Only By Moonlight (32 page)

“I agree,” Neal replied. “We’re running out
of time. The hearing is in two days.”

“Two days?” Ted squawked. “You expect us to
keep them both locked up for that long? Look at him. He’s strong as
a young bull.”

“Hmm, yes he certainly is,” Gina agreed. Her
gaze roamed over Chase’s body.

Marion pushed past Ted to enter the room.
“And she’s tricky. We don’t know the true extent of her paranormal
abilities. All I’ve heard are vague rumors and superstitious
gossip.”

“Manny can tell us,” Neal replied.

“Then why hasn’t he? He’s still playing
games,” Marion answered sharply.

LaShaun held herself stiff as though she
loathed being close to Chase. In truth the warmth from his body fed
her spirit, reminding her of their love. With their captors intent
on their conversation, she gently nudged him with her hip. His hold
tightened and then loosened.

“The Blood River Ripper isn’t some poodle I
can train with treats after a few weeks,” Neal growled at her.
“I’ve been in The Fold longer than you, so don’t question me. I’m
not your whipped hubby. Remember who I am.”

He glared at Marion first, and then his
heated glance flickered to the others. The room grew still, the air
heavy. A faint whiff of something burnt, something dead, snaked in
like a foul invisible beast. Marion’s overbearing expression
dissolved as she inched away from Neal. Ted looked scared enough to
wet his pants.

“Marion didn’t mean to challenge you. Tell
him, honey,” Harry said, his voice strained with tension. Seconds
ticked by before she spoke.

“Of course not. I’m just anxious to advance
our cause. Proceed as you see fit.” Marion gripped her hands
together.

“Thank you,” Neal retorted with smile that
looked deadly rather than conciliatory. He looked at Chase again.
“Step away from the bride.”

A hot breeze swept the room and Chase rolled
his shoulders. LaShaun’s stomach lurched as she watched Chase’s
handsome face take on a foreign look. His jaw muscles tightened
until he wore a ferocious smile, his lips pulled up into a sneer.
The brutish gleam had returned to his dark Cajun eyes.

“Ah, but being with you fed me in more ways
than one. Sweet love,” the words came from his mouth with the faint
accent. Chase looked at Neal. “You’re right. We don’t have much
time. Have the women dress my soul mate properly.”

LaShaun jerked free of his grip on her arm.
“I’m not your soul mate.”

“You will be.” The smile that Chase wore bore
no resemblance to the one she loved so well. Then he turned to
Neal. “We have much left to do tonight.”

“We must reinforce the connection,” Neal said
quietly. He looked at LaShaun.

“Agreed.” Chase gestured at him and strode
out of the bedroom.

Neal followed him after a few instructions to
the others. Seconds later LaShaun let the throw slip from her
shoulders. The shredded fabric of her cotton night shirt left her
breasts and thighs exposed. She brushed hair away from her face and
turned to Harry.

“Don’t let them do this to me. Please,” she
whispered. Then she looked at Ted. “Please.”

“You’re going to be a lot better off because
he’s chosen you,” Harry said. His stern expression loosened once
his gaze slid down to her breasts.

Ted gawked at her exposed thighs. “Listen,
honey, you’re actually going to have a lot of fun. I mean once you
get used to us we’re not so bad.”

Gina came up behind Ted and slapped the side
of his face. “Stop drooling and do something useful.”

“She’s right, Ted. I’ll make sure this little
spitfire is secure,” Harry replied.

“Think again. Gina and I will get her
dressed,” Marion said. She walked around him to block her husband’s
view of LaShaun. “Stop fantasizing. From what I’ve seen, he has no
plans to share her. I don’t think you want to cross our new
leader.”

Gina barked a laugh. “Hell, I don’t think you
want to piss off Marion either. You two horny middle-aged dudes
need to leave. Now.”

“We’ll be in the study.” Harry avoided his
wife’s gaze as he left.

“Yeah, in the study,” Ted echoed. Then he
looked at Gina. “You’re no prize you know. Remember, he didn’t
choose you.” When Gina hissed at him, Ted scurried after Harry.

“Why do I waste my time?” Gina asked no one
in particular.

“He’s got millions,” Marion replied in a dry
tone.

“Oh yeah.” Gina snorted a laugh.

“Now get the clothes in the armoire,” Marion
ordered. She shoved LaShaun onto the bed. “Don’t try working your
little charm on the men again, dear.”

