Soul Enslaved (Sons of Wrath Book 3) (44 page)

Completely intimidating.

“Tonight. I’m urging you not to do this.”

Her muscles sagged with relief, and frustration, but mostly relief. Sabelle slouched in her seat, rolling her eyes. “Don’t. Don’t do this.”

“I’ve had a vision. A disturbing one. The evening will not end well, Sabelle.”

“You’re not changing my mind. So … whatever you have to say, save it.”

“Have you considered what you’re walking into?” His eyes narrowed. “These are trained killers. They steal women. Succubi. Allow me to take this case. My brothers and I will infiltrate them—”

“No!” She slammed her fist against the desktop. “You won’t!” She sifted her hand through her hair. “You don’t get it. This is my
only
ticket to freedom. I’m not letting you, or anyone else, rob me of the only opportunity I have to change my life. My kids’ lives. If I do this for them, we’ll be free. Free to go anywhere and do whatever the fuck we want. Jesus, Gavin, have you never felt stuck?”

“Yes. I have. And I could’ve very well committed myself to danger, but that would’ve placed those I love in danger, as well.” He rubbed his jaw. “I have a connection in Orcosia. He’s powerful. Perhaps he can release you of your binding with Jeven.”

“No! I cannot be released from this binding through the court. The only way Jeven will leave me alone is if he’s ordered to do so by Cash. And only because Cash has the power to kill him off and brush it under the carpet. He is the only entity Jeven fears.”

“How can you even trust that? Cash is crooked.” He flattened his palms against the desk. “Did it ever occur to you that
he
might turn on you? That he might not come through with his end of the deal?”

“I have to try. I have no other options.”

“You do! I’m offering you another option!” He pushed up from the chair. “Aeguza has been an official in the Orcosian court for centuries.”

“A lot of good he did you, Gavin. You’re a criminal. No one’s going to help you fulfill a favor to a
succubus
. Are you insane?” Lip tightened, she cowered at her own idiotic words, as he bristled, lip twitching and eyes full of hurt.

“It’s true that my stature amongst the Orcosian lords has been a little tarnished, but Aeguza has remained faithful and loyal.”

“And how am I to trust
your
visions? You said it yourself, they’re faulty.”

“Meaning I don’t always have them when I need them most.” He leaned forward, his body radiating authority. “They’ve never steered me wrong, though, Sabelle. And I’d be remiss to ignore them.”

“Stop!” She fisted her hair, her stomach cramping with tension. “Just stop! You’re not changing my mind! This isn’t changing my plans! If you’re backing out … do what you gotta do! I’ll find someone else to accompany me.”

“Now you’re just being ridiculous.” He shook his head. “Why do you feel so stuck? Why won’t you try to do this the legal way?”

“Because I can’t!”

“Why?”

“Why is it so important? Why can’t you just trust that I need to do this?”

“Your life is on the line here, that’s why.” He rubbed his skull. “You want to know what gruesome plans are in store for you?”

Gruesome
echoed inside her head. “Stop with this. No, I don’t! I want you to decide if you’re helping me, or if I need to run out to the local bodyguard shop and pick up their most intimidating model!”

“Good luck with that.”

Sabelle rubbed her temples. “Why are you doing this now?”

“The vision came to me last night.”

“Fuck your vision!” Tension cinched her stomach. She didn’t want to hear it. Couldn’t listen to it. Sabelle didn’t have a choice, and even if she did, it wouldn’t be one that made Gavin her only hope, her savior yet again.

“Calm down. Why are you so against going through the court? You live the most straight-laced life of any succubus I know.” 

“Because … Jeven is the father of my children!” She crumpled to the floor, cupping her face with the confession so few knew about—the one that somehow turned her beautiful children into shameful abominations that her peers would undoubtedly love to see destroyed. “They’re his! And if the court finds out … I can’t even imagine what they’ll do. Having a child with your pimp is worse than having one with an unbonded mate.” Tears sprung in her eyes and Sabelle blinked to hold them back. “Since the day they were born, I’ve lived in fear. Fear of them being taken from me. He’s held them over me, even as much as he’d be punished. And he will never let me leave.”

“This is why you never reached renoshza. Isn’t it?”

Her hands fell to her lap and she thumbed the faint, almost translucent scar on her palm, from a blade that she’d caught before it slit her throat, while living on the streets. “I was seventeen. I should’ve left home before then, but I couldn’t leave Denya, and my mother had such a chokehold on her. My mother’s newest conquest had spent the night, and she had walked up to the corner store to buy some eggs to make him breakfast. Only fucking time she ever cooked a meal was when a man happened to spend the night.”

Raking her tongue against the back of her teeth gave her a moment to take a breath and decide if she could tell more of her fucked up childhood—give Gavin yet another reason to stay away from her. An upward glance loosened the knots twisting in her gut, though, as Gavin’s attentive, gentle eyes coaxed her to continue.

“I’d gotten so used to them coming after me. Or my older sister, Eris. Instead, he went for Denya.” A trance of memories seeped in, the sickening visuals of the bastard’s lust-glutton eyes as he watched her little sister sprawled on a chair, reading a book. “She was only thirteen. I seduced him first. It was so easy. Humans always are. I killed him. Sucked his soul dry like a tap. When my mother returned, I told her what he’d done. How he’d almost raped Denya.” The hollow smirk that escaped her, devoid of any humor, kept the tears from touching her voice. “Dead of winter, she threw all my belongings onto the yard and told me never to come back again. I lived on the streets for a good two months before Jeven found me. I’d met him once before, when I was young. He was older. He beat up an older neighborhood kid who tried to take me back into the woods.” Sabelle glanced down at her hands, lip caught in her teeth. Gods, her whole life just seemed rife with one injustice after another. “We didn’t see each other again until five years later, when I suddenly needed a place to stay. He told me he’d take care of me. That I’d never have to kill for souls. He fell in love with me, and I was stupid to think it was real.” She shook her head. “I’ll never make that mistake again.

