by Penny Cavan
“For me to know,” I said airily.
“I thought we were participating in an equal flow of information,” Midas said slyly. “I haven’t lied to you; I ask you not to lie to me.”
I chuckled. “People don’t say no to you very often, do they?” He stared at me, waiting for my answer. I tapped a finger against my lip. “Fine, I’ll tell you this. There is a puzzle I’ve been trying to solve for many years, and I was told that I could find the answer in your vault.”
“The Medusa Serum.”
“Yes. That seems to be the next piece in my puzzle,” I conceded before muttering, “If only I could figure out what it did.”
“I don’t want that research out. There was a reason that it was sealed in a gold box in an unknown vault that no one has ever broken into before.” He moved over to Nigel, who handed him something. “I’m willing to offer payment for the information, of course. And that chain.” He walked towards me, holding a small bag up on one hand.
“I don’t know that I’m willing to part with either,” I said, watching him closely. He was planning something. Again, he reminded me of the maned cats stalking its prey. And it looked like I was the prey.
“Surely I can tempt you with something?” He was only a few steps away now.
I slipped from the crate and started for the door. “Not interested.”
Something cold slid around my wrist and I only made it a few more steps before my arm stopped me. I looked down to see a simple gold bangle with a few blue stones in it. There was no chain or leash, but it still pulled towards Midas as if there was. I looked up at him and had the sudden urge to punch the ridiculous smile off of his face.
“As I said, my gift is with gold.” He circled me, looking me from head to toe. “This is a particularly interesting little gem in my collection. My great-great grandfather had it made after the last Fall and spelled by a witch. He was kidnapping a bride and didn’t want to go through the hassle of keeping her locked up. At that point, the bracelet confined it’s wearer to the home unless accompanied by someone of my bloodline.”
“Oh, so your great whatever was just as bad as you are,” I said sarcastically, trying to pull the bracelet off.
“He didn’t actually need the bracelet,” Midas said, grabbing the hand that was trying to pull the bracelet off. “She wanted to go with him. But time gave this piece an interesting twist. Don’t try and take it off, you’ll just hurt yourself. I’m the only one who can take it off.” I glared. “Don’t look at me like that, sweetheart. Agree to give me back my belongings and I’ll let you go.”
“Never,” I spat back at him. “And don’t call me sweetheart.”
“Nigel?” he asked, turning to the man.
“All the preparations are made, Sir,” he said.
“Come along then, Sweetheart, time to go home.” If he wanted me to go with him, he was going to be dragging me from this barn. I dug my heels in, ready for him to pull but he just sighed. “Harlow, don’t make this harder on yourself. Just come with me.”
“You want me to make it easier for you to kidnap me?” I asked incredulously. I couldn’t help but laugh. “No way in hell. If you want me, you’re going to drag me kicking and screaming from this building.”
He leaned over and grabbed me, throwing me over his shoulder, careful not to let his bare skin touch me. I noticed that he was wearing black gloves. “Don’t worry, princess,” he said. “You won’t be locked in some tower. You’ll be able to go on the terrace, and even in the pool.”
“Like I know what a fucking terrace is!” I snarled, fighting against his hold. I almost slid off his shoulder at one point, but he never loosened his hold on my legs, letting me fall.
“It’s an outside area, raised from the ground,” Nigel said helpfully, opening the door. “It’s rather nice. I think you’ll enjoy it.” He smiled and nodded guilelessly at me. I stared at him, feeling Midas vibrating under me. The asshole was laughing.
“Your boss is actively kidnapping me and you’re giving me a vocabulary lesson?” I snarled. I propped my head up on my arm, digging my elbow purposefully into Midas’ kidney. He didn’t even flinch, so I moved it a little further over to dig into his spine. I was suddenly regretting not pinning all my hair back. What wasn’t braided was now falling in front of my face, which was incredibly frustrating as I was searching the shadows. I almost missed Niko, but he took a half step forward, out from beside the building. I shook my head, signaling for him to stay where he was. I wasn’t going to let him get caught up in this too.
