Dante (Blood Brothers Book 5) (13 page)

Maggie’s body shook with tension as she fought to regain her speech. Like a volcano, it finally returned in an eruption. “You!” she managed to get past her lips before the room went black. Her last conscious memory was of a familiar pair of strong, corded arms wrapping themselves around her before she hit the floor.

Chapter Ten

Isis stared out the
car
window, not particularly looking at anything. She hadn’t traveled so extensively in her entire life, yet seeing new sights didn’t give her the pleasure or sense of awe it should have.
At the very least
,
she should have been thinking of the important mission ahead of her b
ut her mind wasn’t on that, either.

There hadn’t been much
time to speak with Dante after she’d made the promise to tell him everything later
because no sooner had she resolved to tell him the truth about her past than GianMarco had wanted a private word with him. Then Steel, and after him, Niccolo needed Dante.
If she were to tell him then as she’d planned to, it would have been a distraction he didn’t need. The irony of it was had changed her mind. She was going to tell him because she didn’t want the secret hanging over her head. She wanted to be completely honest with him to see if they could work past it. Now
,
that opportunity was lost.

Her stomach was twisted in knots.
Part of her was a little relieved at the brief respite because it bought her more time.
It shouldn’t have been so hard to confess, but the risk of him turning her away scared the hell out of
her
.

Isis sank her teeth into her bottom lip until she tasted the coppery sweetness of blood. When she remembered some of the atrocities she’d perpetrated
,
shame filled every pore in her being. She couldn’t take back the things she’d done, but they were behind her. Hopefully, Dante would realize it as well.

“We’re here, Isis.”

Isis had been so deep in thought she didn’t register
the gentle shake on her shoulder. Startled, she jumped in her seat before noticing the vehicle had stopped.

Dante
smiled at her
, a silent look of inquiry lurking within the depths of his cobalt gaze.

“Oh, I didn’t realize.”

“Obviously. Let’s go.” Pushing the car door open, he slid out in one fluid motion with an ease most men his size would have envied.

Isis
took a deep breath.
With reluctance, she followed him outside, already missing his proximity. The others were already headed to the entrance of the house. Waiting in front
was a witch with long dark red hair. She assumed it
to be
Liliana
, based on the description she’d been given.

Dante approached the witch first. “I
presume
Giovanni is present?”

The redhead inclined her head slightly. “Yes, as are the others. Please come in. We’ve been expecting you all.” She moved aside just enough to allow them entrance. Isis noticed the way
Liliana
’s gaze followed Dante’s retreating back and the small smile that touched her lips. Her appreciation of Dante was quite obvious, and the way Dante had greeted her told Isis they had met before. Something fierce and possessive reared
inside of Isis.

Clenching her fists at her sides in an attempt to rein in her temper, she drew closer, but as she approached
Liliana
, Isis had the distinct impression she’d seen the witch somewhere and by the close scrutiny she received, it was clear the feeling was mutual.

Cautiously, she made her way past
Liliana
when long, thin fingers wrapped themselves around her arm, halting her progress. The others had already gone ahead of her. Isis stared pointedly at the hand holding her steady.

“What are
you
doing here?”
Liliana
’s lips barely moved as the whispered words were delivered through clenched teeth.

Isis pulled her arm out of the other woman’s grip. “I’m here to help.”

“I see. Just like you
helped the Serpent Gang before?” The
redhead
twisted
her lips
into a sneer. “Don’t look so surprised. I know who you are.
You
remember me, don’t you?”

Isis
wanted to be sick. She could feel all color draining from her face as it hit her where she’d seen
Liliana
before. It had been around the time Isis had begun having doubts about her association with Black Adder and his crew. Ironically, the incident which came to mind was the last time she’d stepped foot in Italy. For some reason, Black Adder had been interested in attacking a group of gypsies, except something had gone wrong.

Isis hadn’t wanted to go along in the first place, but like always, her lover had questioned her loyalty to him, which usually won him most arguments. Though she’d gone with the group, she didn’t participate when the gang descended on the unsuspecting band of nomads. In fact, she’d distanced herself from them, unable to stomach the carnage.

