somehow it didn’t seem right with him right next to Jake.
“Now you know how your mother felt when you first tried it with her.”
Guilt coursed through him. She’d hated it. Just like he did now. “I want my mom. I want her now.” His fingers tingled with energy.
Aiden sighed. “We all want things. It doesn’t mean we get them. Take me, for instance. I want your mother to do what I ask, to fight for you, yet I have no guarantee that she will.”
Fear mingled with Jake’s anger. Was Mommy in danger? She loved him and would do anything to save him. “Fight what?”
Aiden stood and walked to the window. “You have a lovely view from this room. One of the best views of the estate.”
Jake didn’t care about views or estates. He wanted his mother.
Twisting his upper body to look at Jake, Aiden’s mouth lifted into a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “All in good time, Jacob. All in good time.” He moved to the doorway. “You will begin training after breakfast.”
The door closed behind him and Jake looked around the room in dismay. The room was nicer than the ones Alex had kept him in, but he knew it was a jail, despite the huge, fancy furniture lining the walls.
He tried to swallow the lump of disappointment in his throat. This was supposed to be over. Aiden had tricked him and told him he’d get to be with Mommy. But Aiden didn’t say when. A loophole, he’d called it.
Jake didn’t know what to call it. The only hole he knew about was the one in his heart that grew bigger every day. One day he’d fall into it and never come out.
Flopping on the bed, he buried his face into the pillow and sobbed out his frustration and loneliness. He broke his rule, calling out to her, begging her to come save him, but the one time he needed her, she didn’t answer.
He was alone.
***
Will jerked awake when the metal door swung open and four armed men entered the room. Within a second, he shoved down his disorientation, clasping his hands behind his head and crossing his feet at the ankles. “Good morning. You boys bring me breakfast in bed?”
Two men reached down and grabbed his arms, pulling him to his feet.
“Got your handcuffs off, I see,” the shorter guard said.
Will shrugged. “I needed my beauty sleep and I like to sleep on my back. A little lumpy with the cuffs on.”
“Funny guy, huh? We’ll see how funny you are once Kramer is done with you.”
They pulled him into the hall, where eight more guards waited. They marched down the hall and turned the corner. Two more guards stood by a door and snapped to attention when they saw the group approach.
One of the men opened the heavy metal door. “Kramer said to bring him in and he’ll be here shortly.”
“Tell Kramer it’s rude to keep his guest waiting,” Will said as he walked through the opening. Worried about what he’d find on the other side, he was relieved to see a table and two chairs and a mirror covering one wall. A simple interrogation room.
The door closed behind him.
They were watching him through the glass. As heavily as they guarded him, he knew they didn’t expect him to show signs of weakness. Nevertheless, they hoped to glean something by observing him in isolation. What they wanted from him, he had no idea, but this was all part of the game. Make him wait and worry.
He pulled out the metal chair, the feet screeching across the bare concrete floor. Once he sat, he kicked back with his elbow on the table. Lesson number one when going undercover: you can make people believe anything if you play the part right.
But Will wasn’t undercover, and he had a feeling it wasn’t going to work this time.
Fifteen minutes later the door opened. Will raised an eyebrow in greeting but remained silent as Kramer walked into the room. The sight of the man sent ripples of apprehension through Will that had nothing to with the exchange they were about to have. Acknowledging his fear ignited the worry he’d felt for the woman last night, a worry that burned Will with an intensity he wasn’t prepared for. He stifled his gasp.
Kramer took a seat in the chair on the other side of the table. “How did you sleep, Will?”
Will took a moment to recover from his dismay. He hadn’t felt anything for her since he went to sleep last night. He’d hoped it was a bad acid trip. Will smirked. “Those peas under the mattress really disturbed my rest. If you plan to let me stay here longer, I hope you have someone look into that.”
Kramer folded his hands on the table and stared into Will’s face with cold, hard eyes. “Keep it up while you can, Davenport. Pretty soon your cocky attitude will be beaten out of you.”
Dread filled him, but Will tsked. “What kind of hospitality is that?”
Kramer lifted his mouth into a grim smile. “Where is she?”
“You can’t tell them,” a voice said in his head. A voice that wasn’t his own. Will’s heart skipped a beat. He’d imagined it, yet he felt an urge to obey. “Who?”
