Only After Dark The Boxed Set Books 1 - 4: Shifters Forever Worlds (32 page)

M
ason was in a cage
. How long had he been in Todd’s custody? Was it more than a day? Did they keep him sedated for a long time? After he killed one of Todd’s shifters, they’d transferred him to another cage in another room, then left him alone, a curtain covering all four sides. He’d lain there unable to move, letting his body heal as best as he could without an actual hibernation heal.

He’d be far from 100 percent, but he couldn’t afford to go into hibernation now. It would make him way too vulnerable. He flexed his muscles and flinched when a gash in his shoulder split and began to seep blood once more.

He’d overheard Todd’s shifter henchmen talking about a fight and how Mason was the featured attraction. That it had garnered the largest crowd they’d ever had, and security was spread thin.

Hopefully I can use that to my advantage.

Mason was almost ready. He felt well enough to give it a shot. They’d taken his cell phone but they’d left his wallet and kit.

He glanced at the locks. Those wouldn’t be a problem. The problem would be the shifters running loose on the other side.

Here goes nothing.

One painstaking move after another, he rose to his feet and held onto the bars for support. After taking the kit out, he was through the lock in no time.

Like riding a bike.

He thought of his promise to Augie.

Hey, man, it’s not like I’m doing it for the wrong reasons,
he reassured Augie, wherever he was. Augusto Ray Ramirez.

God, he missed Augie.

He relocked the door behind himself, and put his kit up. Then slowly inched his way around the curtain, away from the door, because if anyone were looking for him, that’s where they’d come in. He flattened his body against the cage, trying to move the fabric as little as possible. The area was quiet but he could hear voices from another room.

Many, many voices.

The audience was here.

Maybe I can get lost in the crowd.

He looked down at his bloody clothing.

Not for long, that’s for damned sure.

He’d have to find something to wear that wouldn’t attract attention.

At the opposite end of the cage, the room was dark, but that didn’t mean much to his shifter sight. Darkness never gave a shifter problems.

Mason shot to his feet, he was against a wall. That would give him some protection from prying eyes. He took a second to orient himself and listen for approaching footsteps.

Five seconds passed.

Ten seconds.

Nothing. Total silence. He took a step forward. He needed to find Evie. He didn’t believe for a second she was here of her own free will, but when he’d asked Todd’s punk-ass shifter guards, they’d given him no indication, snickering at his questions.

He concentrated a moment, calling his lion forward, he slipped into the beginning of a shift, allowing his claws to extend from his fingertips.

Shoving one razor tip nail through the curtain, he drew his finger down slowly, slicing through the fabric easily. Mason moved the curtain aside just enough to look out.

Coast was clear. There was a door on the other side of the room, and curtains hung in rows, clearly indicating more cages, possibly more shifters.

If there were shifters here, why were they so quiet.

Then it occurred to him. They were probably Tranq-ed. He was the main attraction. Maybe that meant he was the only attraction.

He’d make a quick dash to the door, then he’d come up with the next part of the plan. He took a deep breath.

Here we go.

Mason sucked air into his lungs, hoped he’d healed enough to have the energy for whatever he was getting into, and sprinted toward the door, passing curtains, slipping between the covered cages in the darkened over-sized warehouse of a room.

His eyes were trained on the door. He’d stop just to the left of the window that was shoulder-level and he’d chance a glance through the pane. He noted the dim light shining through, but couldn’t tell what was on the other side.

Just when he’d reached the door, it flew open, striking him in the shoulder.

Damn.

He felt the blood begin to ooze and nailed his body against the wall next to the door, hoping it was a human with no shifter sight to see him in the darkness and no shifter noses to pick up the scent of his blood.

“Mason? Mason Martinez?” a voice came from the darkness.

E
vie let
the hot water wash over her. It stung where he’d backhanded her. Then it began to throb. She was sure that was nothing compared to what Mason was going through.

And she knew Todd Scanlon was well aware that the only way Mason could heal would be if he’d go into a healing hibernation. That would make him vulnerable and difficult to awaken to defend himself.

So basically, Mason was screwed. There was no way he could heal.

Hot tears of frustration merged with the scalding water cascading down her face.

This may not be the time to cry, but she couldn’t stop the tears. She had never felt such despair. Okay, maybe she had; she thought of the picture of Mason and that whore who was going down on him.

Why do I even want to help him?

Her tigress howled in her head, the sound painfully loud.

E
vie glanced
in the mirror for one last look, ignoring the knock on the door for the second time.

As if it matters what I look like.

She was in the clothing Todd had provided. She found it laid out on the bed when she’d come out of the shower. A shudder ran through her at the creepiness of the idea that he’d been in the room while she was behind the frosted glass shower door.