LaShaun pretended to be still too shaken to
resist much physically. “You’re all insane and evil.”

“Then that’s real bad news for all of you
worms not in our circle, huh? We’re about to rule the world,” Gina
said.

“Oh please. You can barely hold on to your
men,” LaShaun wisecracked. “Five minutes alone with those two and
they wouldn’t have remembered your names.”

“Shut up,” Marion snapped.

LaShaun honed in on the button she’d just
pushed. “Harry will be sniffing around me sooner rather than
later.”

“I’m going to...” Marion advanced toward
LaShaun with her hands balled into fists.

Gina cut her off. “Cool it. You saw how he
acted toward her. Our leader has a permanent hard on for this one.
He’ll eventually get tired of her though. Then we’ll teach her some
manners.”

Marion glowered at LaShaun for a few moments
then let out a slow hiss of air. “I look forward to the day.”

Gina tossed LaShaun a pair of cotton yoga
pants and a long sleeve T-shirt. “Here, put those on lover girl.
You won’t be such a temptress in that.”

“By the way, don’t think you can get away.”
Marion marched to the heavy drapes and pulled them aside. “There
are bars on both windows. And we’re going to keep you company while
Harry fixes that door.”

LaShaun caught a glimpse of a darkened
landscape, but part of the sky still looked orange. “What time is
it?”

“You’re not going anywhere, so it doesn’t
matter,” Gina replied with a laugh. “It’s just about five o’clock
in the evening. Don’t worry though. Your date will be on time.”

“We’re prepared for you, bitch,” Marion said
with a feral smile.

LaShaun said nothing as Marion tied the thick
leather straps around her wrists again. She attached them to metal
circles on the wall above the bed’s headboard. Made to look like
they were part of the decorative wall sconces, LaShaun hadn’t
examined them closely before now. Harry and Ted returned. They
replaced the broken door. Marion and Gina kept the men from
re-entering the room. Harry tried his best to get a look at LaShaun
stretched out on the bed with her arms extended over her head.
After a few choice curse words from Marion, he retreated. Ted
called the two women over. Voices low, the three of them talked a
few moments before Ted left.

Gina looked around the bedroom. She’d done
the job of putting furniture back in place. “Okay, this was just a
minor distraction.”

“You’re going to stay tied up like this if I
have anything to say about it,” Marion said. She laughed when
LaShaun didn’t answer.

“I think we’ve taken the fight out of her,”
Gina retorted.

Gina sat at the table, took out her phone and
stared at the screen. Marion sat in an armchair next to the table
and stared at LaShaun. The hostility in her glassy eyes gave her an
unhinged look. Though tempted, LaShaun restrained her itch to taunt
the woman. Instead she centered her thinking. She breathed in and
out in a steady rhythm. After a while Gina put down her phone.

“Damn, wish we had a television or something
in here.”

“No. We need to watch her,” Marion said, her
gaze still on LaShaun.

Gina looked at LaShaun and then at Marion.
She tapped Marion on the arm. “Hey, you need to lighten up on the
jealous woman shit. Harry might have the hots for her, but he’s no
fool. He would slice Harry up for touching her.”

Marion’s eyes narrowed. “She’s got some kind
of supernatural thing that makes men lust after her. I say we get
rid of this piece of trash.”

“What we need is some entertainment,” Gina
replied forcing a playful tone. “Hey, I’ll keep an eye on her. Go
get that backgammon set and a deck of cards. Could be a long
night.”

“Backgammon?” Marion glanced at Gina
sideways.

“It’ll be fun. Besides, I can fix her some
more of that special brandy,” Gina said low, but not low enough
that LaShaun didn’t hear.

“I’m not going to fall for that one twice,”
LaShaun snapped.

“You’ll drink it if I have pour it down your
throat,” Marion snarled. She started toward the bed, but Gina
grabbed her arm.

“Will you calm the hell down? You don’t want
him to catch you threatening her. Besides, I’ve got a Plan B for
this one. Ether. One whiff of that and Miss LaShaun will do as
she’s told.”

“I say we skip to Plan B anyway. Be right
back,” Marion replied with a nasty grin. She continued to glare at
LaShaun until she disappeared through the door.

A click indicated Marion locked it from the
outside. Gina went to the window. She gazed out of it for a few
minutes then paced the room. LaShaun felt the nervous energy
radiating from her.

