My Soul For You

by Morgana Phoenix

  Switching it off, he stuffed it back into his pocket and picked up hers. Katie darted glances between her new passenger and the road. A second later, the brrrring of an outgoing call exploded through the airtight cabin. It took her a moment to realize he was making a call, from her phone.

  “Katie?” Kaleb’s voice spilled through the speakers.

  Katie’s throat closed up. She didn’t know why the guy called Kaleb or why he was dropping her phone into the cup holder. What’s more, she didn’t know what he would do if she called out, or even spoke.

  “Turn here,” he instructed her, motioning right with the end of his gun.

  “Who is that?” Kaleb demanded. “Katie? Say something.”

  Katie spared a glance at her occupant. She swallowed, trying to generate enough spit to moisten her lips.

  “Kaleb—”

  “Focus on the road!” the man hissed at her.

  “Who is this?” Kaleb growled.

  In the background, she could hear Larson, demanding to know what was going on.

  “Turn,” the man said when her turn came up.

  Katie eased down an alley between two shops. In the rearview mirror, she saw Kaleb’s Sedan do the same. Him being so close helped ease a pinch of the dread boiling inside her. But even that was quickly enveloped when she thought of how this could be a trap and how this masked stranger could kill both of them, and Larson.

  “He has a gun!” she shouted quickly before the man could stop her.

  The hammer on the gun being drawn back made only a soft click, but it seemed to crack in her ears. Her squeak was stolen by the hand her captor closed in her hair. She cried out as roots were torn out when he shook her like a rag doll.

  “Quiet!” he warned her, pressing the barrel of the gun to her cheek.

  “Get your fucking hands off her!” Kaleb snarled.

  Behind them, the Sedan revved as it shot forward as though prepared to ram them. But it just as quickly fell back.

  The man wasn’t fazed.

  “Left,” he told her, drawing back and regaining his seat.

  The alley opened onto another street. She signaled and eased left.

  “I have to get to Ashlee,” she heard through the phone speakers.

  “I’m not stopping!” Kaleb snapped back.

  In the mirror, she saw the passenger side door on the Sedan fling open and Larson lunge out while the car was still creeping along behind Katie’s SUV. She didn’t see what happened next as she made the turn.

  “Where are we going?” she ventured to ask cautiously.

  “Drive!” her companion barked.

  He took them out of the city and down St. Albert Trail. Farmland scrolled past them for miles. Night descended, sheathing the world in black broken only by sparks of flashing light as cars shot past them. In her mirror, Kaleb’s headlights were a comforting beckon.

  “It’s okay, baby. I’m right here. I’m right behind you,” Kaleb murmured, as though sensing just how much she needed to hear it.

  The highway streaked ahead of them, a pale wound in the night. It wasn’t a road she had ever traveled before.

  “Pull over here,” her companion commanded, gesturing to the shoulder.

  Katie’s heart raced in her chest as she wondered if this was where he would kill her. Her hands trembled as she eased out of traffic and pulled onto gravel. The tires crunched to a slow halt. The car behind them was another story. It ripped onto the side, kicking up snow and bits of rock like a demon possessed.

  “Put your hands up,” her companion instructed. “Keep them up where I can see them.”

  It was easier said than done when her fingers had locked themselves around the wheel. They cracked like brittle twigs as she pried each lose.

  Her companion threw open his door and leapt out, all the while keeping his gun trained on her. He slammed the door shut and scurried around the front of the hood.

  Behind her, the Sedan’s door flew open and Kaleb charged out.

  “Kaleb … Kaleb, please don’t do anything,” she begged hurriedly as the dark figure reached her side door. “Please. He has a gun.”

  Her door was yanked open and she was violently torn from her seat. Her hair was fisted and she was whipped around to watch Kaleb reach them, hands balled into hard fists. The hand stayed knotted in her hair as her captor held her like a human shield.

  “Slow down, cowboy,” her companion said. “At this distance, I can promise I won’t miss.” As though to prove it, he planted the barrel of the gun directly into Katie’s temple.

