by S. J. West
I opened my eyes to look at Jace. His eyes were still closed and his lips slightly parted. I could smell the scent of Julia’s chocolate chip cookies on his breath he was so close. Under the protection of the blanket, I moved my hands toward him. Once I found his arm, I pinched him as hard as I could in a hopeless attempt to wake him up.
Jace didn’t move a muscle. Whatever sedative Julia had injected seemed to have placed him into an almost comatose state. I desperately needed him to wake up. If Jace could rip the head of a Harvester off, I felt sure he could make quick work of the bindings holding us captive.
There wasn’t much else for me to do but hope and pray he would wake up before we reached our final destination. Without Jace’s help, there wasn’t any way I would be able to escape. I ran my hand down Jace’s arm and found his hands, holding onto them tightly. I stared at his face for a long time, wondering who he was. Someone so physically perfect had to come from a place with lots of food, even the skin on Jace’s hands felt perfect and un-callused.
I held onto his hands, absorbing what small comfort I could from the close contact. I had no idea what nightmares might await us when we reached our final destination, but I promised myself we would find a way back to Zoe. Jace didn’t seem like the type to cower away from a fight. He would meet the challenges we faced head on and help me rescue our friends from Julia’s clutches.
I’m not sure how long we were on the road—more than half an hour but less than an hour. Finally, we came to a stop.
I heard Freddy get out of the van and walk around to the side door and slide it open.
“Hey you lot,” he yelled. “Get over here and take this guy to the Hole. Don’t untie him yet, though. Not until he understands what’ll happen if he tries to escape.”
I heard the shuffling of numerous pairs of feet on pavement, but no one talked.
Reluctantly, I let go of Jace’s hands, immediately missing his warmth against my side as his body was drug out of the van.
“What about the girl?” I heard a gruff male voice ask.
“I’ll take care of her,” Freddy told him.
Just as Jace was taken away, Freddy started to reach into the van to lift me out, but someone yelled his name from a distance. It wasn’t a friendly greeting, but one filled with anger and hostility.
“Go away, Gabe,” I heard Freddy say, his voice fading a bit as he moved away from me to stand back outside the van.
“Not until you let her go,” Gabe replied, his voice getting louder as he approached the van.
“I told you, she has to pay off your debt to me first. I doubt she’ll be working for Meg for more than another few months.”
“I want her out of that hell hole now! Let her go!”
I heard a lot of scuffling and grunting come from the two men. The van tilted alarmingly as something hit the side of it. I cracked my eyes open enough to see that Freddy had the man named Gabe pinned against the side of the van, holding him by the throat tightly with one hand.
“Don’t ever think you can make a wager with me and not pay it in full,” Freddy growled through clenched teeth. “Your daughter willingly came here to fix your mistake. Who knew your pristine little Katy could be such a tigress in bed? She’s one of the most demanded girls in the house.”
Gabe tried to struggle against Freddy’s hold unsuccessfully.
“Now leave me alone,” Freddy said, tightening his hold around Gabe’s throat, causing the other man to gag. “Or I’ll make sure your precious little Katy gets the roughest customers Alliance has to offer.”
Freddy pulled Gabe from the van and threw the man to the ground. Gabe stood slowly, holding a hand to his injured neck.
“You’ll pay for this, Freddy,” Gabe choked out. “I’ll make sure you pay for what you’ve done to my Katy.”
Freddy laughed. “Oh I’ve done a lot to her, Gabe, don’t you worry about that. Now, get out of here before I decide to send you to the Hole.”
I heard Gabe walk away. His footfalls were heavy, like a man who had just lost everything with no way to get it back.
Freddy reached back into the van and lifted me out, cradling me in his arms. He walked a short way and then ascended a set of stairs before opening a door. The pungent flowery scent of perfume instantly filled the air around us. The faint murmur of a man and woman speaking could be heard before all fell quiet.
Suddenly, there was a rustling of fabric and the staccato tap of high heels against a wood floor.
