Page 23 of Elemental Hope (Warlocks #2)

Chapter eleven

T he low hum of an engine was the first sound to penetrate the fog muddling Dominic’s thoughts.

He battled the confusion, trying to work out where he was and why he couldn’t see.

It all came back in a rush. Being captured.

The hood. He jerked but his body was restrained not just by a seatbelt but by something else.

He guessed some kind of strap had been fastened around his chest and the seat, pinning his arms to his sides.

It was effective. He could move his head and his legs but not much in between.

He forced his rigid muscles to relax. It was pointless struggling when he wanted to be taken to wherever Evrain was being held.

“He’s awake.”

The voice came from behind him. There was someone in the back seat and Dominic knew who it was. He banged his head back against the seat rest in frustration. “You son of a bitch.”

“Keep your mouth shut.” This time it was Symeon’s oily tones he heard. “Then I won’t have to hurt you. For now.”

Dominic clenched his fingers into fists, wishing he could use them to inflict some damage.

“We will reach our destination shortly. You will behave…that is if you want to see your lover again.” Symeon said the word lover as if he had a nasty taste in his mouth.

Dominic imagined he had absolutely no understanding of love unless it was of the narcissistic kind.

Symeon probably masturbated to his reflection.

Gravity pressed Dominic against his seatbelt, telling him the vehicle was heading downhill.

It was moving slowly so he guessed they were heading into an underground parking garage.

The grating clank of metal shutter rolling up confirmed it.

He didn’t know how long the drug he’d been given had kept him unconscious but several clues told him it hadn’t been long.

He wasn’t hungry or thirsty and his bladder wasn’t screaming at him.

The vehicle stopped. A metallic grinding signaled the rise of a door before it moved forward again.

This time when it stopped, the engine was silenced.

Rustling and the heavy clunk of car doors told Dominic that Symeon and his companion had left the vehicle.

There was a blast of cool air when the door next to him opened.

He tried not to cringe as his seatbelt was unfastened and the strap around his body released.

He was manhandled from the car, held upright by someone as his knees buckled.

It was hard to balance without his sight.

“Don’t try to run,” Symeon said. “A bullet in the leg tends to offend.”

Dominic didn’t doubt Symeon would use a gun and probably enjoy it.

He stayed pliant, allowing himself to be tugged along.

He listened, detecting the slide of elevator doors then the stab of a button being pressed.

The elevator rose smoothly. It had to be a large building because the ascent took a while.

When the doors opened again he was guided out and this time there was plush carpet beneath his feet rather than concrete.

He counted thirty paces in a straight line before he was jerked to a halt.

There was a click before he was pushed into another area.

A kick buckled his knees and he dropped into a chair.

He found he was breathing fast and attempted to draw in air more slowly.

The bag was yanked from his head. He blinked as his eyes burned in the bright light.

He assessed his surroundings. He was seated in a leather office chair in front of a console desk upon which sat a state-of-the-art monitor, keyboard and hard drive.

The room was small and there was no other furniture.

Symeon stood next to him and he was alone.

Dominic found it difficult to meet Symeon’s eyes.

They glinted red and seemed to contain pure hatred.

“I want you to take a look at some footage I filmed earlier. I think you’ll enjoy it.

” Symeon’s smile chilled Dominic’s blood.

Facing the monitor was an improvement on having to look at him, but it displayed images that Dominic didn’t want to accept.

Evrain hung helplessly in the center of a pure white room.

His eyes flickered open and closed, his face deathly pale and drawn.

Streaks of blood ran from beneath the bindings around his wrists.

Cuts and grazes decorated his bare arms.

“Let him go, Symeon! You can’t do this.”

Symeon just gave him a malevolent glare before zooming the picture in. “He deserves every second of the pain he’s experiencing.”

Dominic half stood. Symeon shoved him back into the chair.

“Behave. Your time will come but I need something from Evrain first. Then you and I will be spending some quality time together.”

Bile rose in Dominic’s throat. “He’s not going to give you anything. Symeon, you’re deranged.” Dominic whispered the words almost to himself.