  Kaleb was breathing hard like he’d followed them on foot. Rapid white tufts puffed from his nostrils with every ragged exhale. He looked wild and dangerous, and she would have thought severely hot if she hadn’t been trying desperately not to throw up.

  “Let her go,” he said evenly.

  Rather than answer him, the hand in her hair relinquished. She felt her companion dig something from his pocket. The gun stayed firmly in place as he made a phone call.

  “We’re in position,” he told the person on the other end. “Roger.” He tucked the phone away and with a shove her weak knees never saw it coming, sent Katie stumbling forward. “Both of you stay there.”

  Kaleb caught her and yanked her into his arms.

  “Katie.” His heart beneath her cheek, despite his calm exterior, was nearly beating out of his chest. “Did he hurt you?”

  She shook her head. “He just jumped into the car and I didn’t know what to do…”

  “It’s okay,” he assured her. “Trust me.”

  With a hard kiss to the side of her head, he pushed her behind him, putting himself between her and the maniac with the gun. She tried to resist the positioning. She put her hand on his arm, urging him to stop, but he only became more insistent.

  “Who are you?” he demanded. “What do you want?”

  The other man said nothing. He stood watching them from behind the dark mask. His arm was lowered, but only just. Katie wasn’t fooled. Every muscle was tense as though on high alert. Something told her he could aim and fire before either of them could even blink, and he wouldn’t miss.

  He reached into his pocket with his free hand and came out with a long, scrap of fabric. He held it out to Kaleb.

  “Cover her eyes.”

  Kaleb made no move to take it.

  “Why?” he asked instead.

  The man gave the blindfold a little shake. “Do it!”

  He emphasized the demand by cocking back the gun.

  Kaleb took a step forward, took the blindfold. He looked to Katie, who swallowed and nodded.

  “It’s okay,” she murmured and turned to give him her back.

  The blindfold slipped over her eyes and plunged the world to black as it was knotted gently at the back of her head.

  “Now you,” the man said.

  Katie couldn’t see it, but she knew Kaleb was getting a blindfold fastened over his eyes as well and the rough patting told her he was also getting frisked. A moment later, they heard the grind of rubble beneath rubber as another car rolled to a stop somewhere ahead. Metal squeaked as doors were opened. Footsteps crunched.

  Katie held her breath even as she trembled uncontrollably. She jumped when something took her hand. But she recognized the feel of Kaleb’s grip and leaned into it, clutching it for dear life.

  “It’s going to be okay,” he murmured. “I won’t let them hurt you.”

  Katie couldn’t trust herself to speak, not without getting violently sick, so she only squeezed his fingers.

  They were grabbed. Kaleb’s grip on her tightened, but they weren’t being pulled apart. Instead, they were forcibly propelled forward and guided into the back of a car with rough hands shoving their heads down to climb inside. The doors were slammed shut and they pushed off almost immediately.

  They drove for what felt like hours. There was no sound, but the roar of the engine and the rumble of wheels. Occasionally, they could hear the rush of another car rac
ing past them. Katie held tight to Kaleb’s hand, taking strength from the knowledge that she wasn’t alone.

  When they arrived, the car slowed and then stopped. Her door was open and she was hauled out.

  “Where are we?” she asked the person gripping the back of her coat.

  No one answered. They were dragged out of the cold. She knew they were inside, because it smelled like Christmas, peppermint and nutmeg, and it was warm. From somewhere in the distance, someone was playing the violin. Under normal circumstances, she would have thought it was beautiful.

  “Was he searched?” a male voice asked from somewhere ahead.

  Another voice answered with a grunt.

  “Take those off them,” the first voice said.

  The blindfold was instantly yanked off her face and she had to blink the room into focus.

  They were in a library type office with shelves of books built into white walls. One side of the room was a wall of windows overlooking a terrace. The other side held an oak desk. In the center, facing a stone fireplace was a single sofa and two armchairs. One of the armchairs was already occupied.

