Rylan's Heart (16 page)

“The Sudir.” Aviana’s voice was husky with despair and anger as both clawed to make its way out of her throat. “He can’t have them.”

“No,” Rylan assured her, “he can’t.”

Before long they were parked at the gazebo they were earlier in the day. There were boot prints in the snow leading in a direction they hadn’t walked.

Rylan and Gabe looked at each other before ushering her back to the car.

“We’re going to follow the tracks. Most of them are too little to be made by an adult. Let’s see where they lead.”

Gabe picked up his phone calling Victor to let him know where they were going.

“Victor and Selma are going to join us.”

Aviana nodded, keeping her focus on the road ahead of them hoping to catch sight of the girls.

“Where are we?” Aviana asked staring at the house they parked in front of.

“This is where Zuhun lives,” Rylan replied.

“This is where he took Vick,” Gabe stated looking at the house in front of them.

The porch still looked like a death trap waiting to happen. Victor and Selma pulled up alongside of them. They exited the cars as Zuhun brought out seven little scared girls, all terrified from the looks on their faces.

“It took you long enough to get here. I have something I think you want and you have something I want. I propose an even trade.” He indicated the girls with a flourish of his hand before he pointed to Rylan.

Rylan moved toward the porch; it was Aviana’s restraining hand that stopped him.

“You can’t trust him, Ry. You know you can’t.”

Zuhun laughed. “What can these little pathetic humans do for me except die? Rylan on the other hand…” He licked his lips before he smiled letting them see his rows of teeth.

His hand shot out catching Rylan with a bolt of lightning dropping him to his knees in pain. Then he pulled a white light from Rylan consuming it.

“Mmm, so powerful. I love the taste of you, just like I will love the feel of you under me.”

“Come to me willingly, and I will let the girls go. Fight me and I will kill them right here in front of you. Make your choice now.”

Aviana’s face blanched, the color leaving it as she turned pleading eyes to Rylan. Gabe’s face looked like it was set in granite as she refused to meet his brother’s gaze.

Rylan pushed himself up to his feet and stood unsteadily. He turned and hugged Aviana whispering in her ear before setting her aside.

“Aww love, how sweet. Don’t worry; I will take care of him for you.”

Aviana’s eyes narrowed as she watched him looking for weaknesses.

“Victor, you have to take the girls back immediately. Promise,” Rylan said his voice void of any emotion.

“Selma and I will leave as soon as we have the girls. I give my word.”

“Gabe, I expect you to do nothing different than you did the last time I was taken hostage.”

Gabe nodded not looking at him. His attention was focused on Zuhun.

“I won’t let you go!” her voice was pleading.

“Love, I have to go. Those little lives are on my hands. How can I not go? I’m not staying, I have something to fight for now. No matter what it looks like, what motivates me is you, and Mckayla.”

“Rylan—“

“I’ll do everything I can to come back to you.”

“The goodbyes grow tedious, come now or they are dead.”

Rylan moved towards him on shaky legs. “I won’t go into your house until I know the girls are away and safe.”

“Yes, yes. So predictable. Maybe you should care more for your own life than these mere mortals. But in the end that’s what I like about you, so selfless that you have traded your life for a role of servitude.”

Rylan took the steps on at a time. Shoulders straight, eyes focused on the girls. When he stood on the porch, Zuhun released three of the girls. Selma placed each one in the SUV.

“You did not think it would be that easy. Kneel.”

Rylan went down on his knees as a rope made of black light encircled his neck. Two more girls were released. He watched as they too were placed in the SUV.

The cord tightened as Zuhun drew his hand threw Rylan’s hair. Shocks went through his body making him twist in unbearable pain. Not a word was uttered from his lips.

“You will be so much fun to break. I cannot wait to hear my name on your lips, in pain of course.”

Aviana smothered the gasp on her lips and tried to touch Rylan’s mind feeling an unnatural barrier between them. She looked at him but his eyes weren’t telling her anything. She would have to break the barrier, she wouldn’t leave him there. She knew what would happen and that it might be more than he could take. They would free him.

