United Eden (16 page)

He didnt need to say it to me again, his eyes were professing their love with as much conviction.

Very nice, Troy said, clapping. Im sensing Im more right than youd like to admit, Patrick, but to be one hundred percent certain, Id like to take this experiment one step farther.

My stomach took another bottom-out, already knowing where Troy was going with this. I didnt know if what was going to happen next or me keeping up with the mind of someone like Troy bothered me more.

Kiss her, Troy commanded, letting go of my hair and chin and taking a step back.

Patricks eyes widened before shadowing into slits. Thats like asking me to kiss a sister, you incestuous freak, he snarled at Troy before lunging towards me, pecking me on the lips. It could have contended for the title of worlds shortest kiss. Big deal. He shrugged, looking at Troy. Convinced yet Im not in love with my brothers girl?

Kiss
her, Troy demanded again. Or else I wil and, as Bryns al too aware,”he grinned at me, raising an eyebrow”I dont exactly play gentle.

Memories of my head crashing into a brick wal , my cheeks burning from the heat of a slap, and Immortal grade barbed wire cutting through my wrists and ankles reminded me of Troys gentleness. But even with these reminders, I was on the fence with who Id rather have kiss me.

I wasnt worried about feeling anything for Patrick in a kiss, feelings didnt just emerge out of nowhere when mouth came in contact with mouth, but I was worried about his feelings increasing. Hearts didnt come back from that kind of heartbreak and I didnt want to be an active participant in sending Patricks over the cliff.

Looking back at Patrick, I could see his mind was already made up. His eyes were already there when his hands molded around my jaw line, tilting my head just so. His eyes didnt close until his lips closed over mine, unmoving at first. Patricks heart sounded like a train chasing me down the tracks when his lips moved against mine, smoothing and gently sucking with the skil of a man whod had countless decades and even more countless women to perfect his craft on.

Troys throaty chuckle was the next thing that entered my consciousness, but Patrick ignored it, his mouth growing urgent against mine. Now theres a man in love with a woman, Troy said, applauding our performance.

Patrick resurfaced to reality, his lips tapering in motion until they left mine, rushing back to press one sweet, and very final feeling, kiss into mine.

I couldnt look at him when my eyes opened. I didnt want to chance finding a look on his face that said everything between us had changed when I felt nothing had changed. Wed kissed, been
forced
to kiss, and as talented as he was in this department, it didnt impact me like Wil iams did. It didnt make me want to spend the rest of our lives doing nothing but this.

So let me explain how the rest of the nights going to go, Troy began, already looking bored by Patrick and me. The girls are going first, then you,”he tilted his head at Patrick”and then were leaving here with Bryn. Anyone need that repeated?

What do you mean the girls are going first? I asked, anxiety coiling my stomach. Going where?

Troys mouth curled up. To wherever and whatevers waiting for them on the other side, sugar.

Youve got me! I screamed, desperate as my eyes flitted between Cora and Abigails overwhelmed faces. You dont need to kil them, youve got me. Take me and leave them. Il go without a fight. My pleas were becoming urgent as Troy shook away each one with a wave of his hand. Why? I cried. Why do this to them? Theyve done nothing wrong.

Nothing except love me, was the explanation that came immediately. Id become the cheese in a mousetrap for too many loved ones and here Id unknowingly lured three more to their deaths. Why? My head fel , my goal of not showing emotion a moot point at this juncture.

For sport, Troy answered. And because one less Hayward, not to mention three less Haywards, makes my world a damn finer place to live in.

He scanned the room, sneering at the four of us, looking at me last. Thats why. Dont pity them, death would be better than where were sending you.

Without another word, Troy lifted his arms to the men holding Cora and Abigail, as if to say,
anytime today
and, as instantly as Id cried out minutes ago, the girls were too. A chorus of wailing erupted that made Patrick look like he was being split down the center and made me feel the same way.

His eyes squeezed shut when Cora let out a particularly shril scream, but they flashed open a second later, a glint of hope in them that hadnt been there before. Noggin bonkin, he whispered to me, waiting for it to register.

