Eye of the Beholder

by Dana Marie Bell

  Jamie rolled her eyes and did her best to ignore Jeff. “Are you sure that Nik will get them out of jail?”

  Kir shrugged absently, his expression intent as he stared at his laptop. “He said he would, and so far Nik has never failed at what he set his mind to. If anyone other than Logan can do it, it would be Nik.”

  “I’m going to change the lab reports so that the evidence points elsewhere.” Logan ran his fingers through his hair. “I’m just not sure who to point the finger at.”

  “What about Grimm? Can’t we make it look like he staged the whole thing?”

  “There was an awful lot of blood.” Jordan tugged at her earring. “I’m not sure we’d be able to pull that off.”

  The doorbell rang, and Jamie raced toward it. She flung it open, ignoring the warning shouts of both Kir and Logan.

  “Travis!” She flung herself into his arms, holding him tight. God, it was good to see he was all right.

  “I need to show you something.”

  “I bet you do,” Kir muttered, laughing when Jordan smacked him upside the head.

  “All right. Let me get my keys.” She grabbed them off the side table and, taking Travis’s hand, waved goodbye to her family. “See you tomorrow.”

  She walked out with Travis to a chorus of goodbyes, her heart skipping happily as she strode next to her man.

  He led her to the elevators and she frowned. “Where are we going?”

  “It’s a surprise.”

  She stepped into the elevator. “I thought we weren’t supposed to leave the building.”

  The doors shut.

  “Travis?”

  She shrieked. The man whose hand she was holding was a stranger. He held something up against her neck. Taser! “Surprise.”

  Excruciating pain. Everything went dark.

  “What do you mean she left with me?”

  Logan shared a look with Kir while a terrified Jordan looked on. “Grimm.”

  Jeff was already on his way out the door. The expression on his face was one that Travis had never before seen. “Jeff.”

  The other man barely broke stride. “Don’t say it.”

  “We don’t know where he took her.”

  Nik’s expression was dreamy. Heimdall was seeing somewhere else. “The torture chamber.

  Val grimaced. “Where else?”

  Travis nodded, his heart in his throat. “He wants us to find her.”

  “And we’ll give him what he wants it if means saving Jamie.” Jeff’s hands were clenched at his sides, but his face was almost serene.

  “Or so he thinks.”

  Jeff didn’t answer. He didn’t have to.

  Travis strode through the doors, the others on his heels.

  “Get Magnus and Morgan here, Jordan. I don’t want you unprotected.”

  “Fuck no, Logan. I’m going too.”

  Logan grabbed her by the arms, sat her in a chair at the dinette set and waved his arms, drawing runes in the air.

  Jordan gasped as two bands of fiery light wrapped around her wrists and two more wrapped around her ankles. She glared up at Logan.

  “I will not lose you or our children.” He placed a swift kiss on her lips. “Please trust me. I swear I’ll save Jamie.”

  Jordan stilled. “Like you did last time.”

  Thunder sounded. Rain poured down the window. Kir fingered the necklace Gungnir hung from, the pupils of his eyes turning white as snow. “Not like last time.”

  Morgan and Magnus raced into the room, looking disheveled. “What’s going on?”

  “Grimm has Jamie. Stay with Jordan, make sure she’s safe.”

  The twin brothers nodded at Travis, moving toward their sister. “We’ll take care of her, hothead.” Morgan slapped Logan on the shoulder. “Go save our sister.”

  Logan gave Jordan one last, hard kiss before striding toward the door.

  “I love you.” Travis turned to see Jordan glaring at Logan. “But I’m still kicking your ass for this when you get home.”

  Logan snorted, blew her a kiss and walked out the door. Kir, smiling but shaking his head, followed, Travis and Jeff right on their heels.

  The elevator was cramped, but not one of them chose to get out. Logan cuddled back into Kir, seemingly content, but the heat in the elevator was rising steadily.

  The doors opened silently and the men headed out. Travis headed straight for Logan’s SUV. They all climbed in and Logan took off, heading straight for Grimm’s old stomping grounds: Grimm and Sons.

  “We’re being followed.”