/> Kramer shook his head. “Seriously? We’re playing this game?” His brow furrowed. “Trust me, with the press catching wind of Alex’s disappearance from the public eye and some bimbo coming out of nowhere claiming to have had an affair with Senator Warren, I have enough trouble to deal with without adding you and this infuriating woman into the mix. And considering what a pain in the ass you’ve been, I’d love nothing more than to take my frustration out on you.”
Will’s mind kicked into gear, trying to sort out why they were holding him. Kramer must have hired him to find the woman in the woods. If he played along, he might get more information. “Senator Warren? You mean the guy running for president? What does he have to do with this? Is the woman you’re asking about the one claiming to have slept with him?” He forced himself to sound cocky, every word at odds with his rising fear.
Kramer sighed. “You’re full of idiotic questions, when what I really need is answers.” He placed his palms on the table and leaned forward. “Where’s Emma?”
Emma. The name sent waves of love crashing through him. Fear, dread, worry, belonging—all pinned themselves on the single word. His whole reason for living was tied to a woman he didn’t even know.
That was impossible. And crazy.
“Tell them nothing. You have to buy her more time,” the voice said.
A new hysteria raged, a fear for himself. He was losing his fucking mind.
Lowering his eyes to hide his traitorous emotions, Will growled, “How the hell should I know?”
The man sighed and looked up at the ceiling. “I have several options at this point.”
Will raised his head and glared.
“We could do nothing with you and wait.” Kramer lowered his chin as his eyes pierced Will with cold disinterest. “I have no doubt she’ll come for you. It’s just a matter of how soon and what she’s capable of doing.” He grinned. “But why not extract information from you while we wait? Maybe after some coercion you can be persuaded to tell us more about her powers, and we’ll be more prepared.”
The hair on the back of Will’s neck prickled. “No need to get hasty, Kramer. I’m sure we can reach some kind of understanding.”
“You’ll actually mean that in a few more hours, Will. I’ll check in on you later and see if you’re more forthcoming then.”
Kramer left the room as six armed men entered.
Damn, this didn’t look good.
***
Lush green scenery flew past her car window in a blur. There was no denying the beauty of the rolling hills and fertile pastures, but the images were like a reflection on moving water, blurry and out of focus. Her mind tunneled inward, barely acknowledging her surroundings.
Her chest was so heavy she fought for every breath, desperation and despair filling her blood with their toxicity.
Was it possible to die from grief?
She’d come to her senses by the time the plane had landed at the small airport, but she didn’t fight Raphael when he led her down the steps of the plane onto the tarmac. Everything around her moved in slow motion, her reactions a second behind. A tiny part of her told her to run as she walked to the waiting car, but she ignored it. Will was dead and Raphael was her only chance to save Jake.
She had to save Jake.
The thought of him should have given her strength, fueled her need for vengeance. But she felt too desolate to find the energy to do anything but put one foot in front of the other and slide into the front seat.
Will was dead. What did it matter who she was with?
Raphael made a few attempts to talk to her, but his words were muffled. Emma leaned her head against the window and closed her eyes, trying to block out her new reality.
She was completely alone.
Raphael pulled through a remote-controlled iron gate and drove up the circular drive, stopping in front of massive wooden doors.
“Welcome home, Emma.”
A flicker of anger sparked and just as quickly died. Let him think what he wanted. She didn’t care.
They walked into a two-story entry with a monstrosity of a chandelier hanging over their heads, and for a brief moment she wished it would fall, crushing her to the floor.
Surely a quick death was a better alternative to slow suffocation.
He showed her the house, which was a joke. Her mother’s house could fit in the living room. But she said nothing, following him like a zombie. A zombie in a bloody nightgown. She didn’t give a fuck about his house, but it would take too much effort to tell him. Instead, she put one foot in front of the other, which she realized she’d been doing her entire life anyway.
Just one more day. Just one more minute, hanging on for dear life. For what? Before Jake, it was for the elusive hope that her life could be better. After Jake, it was because he was her entire world. The sun rose and set on loving and protecting that little boy. Her life could be broken down into four words: before and after Jake.
Until Will.
The burning in her throat threatened to ignite and burst into flames. Could she do that? Could she use her power to spontaneously combust?
