December

by Merel Pierce

  Nikolai didn’t bother to knock. He entered with a silence that should have been impossible for a man his size, turning the lock behind him so they wouldn’t be disturbed. The room was dark, only the flicker of a large television set lighting the space. He assessed the room quickly.

  It was set up like a studio apartment. A small kitchenette, a bathroom, sitting area, and bed space. Keen eyes easily found the old man where he lay beneath the blankets on the small mattress in the corner, an oxygen machine whirring softly from the floor nearby. As he approached, he cleared his throat.

  Ortega startled, wheezing as his eyes fluttered open. “What the hell?! Do you know what time it is, capullo?”

  Calmly, Nikolai leaned down to click on the small lamp on the bedside table before turning to retrieve one of the kitchen chairs and depositing it at Ortega’s bedside. The old man’s eyes widened, a wrinkled mouth going slack as he stared up at the alpha in disbelief. “Hostia puta…Petrovski? Wh-What are you doing here?”

  “May I sit?” Nikolai smiled down on him coolly.

  “Si, si… Of course!” The old man motioned for him to do so, clambering to sit up against his pillows. “But, mi principe, to what do I owe the honor?” The man’s fear tinged the stale air of the apartment, and Nikolai found himself satisfied with the knowledge that the old goat was smart enough to be scared. After all, the “Prince of the City” showing up in your home in the middle of the night didn’t generally bode well. He was right to be afraid. He was also more likely to be honest if he was worried about his own neck.

  “You have something I want.” Nikolai murmured evenly as he lowered himself onto the ill-fitting seat and propped his elbows against his knees. “I was hoping to find you in the mood to share.” The old man’s brow furrowed as he pulled the oxygen tube off his face and tossed it aside nervously.

  “What is it you are looking for?”

  “Information on one of your former employees.”

  The man’s expression became incredulous. “I will try, my friend. But there have been many.”

  “I expect you will remember this one more plainly than the rest.” Nikolai sneered. “As I understand it, you had a particular fondness for her.”

  “I am fond of all women, mi principe.” Nikolai dismissed the man’s train of thought with a flick of his wrist before he could finish his sentence.

  “I am interested in only the one woman. A small silver-haired girl…” A spark of recognition flickered through the older man’s eyes, quickly followed by a suspicious twist of wrinkled features. “I would like you to tell me everything you know about December Vale.”

  “Why do you wish to know about this woman?” There was an edge to the man’s tone that hadn’t been there before, an almost protective quality to his words that Nikolai could appreciate, though he had no intention of respecting. “Has she done something?”

  “The girl is under my protection. But I was given the distinct impression you may know more about the little omega.” There was no hint of surprise in Ortega’s expression when he uttered that last word, confirming what he’d previously suspected. “You already know what she is, I see.”

  “Si,” was the solemn reply.

  “I am curious then, why did you not sell her when it was in your power to do so? An omega, even a seemingly flawed one, would have been worth quite the pretty penny.”

  “December is special,” the man asserted cautiously. “She is not flawed.”

  “While I may agree, you still haven’t answered my question.”

  The old man hesitated, his eyes narrowing as he glared at the younger man uncomfortably. For whatever reason, he didn’t want to talk to Nikolai about the girl. “Old man, you test my patience. Tell me what I wish to know, and I will be on my way.”

  The man’s nostrils flared, his chin lifting as he sniffed loudly at the air. “I smell her on you. Mi pobre nina dulce.”

  “You would.” Nikolai growled wryly. The old man pointed at the collar of Nikolai’s jacket, an impatient motion of his hand suggesting boldly that he show him what was hidden there. Though Nikolai was unaccustomed to people making demands of him, he recognized that on occasion finesse was more effective than force.

  Obligingly, he lifted his hands and worked the top few buttons of his shirt loose. He gathered the fabric in a fist and pulled it aside. He jerked the medical pad loose from his skin, exposing the feminine bite wounds on his neck as he extended the bandage towards his companion.