  Travis turned in his seat to look at Nik. Nik was smiling one of his enigmatic smiles. “Who?”

  “Detective Mancinelli.”

  “Want me to lose her?” Logan jiggled the steering wheel.

  Travis frowned. “No. Let her follow.”

  Nik’s eyebrow quirked, but that was the only sign of an expression on his otherwise blank face.

  Kir, on the other hand, was looking at Travis like he’d lost his mind. “Why?”

  Travis turned around. “Don’t ask me why, but something tells me she’s going to be part of this.”

  “The part that wants to save Jamie or the part that’s the God of Justice?”

  Travis thought about that for a few seconds. “Yes.”

  Kir shrugged. “Okay.”

  What the hell are they up to? She’d been following them since Danny’s little meltdown in the precinct, curious to find out what the fuck was going on. Nik’s little whisper in her ear insured it. “You know something isn’t right. Follow me. You know you want to.”

  But it wasn’t just DeWitt’s little whisper that had her following them. No sirree. It was Danny-boy who’d set her on the path to stalkerhood. No way had she seen what she thought she saw. Not only did Danny somehow know the lawyer, a man she’d never seen around the precinct, but he’d reacted all out of proportion to bail being posted. His face had been filled with rage, his body practically trembling with it. She’d been close enough to see it.

  The temperature dropping the madder Danny got? That was just plain freaky.

  Was it a conspiracy? Where all of these people involved? And how did DeWitt fit in? He wasn’t related to the Grimms. Was he? She snarled. Something about DeWitt really got under her skin. She’d love to find something on the cold bastard. Was he involved in Oliver Grimm’s murder? What did he know that she didn’t?

  Well, she intended to find out.

  They pulled up outside the office building. The men exchanged silent glances and, as one, headed for the front door.

  Circumventing the security measures was easy for Logan. A little hand waving, a few muttered phrases and the red glowing light glinted green. Travis resolved to see to it that his own security became Jotun proof. Who knew what tricks Grimm had up his sleeve thanks to his blood bond with Rina? Nik nodded and went in first, nonchalantly looking around. The others swiftly followed.

  “So, Detective. What are you hoping to find?” The others stopped at the sound of Nik’s voice.

  “Besides your asses in jail for breaking and entering?”

  Jeff strode over to the detective. “I don’t have time for this. That fucktard has my sister in his sick little room again, and I’m going to get her out no matter what it takes. Stay out of my way or I will run you over to get to her.”

  “Your license will probably be revoked when they find out about this little stunt.” She blew out her breath. “What makes you think your sister is here?”

  Nik grinned. “She’s here.”

  She rolled her eyes. “I wasn’t asking you, Mr. DeWitt.”

  “We can prove it.” Logan walked over to one of the offices. Muttering and waving his hands he unlocked the door and threw it open. “Step into my office, Detective.”

  Her eyes were big as saucers. “How did you—?”

  Jeff rolled his eyes. “Lady, welcome to Dysfunction Junction.”

  Val grunted and gestured toward the door they’d all just come through.
“Hold on a second, Jeff. We need to check something out.”

  Jeff nodded and followed Val toward the front door. Travis shook his head, wondering what the two of them were up to.

  By the time he got into the office Logan had the computer up and running and the camera in the torture chamber turned on.

  What he saw on the screen turned his world white.

  “Don’t you have anything to say to me?”

  Jamie tilted her head, desperately trying to throttle back the choking fear. “Die, dickhead, die?” She screamed as he touched the jumpers to her skin, burning electricity coursing through her once again.

  She’d woken naked and strapped to the cross. A car battery sat beside her, the jumper cables lying beside it. Various bats, whips and knives lay on a table. Surgical instruments gleamed in the low light.

  Dear old Granddad had been right there, smiling.

  Joy. She swallowed the panic as the nightmares threatened to overcome her once again. She had to hold on. Travis was coming for her.

  “Sharing blood with Loki has made you more durable.” Grimm smiled. “This should be fun.”

  “Speak for yourself.”

  “I had originally planned on killing you and leaving your body to rot.”

  “Swell.” She gritted her teeth against the tears as he picked up a bat. She knew what he could do with that. What he would do with that.

