Authors: A.C. Arthur
Kalina shrugged, trying to remain calm. She didn’t have a gun on her—nothing that vaguely resembled a weapon. Still, her fingers flexed at her sides as if preparing for a fight. “It’s a temporary situation. Why did you call me?” Kalina decided to just cut to the chase.
“I said I wanted to see you again.”
“Why? We just met.”
Mel stopped walking. “Well, I thought we’d made a connection. You know, like you connected with Rome and with his … kind.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Mel tilted her head, thin wisps of hair circling her face. Her eyes did something funny, changed color.
No, it’s the sun,
Kalina told herself, but she knew better.
“I think you know, Kalina. You know a whole lot,” Mel said, coming to stand by the section of the gate where Kalina was.
“Listen, maybe we should have this girls’ day another time,” Kalina said. She was about to turn and leave when something behind her made her freeze. She couldn’t see but she knew there was something there, something that wasn’t human. She could feel the slow movement, knew the eerie eyes that would be watching her back.
Looking to Mel she asked simply, “Why?”
The she-cat tossed back her head and laughed. “So naive, little cat. So fucking naive. Well, that’ll all change in time.”
Before Kalina could say another word Mel had reached a hand inside the gate, grabbing her arm and pulling it until her shoulder slammed painfully into the iron. Next there was a stinging sensation in her upper arm and then there was blackness.
Chapter 26
Sabar needed a mate, one who would stand by him in this battle, who would watch his back and bear his children. Rogue children that would grow up to rule when he was gone. There were other things on Sabar’s need list, but this was by far first and foremost. It was so important that he was beginning to doubt his own logic in sending Mel to get her.
He should have done it himself. He’d been in close contact with her before; surely she wouldn’t be alarmed to see him again. Darel and Chi had redeemed themselves by taking care of that lying bastard congressman who thought he could cheat him out of his money. These humans were so fucking stupid. Just because they had titles and money, they believed they also had power.
Until they met him.
Sabar relished the fear he was spreading among Washington’s elite. Soon everybody in this stinking town would know that if they wanted to play, they’d have to pay. He was taking over the drug game here, slowly but surely, knocking off the lower-level dealers until he could get the big ones out of his way as well. Drugs and guns were a multibillion-dollar industry and Sabar wanted his piece of the American dream.
And he was willing to kill to get it.
It was dark. Late night had come upon him quickly as he’d gone about some business waiting for his enforcers to do their jobs. They’d been told to be here tonight with his goods and his money. As Sabar entered the back door of the abandoned row house he’d claimed as the enforcer headquarters, he inhaled deeply.
His dick hardened instantly as her scent sifted through the humid air.
She was here.
His mate was here and his mouth watered to touch her, taste her. Finally.
* * *
Kalina felt sick, bile forming in the back of her throat as she tried to look away.
She should have stayed in Rome’s room, locked behind that door. Leaving had been a mistake, one she’d realized too late. Now she was in what looked like a room inside an old dilapidated house. She’d been blindfolded when they bought her in, but she’d smelled wood and mold. The extra-sensitive senses she’d had all her life had her smelling and hearing things much more specifically since her eyes were covered.
They’d taken her from the car, one carrying her and two others walking with them. They’d traveled up two flights of stairs and into this room, which she suspected was in the back of the house judging how many steps they took from the stairway. Then she’d been plopped down into a chair that squeaked under her weight.
Knowing that plotting any kind of escape would work better if she could see her surroundings, she’d prayed they would remove the blindfold. Now, though, she almost wished she couldn’t see at all.
Standing in front of her was the man who’d delivered the first envelope of pictures to her. Or at least it seemed to be. Tonight, in this dank old house, he looked different—almost deranged. Now he was in her face, his hand cupping her chin roughly as he leaned in closer.
“I’ve waited a long time for this moment,” he said, his hot breath fanning over her face.
His eyes were an eerie shade of orange, darting around like those of the people she used to find high on cocaine or some other drug. His voice was deep, much deeper than the day he’d showed up at her door. But as she looked into his eyes, she remembered him clearly. His eyes hadn’t been this orange color on that day, but they’d been strange. She remembered thinking how odd they looked. So this was the man who’d been watching her, taking pictures of her. This was her stalker. She wanted to spit on him, to kick him in the balls, then in the face as she watched him squirm. What she really wanted was to cause him some kind of damage for all the worry and fear he’d brought to her life these last few days. But they’d gagged her so she couldn’t say anything.
“This is going to be monumental,” he said, licking his lips, leaving a glistening sheen over the fatter bottom lip that made Kalina gag. “We’re going to rule together, baby. Me and you, together,” he said, letting his fingers slide from her chin to touch along her neck then down to grab her breast.
She didn’t care that they’d tied her hands together behind her back—her ankles as well—didn’t care if she was gagged. Kalina was determined this filthy man was not going to touch her. She kicked out, both her feet flailing in the air toward his groin while her bottom held her firm on the ground. When she wobbled a bit, he just held on to her breast, squeezing until tears pooled in her eyes.
“Yeah, you’re gonna be so hot.”
“That’s the same thing I said,” the one called Chi murmured.
Of the three in this room Kalina knew just who to be afraid of, and it wasn’t Chi. He took his orders from Darel, who obviously took his orders from this new one, named Sabar. Mel was off in a corner, her golden gaze locked on Kalina’s in what looked like a feral challenge. They were all idiots in Kalina’s mind, stupid, selfish idiots to think they were going to get any cooperation from her.