  The man-boy couldn’t have been out of his late twenties with hair the color of dark chocolate and eyes to match. He offered them a small smile from a face darkened by day old stubble. He was beautiful, in a mafia type way. But there was something not altogether right about his body.

  His torso was built beneath the dress shirt and blazer, but something about his legs made Katie stare a little too long. She couldn’t put her finger on the unusualness of it.

  “Kaitlin,” he said, in a voice that suggested they were longtime friends. “We meet at last.”

  Katie looked from Kaleb to the guy, her apprehension crinkling her brows. “X?” she guessed.

  The man’s smile broadened. “It’s Simon, actually.” He waved them towards the sofa. “Please.”

  Not knowing how to decline, not when there was no less than six, heavily armed men standing around the room. Katie sat. Kaleb followed her, keeping close.

  “Why are we here?” she asked when Simon just kept studying her.

  “I thought it was time we met … in person, don’t you?”

  “So you had us kidnapped?” Kaleb piped in. “Where are we anyway?”

  “You’re in my home,” Simon said. “And would you have come willingly if I’d asked nicely? I thought drastic times called for drastic measures.”

  “What do you want?” Kaleb cut in. “I don’t have what you’re asking for.”

  Simon nodded. “I know. You were searched, as was your home and a few other more interesting places.” He smiled a little. “I’m beginning to get the impression that perhaps you have been lying to me.”

  Kaleb narrowed his eyes. “I told you from the beginning that I didn’t have it.”

  “And yet you led me on to believe that you did,” Simon said casually. “I have to wonder why.”

  “I didn’t,” Kaleb replied. “You assumed. That’s your mistake.”

  “Perhaps.” He waved his fingers dismissively. “On the bright side, I am now inclined to believe you are of no use to me whatsoever. Without the list … well, I’m done wasting my time.”

  He glanced to someone behind them and gave a nod, and for a sickening moment, Katie’s stomach churned as she wondered if that was the cue to kill them. Instead, Katie watched as one of the men left the room.

  “You won’t kill us,” Kaleb said, still unnaturally calm, like he got held at gun point every day.

  “Won’t I?” Simon grinned.

  Kaleb shook his head and Katie had to resist the urge to kick him. Did he really have to antagonize the crazy?

  “Why did you have Ashlee hit by a car?” Kaleb asked instead.

  It was a good question. Katie should have thought of it herself, instead she was too busy trying to keep her insides from spilling out.

  “Did I?” Simon countered slyly.

  “Maybe not you, but you hired someone to do it,” Kaleb countered. “Just like you hired people to kidnap us and bug our homes and have us followed.”

  Simon smiled. “I have to say, from all the years I’ve done this, you two have been the most entertaining to study.”

  “Study?” Katie blurted, finding her tongue at last.

  “Well of course.” Simon looked triumphant. “Nothing can be done right without proper foresight which comes from intensive research. But you weren’t much of an interest to me until I noticed what an interest you were to Kaleb,” he told Katie. “You have him to thank for being here.”

  Katie swallowed to moisten her throat. “What do you want with Kaleb?”

  Simon’s smile faded. “You still haven’t told her?”

  “There’s nothing to tell her,” Kaleb bit out. “I told you, you were wrong.”

  Simon shrugged nonchalantly. “Kaleb came to my attention through a third party who thought I would be interested in a secret organization put together by the government trying to thwart my more … unique, business ventures. They claimed our dear Kaleb was in possession of a rather nasty list that could prove to be damaging should it fall into the wrong hands. I attempted to be professional about the matter, as you well remember, Kaleb.”

  Kaleb smirked, cold and sharp. “You offered me money for a list I didn’t have.”

  Simon chuckled like they were sharing fond memories. “Yes, I will admit, I was surprised when you refused. Anyway, when you continued to refuse, I had to take matters into my own hands, like making certain Katie got that invitation for the gala and that it was her name that was drawn at the end of the night. It was all very elaborate and quite clever if I do say so myself.”

