Depth (Apalala Clan Book 2)

by Dzintra Sullivan

  “I want to go…” she interrupted him. “Now.”

  “I can’t let you—” Attor started to say when she exploded.

  Jumping to her feet, she screamed. “I want to go home. Now.” Stalking over to him, she looked down, towering over this huge man as he sat bent and broken on the stone floor. Through gritted teeth, she said, “You will get off your spineless, weak, ass, Attor. You will give me one of those bubble things, and swim me to the bay. At which point, you will let me go, and never speak to me again.”

  “Taryn,” Attor said. “I can’t do—”

  Taryn lowered her face to align her lips to his ear, as she whispered, “Don’t back me into a corner, Attor.” Her breathing increased as she struggled to keep control. “I have killed bigger than you before, don’t make me prove it.”

  Twelve words were all it took for Attor’s chest to implode. He was trying his hardest to protect his mate, and she would kill him for doing so. The fracture in Attor’s psyche was so great, he had barely registered V walking into the room.

  “There’s no need for a life to be taken, Taryn.” Volos walked over, he had been standing in the shadows. Giving them a chance to work through it, but with her clear threat against his brother’s life, well, that wasn’t going to happen anytime soon. V could see Attor was emotionally spent. So he stepped forward and did what a good leader is required to do. Protect his clan.

  Taryn’s head flicked up to Volos. “I just want to go,” she said as she straightened up. “I am not asking.” She added, “I want to go.”

  V nodded. “I understand.” He thought for a few seconds. “Can I ask a favor of you?”

  “You’re fucking kidding, right?” Taryn said, dumbfounded by the fact this man who had aided in her kidnapping would have the audacity to ask a favor of her.

  “I don’t kid,” V retorted calmly. “Thing is, I need some help with Payton.” V’s head was making this up as fast as he could manage. A bazillion ideas rushing through his brain as he attempted to pull out the one that seemed most viable.

  “Payton?” Taryn’s body language completely changed at the mention of her friend. When they had spoken last night, Payton had told of how she ended up here. A similar story of kidnapping, holding against her will, in a cell no less. The two of them formed a sisterhood of sorts, a shared trauma will do that.

  “Payton,” V said as he looked at Attor. He had managed to get himself off the floor and was now standing silently against the wall. His face void of any emotional connection to the world right now. So V continued with his plan, “Yes, Pay, okay…” He nodded. Come on brain, catch up. Don’t let me down now, he cheered himself on. Walking over to the desk where Vern usually worked, he pulled out a gold credit card, he tapped it on the wood of the desk as he cemented his thoughts.

  Money was a human commodity, one that humans prized more than their own lives at times. To the clan, it was nothing, because the clan lived together as one. What one had, they all had. No one went hungry, cold, or without shelter. Thing was, as with most clans, they had human jobs in order to exist in a world without being seen for who they truly were. So, money was accumulated in mammoth amounts and stored for when it was needed. Their clan alone had forty-nine different bank accounts around the world. Specialized clan members balanced and worked out the finer details. V just knew that if they needed expenses, then they would use a gold card and it was sorted.

  “I am being called away on urgent business, and with the latest…” he shrugged, “… goings on in her apartment.” V didn’t want to say it was Taryn’s fault, but well… it was. Walking back toward her, his head turned to his mate walking in as if right on cue. “Payton,” he exhaled with relief.

  “Volos.” She laughed as she repeated his name to him. Looking at the wall where Attor still stood, frozen in time, she rubbed her eyebrow as she turned back to V and Taryn who stood on opposite sides of the sofa. A quick glance at the scattered papers of research over the table and floor filled her in on the fact that shit had hit the fan, and Attor had come off second best in the battle.

  “Last night you spoke of your nervousness to return to your apartment.” V widened his eyes slightly, a minuscule plead for her to blindly follow his lead.

  “Well…” Payton ran her hand through her messy morning hair. “I did expect my fear to be kept between just us, but now you want to openly declare your mate’s weaknesses… sure, I am worried about it. Yes.” Payton would follow her mate to the ends of the earth, sighted or blind. That didn’t mean she couldn’t be overly dramatic about it if she wanted to.

