Fractured Hearts (Shattered Lives, Book Three) (55 page)

“Let’s get you inside,” Chris insisted. “Cora needs to assess your arm.”

I fought against their grip. “
No
! I have to find her.”

“Henry, you can’t find her in the darkness.” Jake was trying to reason with the unreasonable. “Let’s get you treated, then we can go find her. Together.”

I didn’t want to wait. I wanted to go right then, but Jake and Chris dragged me, kicking and screaming, back toward the building. It took several wrong turns before we found the door.

“Let me go!” I screamed.

“No!” Chris shouted.

“She’s out there!” James met us in the hall with a lit candle. “She’s out there!” James led us to the clinic as I screamed and hollered. He threw open the door and Gunther jumped up, ready to fight.

“Henry! What the fuck is going on?” Gunther yelled.

“They have her! He took her!” I bellowed.

Gunther looked at James, Chris, and Jake. “Elaina,” Chris spoke sullenly. “They took her.”

“Why was she even out there?” I collapsed on the floor, woozy from the blood loss and the emotions colliding within me.

I had lost my Elaina. My wife. My forever love… She was in the hands of a monster who would do horrific things to her that would scar her eternally.

“Someone clear off that other cot!” Cora demanded. “Help me get him on it.” Chris and Jake grabbed me and put me on the cot. Cora pulled off my vest and cut off my shirt.

“Cora, I have to find her…,” I cried.

“I know. You will. Right now, we need to fix your shoulder before we can do anything else.” She grabbed my face and looked me in the eyes. “Henry, we
will
find her. We’ll do whatever it takes.”

“I love her so much,” I cried. Horrible thoughts of my past plowed through me. “I’m scared for her. I don’t want them to do to her what they did to me.”

“I know. You have to calm down, okay? It’s not helping you right now.” My body trembled with fear, sorrow, hate, and pain. “Oh god, Henry. This is bad.” I growled, then panted, jumping as she dumped vodka on it. “It’s sliced wide open.”

“What do we do to fix it?” Chris asked in panic.

My eyes drifted to the other cot. There was a bloody sheet covering a slim body. “Oh fuck, no…,” I whispered. “No…not him.” I sobbed.

“He’s graying, Gunther,” Cora barked out. “I need you calm, Henry.” I watched her ready the needle and thread.

“Chris, can I tap you?” Gunther asked.

“James, Jake…hold Henry down,” Cora said. They rushed over to me. James grabbed my legs, and Jake pinned my good arm and torso down.

“I can only stitch the very surface. I’m going to pour more vodka on it. I have to make sure you won’t get an infection.”

“Fuck!” I screamed and my breathing went ragged. “Please…stop,” I begged.

“I know. I’m so sorry, Henry. I will try to make this as quick as possible.”

Cora began sewing me up. I growled and tears flowed from my eyes while I thought of all the horrible things that could be happening to Elaina.

I failed her. I failed my wife, the one person I always thought I could protect.

“Henry, I’m so sorry,” Cora tried to comfort me.

Tears stung the cut on my cheek. “I have to find her.”

“You will. Just hold still for a few minutes.” She worked at a feverish pace to stitch the skin together.

The emotions in the room were heavy. We were sick over Thomas, and worried about Elaina.

The pain in my shoulder was so tremendous, blackness finally took over…

Halfway up the road, Elaina and her captor were met by another program-issue SUV.

“About time, you fuck up!” her captor barked.

“Sorry,” the driver said as he opened the liftgate. “Had an issue with a few prisoners. Had to make a few true dead.”

They tossed her in the back with no regard for her physically. Her head slammed against the back of the seat and her knees were shoved into her chest when he slammed it shut. However, she didn’t care anymore and wished they would’ve just run her over. She didn’t want to live without Henry, nor did she want to live within the program.

“I left Finlay and Gabriel to deal with Liam. This one caused me enough issues, the little whore.”

“Is she Liam’s?”

“By the way she was screaming for him, that’s my conclusion. It’s a near guarantee he will come for her. He will either be coming with Gabriel and Finlay, or he will be on his own.” Elaina knew he wouldn’t be coming for her. Henry was dead. She already heard his last sounds. She listened as they continued to talk, “Wait until he sees what I have waiting for him on the ship.” They erupted in laughter. “I can’t wait to have him on his knees, begging for his life.”

The truck sped down the road, hitting several bumps. Bouncing around the back, Elaina hit her head on the side wall. Her arms were cramping from being tied behind her back. To top it off, her eyes were swollen from crying and her throat was still burning from her screams.

