Tall, Dark & Lonely

Page 64

“You know me, I lose interest quickly.”
“Tsk, tsk, such a shame.”
“I don’t think you have her.”
“Don’t you trust me?” She giggled.
“Hell no, you could have any number of minions snatch her phone. Put her on if you want me to even consider your plans.”
“Very well, just for a minute mind you, we’re not exactly done having our fun with them.”
“Them?”
“Two for one roadside snatch job. I’m really rather proud of my boys.”
“Prove it.”
“Very well, just don’t hang up afterwards I wouldn’t want you to miss out on the fun.”
He waited for what seemed like an eternity for her voice. “Ephraim?”
“Madison?”
“Ephraim, they have Chris, too!”
“Shh, it’s okay, baby. I’m coming to get you.”
“No! Ephraim, that’s what they want. It’s a trap don’t do it!”
“Madison, I’m not leaving either one of you with those sick bastards. I love you and I’m coming for you now. Put that bitch back on now.”
“Please Ephraim, don’t-“
“Time’s up,” Caroline said. “If you want them then come to the old mansion on Drewberry Street. Do you know the one?”
“Yes.”
“Good, now remember the faster you come the faster our fun can begin.” The phone went silent.
“God damn it!” He threw the emergency lights and sirens on and floored it.
Chapter 22
Madison and Chris huddled together on the floor as they watched the blonde hair blue eyed bitch, as Madison liked to think of her, pace the cavernous stone basement. The bitch kept glancing their way, thoughtfully.
“I’m going to get you out of here, Chris. I promise,” Madison whispered.
Chris took her hand in his and raised it, shaking it gently until their chains made a soft clinking noise. “How exactly are you planning on saving me when you can’t even save yourself?”
She glowered at him.
“Someone shut them up, I’m trying to think,” blonde bitch said.
“If we’re making too much noise we’d be happy to wait outside while you think. Hey, I don’t mind chilling in a car if it will help you,” Chris said with his most charming smile.
Blonde bitch growled her frustration. “Shut up! Just shut up! The two of you have wrecked my plans!”
“At the risk of pissing you off and you tearing my throat out I have to ask how exactly did we wreck your plans? You kidnapped us,” Chris pointed out.
“I’ve been planning this for over a hundred and forty years.”
“Bullshit, we haven’t been alive for a hundred and forty years.”
“Ah, Chris, she was talking about Ephraim.”
“Oh.” He gestured with his hand for her to continue.
Her cold eyes focused on Chris. “The only reason I’m not ripping your throat out right now is because you’re a Sentinel and you will definitely come in handy.”
Madison froze.
Chris laughed. “Lady, you’re confused. I don’t know what they you’re talking about, but it’s not me.”
Blonde bitch stopped abruptly to study him. “Don’t play coy with me, little boy. I’ve been alive for over five hundred years and I could sniff out a Sentinel from a hundred yards away and you, boy, are a Sentinel. The only question at the moment is whether or not I have to worry about your mate coming to get you. That would wreck my plans.”
“Huh?”
She rolled her eyes and walked over to them. “Let’s see where we stand on the mate issue, shall we?” She grabbed Chris by the ear and pulled him up. “Ouch!” She yanked his shirt up and his pants and boxers down until they were barely covering his groin.
“Hey, stop that!”
Bitch laughed. “Oh, do calm down it’s not as if you can get it up so I wouldn’t worry if I were you.”
Chris went utterly still. Madison watched all the blood in his face disappear. “What are you talking about?” he spoke calmly with only a hint of a crack in his voice.
“That you can’t get it up? Because I’m not your mate.” She ran her finger over his mark. White smoke rose from his mark. She hissed and pulled it away, putting her finger into her mouth and sucking it gently. “The real deal. You are a Sentinel let me assure you.”
“What did you mean by the mate part?” Chris was focused like she’d never seen him before. His eyes never left the bitch.
She laughed. “Were you afraid your manhood was faulty? Or was your fear that you didn’t really like girls?”
Chris’ hands clenched into fists.
“I am so happy to be the one to tell you this then, at least some good will come of my night since the two of you wrecked it. You, my boy, are a Sentinel and because of that your packaging only wants one woman.” She held up her hand when he opened his mouth to speak. “Your mate was made for you and you for her. I promise you if I ever let you out of here and you meet her you’ll be able to perform without any problems whatsoever and more importantly you’ll want her.”
He nodded slowly as he sat down. “That’s good to know at least.” He avoided Madison’s gaze. “Incidentally, I don’t need to have that talk with Dad anymore.” He looked thoughtful for a moment. “I believe I will need to have an entirely different talk with him though.”
“Imagine my relief,” the bitch said acidly.
“How did Madison wreck your plans?” Chris asked. Madison took his hand into hers.
Bitch gestured towards her. “She’s carrying his child. The child I want. Granted it cuts some time off my plans, but now he won’t come. He knows I won’t hurt her until the baby comes and you are too valuable to me to hurt.”
“So, you don’t think he’ll come?” Chris asked, relief colored his tone.
Bitch kicked a solid oak end table clear across the room, smashing it into the stone wall. “Of course he won’t come. Not until the baby comes. That was the only thing I could use to get him to even consider my plan before. Now he has one on the way. He doesn’t love women, he uses them. The bastard’s cold. Nothing and no one means anything to him.”
“Then why did you think kidnapping us would bring him here?” Chris asked.
“I didn’t want you. My slaves f**ked up if you must know, but I am rather happy now. It’s not every day that I get an untrained Sentinel as a gift.” She didn’t know Ephraim had been training him and by Chris’ amused expression he was slowly realizing what Ephraim did. His lips tugged up into a smile, but quickly disappeared, hiding his reaction.
“Fuck!” She kicked the matching table and sent it flying across the room crashing with a loud bang. “There’s no way that bastard doesn’t know she’s pregnant. He has the strongest senses of anyone I’ve ever met. He probably knew the second it happened.”
“So, he was using me?” Madison didn’t believe it, but she might.
She laughed a cold superior laugh and leaned down, resting her hands on her knees. “Oh, did you think you were special? That he was ever going to love you? Oh, that is rich.”