by Julia Laque
Evangeline's expression went blank. She couldn't think of anything good about the situation, other than the four they came up with. Her shoulders sank. "I've got nothing, Kat, but thanks. This was helpful," she lied.
Katherine sat down again on the foot of the chaise. "One more question." She hesitated. "Is he handsome?"
Evangeline bit her bottom lip. "No...yes...he would be if he wasn't so controlling and vindictive." But Evangeline didn't care about looks. The one pro she wanted, the one thing that would make this entire situation okay, was if they were in love.
She was getting angry again, but this time, she let the fury claim her.
The hatred inside felt good just then and she made her decision; not that she had a choice.
Evangeline would marry Cyrus Stewart and be his wife. And after he drank from her, after they said their vows, and he placed a ring on her finger...she was going to make his life a living hell.
****
A glass shattered on the wall right by Evangeline’s head. Cyrus had just flung his high ball at her. “Please, Cyrus, don’t.” She turned to flee, but the king grabbed her by the arm and held her to him.
She looked around his shoulder and saw her father sitting with his legs crossed at the king’s dinner table in his study, sipping a drink. Her sister stood by the door shaking her head at her. “Eva, stop being such a baby and let him bite you. I don’t know why you’re being so selfish.
Good Lord, she was in the twilight zone. What was wrong with her family? How could they let him do this to her?
Cyrus slammed her against him and squeezed her body. He reached up and pushed her head to the side…
“Cyrus…please…please!”
Evangeline woke up to her body catapulting off the bed. The wind was knocked out of her stomach as it punched against something rock hard. Her face must have hit the same thing, but all she saw was black.
She screamed out, but the sound was stifled by cloth in her mouth. What the hell was happening? Was she still dreaming?
There was movement at her abdomen, a shoulder shifting back and forth, back and forth. She was being carried. All of a sudden, the movement stopped and she felt weightless, like she was flying in mid air, until a shoulder punched one more time into her stomach.
Okay, real or not, this was not cool. Evangeline began thrashing her arms and kicking her legs, hitting anything she could. A heavy, thick arm slid down from her back to her thighs as another hand reached up to the back of her neck. She felt a firm tug and froze when someone whispered.
“Quiet.”
Oh Jesus. Oh Jesus. Oh Jesus.
Evangeline was fully awake now. This was too real. The movement at her stomach began again as she tried to get her bearings. She was no longer asleep in her bed, but outside now. She smelled fresh grass through the dark cloth over her face and felt cool air on her arms. Only then did she realize her wrists were bound together.
She tried to shake the cloth off her head, but it must have been tied around her neck.
This couldn’t be happening. Who would do this to her?
This time, she screamed for real. Her screams came from the back of her throat and the cloth in her mouth couldn’t do anything about it. The staccato hits on her stomach changed pace and she felt her body leaping along with her captor.
She was being kidnapped; actually kidnapped by someone she couldn’t see. She knew it was a man because of the voice and the broad back she was flailing against. Her heart raced and she began to hyperventilate. It was too hard to breathe with the gag in her mouth, cloth over her face and the brutal hits to her stomach.
Fight damn it, Evangeline thought.
With all the energy she could muster, she thrashed like mad against her captor, for all the good it did. His vise-like grip held her tighter and they practically flew through the air.
He wasn’t human. There was no way a human man could run at this pace and leap through the air the way they were flying right now.
Evangeline’s stomach took another hit and she felt nauseous. She hoped she’d get sick all over the bastard’s back, but before the dizziness could claim her, they stopped. When the man began walking at a normal pace, Evangeline stopped struggling to take in her surroundings. She could hear sticks and brush crunch under the monster’s feet and the wind blowing the leaves on trees. They must be in the woods, but where?
Evangeline reached out all her other senses, but it was no good. All she smelled now was the moldy wool cloth that began irritating her skin. She was trying to listen to everything around her, any useful information, should she happen to find a phone to call the police.
His footsteps changed abruptly. The sound was more rough and loud, as if he were walking on planks of wood. A door opened and creaked. He took more steps and then the door closed. She tried to judge if he turned left or right, but before she knew it, she was being tossed back. Evangeline landed on something soft, a bed.
Dear God, no!
The cloth was lifted off her face and she regained her sight. She blinked several times, trying to focus in the dimly lit room. She sat up too quickly and her head spun. It lolled on her neck and as her vision cleared, her eyes widened at the size thirteen’s, two feet in front of her.
A deep rumble cut off the scream in the back of her throat.
“Relax. I’m not going to hurt you.”
Chapter Six
This was a mistake.
The girl was scared out of her mind. What had he been thinking?
Adam stepped back from the bed and put his hands up to show her he didn’t have any weapons. He hoped the gesture would calm her nerves, but she just shrank back, stumbling off the bed and to the corner of the room, her green eyes wide and trained on him.
“Try and relax. I promise I won’t hurt you.”
Her chest was heaving as she reached up and pulled off the gag he’d put on her. Not his finest moment, but he couldn’t risk her screaming and alerting the rest of the house.
