“I don’t like to repeat myself, especially not in cases like these,” Rowan said, looking pointedly at Dermot.“But if you don’t believe that you can help us recover Nic, you need to leave.We don’t have time to argue.”
“I’m not going anywhere,” Dermot said.
Rowan nodded.“Then make yourself useful.Stop antagonizing Tamsin and try putting yourself in his position.He can feel everything his mate feels, every moment of fear and pain and desperation.Wouldyouwant to go through that?”
Dermot looked down at his hands.He didn’t answer, and Tamsin was glad.He was pretty sure he wouldn’t hesitate to punch the man he considered his best friend if Dermot dared say another word about Nic.
Chapter Six
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NIC WASN’T SURPRISEDwhen he was dragged into the house.Parrish didn’t even touch him.He had someone else do the dragging, like always.Doing it wasn’t bloody enough for him.It wouldn’t be fun.No, Parrish didn’t like to get his hands dirty unless he could kill someone or make them bleed, and that wasn’t what he was planning to do with Nic, not yet anyway.
Parrish yawned.It was ridiculous, but Nic knew what he was doing.It wasn’t the first time he’d seen Parrish in this kind of situation.He enjoyed torturing people, and not only physically.He knew that Nic was scared and that he’d get even more scared as the time passed.Parrish was going to enjoy himself, which meant that Nic wouldn’t.
“Take him upstairs,” Parrish ordered the two Kudlaks who’d grabbed Nic when Parrish had caught him.
They didn’t hesitate.They pulled Nic toward the stairs, and Nic knew better than to resist.It wouldn’t help.
“Put him in the bedroom next to mine.I’ll take care of him tomorrow.”Parrish grinned at Nic.“In the meantime, have fun.”
Nic already knew he wouldn’t, but he didn’t answer.He kept his chin high, even though inside, he was shaking in fear.He was pretty sure that Parrish could tell, but Nic wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of showing him.It wouldn’t change anything.It might even make Parrish worse because he enjoyed being feared.
Nic didn’t think much about where he was going until the two Kudlaks, still dragging him, stopped on top of the stairs.They looked at each other, then down the hallway.Nic knew where Parrish’s room was, so he wasn’t surprised to be taken in that direction.Hewassurprised when the two hesitated again.“Which one do you think it is?”one of them asked.Kevin wasn’t the brightest crayon in the box, but then, neither of them were.Maybe Nic could somehow use that to his advantage.He didn’t think he could escape, but that didn’t mean there wasn’t anything he could do.
The second Kudlak, Patrick, shrugged.“I don’t think it matters.”He reached out and unlocked the closest door.He pushed Nic inside without looking at him, then slammed the door shut.Nic held his breath.Even though he’d never been in this room, he knew who he’d find here.
A woman blinked at him from the bed.The blankets were pulled up to her chin, and her long blond hair framed her thin face.She had blue eyes, like a lot of Vila, and they were wide with fear and anxiousness.It was the same way Nic felt, but he didn’t want her to be afraid of him.
He raised his hands.“I know that you know who I am,” he said, even though he didn’t know if that was true.He couldn’t help but wonder if Parrish had ever mentioned him to her.“Parrish killed my parents when I was six.He kept me around and raised me, but I hate him anyway.I want to kill him for what he did to my parents and to prevent him from hurting my Vila mate.I’m not here to hurt you, but if it’s okay with you, I’d like to ask you a few questions.My mate and I are bonded, but we have no idea what it means for a Kudlak and a Vila to be bonded.I don’t want to do anything that could hurt him.I’m not like Parrish.I’d rather die than be like him.”
She continued staring at him for a moment before sitting up.She kept the blankets where they were, as if they were a shield that would protect her.
Nic could only imagine how she felt.She’d been with Parrish for years.They didn’t know if he’d ever tortured her physically, but even if he hadn’t, her life couldn’t be a good one.The poor woman didn’t look like she’d deserved to be bonded to Parrish, but Nic told himself to be careful.Appearance wasn’t everything.Parrish was incredibly handsome, but his heart was black, and the way he looked would never change that.It made him a formidable predator because people didn’t suspect what he was capable of.His mate might be the same.
“You’re Nic,” the woman said.
He nodded.“I am.Hehastold you about me, then?”
“Yes,” she confirmed.“Nothing good, which means I like you already.”She finally dropped the blankets.She was wearing a heavy sweater underneath.“My name is Celeste.”
Nic smiled at her.“That’s a beautiful name.”
“Thank you.Have you heard about me?”
“Parrish has kept you a secret.”
“I’m not surprised.He doesn’t want anyone to use me against him.”
“I will if I can,” Nic said because he didn’t want to lie to her.“But using you also means that I’ll free you.”
“You won’t be able to.Parrish forced me to bond with him almost as soon as we met.He wanted to be sure I would never betray him.”
“He’s using your magic, isn’t he?”
Celeste nodded.“As best as he can.”
“Can he use it to get through shields?”