One of the thousands of Patrick-slang terms for various strength training techniques. This was one of his favorites and one he regularly liked to inflict on his brothers for no other reason than blood relation. Brace yourself, he said, thrusting back his head before rocketing it straight into mine.

He held nothing back”my brain felt like a scrambled egg and had about the same IQ at the moment. Thankful y, Patrick was there to think for me.

Unleash the beast, Bryn, he hol ered, just before the heel of Troys dress shoe connected with his jaw.

The impact of my head whipping back created enough momentum to unhook several sets of hands from my skin. I wasnt sure which ones or if hers stil were locked in position, but I didnt waste any time turning to find out.

My skin sparked from the rage, veining into every pore within the time it took Troys eyes to widen with disbelief. Touch her, Stel a! he hol ered.

Now!

But it was too late, far too late. Whoever was stil attached to some piece of me fel to the floor, living or dying I didnt care. Patricks bril iant on-the-fly plan had worked in stal ing Cora and Abigails deaths and getting Troys attention.

So here we are again, I said, glaring at Troy. Im the one with al the power and you have none.

I raised my hand to stop Troys response. Before you say anything, this is the deal Im wil ing to make. And while I might not be able to take out al your men before I go down, we both know theres only one Im gunning for first. The smugness from Troys face had drained at my jailbreak and, instead of looking at a twenty year old girl he could play games with, he was looking at me like I was the angel of death . . . who was down on my quota for the month.

You let the three of them go from here unharmed, not fol owed, and left alone for the rest of their lives”along with al the Haywards”and I wil go with you wil ingly without a struggle, I smirked, crossing my arms, or else Im zapping the first one dumb enough to touch me.

No deal, Patrick stated like he had a say in my deal, which he didnt. And as a friendly reminder, I real y hate it when you play the martyr.

Shut up, Patrick, I said, keeping my eyes on Troy.

He was considering, at least to the best of his dimwitted ability. When he crossed his arms, I knew Id won the most important battle of this war.

You drive a hard bargain”

Thats the great thing about having al the power, Troy. You can. I let my arms rise as I took a few steps towards him. He al but lunged backwards.

Fine, Troy said, stil side-stepping around me. Let them go as soon as we have her.

Stupid is your job, I said, picking up my pace in his direction. Let them go now.

What reassurances do I have that youl come with us if I let them go first? Troy asked, stumbling over a chair leg.

None, I said calmly, but its not like you have any other options at the moment.

One side of Troys lip snarled up. Let them go, he commanded, keeping his eyes on me.

The three parties released the Haywards and made their way around me. You guys can go now, I said to the three frozen forms staring at me.

Girls, you go, Patrick said, nodding at the slider. Neither moved.

Listen to me right now, you three, I said, my annoyance shifting to desperation. Leave, I begged. Get out of here. The only way you can help me is by leaving and going back to live your lives. Please, I said, proud of myself for sounding stronger than I felt.

Patrick grabbed both of the girls and nearly tossed them outside the slider, locking it closed before shouldering through the men bearing down on me. He stopped right in front of me, too close given my current condition. Leaning his head to the side of mine, he whispered, Wel find you.

I nodded, knowing that wherever Troy was taking me was un-findable, but if Patricks vow made it easier for him to leave me behind, Id happily nod my acknowledgement.

He smiled the rarest one Patrick had in his arsenal, a vulnerable one. Stay strong, kil er. He winked, turning away from me and marching in Troys vicinity. Stopping inches in front of him, Patrick said, Im real y looking forward to the next time I see you. Im going to bring my little friend revenge along with me. Cant wait to introduce you two. With one more look back my way, Patrick grinned before jogging to the slider and disappearing behind it.

I felt as close to joyous as one could given the situation and that the tables would soon be shifting favor away from me.

I see Patrick Hayward is stil quite capable of one of the things he does best, Troy sneered out the slider door. Turning and leaving.

As twenty men advanced towards me with beefy outstretched arms and vacant expressions, my instinct was to do the same, but I stayed rooted where I was.

And now its time to hold up your end of the deal, beautiful, Troy turned to me, victorious. Time to drop your defenses . . . quite literal y.

