by Susan Bliler
“Ignore this fucking guy!” Nyree called out. “He’s bluffing, Rohm!” She jerked frantically on the straps holding her arms and legs. “We don’t know what a Sentry is!” she shouted. “You have the wrong people. Let us go!”
Eyes still locked on Rohm, the man was motionless for several moments before shooting his arm out and jerking quickly back.
Nyree hissed at the sting as a line of blood slowly dotted the rounded curve of her upper breast closest to the doctor. It took a few seconds before her skin parted and the slash began to bleed profusely. Her eyes turned to focus on Rohm who’d loosed a deafening roar at the action and was now punching the small Plexiglas window so hard that blood from his knuckles smeared the glass.
“We don’t know what you’re talking about,” Nyree enunciated each word, trying to convince Rohm to remain quiet. Her chest stung, but she’d live.
“Such beautiful skin.” Chambers lifted the blade, hovering it over Nyree’s forehead. She froze as held the knife above her, tracing a line down the bridge of her nose, over her lips, down her chin, and over her neck, then sideways until he finally pressed the blade firmly against her skin near the juncture of her throat and shoulder. He smiled as he pushed harder, sliding the blade down toward her breast, leaving a line of crimson in its wake.
Tears welled in Nyree’s eyes as she tensed and groaned at the pain. She refused to scream for the asshole. Instead, she held her breath and struggled to keep from crying out.
“ENOUGH!” Rohm’s shout drew her attention, and Chambers pulling the blade back to stare at the Keeper.
“Rohm!” Nyree hated the quiver in her voice and the pain-filled tears that flooded her eyes. “Don’t!”
Rohm flicked his eyes side-to-side and growled. “The space is too small. I can’t do it in here.”
An evil smirk of triumph, and suddenly his mask-clad thugs were back, as if they’d been waiting in the wings for Rohm’s declaration.
“Prepare the cage.” The so-called “doctor” watched excitedly as the men stalked to the cage in the center of the room, opening the door wide before turning to Rohm.
“You are going to get in the cage.” Chambers spoke to Rohm, but smiled at his scalpel. “And I’m going to place this scalpel here.” He bent, pushing the tip of the scalpel into Nyree’s eyelid. She whimpered, but bit her lip to stifle the sound.
“One wrong move and she’s half blind.” He leveled his eyes on Rohm. “No hesitation. If I even think you’re planning something, she loses an eye. Understood?”
Rohm looked from him to Nyree and nodded once.
“Open the cell,” Chambers commanded.
One of the thugs opened the cell while the other backed away, pulling a pistol from the band of his waist and pointing it at Rohm.
Slowly, the Keeper stepped out of the cell and squared his shoulders. His nostrils flared as he scanned the room.
“MOVE!” The thug with the gun bellowed.
Rohm complied, but kept his eyes on the scalpel at Nyree’s eye.
“R-Rohm?” her voice shook when she called out, and he knew she was begging him to attack regardless of any damage that would be done to her. He wouldn’t risk it.
“Quiet,” Chambers hissed, pushing the scalpel a little deeper.
Rohm stopped, tensing as he stared straight into the man’s soulless eyes. “Cut her with that and you fucking die!”
Lips curled into a derisive sneer, Chambers backed up a fraction. “Just get in the damn cage and do as I say.”
Relieved that the man’s attention was off Nyree, Rohm walked quickly to the cage, allowing the thugs to lock him in before he stepped forward and gripped the bars closest to Nyree, but the evil little man didn’t take the scalpel from her eye.
“Now, show me your Sentry.”
Eyeing the camera’s surrounding the cage, Rohm warred with uncertainty.
“Is she not worth it?” he challenged. “If she’s so insignificant to you, then maybe one of my men would like her.”
Rohm stepped back, spreading his arms wide. His chest shimmered, then blurred.
“DON’T!” Nyree screamed.
An image began to center in Rohm’s chest, slowly growing until it engulfed him from head-to-toe before a huge white shape leapt free.
“Remarkable,” the monster at Nyree’s side muttered as he lowered his arm, gawking at the massive polar bear who now shared the cage with Rohm.