Zuhun looked out at the ones watching him and with a laugh released another young girl.

“This last one looks mighty tasty and she does so remind me of the little girl you sent away. I find myself wanting to keep her.”

Rylan said nothing as he waited for Zuhun’s verdict.

“I find myself wondering if you have already learned your place or are you quietly thinking of my murder.”

With a reluctant sigh, he released the last little girl. She flew down the steps with a choked cry. Selma settled her into the SUV before Victor got in. He took one last look at Rylan before he placed the vehicle in reverse and left with the girls.

“You can leave also.” Zuhun addressed Aviana and Gabe before he pulled on the rope around Rylan’s neck and dragged him across the porch and through the open front door.

Rylan was dragged through the front hallway and into the living room which hadn’t seen much change since the last time he was there. It was filled with decomposing slaughtered bodies, both human and animal. He was able to block out the bodies, but the smell was a different story altogether.

Although now it wasn’t the smell he was concentrating on; he was listening for the engine to the SUV he arrived in with Gabe and Aviana. The door shut, sounding like a gunshot echoing through the house. He waited until he heard the engine turn and catch. He gave a slight sigh still waiting. The snow and gravel made a hiss as the SUV backed over it taking her away from him

He could feel her departure as she mentally moved some distance away. He could feel Gabe’s departure too, the two people he loved most in the world. No, that wasn’t right, there were three but the other one was far away and safe. He needed them all to be safe. He would trade his life for theirs any day.

“I thought you would be more of a challenge. Big, bad, and angry. But no, you are willing to trade your life for the life of seven little girls. Or did you trade it for your mate and your brother? I have you; there is no need to go after them.”

Zuhun began to drag him across the floor.

“I can stand and walk.”

“I quite enjoy dragging you.”

“What use will I be to you if I’m battered and bruised?”

“I can see you are the type that sucks the joy out of everything. Very well stand to your feet, but if you try to flee…”

“I gave my word.” Rylan hefted himself up from the floor standing with his arms hanging loosely at his side waiting for Zuhun to direct him.

“We are going upstairs to my attic. I trust you will remember that place where I have my little play room set up for my pleasure.”

Rylan walked before him to the door that opened and led to the steps. He took them slowly taking his time until he reached the door at the top. Carefully he opened it not knowing what surprises waited for him. Nothing leapt out, so he entered shuddering as the thought of Vick tied to the table on the side of the room went through his mind.

“Losing the little boy was worth it now that I have you. Later I will play with you, now I have other more serious plans.”

Rylan stood unresisting as he ran his eyes over the room looking for a way out. He would not stay nor would he be used and abused again. He had a family waiting for him; all he needed was a way to get back to them.

Tugging on the leash around Rylan’s neck, Zuhun brought him over to the table and forced him to lie on it. Quickly, he tied him down.

“Times have changed since you were a young man. There is no need to wait years to break a subject. I actually mourn those days, but the joy that can be found with one such as you when he is broken is remarkable.”

Rylan found himself searching the room again looking for an instrument of torture he may have missed the first time through it. His body wanted to shiver at the thought of more abuse but he controlled it. Any fear or emotion he showed would be something Zuhun would throw back at him later with glee.

Zuhun walked around the machine turning on switches until the machine was alive. Dark light blazed out of it aimed for the roof of the building.

“Allow me to tell you what is to come. The light you see will be aimed at your body. It will allow me to feed from you more efficiently causing you to weaken in the process. When you are weak enough and I am strong enough from feeding on you, I will invade your mind.” Zuhun smiled showing his teeth as he rubbed his hands together.

“I can only imagine what I will find in your mind. Whatever it is I will steal it. When I am done with you, you will be broken and beg me to do whatever I want with you.”

“Is this the part where I cower in fear? I will not break. Careful, Zuhun, too much of me may give you indigestion.”

He roared. “You will learn to respect me!”