“You got something to say?” LaShaun raised an
eyebrow at her.

“Quit keep making cracks about Harry, okay?
Marion can be a little... she gets crazy when it comes to him.”
Gina frowned at LaShaun.

“I noticed,” was all LaShaun said.

“Look, I didn’t know all this crap was going
down. Kidnapping, murder, a bunch of bat shit crazy teenagers. Now
they’re trying to get some guy with a nickname like The Blood River
Ripper out of prison. I’m not ready to hang out with devil
worshipers and serial killers.” Gina chewed on her fingernails
until she chipped polish on one. She muttered a curse word and
snatched her hand down.

LaShaun watched Gina pace a few seconds more,
her agitation increasing. “How do they plan to get Manny out of
prison?”

Gina went to the door and put her ear to it.
“Okay, before Marion comes back--”

“She’s not coming right away,” LaShaun said
quietly.

Gina looked at LaShaun over one shoulder. “Is
it true? They say you have paranormal gifts, like you know things
before other people.”

“Tell me what’s going on.”

LaShaun wondered why the demon hadn’t filled
them in on her skills. Then she remembered her grandmother’s
lessons about demons. They didn’t know everything. Despite what
movies or myths said, not even Satan could create. His lesser
minions had fewer powers than he did. Demons took advantage of the
weakness of people, appealing to their lust for power, money and
pleasure. Those desires lead humans to perform dirty work for
demons. With little time to spare, LaShaun had to test if Gina’s
fear could be used to advantage.

“Untie me and pretend you gave me ether. Get
Marion to leave and I’ll--”

Gina’s eyes went wide with terror. She shook
her head so hard her short red curls bounced around. “You must be
out of your freaking mind, girl.”

“Then you come up with a plan. I know you
want out of this situation. We’re talking heavy prison sentences
here,” LaShaun said.

“Let me think. Shit.” Gina flailed her hands
for a few seconds. Then she snapped her fingers. “I got it! I’ll
pretend that you had to go use the toilet real bad. When I took off
one strap you overpowered me. Punch me hard a few times to make it
look real.”

“No problem,” LaShaun drawled.

“That could work. I’ll unlock the door. Take
a left. At the end the hall is a window with no bars. Harry just
put them on these windows for other, uh, activities we’ve had.”

“Right.” LaShaun took that to mean they’d
held others here against their will. She made a note to do research
on any missing persons around Vermilion Parish.

“Okay, okay. I’m going to untie you now.”
Gina paused as though unsure.

“You better move it over here fast ‘cause
Marion could be here any second,” LaShaun said firmly.

Gina scurried over and tugged at the knots in
the leather straps. “Damn they tied these good. I’m not sure I can
get them loose. Shit, I broke a nail.”

“Hurry up.” LaShaun scowled at the woman.

“I got this one. There.” Gina stood back,
arms spread out. “Okay, slap me before I lose my nerve.”

“Sure thing,” LaShaun shot back. She put all
her force into the slap across the left side of Gina’s face. The
loud crack bounced off the papered walls.

The woman let out a whosh of air. She
staggered, blinking rapidly. “What the...”

Before Gina could finish the sentence LaShaun
punched her in the stomach with a closed fist. The redhead bent
double as she gulped for air. LaShaun slapped her again for the
satisfaction and then ran to the door. Before she could make it
out, LaShaun felt pain at her temples. Gina had a handful of her
hair. With a grunt of force she dragged LaShaun back into the
bedroom.

“You believed that bullshit, didn’t you? I
didn’t mention something. In a former life I was a wrestler.” Gina
swung LaShaun until she slammed onto the bed. “Cherry Bomb, three
time Divas of The South Champion.”

“Get off me,” LaShaun pushed hard. Only then
did she feel the solid muscle of Gina’s arms and legs.

“I like it rough, baby girl. Let’s have fun,”
Gina panted close to LaShaun’s ear.

“Yeah. I’m up for it,” LaShaun through
clenched teeth.

Gina chuckled low in her throat when LaShaun
couldn’t get leverage to get free. Indeed the woman enjoyed the
thrill of a physical battle. LaShaun sensed the excitement that
rippled through her. Not satisfied, Gina sprang back and let
LaShaun get to her feet. But seconds later she jumped on LaShaun’s
back. She straddled LaShaun, pinning her to the hardwood floor.