  The old man’s eyes widened as he gazed at Nikolai’s throat, one shaking hand extending to gingerly take the bandage material. This, he lifted to his nose and sniffed as Nikolai watched in silence. Finally, the old man’s shoulder slumped as he folded the bandage in half and dropped his hands to his lap. “She has marked you.”

  “She has.”

  “She always was an impulsive girl,” he reminisced fondly, turning his eyes on Nikolai once more. A smirk formed on the old beta’s lips. “To be marked by ‘La Sagrada Omega’ is a great honor, mi principe.”

  “The sacred omega?” Nikolai mused quizzically. “I am unfamiliar with the term. Enlighten me.”

  “In my childhood, I heard legends of ‘La Sagrada Omega’, the most rare and precious of all omegas.” The old man looked almost wistful as he glanced towards the television nearby. “These omegas are said to be blessed with gifts no other human possesses, and also a unique beauty that will always betray them for what they are.”

  “The silver hair.”

  “Si. Always shades of grey.”

  “And what of the gifts you say they possess?”

  “It is different for each omega, but it is said they may read minds, or know when a man lies, or even see the future.” The man paused, glancing up at him meaningfully. Nikolai didn’t miss the significance.

  “You believe December could do the latter?”

  “I never had proof, mi principe. But the girl had a keen talent for avoiding trouble. I cannot count how many times she kept other women from being harmed by reckless men in my club, how many attempted robberies were foiled, how many raids we narrowly avoided, all because la pequena zorra was always one step ahead in warning us.” The beta’s eyebrow arched. “The amount of money she saved me over the years was well worth what I invested in her.

  “You still haven’t explained why you didn’t sell her.”

  The man frowned. “To mistreat or dishonor ‘La Sagrada Omega’ brings misfortune. It is sacrilege, mi principe. I had hoped for her own safety she would remain hidden as a beta. When I began to do business with Ramon Bulgras, he showed more interest in her than I was comfortable with. I sent her away to protect her. I am sorry to hear she has been exposed.”

  “The implant made her ill.” Nikolai muttered in annoyance. “She is being cared for properly now, as an omega should be.”

  The man breathed a sigh of relief. “You have marked her, then.” Nikolai stiffened, his jaw clenching against the sting of the inadvertent reminder of his failings. The beta frowned, a look of almost fatherly disappointment forming as he stared at the alpha by his side. “Hijo de puta…You have not claimed her?” His tone was ripe with disapproval and worry. “You must claim her, mi principe. Now that she is exposed, she must have a strong alpha to protect her! It is your duty!”

  “You’ll do well to remember who you are speaking to.” Nikolai growled as he got slowly to his feet, glowering down at the older man with the intent of intimidating. “Do you have anything else of value to tell me about my omega, old man?” When the beta narrowed his eyes and glared back, Nikolai snorted. “Then we are done here.” He was turning to go when Ortega’s frail fingers shot out to snag his wrist. Incredulous, Nikolai turned a seething eye on the smaller male.

  “December is a good girl. I know you are a man of your word, mi principe, swear to me you will treat her right!”

  Nikolai snatched his arm away, impressed with his own restraint when he managed to keep from back handing the old man for daring to touch him
. “You are not in much of a position to demand anything from me, Ortega.”

  “If you treasure her, she will blossom with your care and her talent will grow. She will give you a gift so great you will wonder how you ever breathed air before she came. Someday, she may even save your life. But if you allow ‘La Sagrada Omega’ to come to harm, if you treat her poorly. A curse will fall upon you and yours!”

  Nikolai frowned. A curse had already befallen him it seemed, and the absence of his little omega only made him feel it more keenly. “You are lucky I do not rip out your throat where you lay for the vile things you did to that girl while she was in your… ‘care’.” Nikolai spat. “But it may ease your troubled soul to know that I intend to make her mine, and no other man will ever lay a hand on her again, save me.” With that he took his leave, too disgusted to linger any longer without making good on his threat to murder the old man.