  “Yes…” V stuttered. “Sorry…” He swallowed. “I have a solution. And Taryn has offered to help me.”

  “She has?” Payton looked at her friend in surprise.

  “I have?” Taryn’s bewilderment clearly written on her face.

  “Yes, she has. You have.” V grinned as his plan formulated in a devilishly brilliant way. Thanks to Jo’s advice last night, he knew exactly how to get these two to do what he needed them to, without detriment to the clan or themselves.

  “I have booked a hotel room for you both. A few nights of luxury are exactly what the dragon ordered,” V said proudly.

  “Ohhh…” Payton smiled brightly. “Luxury you say? Like, how luxurious are we talking?” If Payton was going to play along, it was going to cost her mate.

  V chuckled at his mate’s cheekiness. He made a mental note to punish her later with a thousand orgasms. “Complete and total luxury, like you’ve never seen before. Thing is, Payton, I wouldn’t want you to go by yourself. I am, as you know, busy with business right now. So, I asked Taryn to go with you. She has reluctantly agreed to join you in a few days of complete and thorough pampering from head to toe.”

  Taryn was silent as she watched Payton ask, “Where is this ‘so-called’ pampering getaway?” Her head tilted slightly. “You know I’ll try every pampering service they offer, right?”

  “I wouldn’t expect anything less, my love.” V smiled lovingly.

  “What’s happening, V?” Wyvern walked in, his eyes flickered over his statuesque brother and the females.

  “Vern, perfect,” V said. “What is the best hotel in Tokyo?”

  “Oh, um…” He thought briefly. “Ritz Carlton. One of the top ten rated hotels in the world.”

  “Excellent. Can you call them and see if they have the Presidential Suite vacant?” V said with a smile. He saw Vern pause and added, “Now, if you don’t mind.”

  “Of course.” Wyvern grabbed his cell and used Google to locate and call the desired hotel.

  “Ohhh…” Payton’s eyes went wide with excitement. “The Ritz.” Turning to Taryn, she giggled with the glee of a small child at Christmas. “Have you ever been?” Taryn shook her head. “Me either.” She giggled again. “We’re going to have the most amazing time, ever.” She stopped in her thoughts. “V…” She turned to him, his eyes meeting hers with expectation as she continued with her question, “This getaway includes Kylee, correct?”

  Volos thought before answering, “That would depend on Taryn’s ability to keep our secret.”

  Both Volos and Payton turned in unison to look at Taryn.

  “I guess…” Taryn agreed. She was reluctant to further any contact with these people at all. However, this appeared to be the only way out of this underwater dungeon. She needed some time to work out where she was going to go anyway. A few days of pampering at an expensive hotel didn’t sound entirely horrible. Kylee being included gave her a sense of comfort. There would be no wings when she was around.

  Payton clapped her hands with euphoria as she bounced eagerly on the spot.

  “Presidential Suite is booked, V,” Wyvern said as he placed his hand over the speaker to his phone. “They have the Ritz-Carlton Deluxe Suite available, though. It's on the same floor. The fifty-third, and according to this overtly chipper receptionist, is bigger and better than the Presidential anyway.”

  Payton giggled with glee as Volos lau
ghed at how much joy this was bringing her. If he had known this simple act would make her this happy, he would have done it earlier. “Book it,” he said to Vern. “For three adults. Book for three nights, but with the understanding, if we need it extended it will be done.”

  Vern went back to discussions with the woman at the other end of the phone when he stopped and covered the phone again. “Three adults is extra… like, a lot extra.”

  “What is the cost?” V asked.

  “Base rate is over twenty-five K per night,” Wyvern said. “More for the extra adult, but this gives access to all the hotel amenities and services.”

  V exhaled at the cost, then looked at his mate’s hopeful look and smiled. “It had better include everything. Sheesh. Book it.”

