Then suddenly, all the negative emotions were gone.
Just like that.
What the hell?
Mitch opened his eyes.
Why couldn’t Mitch feel their emotions anymore?
Then it hit him. Kate’s gift. She could block her emotions. She’d shared that gift with him, but instead of blocking his own emotions, he was able to block the emotions from others.
A wave of relief swept through him. That was the best gift he’d ever received. He could do this. He could beat Ronin if he didn’t have to constantly fight back other people’s emotions. All he had to do was block them and it wouldn’t weaken him, sap his strength.
Being able to block everyone’s emotions would be a great help in their escape. It would enable him to concentrate on his other gifts.
Mitch continued to block the emotions, using the new gift Kate had passed along to him. He glanced around again. There was a large number of men present, more than Mitch had seen in a while. Mitch guessed at least twenty or thirty of them were in the room. Ronin had brought them all here for a reason.
Dread settled in.
Ronin had rounded up the soldiers to punish Mitch with Kate’s torture.
Kate would be tonight’s “entertainment”.
Mitch would be forced to watch as Kate was passed around the room from man to man. Groped. Humiliated. Raped. By twenty or thirty men.
His stomach heaved, bile pushing its way up his throat.
No.
He couldn’t bear that again.
Ronin stepped up onto a bench and addressed the room. “Quiet down everyone! We have some new entertainment tonight. Mitchell brought a new girl to share, and she’s quite a looker, if you like the skinny ones.” He chuckled, then motioned toward the doorway. “Bring her in, boys…”
His heart in his throat, Mitch turned as Kate was shoved into the room. She was dressed in a flimsy, silky black lingerie outfit. The top flitted over her small breasts, barely covering her nipples, and the bottom danced tauntingly about her hips, giving a tantalizing peek of delicate feminine flesh with each step she took. Her ass cheeks bounced teasingly beneath the thin fabric as she walked past, drawing whistles and shouts and vulgar comments from the soldiers.
Mitch’s blood boiled. How dare Ronin subject Kate to this!
Kate held her head high and kept her gaze blank as she stumbled into the room. But Mitch knew she was terrified.
Oh, Kate. I’m so fucking sorry.
Ronin crooked a finger at her, motioning her forward.
She hesitated, her gaze searching the room until it landed on Mitch. Tears welled in her eyes. She lifted her chin and swallowed hard. She blinked rapidly, her eyes hardening, then she looked away from Mitch and stepped up to Ronin.
Mitch’s heart twisted. This was all his fault. He never should have gotten her involved. He had no control over what was about to happen, just like he’d had no control over what Ronin had done to Lisa.
Kate was so brave. Instead of cowering like Lisa had done, she bravely faced what was about to come.
Mitch couldn’t watch what was about to happen. He had to put a stop to this. He had to find a way to get her out of here before anyone hurt her.
It was time to use all his “gifts” from the drifters. He couldn’t worry about what Ronin might do once he discovered all of Mitch’s gifts. All he could worry about right now was freeing Kate.
And doing everything in his power to get her out of here.
* * *
Just trust me, Kate. I’ll get us out of this. I promise.
Mitch’s words kept playing over and over in Kate’s mind as she nervously stepped into the room, catcalls and vulgar comments flying at her from all directions. She’d fought at first when the women had tried to dress her in the flimsy outfit, refusing to be degraded like this, but then Ronin had come into the room and ordered the women to leave. He’d told Kate if she didn’t get dressed in the outfit and come out within five minutes, he would kill everyone at Aftermath, including the visiting traders. Kate wasn’t about to let others die because of her, so she’d slipped the disgusting slip of fabric up over her hips and tied the top around her breasts, then stepped out of the room.
Had Mitch been playing her all this time? Was she nothing more than a means to an end? Would he really do that to her? Was he as determined to control the mountain as Ronin was? Was he simply using her to reach that goal? What had Mitch and Ronin agreed to? What if she was nothing more than a pawn in this power play he and Ronin were engaged in?