Chapter Eight
Midas
I had her. The blonde who had been haunting my dreams since I’d seen her outside my office was sitting mulishly across from me in the car. She’d been silently since I’d dumped her there. Her arms were crossed over her chest, and her hair flowed over her shoulders. She stared out the window as Nigel drove us from the warehouse district to my home on the outskirts of town. I was nervous, wondering what she would think. I had seen the room that she lived in. I know that she hadn’t returned there since I’d first confronted her. I’d spent more nights than I wanted to admit in that room, studying her belongings and trying to understand her. Everything in that room had been brought to my home, but the Medusa Serum research hadn’t been there. She was storing it somewhere else. I wasn’t about to let that get out.
“We’re almost there,” I told her calmly. She ignored me. “You’ll have your own suite of rooms,” I said, looking out the window. “I wasn’t sure what you would like, so I kept it fairly basic. Anything you desire, you can ask Nigel or I and we will get it for you.”
“Great, I’ll start with this bracelet off and my freedom,” she said cheerily, still not looking. I saw her glancing at the street signs. Memorizing the path we took would not help her. “No takers? Nigel?”
“Sorry, Miss,” Nigel said calmly, turning into my drive. He pressed a button on a pillar and the gates to my domain opened. This was one of the largest undeveloped tracks of land in the whole city. It had been in my family since before the Fall, and it had been maintained at its full glory. It was a pity that it was now after midnight. I had a feeling that Harlow would have enjoyed the exterior. I did see her eyes widen slightly as she saw part of the front façade as Nigel drove around the back and into a garage.
“This house was built long before the Fall,” I said softly, not wanting to antagonize her. Nigel stepped from the car and came around to open the door. I stepped out myself, then held out my hand for her. She didn’t take it, but she did follow me as I went to the door into the kitchen. “It has floors made from oak, and some ancestor decided that we needed marble floors in the front entrance.” Nigel shut the door behind him, and I saw Marley flinch out of the corner of my eye. Her breathing sped up, but I kept my voice soft. If I wanted her to work with me, I couldn’t scare her now. “I’ll take you on the tour tomorrow, but for now, I’ll have Nigel escort you to your rooms.”
“Are you going to be following me like a shadow the whole time?” she asked. I shook my head.
“Within the grounds, you have free reign to go wherever you’d like. The bracelet won’t allow you outside of the grounds.” I took a step forward to touch her face, but she moved away from me. “Harlow, I don’t want you to be miserable here. Give me back the research and you’re free to go.”
“If I give you back that research, I’ll lose any ground I have towards hunting down the assholes who think it’s acceptable to kill children,” she said, and walked away. I glanced over and Nigel and he shook his head, just as confused as I was.
“What do you think that she meant, Nigel?” I asked when he came down the stairs a little while later. I was sitting in front of the fire, a glass of wine in my hand. I studied how the fire reflected off the glass.
“I’m not sure, Sir,” he said, coming in to stand next to me. I motioned for him to sit in the chair opposite, where a glass of wine was waiting. “She said that if those with gifts cared, it wouldn’t be happe
ning, but she wouldn’t say more.” We sipped the wine in silence. “I’ll look into it. See if I can figure out what she meant.”
“Take a few days off first,” I said. “It’s been a busy couple of weeks. I’m sure that waiting a few days won’t hurt anyone.” I stood, setting down my glass. “You’re welcome to stay if you’d like.” Nigel nodded, taking another sip of wine.
I paused outside her door. It was shut, but I could hear her moving behind it. I imagined her rifling through the drawers and the closet, trying to find something to sleep in. I could hear her muttered curses as she discovered her own items among the ones that I’d had made. I raised my hand to knock but turned away.