She surveyed the vision that looked back at her. The dress Todd had picked out complimented her skin tone, allowing the undertones of latte to glow. The shimmering green evening length sheath emphasized her auburn hair. And clung to her curves way too tightly.

Fuck. This is a size too small.

She tried to take a deep breath. Clearly Todd liked his women to be dressed a little on the sleazy side. She tugged the bodice up, seeking to cover her cleavage a bit more.

Either that or he can’t tell what size a woman is.

She gave the mirror a dirty look, then turned and opened the door.

“It’s about time.” Todd’s eyes had that odd sparkle again. “Thought I’d have to break in to get you to join me.”

Todd was in a black tux, blood red carnation boutonniere vivid against the dark fabric. He leaned against the door’s frame, his eyes appraising Evie, running the course of her body, making her cringe with every sweep of that dark, eerie gaze.

“I’m ready.” She tried to draw his transfixed stare away from her body.

“Tonight, you’re mine.” He licked his lips.

Over one of our dead bodies.

Hopefully yours.

T
odd escorted
her through dark tunnel-like hallways. She recognized the concrete passageway. It was the same route they’d taken when she’d watched Mason fighting in the cage earlier. Except there was a difference now. She recognized the sound of many voices and saw light coming in from windows of the double door entrance where the hallway ended.

The sound of conversations, the low buzz of talking infiltrated the long tunnels with their rustic unfinished cement floors.

Todd’s men surrounded them, two in front, two in back. All six stopped at the entrance. Evie couldn’t see in the windows as they were blocked by Todd’s muscular, thick henchmen. Todd nodded to one. He opened the door.

Todd stepped over the threshold onto the black polished floor. Evie paused to get her bearings.

The warehouse setting had been transformed to an opulent coliseum. Attendees were attired as though at a black tie affair. Glittering evening dresses on the women, black and white for the men. She took it all in, absorbing as much as she could.

A large cage was in the center of the room, surrounded by seating and waiters that floated seamlessly from guest to guest, balancing trays with champagne flutes and cocktail glasses. Shifters didn’t drink; they weren’t affected by alcohol, so clearly the alcohol was for humans in attendance.

How can shifters allow humans to witness this? How can shifters do this to their own kind?

She gave Todd a dirty look. He stared at the visage before them, his face painted with lust.

He enjoys this. He likes the blood sport.

A waiter approached, handed Todd a flute. Todd nodded to the waiter then turned to Evie.

“Drink.” He handed her the delicate crystal.

She shook her head. Her stomach was roiling from stress. She’d vomit if she drank.

“Now.” His lips flattened into a line, a tic appeared at his temple. “Or else.”

He didn’t need to tell her what the
or else
part was.

She put the glass to her lips and drank down the bubbly liquid that tickled the roof of her mouth.

She lowered the flute.

“All of it.”

Evie fought back the grimace and downed the contents.

I don’t even like champagne.

“Good girl.” Todd’s smile was victorious and didn’t reach his eyes.

Bastard.

The guests turned slowly, as they realized Todd had entered. Many nodded, some waved, and all stared at Evie.

She tried to focus on their faces, striving to find one she recognized, someone who could put a stop to this madness of shifters fighting each other for fun, but her world felt like it was beginning to spin.

Bewildered, she looked to Todd for answers. He was studying her carefully.

That’s when it hit her.

You motherfucker.

He’d given her something. It made her mind feel like she was swimming through sludge; it made her body feel encased in quicksand.

“Let’s go.” He took her hand, pulled it over his forearm as if she were holding him, then covered her fingers with his hand, keeping her in place, as if he were escorting her.

She barely noted they wound their way through the crowd, then to the other side of the room, around the milling guests.

On the back wall, a brushed metal elevator door awaited next to a flight of stairs.

“I think we better take the elevator,” Todd announced. “Evangeline isn’t feeling 100 percent,” he told his flunkies, as if he didn’t know why she wasn’t feeling well.

As if he isn’t the cause of it.

Evie kept her mouth closed. She wasn’t sure she could control her anger at the situation. She had no idea what he’d given her. She wasn’t aware that any type of drug would do this to a shifter.

The elevator ride was smooth and quick, the doors opened to a private box overlooking the coliseum setting below. Evie bypassed the plush seating, making her way methodically toward the glass pane window. She took her steps slowly, her feet felt incased in lead boots.

She held onto the polished wooden bar at waist level and leaned her forehead against the cool surface of the window.

Below her, dead center of the area, a cage surrounded an arena that resembled a large boxing ring. The cage’s bars were constructed of shiny obsidian-colored tubes. Lights—many lights—reminding Evie of a theater’s stage were poised above the cage, ready to spotlight every bite, ever slash, every injury.

And Mason’s going to be in there with God knows who and God knows how many.

A shudder of pure horror and fear made a wave over her body.

