“They . . . umm, they haven’t been telling you the truth about the kidnapped women because they part of the guys that are kidnapping the women.” At my words I hear a roar.
“Motherfuckers.” I hear the roar from Tor but then Cassius is next to me taking the listening device from my ear.
“Are you okay baby?” he asks as he places his finger under my chin until I’m looking into his concerned eyes. I nod to appease him, but I feel nauseous at the thought that those men have been responsible for various women being sold and trafficked into prostitution. How can human beings do these types of things? Of women being hurt, over and over like they did with me. I can feel my heart racing as I think of the atrocities that were done to me. Instead of Cassius I’m seeing Merdor smirking at me as I think of the torture he will inflict.
“Breath with me” I hear Cassius raspy voice, but it’s coming as if from far away. Black dots are appearing before my eyes, and even though I try, I can’t concentrate on anything except the memories that are flooding my mind.
The way they would torture me until I snapped, the woman they tortured and killed before my very own eyes when I wouldn’t do what they wanted. I can feel the tears streaming down my face my anguish is so great that I want to scream with it. I feel the darkness engulfing me and I let go knowing that I will find peace in its blackness.
CASSIUS 19
“Baby,” Fuck, I shouldn’t have let her do this. I’m supposed to protect her; how can I protect her from her memories. I pull her unconscious body against mine while I punch the headboard with the side of my fist to try and relieve some of my anger. I hear a crack and notice that the wood of the headboard has split across.
“I want what you have on her,” I growl, “only then can I help her.” Draco had promised me the information they had after we were mated, it’s time that I read it all so that I can try and help her through her nightmares.
“Why not just leave it alone brother?” Celmund suggests, my head snaps towards him and whatever he sees in my eyes makes him lift his hands. “I will get it for you.” He makes his way to the door and then leaves.
I kiss Scarlett’s forehead and then make her more comfortable on the bed, “Baby,” I call but she doesn’t move. What did those fuckers do to her that has her passing out with fear? I want to go out there and kill every single one of them; I can’t hear anymore what’s happening with the interrogations as Celmund switched off the communicators as soon as Tor lost his shit. I’m going to take her home; I don’t want her near what’s happening on this side. Celmund and one of the others are more than capable of placing the cameras for us to find their hideout.
I want to be there to make sure that if it’s Leif he doesn’t activate the devices, but Scarlett is more important at the moment, and all these interrogations have got to her. Therefore, I will leave this in my brother’s hands, I trust them in managing the situation and finding who we are looking for.
I lay next to her listening to her breathing as I stroke her hair; I know that her mind has shut down from the horrors that are torturing her. I don’t know how long I’ve been here, before I hear a knock on the door. Getting up I move to open the door, seeing Draco and Celmund on the other side. Draco inclines his head for me to step outside, I look over my shoulder and see that Scarlett is still out, therefore I step out and close the door quietly behind me.
“You want her file?” Draco asks with a frown, I nod in reply which makes him grunt. “Fine, come with me, Celmund will sit with Scarlett until we come back.” At his words I tense, not that I don’t trust Celmund but I don’t relish the thought of my woman alone with any other man. Draco notices my reaction and growls. “For fuck sake, he’s not going to jump her.” but he looks at a grinning Celmund, “Go get one of the Jezebels to sit with you.” He snaps.
A few minutes later Draco and I are walking out of the compound, I know for sure I’m not going to like what I’m going to see if Draco is taking me away from other people. The Cape Town compound hasn’t got as many trees surrounding it as ours does, but it still has some, that blocks out most of the energy. Draco and I walk for what must be half a mile when he finally stops, he pulls a folder that he had in the pocket of his kutte and hands it to me.
As I take the folder his other hand grips my bicep, “Remember, she’s with you now, what’s inside that folder is the past. We will always protect her from that ever happening again.” I can see the sincerity and compassion in his face.
“I want to take her back home, all this is messing with her head and bringing back memories.” I confess,
“After setting the cameras later today, Celmund is staying behind to see what he can find. The rest of us will be going home; we need to be there for the naming ceremony of the babies and Bion’s wedding.” Draco reveals which relaxes me somewhat knowing that I’m not letting my brothers down by taking Scarlett home.
Looking down at my hands, I can feel my muscles tensing. I know that no matter what, I will never be ready for whatever horrors might be in this folder. Taking in a deep breath I open the folder and start to read, I sense Draco move away but I know he won’t go far, that he’s just giving me space.
It starts by mentioning the day of Scarlett’s abduction, where they found her and where she was taken to. Then it mentions blood tests, and what they suspect her gift to be. They thought that she could move objects with her mind, the asses. My hands tense when they start to mention her first beating, how they requested that she move an object and that she refused even after being beaten.
My breathing quickens as I continue reading, the beatings get worse, they start to beat her with whips and then solid objects. I have to blink various times at one particular stage when my eyes start to sting. They electrocuted her, suffocated her, cut her and then they brought another woman that they mention was disposable and killed her in front of Scarlett.