Raphael stopped in front of a partially open door. “This will be your room. For now.” He pushed it open to reveal a room with a bed covered in fluffy white linens. Two floor-to-ceiling windows featured a second-story view of an endless green lawn.
When had they climbed a staircase?
“You’ve had a trying night and it’s now midmorning. Perhaps you’d like to rest?” he asked gently. Under different circumstances, Emma might have believed he cared. “You can shower and change into clean clothes first.”
Ignoring him, she pushed past him and laid down on the bed, her gaze focused on a tree in the yard.
He moved beside her and hesitated before reaching down to caress her cheek. “It will get easier, Emma. I promise. Just take it one day at a time.” When she didn’t answer, he turned and left the room, shutting the door behind him.
She closed her eyes, thinking that he sounded like someone who spoke from firsthand experience.
Chapter Four
Jake sat at a massive dining room table, dragging his fork through the runny eggs on his fancy plate. A wall of windowed doors looked out onto the gardens, a fountain in the middle. Shrubs shaped like dolphins and bears flanked the patio. A month or two ago he would have been curious enough to investigate. Now he just wanted to go home. Whatever or wherever that might be.
Maria stood to the side, watching while he ate.
“You must eat, Señor Jake.” Her thick black hair was pulled back in a bun. Her mouth turned down into a disapproving frown.
“These eggs are gross,” he sighed.
Maria reached for the plate, muttering in Spanish, as she took it to the kitchen doorway. She returned several minutes later with a plate full of fruit, scrambled eggs, and bacon.
“This is better, no?” she asked with a kind smile.
“Yes, it’s better. Thank you,” he said, picking up his fork. He wasn’t hungry, and while he didn’t understand all the thoughts in her head, he knew she’d watch him until he ate something.
“You have such good manners, Señor Jake.”
“Of course he does,” Aiden said, walking into the room.
Maria jumped and crossed herself as she scurried backward, away from the table.
Jake lifted his gaze from his plate. His grandfather walked toward him, a smile spread across his face.
“Do you like your room?” Aiden sat next to him.
Jake shrugged, tilting his head to study Aiden. He reminded him of Alex somehow. He just couldn’t figure out how.
“It’s because we are both elementals.”
“What’s that?”
“It’s a bit complicated for you to understand, but we can control the elements. What you recognize is our power, the energy we emit. You’re a natural at it, which is why you came into your powers so much sooner than your mother. That and the fact that you have two parents who are elemental.�
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Jake twisted his mouth. “What about Will?”
Aiden’s smile fell. A ripple of irritation rolled off of him, filling the room. “You don’t need to worry about Will right now. You have too much work to do.” Aiden looked up at Maria, his eyes darting with anger. “Why is he still eating? I told you to have him ready by now.”
Maria’s eyes widened and she backed into the wall. “I’m sorry, Señor Walker. I—”
“It’s my fault.” Jake dropped his fork on his plate with a clang. “I didn’t like the eggs and she got me a new plate.”
Aiden watched Jake with a puzzled look, suspicion in his eyes. Jake felt him scanning his mind to see if he was lying. Waiting for him to finish, Jake tried to push into Aiden’s mind, hitting a solid wall.
Aiden laughed. “You are kind to stand up for Maria.” His smile fell and his eyes hardened. “But benevolence is a weakness. Benevolence will get you trampled.”
Maria made a gurgling noise and Jake turned to her. She grabbed her throat and her face turned blue before she fell to the floor.
Jake’s mouth dropped open in shock.
Aiden continued, ignoring the dead woman on the floor. “You need to be ruthless to defeat your enemies.”
“Enemies?” Jake’s breath caught in his throat, forcing his words out in a wheeze.
“Yes, and you must prepare to fight them.” Aiden stood. “There’s no time to waste. We start now.”
***
Will stood naked with a hood over his head, his hands cuffed behind his back. A metal collar around his neck tethered him to a wall. He knew about CIA interrogation procedures. Enough to feel the slow trickle of fear seep into his head.
Kramer wanted information about the woman in the woods.
Will knew nothing about the woman in the woods other than his psycho obsession with her. And he couldn’t admit that.
Goddamn it to fucking hell.
The door creaked open and footsteps echoed in the room.
The hood was jerked off his head and his eyes adjusted to the blinding light.
Sacrifice Page 3