  Contrary to easing his mind with what he learned, Nikolai felt more frustrated than before. While Ortega had certainly opened an interesting door with his tales of “sacred omegas,” Nikolai was skeptical. He’d never heard of anyone claiming to possess the sort of abilities the old man spoke of except con artists marauding as Romani people. It seemed ludicrous.

  On the flip side, he couldn’t deny that some of what the man said made sense. If someone wanted to absolve the girl of any wrongdoing, he supposed her behavior might seem as though it could be explained just as easily by some fantastic gift she meant to keep secret as by the hidden agenda of an enemy who had a vendetta against Nikolai, which was his original assumption. Even still, it was a difficult pill to swallow.

  Were he to believe what the man said, he’d have to consider the possibility that the girl had already saved his life -- that she had intentionally risked his wrath to keep him safe, knowing what would have happened if he’d gone to the station when he originally intended. His callous treatment of her in the hours that followed the girl’s sacrifice made his stomach turn in light of this new potential explanation for her behavior.

  Whatever the truth may be, there was no way to know for certain until he could ask her for himself. Now more than ever, he realized just how important it was that he find the little female. Not only because he felt responsible for her and intended to take her as his mate. But also, if she were indeed some sort of clairvoyant, she might very well turn the tide of the battle he was fighting for the city’s soul in his favor.

  Chapter 14

  December jolted awake as the vehicle hit a pothole, bouncing her against the uncomfortable bar that was pressing into her stomach. Her resulting groan was disturbingly muffled by the thick piece of material wedged between her teeth that cut into her cheeks and held her mouth open just wide enough that she could feel saliva dripping from her lip. Her brow knit as she forced her eyes open, blinking against the brightness of the light flooding in around her. She was face down, staring at the floorboard in the backseat of an SUV, if she had to guess. To her dismay, it quickly became obvious why she was so uncomfortable.

  Beneath her were the feet of two men. One in suit pants and polished shoes, the other in jeans and boots. Her forehead was pressed against the outer thigh of the jean wearer, her body resting over the knees of the other. Uselessly, she tried to flex her arms and legs. Both were bound it seemed. Her arms behind her, her ankles and thighs tied together in more than one location.

  Above her, a masculine chuckle sounded just before a warm hand lifted from where it had been resting against the back of her thigh unnoticed, sliding upwards over the swell of her still bare ass. “Ah, finally awake I see.” the suited male mused in heavily accented English. December bit against her gag, struggling to be still even though the man’s touch made her skin crawl like ants on parade.

  “It’s about time!” The man beside her declared in Russian as he fisted a hand in her hair and pulled her head up. She whimpered, straining as he jerked her head back painfully until they could see one another. December’s eyes widened. He was familiar, this man in the jeans and boots with a shirt two sizes too small stretched over his bulging muscles. She’d seen him before. He grinned at her wolfishly. “I’ve been dying to have a go at you since you started all that trouble at the station. You smelled so good then… You smell even better now,” he purred wickedly. Recognition dawned, and December narrowed her eyes. This was one of Nikolai’s own men.

  “She doesn’t smell like I expected.” Another voice pouted from somewhere near her feet. He spoke perfect English, this one, and he sounded young. A beta, from the smell of it. Not like the rest of them. The rest stank of alpha. Four of them total, counting the two up front she could scent as well.

  “C'est parce qu'il a planté sa semence, déjà la chaleur s'estompe.”

  December winced, nostrils flaring as her eyes shifted towards the front passenger seat where another male was speaking what sounded suspiciously like French. Not knowing the language, she could only guess at what he’d said. Of course, the resounding laughter from the older men in the backseat told her all she needed to know. Whatever he said about her, she got the impression it wasn’t pleasant.

  “Hmm, so soon?” The alpha holding her said thoughtfully. “Petrovski has more balls than I give him credit for.”