“What brings you here this late at night, Freddy?” I heard a woman with a soft, seductive voice ask.
“I need you to keep an eye on this girl for me,” Freddy replied, readjusting me in his arms for a better hold.
“Who is she?”
“Her name is Skye. I’m planning on making her the prize of my next tournament.”
The slow tap of heels sounded as the woman walked so close to me I could feel her breath on my cheeks.
“And what makes her so special?” the woman asked dubiously.
“She’s a virgin,” Freddy replied. “You do remember what that means don’t you, Meg?”
There was a long drawn-out silence. I got the distinct feeling Meg wasn’t pleased with Freddy in that moment.
I heard a second set of heavy footsteps come from the same direction Meg had. The soft sound of fabric being moved was followed by silence.
“Well, she might be a virgin,” Meg said. “But she’s definitely not asleep.”
Before I knew it, Meg pinched me so hard on the forearm, my eyes flew open involuntarily.
“Hello, there.”
Meg’s gloating face hovered over mine. Her eyes were a brilliant color of green, the same shade as jade, with long, black, sooty eyelashes acting as a frame for them. Her face was complemented by long black hair, styled in gentle waves past her shoulders. She was dressed in a blood red dress with a scooped neckline accentuating her breasts and slim waist. One of her perfectly groomed eyebrows arched as a slow, knowing smile spread her full red lips.
“How long have you been awake?” Freddy asked in surprise, looking down at me.
I looked back at him and said, “Long enough.”
Soft, yet harsh male laughter filled the air. My eyes were drawn to a man leaning against the wall where a set of red silk tapestry curtains hung, closing off the space concealed behind them.
He was at least as tall as Jace with short, raven black hair and piercing gray eyes. He wore a pair of tight black jeans and a black silk shirt opened at the front, revealing a well-toned chest and abdomen.
“Hello, Ian,” Freddy said to the man, a controlled tone to his voice. “I should have figured you would be here.”
Ian shrugged nonchalantly.
“Not much else to do in this town,” Ian replied to Freddy, but his eyes seemed locked on my face.
Feeling vulnerable in Freddy’s arms, I began to wiggle and protest to be let down.
“Be still,” Freddy ordered, but I didn’t listen.
“Well, at least she has a little spunk,” Meg said. “She might just survive whatever it is you have planned for her, Freddy.”
“Shut up, Meg.” Freddy tightened his hold on me, trying to prove to me he was the one in control.
Meg pressed her lips together and did as she was told, even though it was obvious she didn’t like taking orders from Freddy.
Freddy finally set me down onto my own two feet. He put a steadying hand on my shoulder when I began to wobble.
“I trust you’ll take care of her for me,” Freddy said to Meg, more as an order than a request.
“She’ll be safe here.” Meg eyed me up and down, as though I were a nuisance she’d rather not have to deal with.
“Good.” Freddy turned to me. “Don’t think about trying to escape,” he told me. “I have your friend. If you cause me any trouble, I’ll kill him.”
The words came out of Freddy’s mouth so easily, I knew he meant them. He would kill Jace without a second thought.
“Yes.”
Freddy nodded his head in satisfaction.
“I want her cleaned up by tomorrow morning,” he said to Meg. “No one’s going to pay to be in the tournament if she’s brought out looking the way she does now.”
I felt myself involuntarily bristle against the remark.
Meg smiled. I wasn’t sure if it was because of Freddy’s words or my reaction to them.
“Don’t worry, Freddy,” she crooned. “I’ll get Kirk to work his magic on her for you. You know what a miracle worker he can be with even the most homely girls you bring in here sometimes.”
Freddy looked over at Ian. “Since I’m sure you’ll already be here in the morning, you can escort her to the town square for me.”
Ian made a pretense of bowing. “As you wish, Freddy.”
“Just have her ready to be viewed,” Freddy barked, walking determinedly toward the front door. “Have her there by ten and don’t let anyone know about her just yet.”
Meg lifted her hand to her temple and gave Freddy a mock salute.
