Page 87 of Awakened and Betrayed
“I want double what we agreed upon.”
At that, a scoff fills the room.
“She practically killed my entire sleuth!”
“Then you should have acquired her cooperation sooner! Your incompetence is your own, and I bear no responsibility for it,” the familiar voice exclaims.
“Well then maybe I should see who else is interested in my pet. At the lengths you’ve gone to procure her, I’m sure there are others out there who would be more than happy to meet my price.”
Footsteps move toward me, and the wordstopis bellowed out. The footsteps do as commanded and the familiar voice moves towards where it sounds like the shifter is standing.
“As appreciation for your services, please accept this as a token of my gratitude,” the familiar voice coos.
A gasp fills the room, and the sound of fabric moving against fabric feels strangely loud in the space. It goes on for a couple of minutes, and then the room grows quiet. A thump sounds in front of me, and the loud noise makes me jump.
“Filthy shifter,” another male irritably exclaims, and then the room grows quiet again.
“Sabin?” I try again, but the silence in my head and around me is deafening.
The air next to me shifts and the presence of someone next to me is now all I can focus on. The hood over my face is gently tugged off, and I blink against the dim lighting in the room. I turn to track whoever is in here with me, but I spot an unmoving Sabin in a large chair that's pushed up against one wall of the dark wood paneled room. Before I can even think about springing an attack, air rushes past me, and I watch as Sabin’s eyes fly open and he starts grasping at his throat. I push up on my feet and scream for them to stop when I feel a knife pressed flat against my throat.
“Just tell me if he's okay,” I beg, as a figure steps out from the dark corner.
As the shadows fall away from Elder Albrecht’s face, confusion wars with anger inside of me. Looks like the question ofwhere I stand with the eldersjust got answered.
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Whatever they’re strangling Sabin with relents, and he starts to cough and struggle to suck in large lungs full of air. Helpless rage slams through me, and I glare at Elder Albrecht. He gives me a polite smile and motions toward a grouping of green velvet chairs on the opposite side of the room. The knife falls away from my neck, and I’m tempted to make a move, but I need Sabin more recovered and ready in case I can’t get to Elder Albrecht and the bald guy fast enough.
So, I follow Elder Albrecht to the designated cluster of chairs and sink down in one with exaggerated defeat.
“He took an unfortunate bump on the head, but he's alive and well as you can see,” he reassures me, as he sinks into his own chair, crossing his legs and leaning back like he’s the fucking king of the world.
The knife-toting bald man saunters over to Sabin and looms over him, the threat clear. I sneak one last glance at Sabin, as his breathing smooths out a little, and I cling tightly to the momentary relief that flashes through me. I turn my attention to Elder Albrecht, ready for him to explain just what the fuck the elders want now.
“Vinna, I must remind you that it is completely in your control if Conscript Gamull continues to stay alive and well. I hope that our unfortunate acquaintance made at least that much clear to you.”
Elder Albrecht turns to look at something on the floor, and I follow his gaze down to find the grizzly shifter that brought me here dead by the door. I feel no sympathy for the wide lifeless eyes that were clearly filled with fear in his last moments. I only wish that I could have dished out the justice myself.
The door opens to the room, and Elder Balfour walks confidently in, closing the door behind him and barely sparing a glance at the dead shifter on the ground, or at Sabin on the couch.
“I called him; he'll be here soon, although I want it noted that I don't like the lack of planning on your part forthis.” Elder Balfour announces, flicking his fingers in my direction, indicating that I'm clearly thethishe's referring to.
I swallow the retort that snakes up my tongue. I want nothing more than to mouth off to these pricks, and then fucking kill them, but I've already failed Sabin once. I won't let them hurt him again because I can't rein in my temper.
“You worry too much. Everything is working out, despite having to move up our timetable; he won’t be any different. In situations like these, you can't control everything. We just have to take things as they come," Elder Albrecht reassures Elder Balfour, as the squat, balding elder sinks down into a seat across from me.
I fix him with a murderous stare and wonder how long it will take for the rest of the elders to show up.
“Don’t answer back, I need to stay focused on what’s happening here, but it’s the elders who are behind this. I’m staring at Elder Balfour and Elder Albrecht right now,”I tell the guys.
I don’t know what they’re going to be able to do with that information, but maybe they can think of something I can’t. I breathe through the mounting rage that's festering inside of me as I fight my need to act, to kill each of these corrupt men. Elder Balfour won’t look at me, but Elder Albrecht watches me like a cat stalking prey.
“We’ll be joined soon, and then you will need to make a very important decision,” he informs me, as he steeples his hands in front of him.
It makes every inch of him so much the cliched villain, that I fight to keep from rolling my eyes.
“We know what you are, and subsequently what you can do, and your decision is simple, share your magic with us, or refuse, and we’ll kill your mates. Then, we’ll hand you over to a certain lamia who has been keen to get his hands on you. I can’t imagine that life would be very pleasant for you, but I suppose it’s ultimately your choice.”