Her gaze collided with Mitch’s across the room. He stood near the back wall, his gaze riveted on her. His body was completely still, as if he were frozen in place. His eyes glowed hotly with an emotion she couldn’t name, then dimmed. It was the only “movement” she detected from him. He truly had turned to stone.
Her heart twisted, pain slicing through her. Why was he letting this happen? Why wasn’t he trying to save her?
Mitch fooled you. You don’t know him at all.
Ronin’s taunt came back to her then: He’ll never let himself love again. He’ll never care about you. You’re just a means to an end. That’s all you are to him and all you’ll ever be.
No. She wouldn’t believe that. Mitch cared for her. She knew he did. They’d bonded. And bonding didn’t occur unless the parties shared an emotional connection first.
You don’t really believe that, do you, Kate? Mitch probably made all of that up to get you to sleep with him.
But Mitch had been reluctant to sleep with her at first, because he’d feared sharing his empathy.
What if that had all been a story too? What if everything Mitch had told her had been a lie?
Her heart squeezed tighter, pain choking off her air.
No. No. No. I won’t believe that. I won’t!
Then why had she witnessed remorse in his eyes upstairs in that room with Ronin? Because Mitch had known this would happen. And he’d done nothing to stop it.
Ronin crooked a finger at her, motioning her forward. She squeezed her eyes shut and tried to gather her courage, then stepped up to Ronin. She couldn’t look at Mitch again. She refused to. Right now she hated him for forcing her to be subjected to this degradation.
She should have listened to her initial warnings about him. She’d known he wasn’t all human. She’d known she shouldn’t trust him.
Ronin spun her toward the group. He slapped her nearly bare ass. “Get up on the table and give us some entertainment.”
Kate’s legs shook as she climbed up onto the table amidst cheers and catcalls and whistles.
“The lovely Kate will be our entertainment tonight. She’ll dance across the table while the arm wrestling contests will determine who gets her first.”
Kate’s heart stopped. What? Arm wrestling? Oh dear God.
There was a flash, then Mitch stood directly in front of the table beneath her.
“Winner gets the right to keep her if he wants. And I’ll go first.”
Numerous shouts followed, each offering to be the first to arm wrestle Mitch for the right to be with Kate.
Ronin chuckled. “Settle down, guys. Mitchell, you think you can beat every man in this room?”
Mitch nodded. “I’ll arm wrestle all God-damned night if I have to. I already told you she’s mine and I’m not sharing. You didn’t honor your end of the bargain.”
Kate glanced down at him, unable to keep her vow to not look at him again. Her heart gave a happy thump in her chest. He does care. He’s going to fight for me.
Ronin laughed. “Do I ever do what I say?” He stared Mitch down. Neither moved. Then Ronin turned to the group. “Okay. Change of rules. Since Mitchell found her first, we have to give him the right to keep her fair and square. The arm wrestling will go on until there’s a single winner who gets the right to keep Kate if he wants. Or share her with others.”
A loud ruckus followed as some expressed their disapproval, while others showed their agreement. Final
ly, the room settled down.
“Get to dancing, Kate!” Ronin shouted. He slapped her ass again, making her jump. She hesitantly stepped across the table, then came back, swaying her hips and feeling like a complete fool. She had no idea how to dance sexily and she didn’t want to. She just wanted to get out of here.
The crowd leered and cheered, enjoying the show.
“Show us tits! We want to see what we can win!”
“Lift that skirt, baby! Show us some pussy!”
Ronin glanced around the rowdy roomful of men. “Easy, boys. Who wants to arm wrestle Mitchell first?”
Several hands rose from the crowd.
“Me!”
“I do!”
“Pick me!”
Ronin pointed at a huge, hairy soldier near the front. “You.”
Nausea threatened its way up Kate’s throat. The man was huge. His arms were like tree trunks.