I worked up my final reserves of courage, forcing my gift to take a hiatus when times like this were exactly the time to use it. Irony was the funniest of things, although I wasnt laughing.

Feeling the last of it evaporating off, I shrugged. Come and get me.

Stel a, Troy said, pointing to me. Youre up.

If you think Im going to be the first one to touch her, youre dumber than you look, she snapped back. Send one of the expendable meat-heads in to test the waters.

You are such a pain in my ass and, just so you know your place, honey, if it wasnt for your gift, Troy said, glaring her way, youd be expendable too.

Here, I said, lunging at the nearest man and touching his chest. Problem solved. Ape-man is stil standing. Im perfectly safe to touch for al your wrathful beating pleasure. I made sarcasm and a smile my way of staying in control of a situation I had none in.

However, I had control of myself and that was al we ever had anyways. I couldnt direct where theyd take me or how Id be treated or how long my days would run, but I could control my every response to what lay ahead. And I would.

Youre a brave little kitten, Troy said as Stel a came my direction. Too bad your days are numbered. He was trying to inject some fear into me, but I smiled wickedly back at him.

They always have been.

CHAPTER TWELVE

BLACK BOX

It was black, the unseeing kind that even my Immortal eyes couldnt cut through. I couldnt be sure how long wed been travel ing in some sort of vehicle with a sack cinched over my head, but it had been long enough to lose track of time. If I had to guess, Id say a day. Maybe two? Maybe less? The hard thing about suffocating blackness was its ability to slow time to a near standstil .

Not that time real y mattered, anyways. Whether an hour or a week had gone by, it didnt change that wherever I ended up would be the last place Id visit in this life. My body stil throbbed from the fists thrown against it; these men were definitely not against hitting a woman and it made me wonder if Stel as gift also incapacitated my ability to recover or if these men were particularly skil ed at landing a punch in the right spot. Knowing John, knowing Troy, I guessed it was both.

The vehicle skidded to a stop and, before I had time to wonder if wed hit a red light or almost hit an armadil o crossing the road in Amaril o, I was pul ed from my seat and tossed over a shoulder. A hand stayed gripped to my arm, the claw-like nails and my absent power enough of an explanation as to who the hand belonged to.

There were no sounds other than the rumble of feet jogging over a hard surface, no sounds of moving water or chirping birds or automobiles or
anything
that would give me something to narrow down the options that I could be just about anywhere in the North American continent.

There were no scents that would distinguish if I was inside or outside other than a mans cheap smel ing, spicy cologne. A couple of minutes later, something that sounded like a heavy door groaned open.

It isnt a home with al the comfort of a Haywards not-so-humble abode, but it wil just have to suffice as home sweet home for now. Since
for now
is only a few days and al you have left, Troy said, laughing.

The man whose shoulder I was hung over tossed me potato-sack style to the ground. It was grainy smooth like concrete and cold.

Enjoy your humble quarters, Troy said, as I realized that, for the first time in hours, there wasnt a hand adhered to my shoulder. Stretch your legs out, go ahead and make yourself comfortable.

Before I could react, verbal y or physical y, the same door that had just opened closed shut and the rumble of laughter was cut-off mid-note. The bag over my head was stil in place, along with the ankle and wrist restraints I knew better than to try to break through. I was bunched into a bal lying on the concrete, so I attempted to stand”its much harder than youd think when youre bound and blinded”but my head crashed against a wal before Id barely risen from a sitting position.

That couldnt be the ceiling, please God tel me that wasnt the ceiling. I could feel the hyperventilation setting in with just the possibility. I reached my bound wrists above me and, sure enough, before theyd progressed more than a few inches above my head, they hit a ceiling. A ceiling and I was
sitting,
semi hunched over. I was going to lose it if they kept me in here longer than a few minutes.

Running my hands across the ceiling, I found where it ran into a wal , not more than a couple of feet away. Moving them back directly above me, I did the same until my fingers traced the seam of the wal in front, behind, and the other one to the side of me. One of my worst fears had just been realized. I was locked in a three by three foot, dark, cold, concrete room. My hands and ankles bound.