Page 4 of Benedict’s Rejuvenation (Dark Patriots #5)

Torturing Mona hadn’t lessened the dark need inside of me to hurt others. Those others were anyone who hurts me, women like me, or my sister. I wasn’t sure if anything could snuff that thirst out. I didn’t recognize myself. However, I’d have to consider and deal with that problem later.

At the moment, I stood upstairs, shaking, as Beau, Ben, and the others continued to work on Nikita, Vadzim’s bodyguard.

After taking care of Detective Chase and his wife, Vadzim and his men had eventually arrived.

Everyone had been ready and able to capture them relatively easily.

Seeing the two of them had made me want to run, but I hadn’t—not before Ben told Vadzim I was never his, and I went upstairs.

This whole night was impossible to process.

To watch the torture I had so far should’ve made me run screaming into the snow, but it didn’t.

I’d sworn daily, as I prayed to find a way to escape or to have someone find me, that I would survive, and I’d grow strong and never let this happen to me again.

I’d been a fool. I spent years complaining about all the lessons our dad taught Keeley and me.

I thought they were stupid, and he was crazy to think we’d ever need to know those things.

I’d gone along with learning to appease him, but I didn’t put the effort into it like my sister did.

She seemed to enjoy what he taught us and thrived on it.

When I was older, she told me what happened to her when she was a teenager, how she was raped.

I was shocked. However, I looked at her and saw a badass standing there.

She was strong. I should’ve changed then, but I didn’t.

Instead, after Dad died, I went off to live in Billings.

I wanted to live in a city far from our life in Missoula.

Keeley hadn’t wanted me to go, but she helped me move and gave me her support and love.

We were still close and talked often. She came to see me, and I went to visit her.

I thought life was going great until I stumbled upon something at Hope’s Dignity, where I volunteered.

I should’ve said something to my sister, but I hadn’t.

I was trying to get more evidence, then see what I could do.

I hadn’t wanted to believe what I suspected was happening.

Ultimately, it led to my kidnapping and this nightmare I’d lived these past few months.

I knew one thing… the old Kensington Mills was dead.

I had no clue what this new Kensington would do with her life or how she’d turn out, but there was one thing I did know.

I would return to the lessons Dad taught us, and I’d make myself into a warrior.

I refused to be a victim again. I knew it would be a long process and I’d have to battle and suffer, but I was willing.

And it started here, by not chickening out and hiding from Vadzim.

The sound of a gunshot made me jump. It sounded like they had ended Nikita. I moved closer to the basement entrance. I heard Beau shout, “We’re not kidding, Boyko. We want names and everything else. You’re not walking away from this. Talk.”

“I want my pet,” Vadzim said. The sound of his voice made me shiver, and his calling me his pet made me want to puke. I forced myself to stay there and listen. God, how I hated that man.

“She’s not your pet, and you won’t see her again,” the man who rescued me, Ben, snarled.

“Yes, she is. She’s my special pet. She enjoys the attention I give her. She loves it here. Why are you interfering?”

Vadzim was upset and tried to reprimand them for interfering. Did he think that would make them leave? He was crazy, but I already knew that. There was a sickness inside of him that ate away at his soul long ago. Whatever created him should’ve completed the process and killed him.

Again, it was Ben who answered. He shouted, “Because she doesn’t fucking love the attention, you crazy, sick bastard! You hurt her, degraded her, and kept her prisoner for months, and you think she wanted that!?”

There was a brief silence, then my stomach dropped when I heard what Vadzim said.

“You’re her sister, Keeley, aren’t you? She used to ask for you. I had no idea how much you two look alike. I’d love to have two pets. You would love to be mine.”

I had to swallow twice to get the vomit that had risen in the back of my throat to go down. I shivered at the thought of that monster having both of us at his mercy.

“Like hell I would. You’re sick. No one wants to be kidnapped and sold into sexual slavery or any other kind. What you did was wrong. You need to tell us what we need to know,” Keeley snarled.

“KenKen, I need you. Come to your Worship,” Vadzim hollered.

I closed my eyes and clung to the doorframe. Another name I hated even more. His nickname for me. The one he liked to croon after he’d hurt and humiliated me. I heard what sounded like flesh hitting flesh, followed by a pause, and then Vadzim was hollering “KenKen” louder.