I close my eyes and throw my head back as I roar in pain, taking in deep gulps of air trying to calm the fury raging through my body. When I feel like I have a semblance of control again I look down and continue reading. When it starts to explain how they buried her in a glass container so that she could see the sand all around her I lost it. They left her there until the air ran out and only then did they take her out.
I can see the ground around me is gushing with water, big puddles of water already forming around me. I know I’ve lost control but right now I can’t stop it, as a water bender I can control water but at this moment the energy is coursing through my body like lava courses through the earth, unbridled.
I continue to read and get to the part where they told her about me; it says that that was the first time they believe they finally broke her. It says that it looked like she recognized me, even though they were certain she had never seen me. When they threatened to kill me, she promised to cooperate. The tears finally fall, I can’t read anymore. My woman even being tortured she never broke only when my life was threatened.
She went through all of this because of being my mate, and not once has she mentioned it or complained. I feel a hand on my shoulder squeezing gently, only then realizing that I’m on my knees my head bent as I gasp in breath after breath trying to regain a semblance of composure.
“Your woman is strong brother, I am proud to have her be part of our family.” Draco grunts, “She will need you to be just as strong for her.” I know what he’s saying, that I have to keep this rage that’s consuming me contained, that the right time will come for me to unleash it but for now I need to hold it back.
“I don’t know if I can.” I confess
“I understand your fury, but you know that we can’t attack yet. I promise when the time is right we will all have a chance to get rid of some of this fury that eats at us.” he let’s go of my shoulder and steps back, “now reign in that energy brother, Celmund has already sent me a text informing me that the water pipes were leaking and bursting at the compound.”
I place my hands on the wet ground and feel inst
antly as one with the earth, I take in deep breaths trying to calm myself, I know that I won’t be able to calm my soul until I’m close to Scarlett again, but my anger and my energy I will manage.
I don’t know how long I stay like that but Draco doesn’t push me, when I finally feel a semblance of control I stand turning I walk towards Draco noticing the puddles and the water running down the valley. My jeans are wet but I don’t pay it any attention as I make my way back to the compound, the file gripped in my fist.
Just before we enter the compound Draco stops me and holds out his hand, “Give it to me, you don’t want her to find it by mistake.” He says, for a minute my fist tightens but then I reluctantly hand it over. “Go spend time with your woman, don’t worry about the cameras. When it’s time to leave we’ll call you.” I nod and step into the compound.
“What the fuck?” Tor roars as we step inside, there are three Jezebels mopping the floor in the bar and two brothers behind the bar fixing a pip that looks like it burst. Tor advances towards the two of us a scowl on his face, when he’s within touching distance he stops and whispers, “Shouldn’t you know how to control your fucking energy better?”
“Sorry man,” I grunt, Draco inclines his head for me to continue on my way, I hear him say to Tor as I leave. “Let him be.”
When I walk into the room, Celmund is sitting on a chair at the end of the bed, the Jezebel on his lap kissing his neck. My eyes move towards the bed and I see Scarlett rolled into a ball facing the other side. At my entrance Celmund pulls the Jezebel off his lap and stands, he guides her out as he passes next to me he stops a hand on my shoulder. “Are you okay?” his eyes are penetrating as he looks at me.
I huff out a breath, but then I nod. He doesn’t say anything else as he leaves but I know that he has my back if I need it like all the other brothers. I move towards the bed stretching out behind Scarlett I pull her body against my front only then realizing that she’s awake.
“Baby” I murmur, now that I know the torture she went through I have an idea of what to keep away from her and what not to say around her. The pain and anguish I saw in her eyes before she passed out is still engraved in my mind, I don’t think I will ever forgive myself or those fuckers for the pain that she goes through. She turns in my arms and lays her head against my chest without saying a word.
“I love you baby, and I promise I will do everything in my power to keep you safe.” At my words she tenses but then she relaxes again and kisses my neck in answer. I stroke her hair and kiss her forehead for a long while until she suddenly lifts her head to look at me.
“The baby, is it born yet?” she asks with a frown, I must be honest with everything that has been going on I hadn’t thought about Aria and the baby yet. I take my phone out of my pocket and dial Burkhart’s number, he answers after two rings.
“Yeah?” his voice is strained when he answers,
“How’s everything going over there?” I ask, worried now at his gruff voice.
“Fuck, I swear if I ever mate, my woman is not going to have kids.” He states in a growl. “She’s had the baby, but do you know how much fucking pain she was in? I had to be in there to hold Brandr off of Bion when she had contractions and he couldn’t stop them.”
“Is she okay now?” I ask worriedly, Aria was also injected with a device and we’ve all been worried that it would activate when she went into labour.
“Yeah, I have a godson.” He says proudly, “but Brandr flipped out at one stage and I had to knock his ass out.” He grunts, I laugh at that, I respect Bion for his work because even knowing that we’ll flip out and want to hurt him for the pain our women go through he continues to do his best calmly.
“We’re coming home,” I state and feel Scarlett tense besides me, looking down at her I can see the question in her eyes.
“I heard, no use all of us being there unless we have something. If Celmund needs help I will fly up.” He says “Caelius has already left to pick you guys up. See you soon.” With those words we disconnect the call.
“We’re leaving?” Scarlett’s voice is low and gruff.