The great beast was docile for only a moment before throwing himself at the bars with a mighty roar. Rohm joined in, and Nyree swore she felt the concrete shake beneath the table she lay on as the doctor’s scalpel clattered to the floor when he jumped back, a quickly stifled look of terror on his face. Hopeful, Nyree turned to eye Rohm and Zavier as the duo attacked the bars of the cage. Disappointment was swift as she realized that, while the bars bowed slightly, that was the extent of the damage.
“Bring in the Walker,” Chambers bellowed, and Nyree jerked her head around as far as she could to face the door.
Chapter 5
A Walker? Any hope that flared to life quickly diminished when the two goons came in, holding a shackled man between them. Ash. Nyree had seen him a handful of times at the Estate, but they’d never spoken and she didn’t know much about him.
“Put him in the cage with the other beast. I need to know what we’re dealing with.”
Nyree’s stomach dropped, her eyes following the Walker as he was led to the cage holding Rohm.
“You’re going to fight,” Chambers began, but was abruptly cut off when Rohm barked, “No.”
“Oh, you will fight.” Bending back to the drawer where he found the scalpel, Nyree watched in horror as he pulled out a large pair of stainless steel shears. “Or I’ll start taking pieces off your Angel.”
She didn’t need to see Rohm’s face to know he’d do as ordered. But the Walker, what would his motivation to fight be? Survival? She hoped that, because he still bore his halo, it meant he wasn’t mated and there wasn’t an Angel somewhere in the compound who was being used against him like she was being used against Rohm. The psycho with the scissors had called her Rohm’s Angel, but admitted that he knew Rohm wasn’t a Skin Walker. Perhaps the idiot believed she belonged to Rohm because they were brought in together.
“Walker…ASH!” she screamed. “You don’t have to do this! Monroe will come for us!” Hell, she didn’t know if the Walker even cared, but she had to try. God only knew what would happen if a Keeper and a Skin Walker went to battle full-bore. Dread filled her and she licked her lips, her eyes never leaving the Walker’s. “I’m not his Angel.” She explained. “He doesn’t have to fight for me!”
Rohm snarled, drawing her attention. “I will fight to keep you from harm, Nyree.”
“No,” she barked. “You don’t have to. I don’t want you to.”
Suddenly, she felt her hand grabbed, her pinky extended even as she tried to fist her hand. “DON’T!”
Grinning, he straightened the finger, sliding the shears around it. She screamed. “NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!”
“DON’T,” Rohm bellowed. “I’LL FIGHT!”
Chambers stilled as he lifted his head, jerking his chin toward Rohm. “Put the Walker in the cage.”
“I won’t fight for your fucking entertainment,” the Walker growled, his voice deep and rough.
“Oh, it’s not just for my entertainment. And you will fight, Walker.” Chambers looked over his shoulder and Nyree followed his line of sight. The door on the back wall opened and one of the goons entered, shoving a woman who held a young girl in her arms.
“Daddy!” the child cried, before burying her head in the woman’s neck. The female was dressed, or rather, underdressed, in a gown similar to the one Nyree wore.
“Harper!” The Walker called the girl’s name on a breath of relief.
“I’ve got her, Ash.” The woman spoke, fear making her voice tremble. “I swear, I’ll do everything I can to keep her safe.”
Nyree looked back
in time to see Ash’s face go stony as he nodded once at the woman, then turned determined eyes on Rohm. The female wasn’t his Angel, Ash still wore his halo, but the child was definitely his.
Shhhhhhit!
The door behind the woman opened wider and a large figure slunk into the room. Pale and huge, wearing a dark wool trench coat, his bald head was stark white, just like the rest of him. Nyree knew right away something was wrong about the creature. His eyes were too dark, no white showing at all, and the way he moved his head was more animal-like than human or Walker. His eerie gaze swept over her, and he inhaled deeply, his mouth falling open to reveal sharp, shark-like teeth that seemed to overfill his mouth. He loosed a brain-numbing screech, and Nyree hunched away from the beast, both from the noise and the terror that flooded her veins. The woman and child also cringed away from the creature. Nyree knew what it was. Megalya.
“I’ve promised Odium that whichever of you fails, he can drain.”