It was the same scene, different set of victims all over again. But this time there was a twist. A bright light erupted within the camp and the woman standing before her shooting her a hostile look had appeared. Using her powers,
Liliana
had conjured up a powerful storm, providing the perfect distraction for the group of gypsies to escape.

Black Adder had barked orders to go after the witch, but she’d made it rain even harder and sent thunderbolts of lightning crashing down on the gang. Isis barely avoided being hit by one herself. As she ran for cover, Isis had come face-to-face with
Liliana
. Though her heart had not been in the fight that night or for a long time before then, Isis was prepared to defend herself. But instead of attacking her as Isis suspected,
Liliana
had said ominously, “Beware of the company
,
you keep.” And then she’d disappeared.

It had been the strangest
encounter she’d ever experienced
.

Isis finally managed to get the words past her parched throat. “That’s a closed chapter in my life. I’ve put it behind me.”
No matter what she’d done in her past, Isis
wouldn’t be intimidated by this woman because
of it
.

“Perhaps it is, or maybe
,
it isn’t. The only reason I spared your life
that day was because you didn’t participate
in the massacre your friends committed, but you did nothing to stop them, which doesn’t absolve you in my eyes. So I ask again, what are you doing here?”

Isis had the foresight to realize that getting indignant would do her no good. Taking a deep breath to hold back
an angry retort
, she met
Liliana
’s steady gaze. “Like I said before, I’m simply here because I want to help. You
,
obviously
,
know of my past association and because of it, I believe I can be of some assistance to the family. I have plenty of knowledge about the inner workings of the Serpent Gang.”

One auburn eyebrow rose. “Are the Grimaldis aware of this?”

“Of course.”

“
Hastily spoken words usually aren’t true.”

“But these are. I promise, I’m not here to cause trouble. I’m not that person you saw years ago.”

Liliana stroked her chin with her thumb. “If they’re aware of your past, t
hen if I mention it to the others
,
there’ll be no surprises?”

Isis was caught in a lie and her only option was to brazen it out.
“Of course.”
If
Liliana
did back up her threat,
maybe
it wouldn’t be such a bad thing anyway. At least then
,
she wouldn’t be carrying around this huge burden of guilt.

“You’re an awful liar.”

Their gazes locked in what seemed to be a battle of wills.
If Isis backed down now, Liliana would only see it as a weakness and she couldn’t afford that.
“Will you let me pass? I can’t stop you from telling the others about me if that’s what you’ve made up your mind to do, but
you’re not going to
stop me from walking inside and joining the rest of the group. I made a vow to help and I have no intention of breaking it.”

“So
,
you’d be willing to challenge me? I’m much older than you, shifter.”

Isis shifted her hands until her claws grew to sharp points and held them up to show she wouldn’t be bullied. “And I’m much stronger than I look. Would you like to put it to the test, witch?”

Liliana pursed her lips
into a thin line of annoyance.

“Isis, why are you still standing out here?” Dante appeared behind
Liliana
.

Isis put her hands behind her back, hoping he hadn’t seen anything. Pasting a smile on her face, she answered, “
Liliana
and I were just having a chat. It seems we’ve met before
—
a very long time ago.” Though her reply was directed toward Dante, her gaze never left the witch’s face.

With obvious reluctance,
Liliana
took a step back. “Yes, a conversation we’ll continue later.” The casual tone didn’t hide the underlying venom beneath the redhead’s words.

“I’m
looking forward to it,” Isis returned, her insides shaking. She’d have to tell Dante before
Liliana
did
. She’d do it the first chance they were alone.

Dante shot her a questioning look, but Isis turned away, unable to meet his gaze. “Is everything all right?
You seem a bit jittery
.”

Isis shook her head. “I think all this traveling is starting to catch up with me.”

Dante searched her face, his dark blue stare not missing a single detail. “
You probably need to rest. You didn’t sleep much on the plane or
in
the car.”

“No. I’ll be fine.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

Liliana
shot Isis another narrowed glance. Her stiff stance told Isis she still had reservations and would be watching her.
That was now two people who knew her secret. It felt
like
the walls were closing in on her.

