Blood Red (44 page)

Vivi Anna

He laughed heartily as he walked away. Red could hear his laughter all the way down the passageway. It echoed throughout the stone prison cells.

Red sat up against the wall and rubbed her leg. It was not broken but badly sprained. She thought that maybe a ligament or two had torn. She rubbed at it and closed her eyes. Love? What did The Taker know about love? He only knew of manipulation, violence, and hatred. Not unlike her. Love was as foreign to her as another land. She could not even remember how it could feel.

Wolf did not love her. He was as incapable of love as she was. They had feelings certainly. But love?

Nonsense!

Red hunkered down onto the mattress and shut her eyes. She would need her strength. She would not die easily.

* * *

Wolf watched wearily as The Taker passed his cell.

He was still laughing. He had noticed the cut on his face. Red had obviously not been cooperative. Wolf smiled at that.

The guards passed, too. One paused at the cell bars. He smiled. The bruises on his neck were black and blue.

“Just thought you’d like to know, your girlfriend is going to the chopping block. I wonder if Master Drake will let me have a go at her while she’s bent over the block. I bet she’d like it from behind.”

Wolf was on his feet and to the bars in seconds.

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Blood Red

The guard jumped back as Wolf’s hand jammed out between the bars. He just missed grabbing him around the throat.

The guard swallowed then gained his composure.

“Don’t worry, big guy, we’ll save you the head. That way you can kiss her any time you’d like.”

The guard puckered his lips and made a kissing sound. He pulled up his trousers and rambled down the passageway.

Wolf watched him go. His fingers flexed. He had just missed him. He pulled his hand back and sat back down on the mattress. He rubbed his face and sighed. Red. They were going to kill her. She had pushed them too far.

He smiled wistfully. He should have had more faith in her. No one could break her. She was a tough and as stubborn as an old redwood tree. Chopping at her would only make her angrier. But now she would pay the ultimate price for her rigor, and Wolf would be forced to watch. He would not be able to bear it.

They would have to make their move.

Immediately.

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