He aimed the black lights at Rylan allowing his body to be submerged in the energy that came from it. His body convulsed on the table as the energy went through him. The bands at his hands and feet were the only thing keeping him from hitting the floor.

Pain exploded through his body as a white light invaded his mind. His body shook as he tried to roll away from the searing intrusion. Zuhun had new tricks and they hurt like hell.

Zuhun stepped into the energy and a long white light pulled itself from Rylan and moved to enter the black beam that went into Zuhun.

“You taste so good. So powerful.” He closed his eyes and tilted his head back, arms spread wide as Rylan’s power continued to move into Zuhun’s body, highlighting his face as it glowed with joy over his victory.

Rylan twisted in the cage of his body resisting the destruction of his shields. The battering of Zuhun’s evil smacked against the door of his mind like a tidal wave designed to wear him down. He continued to reinforce the door unwilling to allow him access to Aviana or even to Mckayla and Gabe. He would not betray those who held the little bit of a heart he still possessed.

“Let him in.” He could hear Aviana whisper in his mind. She kicked down any barrier between them with the force of a warrior. Pride for her shimmered in him.

He shook his head in denial; she couldn’t be there. He told her to leave, to forget about him, take Gabe and pick up Mckayla and flee. She was never to look back.

“LET HIM IN!” He knew that voice. There was nothing gentle about it at all. It was the voice of his brother. He just opened up the lines of communication with him recently wanting to make up for being pig headed. His brother’s words not his.

“NO!” he shouted at both of them, pushing them away.

“No,” he mumbled aloud to himself. He would die for them.

“But would you live for them?”

He knew that voice too, not that he would validate it now. How could it haunt him here? The trial was over; he should never have to hear him again.

Would he live for them? Thoughts of Aviana pregnant with their second child went through his mind. He imagined tucking Mckayla in bed at night and days spent on the beach chasing them, dodging sand his brother was sure to throw at him. Memories that hadn’t happened, but could if the circumstances were different.

“YES!” he screamed at the voice. “I would live for them.”

Without conscious thought, the door to his mind opened. It wasn’t broken or battered, it simply opened issuing an invitation to Zuhun. He wanted to laugh but couldn’t as his body was being drained but his mind was wired with power. The weakness of the body seemed to have fueled the mind.

That’s when he heard the laughter, Zuhun’s. He thought he won.

“You are not as strong as you thought you were. I thought you would have to be close to death before I was allowed entrance into your mind.”

Close to death sounded right to Rylan but he hadn’t opened the door. He didn’t invite him in, the voice had done that. He took Rylan’s desire to live for his mate and family and interpreted it as permission to open the door to his mind. Now Zuhun, with his dark presence, was in his mind.

“I want to see what Xolon did to you.”

Zuhun stood powerful; in his mind he looked like the Sudir before the weapon went off on his planet. He had never seen one but heard them described. Zuhun stood tall on two legs. He was eight feet tall with powerful arms and horns that came out of his skull and made a pattern around his head. He had three eyes, the third one being in the center of his forehead. His teeth were sharp but not in several rows.

“This is who we were before the Arbrin and the Matra destroyed us. Made us into something that scared the worlds.”

“Hate to tell you this but your natural form probably scared those worlds also.”

“I want to see Xolon.”

With a smile Rylan took him to a memory that caused him shame. One where Xolon was abusing him in the worst way possible.

He waited for the shame to come, the anger to overtake him. There was none. His mate had accepted him and the things that happened to him in his life. He couldn’t change them but he could decide not to let them define him.

“Does this turn you on, Zuhun? To see a child abused. Do you somehow get excited by this?”

“I don’t abuse children.”

“Wasn’t that you with Vick’s body tied to your table of torture not that long ago? You will excuse me if I don’t believe you.”

“For a broken Male, you speak as if you have the right.”

“Forgive me, Zuhun.” He lowered his head by force. “What would you have me say to you?”

“Better.”

Zuhun reached for the dark cord that was still around his neck and pulled on it bringing his body close to his.