by Tigris Eden
“You’re trying my patience.”
“Fine, I’ll keep my mouth shut. Well, first, I have another question, what is your name, big daddy?” Keep him talking, he thought as he spit more blood. Someone would come soon. He was in serious shit. Where the fuck was Royce?
The man looked shocked. Royce was right, having a sense of humor in a dire situation fucked up the opponent mentally. Damn, his vision was getting blurry and the room had started spinning. He put his head between his knees for a moment to catch his breath. His opponent stood in front of him and reminded Draven why it was bad to let your guard down even for a moment. As he brought his head back up, his face was introduced to the underside of the man’s size twelves, and the reason he knew the size? Well, that was because as the boot came into view, sure enough the fuckers read 12w and then it was lights out.
26
(Six weeks later)
Jesminda woke up in a white, sterile room. She could see she was in some type of enclosure, but wasn’t certain what type. Everything was still hazy. Her head didn’t hurt, which was a plus, and she wasn’t in any pain. The horrible events from the night before came crashing back. The beatings, the ball worms, and then the blissful warmth, where was she now? She couldn’t remember anything past that. Was she in some sort of purgatory, waiting to get to her next destination? God, she hoped death was a hospital. Panic was starting to set in, there were so many things she still needed to do for Faith, for herself. But she took a calming breath. This could not be what she thought it was.
She tried to look around and see more of her surroundings but was unable. She was strapped down on a bed with all kinds of machines beeping around her as her heart sped out of control. Where was Draven? Was Faith okay? She couldn’t be dead, just couldn’t be! Why wasn’t anyone coming into her room? Was she still in the hands of The Red Sun? Oh, for fuck’s sake, use your voice, she thought.
“Hello? Hello! Can anybody hear me? Hello?” Her throat was hoarse, but she kept screaming. Her voice became louder and louder until someone finally stood over her. It was Royce and Dravaggio. They were there, trying to calm her. Where were Faith and Draven? Why were Royce and the captain looking at her like that? Her stomach bottomed out as she thought back to the ball worms. Oh, dear God, was her skin gone? Was she just a wasted skeleton with melted skin that only showed her bones? Tears began leaking out the corner of her eyes as Royce pulled back the curtains on one side and smiled down at her.
“No, sweet, you’re not a skeleton, and your skin hasn’t melted away… look.” Royce unstrapped her legs and arms. He raised her free arm and showed her that her skin was her own. Her relief was short-lived because he still hadn’t answered her questions concerning Faith and Draven.
“Faith’s here. Bells is with her, and everything is fine, sweet. I promise,” Royce said against her brow as he placed a kiss against her forehead. The bastard still wasn’t telling her where Draven was. Where was he? She eyed him, willed him to answer her question. Where was Draven? Why wasn’t he here, sitting beside her? Waiting for her when she woke up? The assignment’s over, she thought, her worst fear coming to the surface. He’d changed his mind. That would be the only reason he wasn’t here. Royce gently took her hand.
“Honey, we can’t find him. Draven never made it out of the warehouse.”
What? No! No! No! Her mind screamed.
“We’ve searched everywhere for him, and it’s been six weeks.” Royce bowed his head and tried to offer her what comfort he could. She didn’t want his comfort. Her insides tightened. Draven wasn’t dead. He couldn’t be dead. No fucking way!
Her body refused to mourn him. They needed to search again. She would help, they were connected, she could feel him. If she could still feel him then he wasn’t dead, right? She lifted pleading eyes and begged him to tell her it wasn’t true.
“Honey…he’s gone. I’m sorry.”
“No, you need to look again,” Jes said defensively.
“We did, Dravaggio called off the search this morning. I’m sorry.” Royce bowed his head while Dravaggio stood there; his sex meter turned down low. She could still feel the buzz at the back of her head. She glared daggers at him, expressing her dislike of his decision to stop looking.
“Bring me my baby, Royce.”