The guests were laughing, heads thrown back. Buzzes of their conversation made it through the glass, thanks to her supernatural shifter hearing, and Evie could pick up portions of dialogue.

“… my money’s on the lion.”

“… I’m betting on the bears.”

“… when was this put together?”

“… I just got the text today.”

These were portions of the exchanges below, enhanced by laughter, the clinking of toasting, the murmur of flirting.

How can they do that? Wait and relish with anticipation to witness the death of another?

In the glass’s reflection, the door opened. A large man with close-set, dark weasel eyes approached Todd, who’d remained by the door.

The man whispered something in Todd’s ear.

Todd’s eyes widened, his face paled. “When? Where is he? Who the hell dropped the ball.” He turned to one of his flunkies. “Watch her.” Todd looked at Evie. “I’ll be back. You stay.”

Like I’m a fucking dog.

He closed the door behind him, but not before Evie heard one word.

A name.

Mason.

M
ason thought
he recognized the voice. A touch of southern with a French flair. Could it be the head of the Arceneaux clan? Why was he here? “Lézare?”

“I thought that was you, Mason.”

Yes, it was Lézare’s accent, indeed. Relief coursed through Mason. Tension fled from muscles that were already overtaxed, sore, and in some areas, still suffering from the claws and sharp teeth of the bears that had attacked him.

From behind Lézare appeared a curvy blonde, followed by Lézare’s sister Alexa, and Reese, the wolf shifter. Or maybe it was Rory. He wasn’t quite sure right now.

Then after them followed the large lion shifter, Lézare’s head of security, and a curvy dark-skinned woman with glowing eyes.

The rear was brought up by Reese’s twin Rory—assuming the first wolf shifter was Reese—and a curvy redhead that Mason knew only too well, the baby of the family, Valencia.

The entire Arceneaux clan was here. Did they hate him as much as their sister Evie did?

As if that matters. Finding Evie is all that matters.

His lion roared in agreement.

“We need to find Evie.” The words burst from his mouth, uncontrolled.

Lézare frowned. “Where is she? What the hell happened to you?”

“She’s with my ex-roommate from college, Todd Scanlon.”

“Scanlon,” Rory hissed.

Mason frowned. “You know him?”

“Word has it, that’s the name of the one running this underground fighting ring.”

“That’s right,” Mason confirmed. “How’d you get in?”

“I know someone.” Lézare motioned for Theo to step forward. “We need to find Evie. Are your men in position?”

Theo nodded. “Do we really want to start a stampede of shifters trying to get out? What if we don’t her find in the melee?”

Lézare turned to Mason. “Why does he want my sister?”

“He’s had an obsession with her since she and I were together.”

“And what are you doing here?” Valencia stepped forward.

Mason studied the attractive curvaceous Arceneaux sister that reminded him of Evie and a wave of sadness coursed through him when he noticed the way the wolf shifter Rory put his arm around her. Clearly they were a couple—the way Mason had wanted to be a couple with Evie.

I need to get Evie to safety and then get the hell out of Louisiana.

It did him no good to be around the place they had memories in, no good to be around her family, and most definitely no good to be around her.

“There’s something you should know—something’s off with Todd.”

“What do you mean?” Alexa pulled away from her wolf shifter Reese and stepped next to her brother.

“His eyes. They have this twinkling thing going on. Tiny white pinpricks of light in his eyes. Like little showers of stars.”

The woman with the odd glowing eyes, bluish-silver pools against her dark skin, was standing next to Theo. She stepped forward. “He’s affected.”

Mason studied her. What was she?

“Step back, witch.” Lézare’s voice was a low growl.

Another growl, this one from Theo, overpowered Lézare’s. “She’s my mate. Don’t.”

Alexa put her hand on Lézare’s bicep. “Brother…” Her voice was soft.

Lézare nodded. “This can keep.”

“What do you mean, affected?” Mason veered the conversation back on course.

“He’s losing the battle with the curse. His beast is going to kill him, but not before Todd Scanlon kills others. It’s a long arduous process, painful and difficult for the one affected with this particular disorder.”

“So this is some sort of curse, Leandra?” Alexa’s voice was on the panicked side. “Is it contagious? Could this affect Evie?”

“No. It’s called Brahnson’s Touch. It’s not known to be contagious. She will not be affected. Not by this. But she could be killed if he goes into a rage.”

“What are we waiting for?” Valencia fumed.

“Let’s take care of him,” Lézare said

“It’s not that simple.” This came from the witch; the one Alexa had called Leandra.

The group looked at Leandra expectantly.

“He’s far more powerful than an individual shifter, even more powerful than several, depending on how far he’s deteriorated.”

“Let’s find Evie.” Mason was tired of pissing around and wasting time with talk.

“Let’s.” Lézare agreed.

The door opened behind them.