  “I’m curious,” Kaleb interrupted. “How did you even know about Katie and—”

  “And your feelings for her?” Simon smirked. “I have been keeping a very close eye on your, Mr. O’Reilly. Ever since the news of the list. When you bumped into our Katie here, I thought it was just too perfect. I saw how you watched her and how she watched you back. If I was a romantic, I would have swooned. So I thought to myself, what better way to get him to talk than to toy with the thing he wants most?”

  “There was never a Rebekah, was there?” Katie murmured.

  Simon pursed his lips into a feigned show of remorse. “No, but didn’t you think it was odd that everything in those boxes was your size?”

  She hadn’t. Not once.

  “You’re disgusting!” she blurted before she could stop herself, her humiliation and anger getting the better of her.

  Kaleb took her hand, willing her to calm down.

  Simon didn’t seem to notice her outburst. “I was so pleased to see you kept them, by the way. They looked beautiful on you.”

  If she ever got out of there, Katie swore she’d set the whole lot on fire.

  “What are you going to do with us?” she asked instead.

  Simon blinked as though he were surprised by her question. “I’m going to get us supper,” he said simply. “I know how revolting hospital food is and neither of you got to finish your chips.”

  One of their guards shifted over and murmured something in Simon’s ear that had Simon grinning almost proudly.

  “The doctor just left Ashlee’s room. She’ll make a full recovery. Larson and her mother are with her now.”

  As relieved as Katie was to hear the news, she was sickened by his vast knowledge of her personal life. There was nothing he didn’t seem to know about her, right down to the last second. But what baffled her most was why Larson hadn’t phoned the police. She’d been kidnapped for crying out loud. Didn’t that mean anything?

  The guard that had left earlier, returned, pushing a trolley ahead of him. He stopped at Simon’s right side and began dispensing domed dishes onto the coffee table. A woman bustled in, holding a metal square beneath her arm. She went straight to Simon and unfolded a TV tray. She set it over his legs and tucked it close to his chest.

  “If Kaleb doesn’t have that stupid list, can we go?
” Katie blurted, no longer able to contain herself.

  Simon didn’t answer as the woman swept the domes off the plates of steaks, steaming potatoes, and wild rice. Katie’s mouth would have watered if she didn’t feel so sick. Hers and Kaleb’s dishes were pushed in front of them, along with silverware and glasses of red wine. Simon’s was placed on his table.

  “A toast,” he declared, holding up his water glass. “To our first and last meeting.”

  Neither Katie nor Kaleb bothered moving. Simon seemed unfazed as he took a sip of his water.

  “So, I don’t usually conduct business over dinner.” He set his drink down and fixed them with level stares from over his plate. “But you both seem so eager for answers that I will allow it this once. Go ahead and ask anything you like and I will answer with complete honesty. Afterwards, we will eat, have desert and turn in for the evening. Deal?”

  Turn in for the night?

  “What are you going to do with us?” Kaleb asked before Katie could voice her question.

  Simon cut a neat square of meat, popped it into his mouth, chewed, swallowed, chased it away with a sip of water and then answered simply, “Kill you.”

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  The questions Katie had been clinging on to quickly evaporated from her mind with Simon’s nonchalant response. For a moment, because no one else seemed to react, she wondered if she’d imagined it.

  “Well, at least you’re feeding us first,” Kaleb remarked, not sounding remotely concerned.

  Simon smiled around a mouthful. He waved his fork at Kaleb. “Great way of seeing things.” He swallowed. “You know, I can’t let you leave, not when you know so much about me.”

  It was on the tip of Katie’s tongue to swear they would never tell anyone a word about him, but Kaleb was talking again.

  “And when do you exactly plan on killing us?” His calmness was more frightening than the fact that they’d just received a death sentence.

  Simon checked his watch. “You’ve already been dead for about ten minutes now.”

  Katie blinked. She exchanged glances with Kaleb and was relieved to see he looked equally perplexed.

  “Come again?” Kaleb said.

  Simon looked up. “You’re dead, at least to the rest of the world. You both perished in a fire that destroyed everything.”