Chapter Nine
Harlow
I don’t know what had possessed that man, but I was ready to kill him. Nigel had been nice enough, but what I’d been finding among the items in this room had me steaming. It wasn’t just a hairbrush on the small table by the window, it was my hairbrush. My bathing robe hung in the bathroom, my toothbrush, my shoes, my clothes and, nestled in a bottom drawer of the dresser, my knives and daggers. It was arrogant of him to assume that I wouldn’t use those on him. This was beyond just kidnapping, it was theft!
I sat on the bed, silently fuming. Even if I could get out of here, if I didn’t want to start over, I’d have to find a way to take all of my belongings with me. He had me well and truly trapped. The joke was on him, however. I’d never share my research, and he would, as all men did, eventually grow tired of the game and let me go. Why not enjoy a few days of luxury?
I was still exhausted when I woke the next morning to the sun streaming in from the massive windows. I had tossed and turned most of the night, not used to such a large bed. I had felt as if I was drowning in things that were puffy, between the mattress, the pillows, and the blankets, but eventually I had fallen asleep. I was going to throw most of that on the floor before trying to sleep tonight.
I slipped from the bed and wandered barefoot to the closet. I studied the items in the closet, my own items standing out because they were clearly made from a rougher fabric. The items that were new were identical to mine, and I had to grudgingly give Midas credit for that. But now I had a choice: I could wear my own clothes just to annoy Midas, or I could wear the ones that had been provided and pretend to be compliant. I ran my hand over the fabrics, enjoying the smoothness, and grinned slyly. I could do both.
A drawer in the dresser showed any undergarment I could desire, from lacy and silky panties to scraps of material that were meant to be nightgowns I thought. There was no way I was going to be wearing those. I growled slightly when I realized that this was one place where none of my items had come. Each piece in here was brand new. They had no tags, but it was clear that they were new. They had to have been custom made. I was furious at his high-handedness, but it was had to refute the comfort as I slid them up my legs. Suddenly I was glad that I allowed Meg to talk me into letting Haliya practice her grooming skills on me. The lace glided into place, and I couldn’t help but smile.
I pulled on a shirt and pair of wide legged pants from Midas’s selection, tying the waist of the pants in a tight bow at my waist. Overtop, I donned a long-sleeved overdress. Many of my nicer clothes were Meg’s designs. She and her girls used them to practice. This one was a sheer russet colored material, tight around my torso, but falling in four panels to the ground. The sheerness showed the shadows of my breasts, enough to tease but no more. Short socks and leather slippers finished the look. I studied myself in the mirror, sighing. I didn’t belong in this opulence and the slippers showed that more than anything. They were scuffed and marked. I looked longingly at the delicate slippers that Midas had provided, but I didn’t want to wear shoes that I hadn’t worn before.
I tried the doorknob, unsurprised to find the door unlocked. Midas must have a lot of faith in this bracelet of his. I strode out, hands in my pockets and headed back down the stairs towards the entrance. I didn’t know where Midas was, but I didn’t want him to see me staring in amazement, so I purposefully didn’t look at the paintings and statuettes that dotted the walls and niches. I did pause at the bottom of the stairs, not sure which way to go then.
“Good morning, Harlow,” Midas said. I turned to see and open door, and he was sitting at a wide desk, staring out at the greenery. “How did you sleep?”
I leaned casually against the doorframe. “Like crap,” I said blandly, “but that tends to happen when I get kidnapped. Or so I would imagine. I’ve never been caught.”
“Except by me,” he said with a laugh.
“Well, I’m not counting you. You cheated.” He turned to face to me, an eyebrow raised. “You lured me to one place and had an accomplice. What would you call that?”
“Being prepared,” he answered just as blandly. “You should feel honored. Nigel can usually arrange things in less than a day, he took nearly a week to prepare the plans for your… visit.” I narrowed my eyes at him, but he just smiled gently. Standing, he came toward me. “You must be hungry. Let’s see what Ameliya has for breakfast.”
“Ameliya?” I stepped from the doorway and let him out. I was actually hungry.