Finally,
Liliana
refocused her attention on Dante, and
bestowed a smile on him
. “Giovan
ni will be with us
,
shortly. He was here briefly to greet the women before being called away again on a personal matter
. I spoke with him moments before you arrived and he’ll be here within minutes.”

The grim expression didn’t leave Dante’s face. “Good. I’m anxious to hear what he has to say. Maybe
,
I’ll finally
get the answers I’ve been chasing for years.”

“Yes,” the witch agreed
. “All will be revealed to you soon enough.”

Isis flinched when that dark gaze fell on her again. Somehow
,
she had a feeling
Liliana
wasn’t referring to Dante’s questions. Isis prayed Dante would understand when he learned the truth.

<><><>

Jagger’s eyelids felt as though they were being anchored by fifty-pound weights. He let out a soft groan and, after a brief struggle, managed to open
them slowly
. It took him a few moments to remember where he was and why he was there. This weakness was even worse than the first time he’d come to.

Damn it, if it weren’t for the cuffs, he could have used his powers to best that witch, who he
realized
wasn’t a witch at all. She was very much human
.
M
aking
him draw the only possible conclusion
;
s
he
practiced black magic. Even as her burst of energy had seared th
r
ough his flesh, it had felt strange
—
evil. The sheer force and ease with which she’d been able to wield such power told Jagger she’d been practicing it for a
very
long time.

It must have been she who had bound him and charmed these cuffs. That explained the heaviness in his body, as if his strength was being zapped from him a little bit at a time. There was a spell to undo the works of black magic, but his lessons under his mother and uncles had yet to extend to that point.

Muttering a curse under his breath, Jagger managed to wobble into an upright position. The room was darker than he remembered. Scanning his surroundings, he noted this wasn’t the same room at all. Blinking to adjust his eyes to the darkness lurking within every nook and cranny, he noted his current jail was much smaller than the last one. There was no furniture, not even a cot to lie on. It was bare bones, not much larger than a walk-in closet. Had they put him here because they believed this place could hold him?

If he died trying, he’d find a way out.

At least his cuffs were still in front of him, making it easier to maneuver. One thing he had figured out about the blasted things: They were impervious to his strength and spells, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t slip out of them. His hands were too big at the moment to push through the cuffs, but there was one
other
way he could
free himself of them
.
No matter how excruciating that option was, he had to try or else he and the children were as good as dead.

Jagger had only to think of Camryn, the love of his life, to decide that any pain he would suffer was worth it
,
if it provided him the opportunity to escape. Desperation had brought him low, but the love in his heart for his woman and family would get him through this ordeal.

After struggling to his feet, Jagger tested the sturdiness of the wall. The unevenness of the hard stone assured him it was exactly what he needed. Taking a deep breath, he curled his fingers into tight fists before slamming one of them into the wall with all his might.

The splintering of bone greeted his ears before he actually felt a wave of white-hot pain shoot from his fingertips to his shoulder, tearing into his body like a dull blade. Tears sprang to his eyes as he caught his bottom lip between his teeth to hold back the howl lingering in the back of his throat. The last thing Jagger wanted was to bring someone to the room, at least not until he was free.

Before he could psych himself out, he punched the wall a second time, further pulverizing his already shattered hand. Bright spots o
f light danced before his eyes,
he
was
close to passing out
and throwing up
. But
,
he wouldn’t. Couldn’t. He needed to stay focused in order to escape and find the children. There was no telling what that bitch had done with the baby.

Jaxson had seemed fine for the time being, but where was Adrienne? Sweat beaded along his forehead and temples as Jagger fought to remain conscious. He took deep breaths as he leaned against the wall and tried not to focus on the agonizing ache not only in his hand but in his entire body.

“Come on, you can do this,” he muttered to himself. He’d already completed the toughest part of his task. There was only one more thing left to do. Gripping the cuff shackling his now broken hand, he yanked and pulled, skimming it over the nearly boneless appendage until he was able to slip it off. A grunt escaped his lips before he could stop it, but at least one hand was free.

Now he’d have to play the waiting game and heal before he repeated the process with his other hand. Nothing would stop him from getting out of here.