“Aye, aye, captain!”
“Don’t get cheeky with me, Meg,” Freddy warned, turning around to point a finger at her to stress his point. “Just do what you’re told like a good little whore.”
Freddy walked out the door without a second glance in my direction. In his eyes, I was just a piece of merchandise, not a person. At least that’s what I told myself to explain someone so heartless.
Meg circled me like a cat on the prowl, her eyes narrowed, like she was trying to figure something out.
“I’m not sure how he expects me to work a miracle,” she said more to Ian than to me as she finally came to a stop directly in front of me. She grabbed my face roughly with both of her hands and tilted it up to the light.
With a shake of her head, she said, “Just look at those bags under her eyes. It’ll take a ton of concealer just to make them the same color as the rest of her skin. And when’s the last time you plucked those eyebrows? They make you look like a grizzly bear.”
“Let go of me.” I jerked my face out of her hands, almost toppling over backwards from the sudden movement.
Unexpectedly, Ian came to my rescue, placing steadying hands on my shoulders.
I looked at his face and was surprised to see compassion behind his eyes.
“Thanks,” I mumbled.
Ian grinned. “No problem.”
I felt Ian squeeze my shoulders gently in a reassuring manner. Was it possible I had found someone sympathetic to my plight? Did he feel sorry enough for me to help me escape?
Ian stepped away and walked back to his position against the wall.
If it were possible, Meg looked at me with even more contempt. She crossed her arms in front of her loosely. A large gold ring flashed against the light in the room, drawing my attention. The top of it was pointed and shaped like a pyramid. I would have expected someone like Meg to favor diamonds instead of such a homely piece of jewelry.
“Where am I?” I asked, taking the time to actually look at my surroundings. The house I was in was decorated in a Victorian style. A crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling directly above me, shining brightly with tiny lightbulbs. It was the second time that night I was in a place with running electricity.
“You’re in Alliance,” Meg answered. “Ever heard of it?”
“No.”
“It’s probably one of the safest places there is to live. Though, safety comes with a price,” she said ominously, as if maybe the price wasn’t worth it.
“Why is it safe here?”
“The Harvesters don’t bother the humans who live in this town.”
“Why?”
“Do you always ask so many questions?” Meg sighed heavily and rolled her eyes at me before yelling, “Kirk!”
A few seconds later, a slim boy who looked around the age of sixteen came bounding down the stairs from the second floor. He was freckle-faced with brown hair parted neatly to the side and seemed to have a slight effeminate nature to his mannerisms. He wore a pair of brown slacks and a blue and white argyle sweater.
“What’s going on, Meg?” he asked, giving me a friendly but guarded smile in greeting. When his eyes fell on Ian, I could have sworn I saw a blush flush his cheeks.
“Freddy wants us to fix up the virgin princess here for his next tournament.”
Kirk eyed me silently, as though I were some rare oddity in a museum.
“Why do you people act like being a virgin is so special?” I asked heatedly. “I can’t be the only one in the world.”
Meg laughed. Kirk’s eyes fell to the floor, obviously uncomfortable with the subject. Ian remained stoically silent.
“Honey, in this town there’s not a virgin over the age of twelve. You’d be lucky to find someone your age anywhere nowadays who’s still intact. Whether you like it or not, you are rare. Freddy damn well knows it too, and you can be sure he’ll cash in on it, babe.” Meg turned to Kirk. “Take the princess up to the pink room and get her cleaned up for Freddy.”
Kirk’s eyes widened as he cast a glance in my direction. The horror of his chore was written all over his face. Did I really look that bad? At least I was freshly bathed.
“I’ll do my best, Meg, but I’m not a miracle worker,” Kirk sighed. “At least give me a couple of more hands to help out. Teegan’s good at plucking eyebrows and waxing.”
“Do whatever you have to do,” Meg said, turning away from me and sauntering toward Ian. “Just have it done before morning.”