  Payton squealed and leaped into his arms, smothering him with kisses as she said thank you a million times over and over. Another squeal escaped her mouth, as she bounced back out of her laughing mate’s arms and ran over to Taryn. “Come help me pack. We will get your stuff, and then we can go.”

  “I don’t have anything. My suitcase didn’t take the journey,” Taryn’s voice dropped low, as did her head.

  “Oh, well…” Payton thought for a minute, then nodded. “Guess we will have to go on a shopping trip as well.” She grinned as she looked at V. “After all, it's not your fault you have no clothes.”

  Volos rolled his eyes and just held out the gold card. “Let me know when you’re both ready to leave.”

  “All booked,” Vern said as he put down the phone.

  Payton grabbed Taryn’s hand. “I’ll pack, you call Kylee and tell her to meet us there.” Dragging the reluctant guest off was the single happiest woman in the world. V vowed to continue to make her smile like that more often.

  When they had left Vern said, “That’s going to cost a fortune.”

  “The cost of the safety of two clan mates is priceless, Vern,” he spoke as he walked over to Attor. “Brother, you can move now. She’s gone.”

  “She was going to kill me,” Attor spoke with a numbness coating his words.

  “So I heard. She’s a feisty one, that’s for sure.” V laughed as he patted his brother’s back. “It will work out. Trust in fate.”

  Attor scoffed, walking over to grab the strongest cup of coffee he could muster. “Fate, she is one cold-hearted bitch.”

  Volos’ laugh echoed as he left to help the ladies with their journey.

  Attor was called to duty. V had said he was as useless as tits on a turtle at the Nest. He had barely knocked before demanding Attor suit up. It was a mission that required his presence. Explaining to him as they got ready to exit the Nest that Jo and Ladon were handling the ladies and Vern was chasing the Q trail.

  “My head isn’t right, V,” he said to his brother, it was difficult admitting his brother was right. As warriors, weakness wasn’t tolerated. Weakness would end up with someone being killed.

  V reluctantly nodded. “I don’t think it’s been right since the Oasis, Attor.” V placed his hand on the shoulder of his brother, a sincere look flashed in his eyes. “It’s been a tumultuous time for us all. Some more than others.” He gave an extra slap to his shoulder before returning to fasten his vest. “We are our strongest when we’re as one.” V’s words were hauntingly honest. “We will always be one, brother.”

  “How can I…” Attor paused mid-question, reluctant to admit he was struggling.

  “Handle a mate… plus, the responsibilities of a clan warrior?” V finished his question.

  “How did you know?” he whispered with bewilderment.

  V’s deep belly laugh rolled up his chest. “You have met Payton, right?” Another rumble of laughter thundered from him. “The turmoil that woman put me through… man-o-man… I questioned everything about myself. My strength, my own ability to function as a leader, or even a basic partner…” Taking a breath before he continued with one of the first genuine discussions he’d shared with Attor in well over a year, “I didn’t know how to be a mate. A leader, yes, because we were bred to do that. But a mate? Fuck! Having this mind-blowingly beautiful creature love me, was the scariest thing I’ve ever experienced. I still look at her and wonder how the hell did I get this lucky?”

  “She terrifies me,” Attor admitted loudly.

  “She will always terrify you. I’m terrified now, with Payton being at a hotel with Taryn and Kylee. I hate the feeling of not being able to be everywhere at the same time,” V spoke honestly. “Trusting us, the brothers, is the only way. I know that Jo and Ladon will defend them with their lives. Besides, Payton isn’t a defenseless little girl either. I still feel the bruises.” He laughed as his hand went to his nose from where Payton had punched him in the nose and broke it.

  Attor shifted his weight as he adjusted his leathers. “Yeah, I learned the hard way that Taryn can take care of herself, too.”

  “So… we adjust, we evolve, we grow,” V said. “Together, as one.”

  Attor nodded. “Where are we going?”

  “We’re going to talk to Cinders.”

  “Yeah? You think she’s going to talk?”

  “Look…” V exhaled. “I’m done pussyfooting around. From now, if we want questions answered, how about we’re just up front and ask. It’s in public, and at her work, there’s only so much she will react to without risking her own identity… whatever that might be.”