  “But, you know what?”

  She was almost afraid to ask. The heated look on his face had her swallowing in sick fear. “What?”

  One hand reached out and squeezed her breast. “I really didn’t get a chance to truly enjoy you the last time I had you here.” He smiled when she sobbed. “I’ll have to make sure to rectify that error.” He took a step back, picking up the baseball bat. “But first…” The crack of the bat as it broke her thigh was loud, but not as loud as her screams.

  He began systematically beating her, the swings almost impersonal. He did it in eerie silence, her cries his only accompaniment.

  She hung, limp, damp and exhausted, pain her only constant.

  “Hmm. I wonder where loverboy is.”

  She opened one eye, the other long since swollen shut. She couldn’t answer him. Her jaw was broken.

  “Maybe he knows you’re not worth it.”

  She lifted her head, pain throbbing in time to her heartbeat. “Worf it.”

  He looked pleasantly surprised. “Yes, Jamie.” He leaned in close, a knife in his hands. “You aren’t worth it.” He plunged that knife into her, right above her heart. Blood spurted down her skin as he pulled it back out. “Good. I got an artery.”

  She sobbed.

  “Where’s dear old Uncle Val? Do you think he’ll save you?” Grimm shook his head sadly. “He’s been too much of a pussy to fight me head on so far. What makes you think this would be any different?”

  “The fact that I’m right behind you, dickhead?”

  Jamie saw Uncle Val leaning against the wall. His face was cold as he stared at Grimm. For the first time, he looked like a killer to her.

  Thank God.

  “Val, you worthless piece of shit.” The scary cheer in Grimm’s voice belied the wary look on his face.

  “Surprise.”

  “How did you enjoy your evening in jail, son?”

  Uncle Val smiled. “They’re coming for you. Can’t you feel it?”

  “Warning your old man away? How…unexpectedly loyal.”

  Uncle Val chuckled darkly. “Oh please. Kir is going to spit your black heart on Gungnir and roast it over a campfire.”

  Grimm threw his head back and laughed. “You think Gungnir can kill me? Is that what you’re counting on?”

  Jamie saw the flicker of fear on Uncle Val’s face before it was quickly wiped away.

  “Shh.” Jamie felt something tugging on her bonds, but her eyes were too swollen, her head too painful to move and see what it was. But the voice was familiar.

  Jeff? How did he get in here?

  “You’re an idiot, Dad.” Uncle Val shook his head. “You took Tyr’s woman. Tortured her again. You think he’s going to let you live?”

  Grimm smiled.

  “You’ve been hanging around Kir too much recently. You’re starting to sound like him. Chock full of useless optimism.” Grimm tapped the bloody bat against his calf.

  Jamie lifted her head, hoping to see Travis somewhere, anywhere. Her bruises and broken bones were beginning to mend.

  Jeff got one hand free. She turned and saw him wink at her as he started on the next one. She left that arm where it was, hoping that if Grimm turned he would only see her where he’d left her.

  She caught the glint of something in Grimm’s hand. Oh fuck, the knife!

  She flung her hand untied hand out just as Grimm threw it at Uncle Val, her will pushing beyond her fingertips, finding the knife, deflecting it. It landed with a dull clatter on the concrete floor.

  Uncle Val looked at her, astonishment on his face.

  She felt rather astonished herself.

  Grimm turned to her, his face mottled with rage. Frost began to form on all of the surfaces of the room. “Stupid bitch.”

  She looked him up and down, a strange elation filling her. She felt stronger, her wounds healing faster. She wanted to say something like, Try it again, dickhead, but her jaw still wasn’t working right. She settled for a glare instead.

  Grimm lunged for her, but she was ready. She flung her arm out and Grimm flew across the room, landing against the wall with a sickening thud.

  Her other hand came free and she grabbed for the arm of the cross. With her feet still tied she had no balance.

  So she stared at the frost coated knife on the floor. She held out her hand, willing the knife up. It moved, twitching, before practically embedding itself in the ceiling. With a sigh and a thought she yanked it free, wincing as it hit the floor.

  “I think you need a little more practice, pumpkin.”