This night had dragged on long enough. Sucking in a deep breath, I let go of the doorframe and descended the stairs. I knew I had to reenter my personal hell to get what we needed. I prayed there would be something of me left when it was over.

“I think we need to make him feel a lot more pain and see if he’ll stop with this KenKen shit,” Ben growled loudly. He was out of patience by the sound of his voice.

“I think you’re—” Beau said, but stopped.

I saw Beau, then Ben, and my sister look toward me. I hoped they didn’t see how scared I was. I tried to project a determined expression. Keeley ran over to me and grabbed my hand. I stopped at the bottom of the stairs.

“Kensy, you don’t need to be here. You’ve suffered enough. Let us handle him,” my sister pleaded.

“I was listening. I heard that Nikita didn’t give you anything.

What we got out of the Chases was a start, but not everything.

You need Vadzim to talk. I’m your only way.

I have to play along and make him believe he can have me if he cooperates.

I can’t do that if you and the others interfere.

Tell them to stand back and refrain from saying anything.

They have to ignore what I say and do, or I won’t be able to do it.

Better yet, make most of them leave so they don’t see it,” I told her softly, so no one else heard.

“Kensy, please don’t do something that will leave you with lasting nightmares,” Keeley pleaded.

“Keeley, I’ll have those whether I do this or not—the things he did. God, I don’t think I can be strong like you,” I slipped up and whispered.

Vadzim was still repeating my nickname. I vaguely answered her question about why I thought I couldn’t be strong like her. The thought of ever letting a man touch me made me drop my head and sob.

“You will be even stronger, and I’ll be there to help you all the way.

Anything you need, you’ll get. I know you can go on and have a wonderful life full of love and a family.

You just have to give yourself time and have faith.

If you’re sure, let’s do this. The sooner that motherfucker is no longer breathing, the better. ”

I hugged her and told her, “Thank you. I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

Somehow, I managed to face the room of people and thank them.

I then asked them to leave, except my sister, Reed, Beau, and Ben.

For some reason, I felt I couldn’t do what I was about to do without Ben, which was weird when I knew nothing about the man.

The ones who left squeezed or patted my arm as they went, and the door was shut.

Keeley and I moved closer to the remaining men, but were several feet from Vadzim, who was staring at me, making my skin crawl. His look was that of a fanatic seeing the object that was his prized possession, which creeped me out.

“What do you need to do to get him to talk?” Reed asked.

“Something that makes me sick. I want to vomit and scrub myself until I’m raw just thinking about it,” I told him.

“Then don’t do it. We can get him to talk,” Ben adamantly said.

“No, you won’t. He’s a sick individual, and the relationship he created here is twisted.

I’m his slave, and he’s abusive as hell, but he is also dependent upon my responses.

I can manipulate him to a degree, but it was never enough to let me leave.

I have to play the part he created for me.

It’s degrading, and having anyone see it makes me want to cry, but I believe it’s the only way he’ll give us what we need.

I don’t want anyone else to suffer this or worse due to his business.

And if we can rescue others who have already been taken, I have to do it.

That’s the only way I can live with what happened.

I need you all to be quiet, stay back, and focus on the outcome, not what happens to get it. ”

I knew they were struggling with what I needed to do—hell, so was I—but I knew it was the only way. Beau was the one to agree. He assured me I didn’t need to be part of the killing of Vadzim, though if I wanted to watch, I could.

“Thank you. We need to do this now. I need you to remove the restraints so he can sit up and move freely. It’s the only way this will work. He can’t get away. If he gets out of hand, I’ll let you know.”

Once Vadzim was unrestrained, I moved toward him as they backed into a far corner out of the way. I steeled myself, then dropped to the floor on my hands and knees. I crawled toward Vadzim. I heard my sister’s moan and what I thought was a growl from one of the men.

I had to fight not to get lost in the memories of the other times I had to do this and what the outcomes had been. My stomach rolled. If I didn’t puke, it would be a miracle. I saw Vadzim straighten and appear alert. They had him straddling the spanking bench. He smiled. Then he called out to me.

“That’s it, KenKen, come to your Worship. I know you’ve missed me and our games. I know I have,” he crooned.