“Oh, I’m sure that now you have joined us Evrain will be a little more compliant. He’ll give me what I want, thinking he can save you. He can’t, of course. I can’t wait to tie you down and fuck you until you scream.”

“What happened to make you so evil, Symeon?”

Symeon brushed a hand through his long white hair, blinked once then hit Dominic hard across the face. “When I start torturing you in front of him I’m sure Evrain will be only too willing to give me anything I ask for.”

“That is not going to happen, Symeon. We are not animals, unlike you, it seems.”

Dominic hadn’t heard the door open. He twisted around to see who had spoken. The woman who stood in the doorway was so nondescript in appearance that she could have faded into any crowd, but she radiated authority and power. At her shoulder, two other women hovered attentively.

“Dominic Castine, I presume? My name is Imelda Krenick. Mr. Malus works for me. A situation that will continue no longer. I must apologize as he seems to have, yet again, overstepped his bounds.” She moved forward and stared at the monitor.

“What you’re seeing happened a while ago.

I put a stop to it. Mr. Malus was told to contain Mr. Brookes, not torture him.

This is the live feed.” She pressed a couple of keys and the image in front of Dominic changed.

“He’s too dangerous to pamper, Imelda,” Symeon whined.

“You are dismissed, Symeon. I don’t want to see you again. Do you understand me?”

“We have an agreement.” Symeon seemed to shrink in stature beneath Imelda’s withering glare.

“One I have more than fulfilled. You, however, have flouted my orders and abused my trust. Our relationship is over.”

If Symeon had possessed a tail, it would have been tucked between his legs as he slunk out of the room, casting one last threatening look in Dominic’s direction.

Dominic ignored him, turning back to stare at the screen, which now showed Evrain lying on a low cot in his white cell.

His hands were cuffed but he appeared to be sleeping.

“Now. Perhaps you and I can have a sensible conversation, Dominic. I may call you Dominic?”

Dominic swiveled his chair around to face her. He gave a brief nod. It was a concession he could afford.

“I know you want to go to him, but we need to have a little chat first.”

She turned to her colleagues. “The two of you may leave. I’m not in any danger from Mr. Castine.”

Dominic didn’t know whether to feel insulted or threatened. Imelda leaned against the frame of the still open door. Her smile didn’t reach her eyes and Dominic knew he was facing someone just as ruthless as Symeon, albeit rather more civilized.

“I’ll get straight to the point, Dominic.

My requirements are very simple. All I want is a vial or two of Evrain’s blood, given while he channels.

Once I have my supply then you will both be free to go.

” She pursed her red-glossed lips. “I know he has some old-fashioned values when it comes to use of his power and that is why you are here. I’m going to give you one hour to convince him to cooperate with me.

I’m sure you can be very persuasive. I hope you can be, because if you don’t succeed then I will be forced to bring Symeon back to do things his way and I can assure you that his methods are far less pleasant than mine. ”

The quiet certainty in Imelda’s voice was terrifying and Dominic had no doubt that she meant every word. “I have no power to force Evrain to do anything he doesn’t want to,” Dominic said.

“I think you do. Just make it clear to him how much you will be made to suffer if he does not comply.”

Dominic bowed his head. He didn’t want to give in to Imelda too easily in case she suspected his motives. “You can’t keep us here forever, Imelda. People will come for us.”

“No doubt. But do you want to live the rest of your life in fear, suspicious of everyone? Be assured I will keep coming after you until I get what I want.”

“And what’s to stop you doing this again when you run out of blood?”

“A good question.” She pursed her lips. “A single drop of warlock’s blood is enough to boost several potions. It is not compatible with all of them. A few vials will last decades, by which time Evrain will have aged past his usefulness. Assuming he survives at all, that is.”

“Why should I trust what you’re saying?”

“Because you have little choice.” Imelda smiled.

Sighing, Dominic paused before he spoke. “I want some time alone with him.”

Imelda frowned.

“Imelda, much as I hate this, you have a point. If you’re not after Evrain then it will be someone else. I want a semblance of peace in our lives but Evrain is going to take some convincing. It’s time you put a bit of trust in me, don’t you think?”