If Mitch didn’t beat him—if he didn’t beat all of these brutes—she would be raped. And possibly worse…
Kate swallowed hard, forcing the bile back into her stomach. Mitch had to win.
You can’t rely on him, Kate. If he loses, you’ll be at the mercy of these sick bastards. You’ll have to fight back. You’ll have to use your gifts from the drifters to try to escape.
Ronin snickered and motioned Mitch and the huge, hairy soldier to the end of the table where Kate had paused in her “dancing”. The men took seats opposite each other and rested their arms on the table. They locked their hands, their gazes holding, and waited for Ronin’s signal to begin. The hairy soldier’s biceps were twice the size of Mitch’s. How in the hell would Mitch beat him?
The crowd grew louder, cheering and rooting for who they wanted to win.
“Quiet!” Ronin barked. He waited until the room settled down, then said, “Begin!”
The big hairy dude pressed on Mitch’s arm, trying to push his arm onto the table top.
Mitch held firm, not wavering an inch. The hairy guy grunted, his face turning red, as he pushed harder and harder.
Did it hurt Mitch to touch the other man? His face was expressionless, so devoid of emotion that Kate was confused. Touching others hurt him, because their emotions overwhelmed him. Why weren’t the ugly soldier’s emotions overwhelming Mitch?
Mitch continued to hold firm, his face blank. His eyes cold and hard. Then, slowly, he pressed the man’s arm toward the tabletop. Closer. Closer.
The man grunted, trying to jerk back, but Ronin reached down and held his hand firm.
“No cheating. Fight, you fool! You’re bigger than him. Fight!”
The hairy soldier let out a last grunt and strained once more, but Mitch kept pushing and pushing until the soldier’s arm finally touched the tabletop.
“Winner!” Ronin grabbed Mitch’s arm and held it in the air. He turned to the crowd. “Who’s next?”
The man who’d lost glowered at Mitch before slipping out of his seat and striding away in defeat.
“Me!”
“I will!”
Kate stared, trying to comprehend. And then it hit her. Had Mitch inherited her gift, but in the opposite way? Was he able to block others’ emotions? What else could it be?
Relief swept through her. That had to be it. They could do this, she and Mitch. As long as Mitch kept winning, they might be able to get out of here alive. As soon as she found a chance to get off the table and blend into something, she would leave. She would use her camouflage to escape. But she couldn’t do that with lust-filled eyes staring at her. She needed a distraction.
Ronin selected another opponent. A lanky guy with blond hair and a long, bushy mustache.
Mitch easily won the second round, slamming the man’s arm onto the table almost as soon as they started.
Another opponent was selected.
Mitch won the third round.
And the fourth.
After the fifth round, Ronin eyed Mitch suspiciously. “Are you cheating?”
“Nope.” Mitch eyed his next opponent across the table. This man was even bigger than the first one.
Kate was no longer dancing across the table. She stood and watched in anticipation along with the rest of the room. No one seemed to notice. It occurred to her that this might be her chance to slip away if no one was looking at her.
Ronin slapped her ass again. “I didn’t tell you to stop dancing. Move!”
She jumped, then strutted across the table, her chance to escape gone. She no longer cared that thirty pairs of eyes lusted after her, each wanting to be the one to claim her. Ignoring the stares, she danced, shaking her hips, her own eyes glued to the men arm wrestling at the end of the table.
What looked like fire appeared around the edges of the men’s clasped hands, and then Mitch’s opponent cried out as Mitch slammed the guy’s arm onto the tabletop, winning the sixth round.
Oh my God. Mitch had used the flame to burn the other man’s hand. Kate wouldn’t have even seen the flame if she hadn’t been staring so hard at their hands. Had anyone else seen it? The loser clutched his injured hand and staggered away.
Had Mitch been using his superior strength as well? He must have been. How else could he keep beating all the guys and not get tired?