In training, Nyree had learned how Megalya drank Walker blood in order to steal their shifting abilities. The sick fucks even decapitated Walkers to keep their halos as trophies. Her gaze dipped to its waist, where a glint caught her eye. Sure as shit, several bands shown in the light where they hung from his belt. Nyree swallowed hard to keep from retching as she realized most of the halos were too small to belong to anyone but a Walker child or female.
“Put the Walker in the cage. He’ll fight if he wants his child to live,” Chambers commanded and Nyree’s gaze jerked back to Rohm.
The guards hurried to do as ordered, and when the door slammed shut with a loud clang, Rohm didn’t hesitate. With a roar he charged the Walker, then the two were battling fiercely.
Nyree watched in horror as Ash and Rohm pummeled each other. “Why are you doing this?” she screamed at the madman, who was staring fixedly at the ongoing battle with a calm smile.
“We need to know who is stronger.” He responded without taking his eyes from the fight.
“Why? Why does it fucking matter?” There had been no reports of a Megalya attacking a Keeper. She hadn’t even been aware the Megalya knew of the existence of Keepers, but just because they knew of them didn’t mean they knew everything.
“The Megalya can’t drink from them!” She screamed the lie. “Their blood is toxic you fucking idiot. Rohm!” She yelled. “Stop fighting!”
They didn’t stop though. In fact, Ash partially shifted, raking clawed hands down Rohm’s chest, which had Nyree struggling against her restraints. Zavier, who’d been pacing back-and-forth along the back of the cage, turned his head and roared in rage at Ash, but didn’t join the fight. Nyree suspected Rohm was holding back, trying not to harm the Walker. Hell, she didn’t even know if he could hurt Ash, but if he was truly worried, she knew Zavier would enter the fray. Watching helplessly, she knew she had to do something. Anything!
“Don’t worry.” Chambers lowered cold, dead eyes to stare at her. “If your Keeper falls, the Walker will breed both you and the other female.” His eyes lifted back to the fight. “You can’t even begin to imagine what I could do with a fetus born from either one of them.”
Fetus? The Walker will breed both you and the other female! Nyree’s gaze cut back to Rohm as the Doctor’s words sunk in. She and the woman holding the child were going to be given to whoever won, while whichever one lost was drained by the Megalya!
Focused on Rohm and his wounds, Nyree didn’t at first notice the hand that slid from her ankle and up over her calf until it passed her knee and began massaging her thigh.
“HEY!” she yelled at the creature touching her, her gaze snapping down. It was the Megalya. “Get your fucking hands off me!”
Her words drew Chambers’ attention too. “No, Odium! You killed the last one when you tried to claim.” Lower, he muttered, “I’m finished trying for Megalya offspring!”
The Megalya didn’t listen. He titled his head first one way, then the other. His beady black eyes studied Nyree as if seeing a female for the first time. He inched his hand higher up her thigh, and Nyree screamed louder. “I SWEAR TO GOD, IF YOU DON’T GET YOUR FUCKING HANDS OFF ME…”
Suddenly, Odium jerked his hand back and lifted his wrist to his mouth. Sharp teeth cut into pale flesh, then he was holding the wound over Nyree’s leg, blood dripped down onto her knee. She screamed.
“STOP IT!” Chambers barked as he rounded the table, stopping when the creature jerked his head toward the doctor and peeled back his lips, revealing bloody teeth as he hissed.
“You’ll…you’ll ruin her,” Chambers stammered, jabbing a finger toward the cage. “How will I control the Keeper if you claim his female? I’ll get you another! You can’t have this one!”
Rohm growled, drawing Nyree’s attention, and she realized he and Ash had stopped fighting. Both men stood gripping the bars of the cage in white-knuckled fists as their eyes locked on Odium.
“Look what you’ve done!” Chambers whined. “Get out!” He pointed toward the door. “Get out, now!” He stormed to the door, holding it open. When the monster didn’t move, he threatened, “Do I need to get Sam?”
That got Odium’s attention, and he stalked angrily toward the door, stopping to stare back at Nyree for long moments before disappearing. The guards escorted the woman and child out behind him.
“HARPER, SOFIA!” the Walker bellowed, but his family was already gone.
Chambers snapped at the remaining guards, “Get the Walker into a cell!”
Ash was pulled from the cage by one guard while the other, kept his gun trained on the Walker in a threatening stance. Rohm made no move to attack, his eyes still glued to Nyree as his hands gripped the bars of the cage nearest her.