“What do you want?” She was trembling and her voice cracked as she stared at him. “Why are you doing this?”
Please don’t cry.
Damn it, he was such a shit. “Look, I know you’re not going to believe me, but this is just something I have to do. You’re safe here—”
She charged him.
He was shoved back, more out of shock than from her strength. Evangeline pushed past him and ran toward the open door, but he caught her in one step. She wheeled around and started pounding his chest and arms. Her bound wrists hindered her efforts so she started kicking him.
“Shit!” Adam grabbed her by her arms and pushed her gently on the bed. “Stop it. You’re going to hurt yourself. I told you, I’m not going to do anything to you,” he yelled.
She was pissed now. Her dark hair was tousled, her skin flushed. “Fuck you!” she shouted. “You think I’m going to take the word of a kidnapper? Let me go!”
Jesus, she was beautiful.
Stepping back to give her some space, Adam put his hands on his hips. “I’m not…look…I’ll explain everything when you’ve gotten some rest.”
She gawked at him. “Rest? Are you crazy?”
Yeah. His sister was kidnapped, so he kidnaps someone. Fucking hypocrite.
Adam gestured toward her and said, “I can untie your wrists if you want.”
“Don’t touch me.” She held her arms to her chest, glaring at him.
“Ok. Fine by me. Get some sleep.” He turned around and stepped out, shutting the door behind him. As he reached up to click the pad lock, he heard her hit the door, trying to get out.
He stepped away and ran both hands through his hair, walking into the living room. He sat in an armchair giving him a view of the bedroom and the front door. He wasn’t expecting company, but one could never be too sure.
Adam was glad there were a few members of his pack out patrolling tonight. By now, the others would know what he’d done. Jason was on rotation with Ramo and Alex and they must have
sensed Jason’s anxiety. It was radiating out of him before they’d parted ways.
He wasn’t looking forward to listening to their objections, but he was damn glad they were out there. They needed to be extra alert now. He wasn’t worried they would be found, but you could never be too careful. The Blacktail Fighters were the only ones who knew about this cabin in the woods. It had been used in the past for meetings, hearings and a few ceremonies even. The vampires sure didn’t know it existed.
He shut his eyes tight. Evangeline was still pounding on the door. God, he was scaring the shit out of her. He wished she’d just trust him and try to relax, but he didn’t blame her. He’d fight like a motherfucker too.
Adam told himself this would all be over soon. They were going to send a message to the vampire king, informing him he had his fiancé and if the king wanted to see her alive again, he would have to give up Serena.
Evangeline was in no danger. Adam would never kill a female, but the king didn’t need to know that.
His head spun again with worry and insurmountable stress. It felt like Evangeline was banging inside of his head.
He hoped to God the king cooperated. Cyrus Stewart must have Serena. All the evidence pointed to him. His sister was taken at night, leaving work. One of her coworkers saw her talking with a man in a black leather jacket as she was getting into her car and then turn around and disappear with the stranger around the corner. It wasn’t like Serena to take off with a stranger. A vampire must have compelled her.
There was a constant vendetta between werewolves and vampires and Adam had killed one of the king’s kind, in his own town. No, Adam’s town. He and his pack were here first.
Werewolves and vampires were always at each other’s throats, but the vampires had gone too far taking out one of his Fighters. The king had to know his pack would retaliate. Before then, it had been years since the two species battled. Maxwell Jones and his partner tried their best to keep the peace. Sure there were fights here and there. Adam thought the past few years without a blood bath was pretty amazing, but Cyrus and Adam always had their issues. Two leaders in a small town was just asking for trouble.
The king took his sister; of this he was sure. It was just like the sneaky prick to take a defenseless young girl. When Adam got Serena back safe and sound, he was going to tear him to pieces. Literally. And if it started a war, so be it.
Evangeline Wolcott would just have to get back with the sorry-ass she’d dumped earlier today. Not that he cared. The fact it had bothered him when the human kissed her meant nothing. He was overprotective by nature and when the guy touched her while she was clearly blowing him off… simply touched a nerve.
So why didn’t he let his beta handle the abduction? He was obviously pretty bad at it since he wasn't supposed to feel so awful for the one he was abducting.
He got up with a jerk, too wound up to sit still. Walking to the window, he pretended not to be affected by the woman's screaming. What he was doing sickened him. His great idea to kidnap Cyrus' fiancé was looking pretty stupid right now.
The woman must be scared out of her mind thinking he was going to hurt her and he couldn't think of anything to do or say that would calm her down, but he knew he had to do something.
The pounding on the door stopped. She was quiet now.
He hoped it was a sign she was beginning to cool down. He would go to her in an hour or so and explain or at least try to explain what was going on. He didn't want her to be frightened of him. Funny...when he first thought of this brilliant plan to take her he didn't plan on giving a shit about her feelings. But the minute he took off the sack over her head and looked into those damn eyes...
A wolf howled outside. It was Ramo. Definitely. He was pissed off about Adam's decision to kidnap a human and he was letting him know it.
"Shit," Adam muttered.