Kate studied Mitch’s face and noticed the strain around his eyes and mouth. He was tired. And probably sore. How much longer could he go on? He couldn’t possibly beat the entire roomful of men. Could he?
Ronin narrowed his eyes at Mitch. “What the fuck was that?”
Mitch shrugged. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Ronin leaned down until his face was almost touching Mitch’s. “If I find out you’ve been cheating, I’ll punish the girl. Is that what you want?”
Mitch held his gaze. “I’m not cheating. I’m just doing what I have to do to win.”
They glared at each other for a long, tense moment while the men went silent around them.
Someone snickered.
Ronin jerked his gaze up, skewering the man who’d laughed. “You!” He pointed at the man. “You’re next!”
Mitch beat the next three men, though Kate could see he was weakening with each round. Then Ronin slid across the table from him, an evil grin stretching across his face. “My turn.”
Kate’s heart stopped. Ronin knew Mitch was using his powers. He probably didn’t know what Mitch’s powers were, but he knew Mitch was using them to win. Ronin was more powerful than Mitch was. There was no way Mitch could beat Ronin.
Terror slithered down Kate’s spine. If Ronin won, he could do whatever he wanted with her. And no one would stop him.
Kate needed to escape.
An idea struck.
Ronin laid his arm on the table and eyed Mitch. Mitch slipped his hand into Ronin’s without flinching, though Kate imagined he had to be worried.
Ronin glanced up at Kate. “Tell us when to start.”
Kate swallowed hard. She pulled her gaze to Mitch, but Mitch wasn’t paying any attention to her. He stared at Ronin’s large fist, a look of deep concentration on his face.
“Go.”
Both men strained, their arms tightening, their muscles bulging. Ronin chuckled, his gaze narrowing on Mitch’s face.
“You’re a tough son-of-a-bitch. But you’re not stronger than me.”
He pressed Mitch’s arm toward the table, closer, closer.
Kate’s breath caught. Mitch was losing.
A flame burst around their hands. It crept up their arms and headed toward their shoulders. Neither man flinched. Neither man moved. Neither appeared to be affected by the flames.
Gasps and “holy shits!” exploded around the room. All eyes were riveted on the two men with flames climbing up their arms and slowly engulfing their bodies.
This was the perfect distraction.
Kate stepped off the table. No one paid any attention to her. Ronin didn’t appear to notice her, his gaze locked on Mitch, his eyes glowing a deep charcoal, malevolence evident in his
gaze. Kate gave an involuntary shiver. She needed to escape. Kate came around behind Ronin, moving slowly. Mitch’s gaze flicked toward her, then away, indicating he knew she was there, but his concentration remained on Ronin.
The fire continued to race up their arms and over their bodies, engulfing their heads.
Ronin chuckled, holding Mitch’s gaze.
Mitch grunted, staring back.
Kate took advantage of the only opportunity she would ever get.
And fled for the doorway.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
As soon as Kate cleared the doorway, Mitch tried to jerk free, but Ronin was too strong. He merely tightened his grip on Mitch’s hand and pressed his arm closer to the tabletop.
The flames spread farther down into their torsos, melting their shirts, their pants, but still, neither one of them was harmed by the flames, their skin unblemished, their hair unburned. Their clothes fell to the floor, charred and ruined, the stench of burning fabric filling the air, but their bodies remained unharmed. More gasps erupted from the crowd, along with a few more “holy fucks!”
Ronin let out a hiss that sounded very much like a drifter.
Mitch hissed back.
He was losing. Ronin was much too strong. Mitch felt his strength weakening. He had no other gifts that would prove useful at this point. Teleporting away or blending into the table wouldn’t help, as Ronin still gripped his hand. He’d tried to use the flames, but they were ineffective against another drifter. The blocking of emotions had been a tremendous help, but it couldn’t help him retain his strength. He was going to lose Kate to Ronin. He couldn’t save her just like he hadn’t been able to save Lisa.
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