“Fuck you, asshole!”
“I leave that to your mangy dog if he ever finds you alive,” Bergstrand said to him.
Jordan closed his eyes and tried to block out the old bastard. He was hoping that he had the strength to phase out of the room or change into a small animal and escape. He snapped his eyes open when he heard the old man laughing.
“What’s so funny?” Jordan asked him.
“So young and so foolish,” Bergstrand told him. “I know what you are trying to do. Don’t you think I have not thought about all the possible ways you could have gathered your powers and try to escape? I can see the power of your grandmother coursing through you. The ability to change into any animal at will. To phase out of a room. Your grandmother and mother were both talented and powerful women. One could control fire and the other ice, I on the other hand can control...” He stopped talking and stared at Jordan. “Ah, I see you were not fully aware of your lineage? Pity,” he said then tsked. “I guess I should at least let you know what you are before you die. The god of the sun, in his infinite wisdom, saw fit to give his protectors of the earth elemental abilities. We control land, air, water, and fire. Too bad I will never get to see just how powerful you could have become. I detest the blood of dogs running through you.”
“Yeah, well, I detest you too and I just met you,” Jordan told him but the blowhard wasn’t listening. Bergstrand seemed like the kind of man who liked to hear himself talk. Jordan was trying to figure out a way to get the hell out of the situation he was in. His family must’ve been going out of their minds with worry. Duncan probably went bat shit crazy once he found out that Jordan was taken.
“Which one of those talents did you get?” Bergstrand asked, pulling Jordan back from his thoughts. “No doubt you’ve gained their talent, while the other child remains as worthless as the day she was born.” Rage started to build inside Jordan, it was one thing to talk about him and call him names but no one talked bad about his mother. Bergstrand must have noticed the change in his breathing. “I knew you weren’t listening to me, foolish boy,” he said as if they were on the best of terms.
“Don’t talk about my mother, you fucking bastard.” Jordan glared at the man standing over him.
Bergstrand bent and grabbed Jordan by the neck but didn’t squeeze it. “I will say what I want about that traitor. I gave her everything a daughter could ever want. And what did she do to repay me? She went and got pregnant by a dog who was not worthy enough to lick my boots.”
“Why don’t you just kill me now, because mark my words, old man, when I’m free I will kill you and that’s not a threat. It’s a promise.” They stared at each other. Jordan didn’t want to show Bergstrand just how full of shit he was.
“Do it now,” Bergstrand taunted. “Summon one of your gifted abilities, let me see what you can do and maybe I will let you live.”
Jordan spat in Bergstrand’s face as retaliation. His fingers tightened around his neck and covered his mouth and nose. Slowly stopping his flow of air. But Jordan didn’t look away, he stared at the man who called himself his grandfather as he tried to kill him. His vision was starting to get blurry, his chest was hurting from the lack of oxygen. He didn’t struggle, the last thought through his mind was that he was really stupid for taunting the man who wanted to kill him. Before he lost consciousness, Bergstrand released him and stepped back. Jordan started coughing, gasping for air as it was pulled back into his lungs.
Bergstrand stood towering over him, wiping off the spittle from his face with a handkerchief. “Tell me, young man, why haven’t you asked why you’re here?” He spoke as if he was ordering a cup of coffee. “Don’t you care for your wellbeing?”
“What sense would it make?!” Jordan wheezed. “Aren’t I here for leverage to draw out my mate? It’s the reason why you didn’t kill me just now, even though you wanted to.” Jordan could see in the man’s eyes just how much he hated Jordan’s existence.
The bastard stared down at Jordan for a few minutes too long. “So you do know what’s going on? Maybe you’re not as foolish as I first suspected.” There was a knock at the door and Bergstrand opened it. “What is it?”
“My Lord, we’ve heard back from the lykosian Alpha, also the lead hunter wishes to see you.”
“He can wish all he wants; he is on my time. However, I’m through in here, lead the way.”
He watched as Bergstrand walked over to the door. Just as he was about to walk out the door, Jordan stopped him with the one question that was burning through him. “Do you feel any guilt for anything you’ve done?” Bergstrand didn’t turn to look at him, nor did he answer, he made an incoherent sound and continued out the door without giving Jordan a backward glance.
Jordan surmised that the man was just a cold-hearted fucking bastard. He let out the breath he had been holding, tilting his head back and sighing in relief. His chest still hurt and so did his head. He moved his mouth from side to side loosening it up. He was feeling the after effects from his psycho grandfather.
Who would have guessed the evil grandfather would show up out of nowhere? Fuck, I need to find a way to get the hell out of here.
Jordan looked around the room for something, anything he could use to cut his ropes. He pulled on his arms, hoping to loosen whatever the ropes were tied to. When nothing happened, Jordan gave up and leaned back on the pole. He was about to close his eyes when the door opened. He wasn’t in the mood for another bout with his so-called grandfather. He watched as the man who was dressed differently than Bergstrand in a pair of jeans and a T-shirt walked over to him.
“My Prince, we cannot stay longer—”
“Who the hell are you? And please, don’t call me that,” Jordan asked.
“I beg your apologies,” the man said with a bow. “I am Aoi Nakasima, I was a guard to your mother and aunt. And the reason why I’m helping, you’re our last hope to save our kingdom.”
Jordan was having a hard time believing the man. Because Aoi or whatever his name was did not look old enough to be anyone’s guard, Aoi reached behind and pulled a knife from his back. Jordan watched him carefully. If he was going to be killed, he’d rather face his killer. Aoi tilted him to the side and cut the ropes.
“Come. We must hurry,” he said helping Jordan up.
“Not that I’m not appreciative for the help but,” Jordan said has he pushed Aoi forward throwing him off balance. Jordan grabbed his arms and knife, bringing it to his neck. “Why are you helping me?”
Aoi was breathing heavy, he was a bit taller than Jordan but was slender in build. “I told you, you’re the only one that can save our kingdom. Another war is about to start and this time the nyxians will be in the center of it. More will die. I give you my word, My Prince, I will not harm you. I will swear it with my blood if I must. But first we must get out of here before they return. I promise, My Prince, I’m not trying to lead you into a trap.”
Jordan had no choice, he had to believe Aoi. There was no other way he was going to get out of there and warn Duncan. If Aoi was leading him into a trap, there was nothing Jordan could do about it. Jordan released him but kept the knife handy. If he was going to die, he was going out fighting.
“I’m trusting you,” Jordan told him. “But screw me over and I won’t hesitate to kill you.”When the hell did I become so bloodthirsty?