Finally, the truck came to a stop. She tried to sit up to see where they were, but she was too weak. She didn’t give a fuck anyway. With no Henry, she was lost and done with life.

The doors of the truck opened. “Sir.” A new voice.

“Niles,” the first captor said curtly.

“Do we have any passengers?” Niles asked.

“Just one. Liam’s whore. Finlay and Gabriel are dealing with him. Honestly, I don’t think they could take him. He already made Rhys true dead. He always had the upper hand on all of them. They were disposable. I’ll check their signals when I get into my quarters. I know he will come. We just have to be patient. In the meantime, I will keep track of him and enjoy…this.”

The liftgate opened. A large younger man, maybe in his late teens and dressed all in black, who brought a new meaning to creepy and looked oddly similar to Gunther, hovered above her, leering with a sadistic smile on his face.

“What a pretty little bird you are.” As he reached for her, even more fear riddled Elaina. Her eyes opened wide and she chomped down on the gag, breathing heavy. His knuckle rubbing her cheek sent her body quaking. “Don’t worry, pretty little bird. We will take fantastic care of you as we do all our whores,” he laughed as he pushed a strand of hair out of her eyes.

“Niles! Back off! She’s mine.” The man who abducted Elaina came into sight. He had familiar facial features…cheekbones, jawline, lips. Her eyes ran down his strong body. He smirked.
Oh god. It couldn’t be
, she thought. “Now, let’s get her on the ship. I want her in my quarters,” he commanded.

Niles and the driver of the truck grabbed Elaina and dragged her up the dock. She hung in their grip like dead weight, the toes of her sneakers skidding behind her. She wasn’t going to fight, but she wasn’t going to cooperate, either.

“You are a spirited little bird, aren’t you?” Niles commented, laughing.

They forced Elaina onto the ship, dragging her onto the upper deck and down the stairs into what looked like the captain’s quarters. They dropped her onto the hard, wood plank floor.

“She’s all yours, Roger,” Niles said.

Elaina looked all around.
Roger? Where is he? If I get my hands out of these bindings, I will choke the life out of him
.

“Off you go now, Niles. I have things to do,” he said. After hearing his voice, she almost gasped, knowing Roger was the man who kidnapped her.

Elaina struggled to roll to her side, as a loud laugh came from behind her. She managed to push herself up and leaned back against the wall.

Roger grabbed a chair and turned it backward, straddling it much like Henry did. He looked like an older version of Henry, except he had icy blue eyes. He ran his hands through his thinning dark hair, much like Henry did. The half-smirk…much like Henry’s. Their mannerisms were eerily similar.

Roger had to be Henry’s father, which would explain the vested interest in him. The sorrow she felt for Henry seeped from her chest and drained straight through her soul.

He had no idea, would never know, and she was thankful for that.

“So…now that we are alone, let’s get to know one another,” he laughed. Elaina tried to call him an asshole, but she was still gagged. “You will have to speak clearer, love, because I can’t understand a lick of what you’re saying. Tell you what. I will remove your gag, but if you scream again, I will stuff something else in your mouth. Understood? Plus, there’s no point in screaming since Liam isn’t around to
attempt
to be the hero again.”

Roger leaned forward and stuck one finger around the gag, pulling. The damp cloth fell around her neck. She took several breaths as he lowered himself back into the chair.

“Magnificent taste in woman.” He groaned and rubbed his hands together. “You aren’t quite as voluptuous as I imagined, but you will do.” Elaina shuddered. He stood and knelt in front of her. “Aw… Come on, love. If you can fuck a half-dead freak, you will enjoy a real man.” She did her best not to let him get to her, but she spit in his face. “
That
was a mistake!”

In a blink, Roger backhanded her. A burning welt raised on her cheek. Tears dripped from her eyes, only to sting it further.

Roger straddled the chair again. He licked his lips and looked her all over. “I wonder how long it will be before he shows his ungrateful, worthless arse.”

Maybe he isn’t dead
. Elaina had a small amount of hope, but she didn’t want to show it. Then she found her voice. “Why did you do this?”

He smiled. “Why not? I’m going to saunter in like a hero. Providing relief efforts to those who’ve survived. Killing the unkillable. Saving the rest of the population. It’s delicious, isn’t it? Think of the recognition and power I’ll have.” He smirked, relishing in his words. Elaina didn’t understand his line of thinking. She didn’t see any way he could come out on top of the atrocity he caused. “They will want all sorts of help and I have the ability to provide that.”