  “Alrighty, let’s go.” Attor pushed the button as they both watched the door to the ocean open. A few seconds to change and the brothers were gone.

  Attor and V stood at a desk, looking down at this small woman with long blonde hair, waiting for her to finish the call she was on. The woman placed the phone down as she looked up, and up, and into the eyes of two ginormous men who practically cast her entire desk into shadow.

  She swallowed loudly. “Can I help you?”

  Attor smiled widely. They had discussed on the trip that getting past the receptionist might be the hardest task. So happy, happy, all the way. “Yes…” Attor bent to look at the woman’s name tag. “Allyson? Is that your name?” The woman nodded attentively. “That’s a beautiful name for a beautiful woman. I especially like the uniqueness of the ‘y.’ Can I call you Ally?” Attor had her locked in his eyes, and he wasn’t about to let go. As soon as he mentioned the word beautiful her breathing increased. He looked at her hand and saw no ring. “How can someone with such radiant beauty be single? Are the men blind? Or stupid? If I had the chance, I would take you out and ravish you with all the passion that a princess would deserve.” The woman giggled as she leaned forward, her hand raising to loop a finger into her long blonde hair.

  “I’m free later,” she said in a husky breath.

  “As soon as I get to see Ms. Cinders I am free aaalll afternoon.” He drew out the word ‘all,’ letting his tongue slowly run across his lips as he gazed at her with all the hunger of a predator to its prey.

  “She’s on a no-contact morning,” Ally replied automatically.

  Attor pouted slightly. “Then how will I ever be able to take you out?”

  Ally looked left and right, focusing back on this wall of lickable muscle that stood in front of her. Lust winning out, she grinned. “I’m sure she won’t mind.” Pressing an unlock button which was hidden under her desk. “Later?”

  Attor winked causing her to squirm in her chair. “Later, Ally.”

  “Manwhore,” V murmured to Attor as they went to open the door.

  “Men-whore, V. We are one, remember?” Attor chuckled as they walked into the office, closing the door behind them.

  “Ally, I said no interup—” Cinders barked as she lifted her head. Freezing mid-sentence as she saw that in place of her small blonde receptionist was two massive males. Dressed head to toe in black leather, and by the way they moved, she would bet there were weapons hidden.

  “Ms. Cinders?” V said, seeing her hand reach for the side of her desk. Assuming it was a panic button, Volos said, “I wouldn’t.” He shoo
k her head. “How would it look if the security guards come running in, to only get eaten by dragons?” V normally wouldn’t confess something like that so openly. However, he knew this woman was a shifter, and by the smell he leaned toward the feathered variety, but the masking was very cleverly done.

  “Dragons,” she exclaimed, her hand lowered as sat back. The energy in the room spiked as she flicked her eyes between the two men standing before her. “I saw you the other day…” she looked at Attor, “… talking to one of our girls.”

  “Taryn.” Attor nodded.

  Cinders eyes went wide as the puzzle pieces slotted in to place “You have to stay away from her…” The panic in her voice rose as she shortened her breathing.

  “What are you?” V asked as he glanced at Attor with a shrug. “Pussyfooting.”

  Nodding at his brother, he looked back at Cinders, still sitting behind her desk. The tension rippling across her shoulders and up the muscles of her neck, as it throbbed with an increasing speed. “And what has Taryn got to do with it?” he added to his brother’s question.

  Cinders got up nervously, turning to the floor to ceiling sized windows on either side of her desk. Quickly pulling both the curtains shut, she then hot stepped it to the door and clicked the lock from the inside. The last thing she needed was any more uninvited guests. Going to the shelves that occupied the entire wall space, Cinders traced her finger across the books until she hit one, pulled it out and switched a small black button on its underside. Then fluttering over to the other side of the room, she lifted a blue vase from on the top of a file cabinet. Turning it over, she switched a button on that too. After taking a look around the room satisfied she’d done what was needed, she went back to her desk and took a seat.

  “What was that all about?” Attor asked as he used his fingers to point to the places she had darted.