When Meg reached Ian, she slipped a possessive arm around one of his, like a snake squeezing her prey and led him back behind the red curtains. Kirk turned to me and did his best to give me a comforting smile while holding out his hand for me to shake.
“Hi, I’m Kirk.”
Out of instinct, I raised my hands toward his but found it difficult to shake his hand with my wrists bound together. Kirk’s eyes dropped to the bindings on my wrists and ankles.
“Um, just a minute.” Kirk bolted up the stairs and reappeared in a matter of seconds with a pair of red-handled scissors. He cut the bindings, bringing circulation back into my extremities.
“Thank you,” I said to him, rubbing my wrists.
“Sure, no problem. It would be sort of hard to work on you if you were trussed up. Follow me upstairs, I’ll show you to your room.”
My first instinct was to run out the front door. It was only my belief Freddy would in fact kill Jace if I ran that made me follow Kirk. I would just have to bide my time until I found a way to get Jace and myself out of Alliance safely.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Kirk led me up to the second floor. Everything was decorated extravagantly in classical Victorian style, just like the first floor.
Kirk opened the door to the room and said, “If you don’t mind waiting inside, I’ll go get Teegan, so we can start working on you.” His eyes traveled from my feet back up to my eyes before he let out another deep sigh. “I have a feeling it’s going to be an all-nighter.”
Trying not to feel offended by Kirk’s remark, I busied my mind by taking in my surroundings after he shut the door. I felt like I was inside a large pink powder puff. The bed was the most prominent piece of furniture in the room. It was round with a furry pink comforter and more pillows than I could count. The walls were lined with pink and white striped wallpaper and the floor was covered with a shaggy pink carpet. Beyond the wall the bed was butted up against, I could see a small bathroom.
A few minutes later, Kirk walked in with a girl who looked like she belonged on a beach in Hawaii with a surfboard between her hands. Teegan was a few inches taller than me with naturally tanned skin, athletic body, dark brown hair, and blue eyes so bright they practically lit up the room as she walked in. She was dressed modestly in a white V-neck T-shirt and faded jeans.
After Kirk closed the door behind them, the duo looked at me with critical eyes, like survey
ors trying to determine what a piece of land was worth in one glance and finding it was all swamp.
“It could be worse,” Kirk said, trying to sound like the job he had been ordered to undertake wasn’t as impossible as he initially thought.
Teegan looked at him, raising a dubious eyebrow in his direction.
“Yeah, I know.” Kirk’s voice fell with diminishing enthusiasm.
Apparently, Teegan’s silent action caused him to lose what little hope he had.
“But she is pretty. We just need to camouflage how tired and thin she looks. If we had a couple of weeks to let her rest and eat, we wouldn’t have any problem. But Freddy wants her to be the most desirable woman in town by morning.”
Now I understood why Kirk seemed to consider his task impossible. There was no way he could accomplish it. In a side by side comparison with Meg, I would look like a street urchin next to her voluptuous beauty. But Kirk’s dilemma wasn’t my problem or my concern.
“You’re not doing anything to me until I know my friend is ok,” I said to them, stubbornly crossing my arms over my chest, determined to get what I wanted before they laid one finger on me.
Kirk’s face went blank. “I’m sorry. I don’t have any idea what you’re talking about.”
“My friend and I were brought here together, but Freddy sent Jace somewhere called the Hole.”
Kirk and Teegan looked at each other in alarm.
“What is it?” I asked, becoming increasingly uneasy. “What kind of place is the Hole?”
“It’s a holding cell for people who get out of line here,” Kirk answered smoothly, but I could hear the underlying fear in his voice.
My eyes narrowed on them. “And what exactly happens to people who are taken there?”
“It depends on what they did.”
“Jace hasn’t done anything…”
“Then, you don’t have anything to worry about,” Kirk said with a shrug. “If he’s your friend, Freddy’s probably just keeping him around as leverage to make you behave. So, if you want to protect your friend, I would do whatever Freddy wants you to do. Otherwise, you’ll definitely never see this Jace again.”