They’d brought her here after drugging her. She knew this because when she’d awakened she’d felt the hazy effects of whatever had been in that needle. At first she’d only been tied and seated in this chair in the middle of the room, like she was on display or in an interrogation—whichever didn’t creep her out the most. The three of them circled her, looking at her with equally disturbing glares.
They were all shifters, she knew now. The two men who’d been at that party had watched her with the same evil glare. Then they’d begun talking, or rather arguing over who would get her first.
“If either of you dirty street cats touches me you’ll be damn sorry,” she’d snapped at them.
Mel had stepped right up, slapping Kalina across the face. Kalina had returned the assault by spitting on the cheap-looking bitch and daring her to do it again.
“Don’t hurt her,” the bigger one had said. “Sabar won’t like it if she’s hurt.”
“Shut the hell up, Darel!” Mel had yelled. “You’re always talking about what Sabar likes and what he doesn’t like. Always up his ass!”
The one called Darel had grabbed Mel by her neck, pushing back until her head slammed into the wall. “I’m the one in charge here, bitch. Don’t forget that.”
“Chill,” the other one said. He hadn’t stopped glaring at her, licking his thick lips as he did. He was aroused, she could see, and if he got even an inch closer she was going to kick him right in his burgeoning erection.
“There’s enough of her to go around,” he’d said, and Kalina’s stomach had roiled in disgust. “Besides, she needs to tell us where her little boyfriend hid Chavez. I’m gonna kill that cat when I see him again.”
She’d known they were talking about Rome. They’d been asking about him and the Shadow Shifters from the moment she’d awakened. They wanted to know where they were all located, what they planned to do, how much money they had, how much power. All questions Kalina really didn’t know the answers to but wouldn’t have told them if she had.
They’d finally slapped a piece of duct tape on her mouth after she’d cursed them all until she was hoarse.
Now she looked at the four of them, hating each and every one of them equally. She should have listened to Rome, should have done what he said. But it was too late for regrets now.
The only thing she could do now was survive.
She screeched when the one called Sabar, the one who’d come to her house, ripped the tape from her lips.
“Bastard!” she cursed and licked her dry lips.
“Pretty mouth,” he said, leaning in closer. “I want to kiss that pretty mouth.”
Kalina remained perfectly still, waiting, hating the stench that burned her nose. The minute his lips touched hers she struck out, biting his lips with teeth sharper than she’d thought: As he yelled, pulling back from her, she saw the steady stream of blood dripping from them and felt a measure of satisfaction.
“Yeah, you’re for me,” he said wiping the back of his hand over his mouth. “An evil ruthless bitch just like me. We’re gonna rule this world together.”
“Go to hell!” she spat.
Sabar threw his head back and laughed. “Only with you right beside me.”
He reached for the buckle of his pants and began undoing them, all the while keeping his gaze on her.
Kalina felt sick, then she felt hot, and then … she felt something else.
It moved inside her, slinking around as if it had been just awakened. Rising slowly it filled her; from her feet to her fingertips it was being reborn inside her. The feeling was eerie, and she thought instinctively she should have rejected it. Then she paused, recognized this other part of her, and welcomed the reunion. It had been there all along, revealing itself in the extra-sensitive senses she possessed, in the instincts she’d called on following her gut. Suddenly the memories came flooding back: the way she always felt as if she didn’t belong, no matter how hard she tried; the feeling of something itching just beneath her skin. It all made sense now, illogical and unheard-of sense.
Now whatever had loomed just beneath the surface all her life was standing tall, making its grand entrance. And it was mad as hell.
* * *
The meeting place wasn’t what Rome or the other shifters had expected, but then this entire situation was way beyond the norm. Rogues didn’t give a shit who they killed, or when, or where, so calling them to an abandoned house on the end of one of the dirtiest streets in the city—literally and figuratively—was not their MO.
Eli had driven the Tahoe, with Rome, Nick, and X riding in the back. Ezra was parked right around the corner in the Hummer with three more guards, should reinforcements be necessary. The message said for Rome to arrive alone. Yeah, like hell was that happening. Not only were Nick and X never going to allow it, Rome didn’t take orders from anybody, especially not a group of backstabbing Rogues.
There were no words to describe the rage that ripped through him the moment he found out Kalina was gone. Eli looked as if he were about ready to shoot himself when Rome walked into the house and he had to deliver the news. At that exact moment Rome wanted to kill. Not Eli, because he was a friend and Rome knew he’d done his best. Although when this was all said and done the guard was definitely going to feel Rome’s wrath.
But right now, at this second, Rome knew Kalina was in trouble. If she wasn’t here with him, she was in danger, and that was unacceptable. It had only taken about fifteen minutes for his house to fill with Shadow Shifters ready to comb the DC streets in search of her.
“He will not hurt her,” Alamar said, coming into the hallway where they’d all aligned like an army about to move out.
“How do you know that for sure?” X asked, probably because he knew words weren’t coming easily for Rome.
Alamar held up a note. “He believes she is his
companheiro
. He will not hurt her.”
Rome snatched the note, read it, and wanted to roar his fury. Instead Nick took the paper from Rome’s hands. “So he wants Rome to know he has her. To know he’s taken her away from him. Dumb fuck!”
“Let’s go,” Rome said through clenched teeth.
“Remember the
Ètica,
” Alamar said as they began to move out.
Rome was already shaking his head. “No. Not this time. This time I’ve got my own code to go by.”
As they filed out of the house, Nick and X right behind Rome, the Elder looked to Baxter.
“He will do the right thing,” Baxter said.
The Elder nodded glumly. “For all our sakes I hope that you are right.”
Now, half an hour later, they were here. And Rome’s cat was ready to break free, to rip the throat from the Rogue who threatened what was his.