Once Ash was secured, the twisted little freak turned and stalked from the room without so much as a word, his last two goons following. When the door closed behind them with a loud bang, Nyree relaxed back on the table and stared at the ceiling. Frustrated tears welled as she screamed, “ROHM! HOW THE FUCK DO WE GET OUTTA HERE?” Her voice broke on a sob, and she turned her face toward the door to keep Rohm and Ash, from seeing her cry.
“Calm, Nyree.” Rohm’s voice was gentle as he spoke. “It’ll be alright. I’m going to get us out.”
She didn’t believe him though. If he had a plan, it’d already be in action, and right now she was strapped to a table, covered in her own blood and that of the Megalya. Lifting her head, she looked at where his blood stained her knee. It tingled. She tried to shake her leg, desperate to remove it from her skin. Chambers’ words led her to believe that Odium putting his blood on her had something to do with claiming, and she would not be claimed by that disgusting monster!
Chapter 6
Rohm couldn’t drag his eyes from Nyree. Even from this distance he could scent her anguish, tears, and blood. So much blood! Her frustration and fear were so overwhelming Rohm was having a hard time keeping Zavier from charging the bars.
Gently, he called, “Look at me, Nyree.” He needed to see her eyes, needed to know she was okay, that she trusted him to protect her.
When she didn’t move, he yelled, “NYREE!”
Her head turned, and tear-stained eyes locked on his. Her chin trembled as she asked, “Some fucking Sentry, huh?”
“You are a Sentry! The best female Monroe has. It’s why you were sent to train us.” His gaze flicked to the door, then back. “Don’t let them break you. Not now. I’ve got a plan.” He knew his words bolstered her when she sucked back her tears and nodded.
Zavier roared in frustration as the scent of her blood continued to bloom through the air, and Rohm followed suit. Both were breathing heavily and huffing in exasperation, furious at her pain and their inability to get to her. Zavier began pacing once more, his snout lifted as he scented the air and a sound like a whimper left the great beast.
Rohm’s eyes were locked on Nyree. “Are you alright?”
She didn’t know. She couldn’t really see how bad the damage was. “Fine,” she responded auto
matically. She lay back fully to catch her breath and attempt to formulate a plan. “We’re being videotaped,” she offered by way of warning. “You shouldn’t have…” she snapped off the words as she glared at the ceiling. Foolish Keeper!
“They were hurting you,” he challenged.
“So?” Her head snapped up to give him a mutinous look. “Don’t think of me. Think of your fellow Kee…” again, the words died off. She didn’t want to implicate the Keepers and Soul Sentries any more than Rohm’s little show already had.
The door opened and the two guards were back. One approached Nyree, while the other headed for Rohm. The guard circled the cage, moving to the far side. “Stick your wrists out of the cage.”
Rohm didn’t move, his eyes glued on the guard standing over Nyree.
“Stick your fucking wrists out of the cell! Dr. Chambers wants the female locked up with you, but we can’t do that if you don’t cooperate.”
Instantly, Rohm walked to the back of the cage and thrust his massive arms through the bars.
“Uh-uh,” the guard countered. “Turn around and face the other way. Back toward me and put just your wrists out.”
Rohm growled but complied.
The guard didn’t move as he eyed Rohm, then Zavier. “If you or that bear attack me, my friend over there is going to hurt your woman.”
“She is not my woman,” Rohm ground out.
“Really?” the guard mocked.
Rohm’s head jerked up at the sound of Nyree’s distressed, “DON’T!”
The guard hovering over her had unfastened his pants and was pushing them down.
“We won’t attack,” Rohm growled, attempting to hide his panic. “GET AWAY FROM HER!”
The guard behind him actually had the nerve to chuckle as he yelled, “Leave the bitch for now.” His hands worked quickly to secure Rohm’s hands behind his back before he reached in and shoved him hard. The Keeper didn’t move a step, but turned to sneer over his shoulder at the guard, who swallowed hard.
“Bring her!”
Rohm tested the material used to bind him and knew he could easily break it. He wouldn’t. Lifting his head, his gaze snagged on Nyree’s and he knew by the familiar spark there what she intended. She was going to attempt to fight free.