“My housekeeper. If you need anything, you can also ask her. And no, she won’t help you escape. She was an under maid here when my father brought my mother home, so she knows about the bracelet.” He held his arm out to me, and I ignored it, gesturing for him to walk first. He huffed a laugh and walked off. I followed him, trying not to notice how nice his ass looked in the pants he was wearing. Shades of blue looked good on him, showing the red-gold highlights in his light brown hair.
“Oh, so your family has a history of kidnapping women?” I asked facetiously.
He looked back over his shoulder with a wicked grin. “Just one a generation,” he said.
“And you chose me? You shouldn’t have.” I batted my eyelashes at him and slipped past into the kitchen, where I found a cheery older woman pulling something that smelled amazing from an oven. She turned and smiled at me.
“He is a cheeky one, isn’t he, Miss Harlow?” she asked me with a wide grin. “He’s been like that since he was just a boy. Would you like some breakfast?”
“I’d like some of whatever it is that smells so amazing,” I said, smiling pleasantly. It wasn’t this woman’s fault that I was trapped in this monstrosity of a house. “And you knew him as a boy? You’ll have to tell me all his weak spots.”
She grinned conspiratorially. “Don’t you worry, Miss. I have all the good stories.”
“Before you two conspire to put toads in my bed,” Midas interjected, “breakfast would be wonderful.” Ameliya patted my hand and smiled at Midas, then bustled to prepare two plates. The kitchen jutted out from the house and was surrounded on three sides by gardens that I could see through the large windows. Whoever had built this house had loved windows.
“Could I find toads to put in his bed?” I asked Ameliya when she set a plate a food in front of me. She nodded.
“Frogs, toads, turtles and snakes are all going to be down by the pond,” she said helpfully. “You follow the path to the left after you go out through my garden.” She nodded to a door.
“Ameliya!” Midas exclaimed. I could tell that he wasn’t actually mad. His eyes were twinkling with amusement.
“Eat your breakfast,” she said pertly, patting the counter next to Midas’ gloved hand. She hung up her apron on a hook by the door and grabbed a large flat basket. With a final grin at me, she headed out through the door.
“I like her,” I said absently. “And what is a turtle?”
“It’s a reptile. They have a hard shell that they can pull their heads and legs into. They can swim, which is why you’ll find them by the pond. Don’t go in the pond though. There’s a beast of a turtle in there. He nearly took my arm off when I was a teenager.”
“If it was there when you were a teenager, it’s probably dead by now.” I popped a bite of this gooey casserole in my mouth and couldn’t hold b
ack the groan. It was absolutely amazing. “What is this, and how do I eat it every day?”
“It’s called monkey bread,” Midas said dazedly. I looked over at him and saw that he was staring at my mouth. I reached up and wiped a small bit of white goo from my lip. I studied it for a moment and, shrugging, sucked it off my finger. He coughed slightly and adjusted his seat, crossing his legs. That was a weakness that I could exploit. He took a bite. “And it seems like Ameliya added some vanilla to the icing. If you asked, I’m sure that she would make it for you whenever you wished, but you should let her make whatever she wants. She’s an amazing cook.”
“What, you can’t cook for yourself?” I asked innocently.
“I can’t cook as well as Ameliya can, and it brings her joy. Her gift is with food. Can you cook?”
I took another bite of the delicious ‘monkey bread’ and avoided answering. I could cook only the most basic things. As a child, I had stone more food than anything else. Now Arida or Meg provided meals. “I need to tell Meg about this,” I muttered to myself.
“Who is Meg?” Midas asked, leaning on his arm to study me. I glanced at his plate and found that he was nearly done with his food while I wasn’t even halfway. Did all men eat so fast?
“Don’t worry about Meg,” I said sunnily. “If I’m to be your prisoner here, what is there to do all day? I can be a bit destructive if I have nothing to do.”
“Finish your breakfast,” he said, nodding at my plate, “and I’ll take you on a tour of the house. You can do whatever you wish, as long as you stay within the grounds.” I rolled my eyes and went back to enjoying my breakfast.
Chapter Ten