  She grinned at Uncle Val, who was watching her with pride. “This is so cool,” she slurred, grateful she could talk again.

  She glanced at where Grimm was. Terror raced through her skin. He was gone. So was the knife.

  Uncle Val groaned. “Fuck. Not again.”

  Travis whirled, blocking the thrust of Grimm’s knife with his right arm, ignoring the shallow slice of the blade along his skin. Behind him he could hear Logan trying to line up for a shot at Grimm, his fire heating the room behind Travis. The glimmer of the light of new green leaves also let him know that Baldur had risen, ready to fight his father if Tyr should fall. Travis just wished he’d thought to arm himself before rushing out after Jamie.

  “Stupid move, taking Jamie, Old Man.”

  “You gave Gungnir to Kir already? I thought you’d make sure you weren’t making yet another mistake, Tyr.”

  He merely grinned. “It’s time for you to face Justice, asshole.”

  He dodged yet another swipe of Grimm’s knife. The former lord of the Aesir might have been sitting behind a desk for the last fifty years but he was still a warrior god. Travis knew he wouldn’t be able to hold the other man off for long. He needed a distraction so that he could try and force Grimm to face what he’d done. The blackness in the Old Man’s soul was nearly the only color left. Even a hundred years ago his soul hadn’t been this dark.

  What the hell else had Grimm been up to?

  He began maneuvering backwards. If he could get Grimm positioned just right Kir would be able to finish him off. It was a slim hope, considering how the bastard had survived Val’s attack, but it was the only one he had at the moment. He had to keep Grimm busy until Jeff and Val could get Jamie safely out of the building.

  They were in the corridor outside Grimm’s chamber. He could hear Val, Jamie and Jeff inside. The fact that the two men had gone after Grimm alone was nearly enough to earn them his wrath. The fact that they’d distracted him long enough for Jamie to begin healing had stayed his hand.

  “Tyr.”
>
  He shuddered as Jamie’s sweet voice flowed over him. She stepped up behind Grimm, the shining truth of her soul a gentle balm to his sight. “Jamie.”

  Grimm whirled, intent on capturing Jamie. Travis reached for them, knowing he’d be too late, and that some wounds not even Logan could heal from.

  Jamie flung out a hand and Grimm went sailing down the hall to land at Detective Mancinelli’s feet. Travis turned to follow him, knowing he couldn’t leave Grimm near an innocent.

  But he was too late. Grimm stood, faster than expected, and was on Mancinelli before she could blink. He had an arm wrapped around her waist, his hand roughly cupping her chin. The blade of a knife rested against her throat. “One move and she’s dead.”

  Travis saw the fluctuations in Mancinelli’s soul, saw the terror and disbelief flashing as Grimm morphed once more into her partner.

  “Hey, Mancinelli. Miss me?”

  “Fucker.” The detective held her own in the face of the seemingly impossible.

  Grimm licked her cheek. “Not yet, sweetheart. But soon.”

  Nik stood stock still and watched, his face inscrutable. But Travis saw the other god’s soul and knew he was torn. Something held him back from helping the detective, but Travis couldn’t tell what it was.

  Logan and Kir were sneaking up on Grimm from behind, trapping him in the corridor. It was only a matter of time before it was all over. If they could just get the woman away from the mad god they’d be able to attack.

  “Piece of cake,” Jamie muttered next to him. She was limping, favoring her right side. He couldn’t see her face, but he knew she hurt.

  She held out her hand, palm up. The knife in Grimm’s hand wobbled as he fought the pull.

  “Stop it, you stupid bitch.”

  The knife snapped back, slicing into Detective Mancinelli’s throat. Jamie screamed as the blade bit into the woman’s neck. With an aggravated hiss Grimm dropped the detective. “We’re not done yet.”

  With a pop of displaced air he was gone. Just like that.

  Travis looked frantically but could find no sign of Grimm’s soul. The man was well and truly gone. “Fuck! How the hell does he keep doing that?”

  “Amen,” Jamie breathed, leaning up against him wearily. He looked down at her, not surprised to find she was crying. “Oh god. I think I killed her.”