I lower my head and kiss her forehead, “Yes, Celmund is staying behind until we’re sure we have something. We need to go back for the babies naming ceremony.” I don’t tell her about the wedding because Bion doesn’t want the women to know in case they tell Brielle. I must also get home so I can get my tattoo done, the others and I have all agreed to go and have a tattoo done like Ceric had done for Nova. I will also place mine on my lower abdomen, ‘Property of Scarlett’ we have decided to have them done in the Morning, less likely that the women will see them until we want them to see them.
“Do you think Celmund will be able to find anything by himself?” she asks with a worried look on her face.
“Baby, he’s not by himself, all the brothers here will be helping him. And yes, I know Celmund, his like a dog with a bone when there is a mystery he has to figure it out.” I don’t tell her that he’s also feeling guilty because he thinks that if Leif is alive this is all his fault, for not making sure that he was dead. Therefore, we have all agreed to let him run with this search; after all he is the best person to find Leif.
“How you are feeling?” I ask and instantly see her tense and her eyes look away from me.
“I’m fine.” She says not looking at me. I lower myself until I’m leaning over her, placing my thumb under her chin I pull her chin towards me.
“Not really, and I understand, but baby I promise in time you will be.” With those words I take her lips in a passionate kiss as my hand moves over her breast and squeezes. I hear her gasp against my lips which make my cock twitch against her stomach. After what I read in that file I need to make love to my woman.
Her small hands are under my t-shirt and she’s stroking my abdomen, my sides, my back and then I feel her hands over my nipples and she pinches them just with enough bite to make me groan. Rearing back I tear the t-shirt off me, “Take your clothes off.” At my grunt I see her hurriedly discard of her clothes as I discard the rest of mine. When we both naked I see her eyes travel the length of me and stop at my engorged cock. As soon as she bites her bottom lip I’m lost, I want to go slow and gentle but at this moment I need her so bad, I need to plunge into her and appease this hunger that eats at me.
I place my hands on her hips, her breasts jiggling with the movement and catching my eye. Fuck, but she’s perfect. I sit on the edge of the bed and pull her towards me as I take her nipple into my mouth I hear her gasp in pleasure as her fingers entwine in my hair. I suckle and bite as my hands stroke her body and pinch her ass.
“Baby, I need you now.” I warn as I lift my head from her luscious breasts and open her legs so that she can sit over me. I lower her gently until her core is over the head of my cock and then I’m sliding into her warmth and we both groan in pleasure as she sits over me fully. “Fuck, am I hurting you?” I mumble as I want to start plunging into her but want to make sure that she’s fine.
“Please . . . Cassius.” At her gasped words I start to lift her and then lower her over my swollen cock, my breathing ragged, she places her hands around my neck and then lifts herself on her knees and starts to move to her own rhythm. We’re in our own world as we race towards our pleasure, my hands are on her waist as I help her, but then I feel her walls start to convulse around me and I lose all self-control as I plunge into her two more times before I roar her name, exploding deep inside her.
Her body is slumped against my chest as she drags in breath after breath to try and calm her racing heart. “I love you Cassius” she murmurs with a gentle kiss to my chest. My arms tighten around her body, my eyes close as I savour the feel of my woman in my arms.
SCARLETT 20
It has been three days since we flew back from Cape Town, today is the babies naming and we can feel a buzz in the air. Everyone is excited about the ceremony, apparently the babies’ stones get forged at the ceremony and there are a few of the guys that participate. T
he women say that it’s a beautiful ceremony and I’m excited to be part of it. Aria and Brandr’s baby boy will also be named today.
Cassius and some of the guys left early this morning, nobody knows where they went and if they do they’re not saying. There’s a knock on the door just as I pull on my shoes. “Come in.” I call and see Kade step in. “Well, look at you.” I tease as I look at Kade, his wearing a button down black shirt with dark blue jeans and his boots, his hair that I notice has grown longish has been slicked back.
“You not looking so bad yourself sis, has Cassius see what you wearing?” he asks with a frown, since coming to live at the compound that Kade has picked up on a few of the guys habits such as overprotectiveness.
“No, the girls and I bought our dresses on line and thought to surprise the men. What do you think?” I ask as I twirl around knowing what he saw. The dress is a dark maroon with a scooped neckline that shows the swell of my breasts, the rest is tight on all the right places showing off my figure, it comes up to mid-thigh. I also bought black heals with a thin leather strap that crosses up my legs before knotting.
“Its beautiful sis, but I think it’s way too revealing.” Kade says, which makes me stare at him with my mouth open.
“What!”
“You asked, just saying. Don’t think Cassius is going to like you going out like that.” He grumbles as he pulls back his shoulders and juts out his chin. Because of everything that has been going on I haven’t spent as much time as I would like with Kade, but now that I look at him I see that in the place of my little brother is a man. I can see that being around these men has helped Kade, has given him courage and strength.
Walking towards him I see that even though I have high heels on, he’s already taller than me. I place my arms around his waist and hug him like I have so many other times. “I love you Kade.” I say and feel his stronger arms come around me.
CASSIUS Page 15