Ramo was coming this way. Reaching the door fast, he stepped out into the night. Adam did not want the guys in the house. The girl was scared enough. She didn't need to think there were more kidnappers and potential murderers in the cabin with her.
He saw Ramo leap over a large brush and burst into the clearing, hunched on all fours. When he saw Adam, he remained low to the ground, waiting for his alpha’s acknowledgement.
Adam turned back to look at the window with the light on. Evangeline wasn't there, thank God. He turned to address his loud mouth cousin and Fighter.
"Phase back," Adam ordered Ramo.
Ramo stood to his full height. He was about six foot, five inches in his human form, but when he phased, he shot up another foot. Ramo was still morphing into his human form as he spoke. The hair was still receding on his face and body, as he opened his big fat mouth. "You mind telling me what the fuck is going on?"
****
Bars? Really? The maniac had actually put her in a room with bars on the window? She was living a freaking nightmare and she had no idea how to get out of it.
Evangeline paced the room as she struggled with the rope around her wrists. She almost had her right hand loose, but it was beginning to swell from all the pounding on the door.
Jesus! What did he want? Money? He was certainly barking up the wrong tree there. Her family didn’t have any money. What was he going to do with her when he found out there was no cash incentive for abducting her? Would he kill her and bury her somewhere in the woods where she’d never be found? If he did kill her, would he do it fast or slowly torture her?
Her heart began pounding in her ears again. She had to sit down before she keeled over. It didn’t do her any good to think the worst, but how could she not?
She closed her eyes with a sigh when her hand slipped free. Both hands and wrists were swollen and red. Rubbing them gently, she prayed no harm would come to her. Evangeline hoped he was telling the truth and would not hurt her.
There was movement outside the door and then two knocks. She froze on the bed, her wide eyes taking stock of the room, attempting to gather her wits. It was an ordinary bedroom with a queen-sized bed, two dressers, and a nightstand.
“I’m coming in. Step away from the door,” his voice called out.
Something in her snapped. “I’m nowhere near the door!” she yelled.
He came in slowly and it took every ounce of self-control not to make a run for it. Going by his strength and speed he must be a werewolf. He was too tanned to be a vampire and werewolves were generally over six feet and this man was enormous.
Her captor shut the door and remained still. Heart hammering in her chest, she glowered at him. The man was so tall and built like a gladiator. It was hard not to be terrified of him. Her eyes shifted down to what he was holding, panicking as she thought of every possible thing he could do to her with…broccoli?
The guy was holding a small key in one hand and a bag of frozen broccoli in the other.
“I thought you might need this for your hand. Wasn’t so smart, pounding like that, was it?” He jerked his head, indicating her red hands.
She flushed, her eyes narrowing at him. “You’re not going to get away with this. As soon as my family finds out I’m gone, they’ll call the police.”
He stepped closer into the room. “No, they won’t.” Evangeline backed up against the headboard, unable to trust her legs to hold her up. He stopped when he saw her reaction and held up the broccoli before he tossed it on the bed in front of her.
“Of course they will,” she said, not touching the bag of broccoli. She wanted answers.
“No, they won’t,” he said simply. “Your family will get a message early in the morning saying you’re okay because you’re going to call and tell them.” Standing with his feet planted hip-length apart on the floor, he crossed his arms over his large chest. His forearms bulged in front of him, the rest of his arms threatening to rip the sleeves of his black t-shirt. “You’re going to leave a message on your dad’s voicemail telling him you and a friend decided to go to Chicago to celebrate your engagement. Tell him your catching a show, goi
ng clubbing, whatever. Then you’ll tell him you’ll be careful and will return in a few days.”
She gaped at him, completely confused. “How did you know I was engaged?”
“Don’t worry about it. Do you understand what you have to do?”
“My father’s not going to buy it.”
“Make him,” he ordered.
“Wait a minute,” Evangeline said pensively. Why would he have her lie to her father? “Does this mean you don’t want anything from my family?”
He looked her over. To his credit his eyes stayed on her face. The man had strong features and an insane part of her brain thought how she might have been attracted to him if she’d seen him on the street or met him at a party.
His crystal blue eyes bore into her as he spoke, his face tight. “My problem is not with your family. It’s with the bloodsucking dead guy you’re about to marry.”
“Cyrus?” she asked.
His nostrils flared at the mention of the king’s name. “Yes. Your boyfriend took my little sister and the sooner I get her back, the sooner you can go home.” He cocked his head in thought. “Answer this, have you noticed anything in the King’s Coven that seems off?"
She stared at him confused. “You think the king kidnapped your sister?”
“I know he did. Now answer the question,” he barked.
Evangeline shook her head and looked away. She had only been Cyrus’ fiancé for one day and already she was in trouble.
What would this guy do when he learned the king hardly felt anything for her, but lust? If the king really did have his sister, he was not going to lose face and admit to it just for her release.
Her abductor cursed under his breath and turned toward the window. As he moved she caught the sight of a tattoo on the back of his neck. It was a full moon complete with the infant shadow and all. Her heart sank into her stomach.