“We can’t, not yet… there is something the captain wants to speak with you about first, it’s important.” Royce stepped back towards the foot of her bed. There was more? What now?
Dravaggio stepped forward and again, like Royce, tried to offer his comfort. She wouldn’t take it. He explained they’d found the surviving vampiri, Teresa included. They’d even found Marcus and had him locked up with Solon. The entire operation was over, and as far as their department was concerned, Draven was considered dead. She wouldn’t believe it, couldn’t. The captain also explained that Draven’s parents had been here with her day and night. Apparently, all werewolf families had strong psychic ties to one another. But his mother and father could no longer feel Draven’s presence. Bullshit! Jes thought to herself.
The tears never came, she wouldn’t allow it. In her heart of hearts she knew he was alive, could feel it. She didn’t know how she knew but she knew. She wasn’t going to let this rest, and if she was the only one that continued to search for Draven, she would. She hadn’t had the chance to tell him how much she loved him, that she was ready to take the next step. She was his mate.
“There’s more,” the captain explained. Her head swung in his direction and she swore she’d destroy him. His voice was calm and monotone. She didn’t like him; he needed to shut the fuck up, now! The bed shook. It matched her rising anger. Fucking lies! All lies! Royce stepped back, eyes wide. Dravaggio continued talking in a soothing tone.
“When Dietrich brought you out of the warehouse, something was wrong. We don’t know if it was the ball worms or something else, but you’re not human anymore, Jesminda.”
She didn’t even react to what the man had said. She stared straight ahead and listened as he continued to explain she was something else, not human. Her eye color had changed. They were no longer the color of warm honey but a fiery red. The captain said her eyes changed with her moods. Right now, they were red. Pissed off red. Hell, even her muscle mass was different. They didn’t know what she was; only that something happened to her inside the warehouse and they weren’t sure what it meant. The leader of The Red Sun had experimented on her, turned her into a freak. Her blood had come back un-identifiable in their immortal databases. She snorted at that and looked him and Royce over once. She couldn’t be all that mysterious, Royce could still read her thoughts.
“Yes, because of the blood I gave you sweet, but Ronin’s tried, and he can’t get anything.” Oh the hell well! Jes thought.
“Bells and Faith are ready to see you now if you’re ready?” Dravaggio said. He watched her carefully, waiting for signs of a breakdown, maybe.
Jes gave a curt nod and tried to put on her best face as the curtain was moved and the door opened. Bells and Faith were on the other side. Bells hugged Jes’s daughter in a protective grasp as she approached the bed.
“Hey you,” Jesminda said to her daughter.
“Momma, you’re going to be okay, right?” Faith’s voice shook and it broke Jesminda’s heart.
“Yes, baby, I am. Now come over here and give your momma a hug.” She reached out her arms and Faith willingly hopped from Bells’ arms and bounced up on the bed. Jes grabbed her in a bear hug and it was the best thing about waking up in a strange place. She looked over the top of her daughter’s head at Bells who tried her best to put on her “I’m here for you” face. They knew each other well enough, and she knew Bells could read the determination all over her face. She was going after her wolf. Case closed.
“Momma, you have pretty eyes. They’re gold today.” She wouldn’t lose it in front of Faith. Her eyes must have changed back.
This thing about Draven being dead was bullshit, she didn’t know how she knew, but
she was going to fucking find out if it was the last thing she did. He’d said it best himself. Things between them would never be over. Never. Faith brought her back her peace for now.
27
“Do you think he’s going to remember?” a man clad in black said as they examined the wolf lying on top of the exam table from the other side of the observer’s window.
“No, it’s not possible. He should be dead, but since the master poisoned him and he somehow survived, he took it as an omen.”
They watched as the wolf twitched a bit and then, he was a man again, sitting on the table and buttoning his shirt. He nodded at the two men and pulled his expensive Rolex back onto his wrist. The equipment in the room beeped and went silent as he detached himself. It was his last dose. The man would never remember anything about his past. He would only know what orders he needed to carry out. His eyes, which were once forest green, were now void and black. There was no soul behind those eyes, only death.