“It’s sick. You make as much sense as taking an iced drink into hell. And that’s exactly where you are going! It will not work as you see it! Have you seen the state of the country? I have and there is
nothing
left!” He laughed. “How could you do this to your own son?” she growled.

Roger’s eyes flickered with surprise. “Well, well, well,” he purred. “Look who excels at maths and can put two and two together. And so bloody quickly. Well done, bird.” He laughed as he patronized Elaina with short, quick applause. “After all these years, Liam…or, shall I say,
Luke
…never figured it out. Brilliant, my love. Absolutely fucking brilliant.”

“I’m not
your love
, you demented bastard,” she snarled.

“Ohhh, honey,” he groaned. He adjusted the arousal in his pants, making her want to vomit. “Keep acting all angry like that. It makes me want you that much more.” He grinned. There was a knock on the door. “Be right back, sweetie. Don’t go anywhere and, remember, no screaming.” He chuckled.

Elaina shuddered again.

Roger opened the door to his cabin. “Sir. We’ve tracked Finlay and Gabriel for you. Their position hasn’t changed for quite some time. You have to track Liam and Gunther, though. We can’t on our system.”

They were true dead. That gave Elaina even more hope that Henry was still alive.
Wait… Track Henry and Gunther?

“I knew he would make them true dead. They were baggage. No loss on my end. I will check his position in a few.” Then the door slammed shut again. Elaina was riddled with fear as Roger swaggered up to her. “You know, you should feel lucky and gracious because I think I will cut you a break tonight. I have other plans and promises to keep.” Roger smiled wickedly. She wasn’t sure from where his change of heart came. He walked over to his desk and picked up a phone. “Niles, grab Anne and bring her in here. Then I want you to take Liam’s whore down to the cell blocks.” He slammed down the phone.

Anne…? Oh, please don’t let it be Henry’s mom.

Minutes later, there was another knock. Roger strut to the door. “Ah, yes. Thank you.”

“Please, no. Not again,” the woman cried. “Please, don’t. I beg you.”

“Oh, Anne, you know I don’t like groveling unless it’s for your life,” Roger said as he stroked her sunken cheek. “You better behave yourself or you will get more than you ask for. You know I need my nightcap. Especially after tonight. What a fantastic evening this has turned out to be.” The frail woman was pushed into the room. Roger grabbed her by the arm and made her face Elaina. “Anne, meet your son’s love.”

Elaina was in as much shock as Anne was. “How’s Luke? How’s my lad?” Her voice was panicked. “Is he all right? Alive? Please say yes!”

Roger wiped her around and slapped her, making her crash to the floor. “We don’t talk to other prisoners, Anne! You know the rules!”

She bowed her head. “Yes…yes, sir. I’m sorry. I won’t speak to her again.”

Elaina began to cry again. The poor woman was being abused at the hands of that monster. Her heart ached for Henry’s mother and feared for her own destiny. The years of torture she must have endured made Elaina’s hopes dwindle further.

“Niles, take this one,” Roger barked. “I have matters to conduct here.”

Niles grabbed Elaina by the arm and dragged her out of the room. The door slammed shut and Roger’s rage was transparent through the walls. When Anne screamed, Elaina shook all over.

“Never mind them. She’s a whore and likes to be dominated.” Niles dragged her up one set of stairs, back to the deck, then down another set into the dark, unforgiving bowels of the ship. When he opened the doors, the smell of death and bodily fluids slapped her in the face, taking her breath away.

Niles tossed her into a cell, then unbound her hands.

“Henry will find us and kill all of you,” she snarled. He causally walked out of the cell like he had no care in the world, locking the door behind him.

“Sure he will. He’ll waltz right in here and be the hero. That’s exactly what we’re expecting. Then we’ll take him home and give him a full work over before we let him turn. Simple. Get your rest, honey. Roger likes his morning fuck. Maybe when he’s done, I can have a go. You’re fit with your fiery attitude.” He chuckled and headed back to the stairs.

When he opened the door to the stairwell, Elaina could hear Henry’s mother screaming and crying. Rattled deep to her core, she lowered herself onto the floor, tucked herself into the back corner of the cell, and sobbed.

As the ship listed against the dock, the steel groaned, making Elaina slide against the bars of the next cell. Thankfully, it was unoccupied, but the others seemed to have residents. There was a variety of sounds echoing in the dank space: growling, moaning, low mumbling, crying, retching.

This was the sickest fucking shit she had ever witnessed. Elaina curled into herself, praying that Henry was alive and could rescue her.