  “One less thing for us to worry about,” the Russian at her side snorted in broken English. He released her head, patting the back of her skull as her chin bounced off the suited man’s knee. “Isn’t that right sweetheart?” She refused to take the bait, ignoring both his snide remark and the hand that was lazily massaging and plumping her ass cheek.

  “Is it true what they say about omegas?” The young beta asked excitedly. “How alphas can turn them on so easy? I’ve always thought that sounded like bullshit. Women are so hard to wind up.”

  “It’s true, little brother. Just one more fabulous thing about these filthy little bitches.”

  “Show me!”

  “You heard him. Show the boy, Ivan.”

  December’s heart skipped a nervous beat, her body tensing as the alpha holding her lifted his other hand and used both to spread the cheeks of her ass, exposing every part of her private bits to the boy sitting next to him. Then, the bastard growled. The guttural noise made every nerve in her body sting and twitch, and despite of her disgust a fresh wave of slick bubbled out of her sex and trickled onto the man’s pants. The youth was gleeful, clapping his hands and laughing in disbelief.

  “Jesus! Just like that?”

  The alpha holding her growled again, the awful noise fading into another chuckle when the fabric of his suit leg became saturated with her wetness. “Just like that. It’s what they were made for, my friend…”

  December groaned softly as the cramp subsided, grateful no one could see the shame and humiliation on her face when she felt the alpha dip a finger between her lower lips before he released his hold on her rear. Seconds later, the sound of his finger popping out of his mouth was followed by a satisfied grunt. Inwardly, she seethed.

  “Just wait. Once you see what else she’ll do, you’ll think you’re on a porn set.”

  December closed her eyes against the tears when they came, wishing she could do the same for the bile rising in her throat. She didn’t have to guess what would come next. They’d made that plain enough. She just hoped it wouldn’t be a “one and done.” She could take a little abuse if there was a chance that she might survive it in the end, but the idea of death? She wasn’t ready for that.

  “Do it again!”

  She could only grit her teeth when the alpha obliged the younger male and another wave of cramps set her to gushing for their amusement.

  ***

  When the vehicle finally stopped the men unloaded her in silence, the suited alpha tossing her over his shoulder like a sack of so many potatoes. December tried to get a look around, but the other men fell into step so closely behind him that they blocked her view of anything that might have helped her identify where she was. She didn’t recognize the other males. The
French speaking alpha looked too highbred and disenchanted to belong with the rest, and the younger beta couldn’t have been more than nineteen.

  He smiled at her when her eyes swung his way, and December found herself feeling a fleeting moment of pity for him. The kid had no idea how wrong this whole situation was. Chances were, he’d never been in on anything like this before. If the alpha who’d called him brother really was kin, she thought it likely this was the first time he’d been allowed to tag along. It was a shameful waste of what looked like a happy normal boy. But then, looks could be deceiving. She knew that better than most.

  Upon being hoisted from the car, the only thing she gleaned from her brief glimpse of the skyline was that they were surrounded by industrial buildings. This assumption was confirmed once they were inside one of said buildings and the pack of males dispersed, giving her a glimpse at her surroundings. It was a warehouse, though not as large as those in the newer packing district. That led December to believe they were near the wharf, but she couldn’t be sure.

  The rusty metal bones of the building were practically bare, the comparatively low ceilings a network of old pipework and exposed electrical wires. It was chilly, a fact which her bare skin made her keenly aware of. She’d blame that on the lack of natural light. It was practically a cave, this little hideout of theirs. The fixtures were few and far between, most with at least one broken bulb. If they were going for a stereotypical mobster vibe, they’d gotten it right.

  As they moved inward, December caught the scent of several more men, most faded but one of which was fresh and terrifyingly familiar. The hair on the back of her neck bristled as the male’s scent grew stronger with each step of her mount. By the time the alpha carrying her stopped, her heart was beating a painful rhythm against her ribs, fight or flight instincts in full gear. This was bad.

  The large man righted her in one swift motion, setting her on her feet in front of him and gripping her arms to keep her upright when her legs gave way beneath her.