The wolf could see both men, but he couldn’t hear them through the glass, even with his advanced hearing. It had been seven weeks since he was brought to the center, and at first, they’d thought he was a lost cause. Something buried deep in his mind wouldn’t let him forget; then two weeks ago, that had all changed. He’d finally succumbed to the treatments and now he was the machine their master had planned him to be. He was no longer Agent Draven Stone; he was now what the master liked to call, Mr. Black. He was ruthless, and just as devoid of emotion as the master was. Mr. Black was the right hand man to the leader of The Red Sun.
# # #
The man known as Mr. Black walked down the black halls of the building that was now his home. He didn’t know how he got there or the why of it. He only knew what he was good at, and that was killing. Men with black ice souls would have smiled, but not him. He didn’t have a soul. Not even a sliver of the bright light had been left to him. The leader of The Red Sun had seen to that. He knew his purpose, and he now had his orders. Yesterday’s assignment had been child’s play, a kidnapping of some badass who thought to flee the organization and hide out in some agency’s facility under lock and key.
He knew the building’s specs inside and out, and getting past security had been a breeze. It was like he knew the building from a past long before the life he had now. But no matter what, he’d grabbed the bastard and brought him back where he belonged, where even now he was being introduced to a special audience with his master. It hadn’t mattered that he had to tussle with the pretty lady who’d tried to stop him. She smelled familiar and seemed to be stunned to see him. He’d used her surprise to his advantage.
Mr. Black rounded the corner and bumped into the curvy, blond Melissa. She smelled like him still, the bitch never took the time to shower after their meetings between the sheets, and he could care less. It hurt to be with her, but he welcomed the pain. Somewhere out there he was tied to someone else, but right now he couldn’t bring himself to care.
“Nice to see you, Black,” she purred.
“If you say so.”
“Will I see you later tonight?” she asked.
He grabbed her by her elbow and spun her around so she was facing the wall.
“I don’t need the distraction, and as I stated before, it’s a release, nothing more. I don’t want you. You mean nothing to me, so stop fantasizing about us having a life together because it will never happen.”
He spun her back around and then pushed her in the opposite direction he was going. Females, they all wanted a piece of him here at the facility. He wasn’t going to let that bother him. The other guys laughed and razzed him. He would kill them too if he were allowed. What he needed was to go back to the room where the human Marcus was being held and find out everything he could about what was said to him and what information the lowlife gave to their enemies
“They’re your people too, asshole.”
That’s what the bastard had said to him right before he’d taken a pinky finger. No one was his people; the only person he could rely on was himself. There is no I in team but there is in him. He stopped in front of the door to where the human was being held and promptly walked in. The master had just finished his rounds.
Marcus would talk, he’d make him. The master’s brand of punishment was bad. His was worse, especially if he let his wolf loose. Just this once he allowed a smile to touch his lips. Another’s agony was his pleasure.
THANK YOU FOR READING ENSLAVED IN SHADOWS HONEST REVIEWS ARE ALLWAYS APPRECIATED!!!!
Note from the Author
Thanks for reading Enslaved In Shadows. If you enjoyed the story, I’d love to hear your thoughts. Via email, or even better, via review on Goodreads, Barnes and Noble, and/or Amazon. Thank you again for spending time with the characters. Bonded In Shadows, a Novella is also out now, featuring all your favorite Shadow Unit characters.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Tigris Eden, described by Ty Langston, is beloved mother, friend, cook, accountant, author, wife and weaver of stories long and short. Family, writing, music, and movies are her life. She aspires to be the best at what she does, inside and outside her circle of crazy. You can find her stalking her author friends on Facebook and twitter. You can also find her on her website at www.authortigriseden.com
Author Tigris Eden enjoys the simple things in life.... Reading, Writing, and Music, but most of all she has plan for WWD.... World Wide Domination! But her minor goal is to be waited on hand and foot by LL.
She lives in Texas with her family and looks forward to entertaining her readers with her next installment of The Shadow Unit Bonded In Shadows available now.
Other Books in the Series
Enslaved In Shadows
Burned In Shadows
Bonded In Shadows
Redeemed In Shadows
GLOSSARY
Shadow Unit: A group of Immortals put together in a task force to police their kind. They are a covert group and only the highest ranking officials of the world, know about their existence.
Lycaons: A race of werewolves that are direct descendants of the Arcadia King son of Pelasgus and Melioboea. He tested Zeus by serving him a dish of his slaughtered son to see whether the God was truly omniscient. In return he was turned in to a wolf.
Lycans: A shifter breed of werewolves. They are of lesser class than those directly descended from Lycaons.
VAB: Vampire Blood AB it’s a drug sold to humans and other immortals looking for a high. It’s illegal to sell and punishable by death in some Houses.
House Dead Crest: One of the three royal Vampiri houses.
House Redhaven: One of the three royal Vampiri Houses.
Slave Law: A law for Regs to live in servitude to a royal house before they can become part of the family through a Blood Vow.
Regs/Regular: Vampiri that are considered regular. They do not have fangs, and can only drink blood that is compatible to their own.
Vampiri: Royal members of one of the three Vampire houses infected with a demon strain of blood. They have fangs, and can drink from any blood source without an adverse reaction.
Red Sun Organization: A radical organization of immortals who believe they should not bow to human society.
The Agency: A secret organization that keeps tabs on The Shadow Unit.
Ferals: A breed of immortals enslaved by the Gods for their ambrosial blood. They were sometimes called Blue Bloods, as their blood is blue. Their blood contains healing qualities and induces the drinker into a euphoric state. They were believed to be extinct.
Available Now!
Burned In Shadows
Book 2 In The Shadow Unit
Adrenaline pumped viciously throu
gh her body as Jes took the stairs three at a time. Marcus was escaping, it didn’t matter that he was on the shoulder of a man dressed in black. And how very bad guy of him to have a mask over his face. What the fuck for? Keeping his identity must have been key for this little mission he was on. She shouldn’t be surprised; the leader of the Red Sun Organization obviously wanted his puppet back. She was gaining on the masked man, and he didn’t seem to mind. The cocky bastard! Just because she was a female, men felt she was weaker, inferior to their intelligence and strength. Well, wasn’t he in for a surprise? Her legs pumped harder as they both reached the top of the landing at the same time. The door wasn’t a pull but a push. Dummy. Guess he thought he’d be able to pull it open, and instead, pulled the door off its hinges.
Jes used his fumble to her advantage and kicked out with her foot to push him, Marcus and the door forward into the hall. His head made a silent thump against the metal. What a fucking douche! He didn’t drop Marcus either. Neanderthal was going to try and take her down with one arm. Did he think he would best her just because she was a girl and he was a man? Bring it! Jes thought to herself. She didn’t give him time to think, she reached forward with her right hand while thrusting him in the chest with her open palmed left hand. He shot backwards again, and she yanked with her right, clasping onto Marcus’ dead-weight body. The intruder must have knocked him out because Marcus wasn’t moving. With her newfound strength, she was able to yank him from the other guy’s grasp. The man clad in black was quick to recover. He was up and in her face seconds after she knocked him back. He reached out and grabbed her by the throat, pressing inward. This did nothing but piss her off more. Why did it seem like she was always fighting for her life? He brought her closer as he tried to choke the life from her. Her skin tingled with power and her canines elongated. Canines? When the fuck did she get Dracula teeth? No time to figure that out now. Darkness was threatening to cloud Jes’s brain, but there was also that buzzing noise in the back of her head. Something was happening, and she didn’t know what it was. So many changes had already taken hold of her physically and mentally; it was hard to keep up at times.