“I did go back to my mom’s eventually. For Denya, after she’d slit her wrists. I kept her as far away from Jeven as I could. Kept her away from men, in general. I just … wanted to shield her from ever feeling stuck.” She wiped a tear from her cheek, feeling calmer. The tension from before eased into an aftermath of placid sadness, a gray and somber cloud of exhausting hopelessness. “Gavin, I know this is dangerous. I know I’m being foolish. And I know there’s no guarantee. But I have to do this. If it means saving myself. Saving my kids. Keeping Denya safe. I’m going to try. With or without you.”

“He fears you,” Gavin said. “You know that, right? Jeven fears your powers.”

“It doesn’t take away the fact that he can destroy me in other ways.”

“There is no other option?”

“Death. And believe me, I’ve spent enough nights, shed enough tears, wondering if my kids would be better off. But I’m worth less as a dead woman, and they’d end up in the demon foster system. So I get up every morning and I fight the bastards that keep trying to tear us down. For them.” She held back the torrent of sobs itching to escape. “I have to prove to them that there are options. That life isn’t about getting fucked.”

Gavin stepped around the desk and lifted her chin. “I can’t let you do this. I’ll meet with the pimps. On your behalf. I’m sure we can come up with a deal. And if we can’t, I’ll deal with them, as I do those who cross me.”

“Which is …”

“Kill every one of them.”

Sabelle turned her cheek to him, her stare cast downward to keep from caving at the sight of his imploring eyes. “I wish I could take you up on this offer. I wish I didn’t have to endanger you, me, or anyone I know. I wish that I hadn’t fucked up and committed the most unthinkable crime.” She squinted. “Scratch that. I wouldn’t trade my kids for anything. But I wish circumstances were different. You can’t strike a deal with them. They’re politically connected, which is why the succubi still remain at their mercy. I can’t take a chance, Gavin. I can’t risk that your actions will have my kids taken away. And it’s probably not a good idea
for you
to rouse the Orcosian court. My best bet is to stay on their good side. My
sister
is listed in that book. She could easily disappear, just like the other succubi. Cash is sending me in there for a reason—the lycan has a thing for redheads. If I can get close to Lachlan, to get the information the pimps need, I’m doing it. With or without you.”

“Sabelle.” Gavin stroked her cheek. “You exist in a realm occupied by the very few that I’d kill to protect. It is becoming increasingly difficult to imagine someone hurting you without the consequence of slicing my blade across his throat.”

“Then, I trust you will, if necessary. But I’ll assure you, he’ll have met my blade first.”

CHAPTER 18

Gavin led Zayne, Xander and Maddox to the front of the church he’d been to just days before. Place had the same feel to it as Ryke’s underground club in the old theater. Only difference happened to be the lineup of females waiting to get in, and the fact that a lot more holy shit had actually gone down inside at one time.

Sabelle had gone ahead of them, upping Gavin’s pulse to out of control as she disappeared inside. Muscles stiffening, he locked his gaze on the entrance. Red flashed on the fringes of his view and his nostrils flared with each deep breath. Of course she got in. Those legs and that tight dress, showing off her rounded ass, were surefire tickets.
Keep it under control.

Getting too worked up could unleash the beast, and the last thing Gavin wanted was some uncontrolled punch-fest.

“The fuck you guys want?” The bouncer that stopped them would’ve been an easy kill, but the objective was getting inside as fast as possible.

Without saying a word, Gavin held up a wad of cash.

The bouncer sniffed and stepped aside, leaning forward. “End of the hallway, first staircase down. Have a good night, gentlemen.”

All four demons walked the dark halls. From the left side, music pounded against the walls. When they reached the end of the hallway, Gavin hefted a large door to the side. Sabelle’s perfume reached his senses, and he gave a nod over his shoulder.

“The hell’s she wearing? Kinda makes a bastard want to lick the air.” Mad Dog lifted his nose and sniffed.

Ignoring the urge to pop his jaw, Gavin continued on down the stairs. “Two snipers, east and west wall. Pay attention—they shoot first and ask questions later. The bullets are laced with Demortis. I’ll take out the big guy guarding the tunnel.”

“Fuck, I wish there was a cure for that shit,” Mad Dog said.

“There is. She saved our brother’s ass, and I intend to keep hers safe tonight. Eyes peeled. On my signal, we’ll take the bastards out.”

“Got it. Xander along to look pretty, then?” Mad Dog sneered. “Not sure you want him near your female’s ass.”

Though said with humor, the comment sent a hot bolt of rage through Gavin’s bones.

Relax.

Dismissing Mad Dog’s comment, Gavin descended another round of stairs. “These fuckers are responsible for some sick shit against the succubi. Xander has my permission to get dirty. ‘Sides that, he’ll fit in here. The Fallen play a role in recruiting some of these women.”

Xander’s eyebrows lifted, as if he’d been given the okay to frolic through Stripper Land. “What kind of sick shit?” he asked, the piquing of his interest clear in the whimsy of his tone.

“Let’s just say these particular lycans make the Fallen look like saints.” Gavin sniffed. “Stay focused. Women will be crawling all over this place. In spite of your desires, I expect you to do the job you came to do. Clear? We’re here to get Sabelle out safely.”

“Sure thing, bossman.” Xander rounded another flight of stairs behind Gavin.

“Who’s watching the manor with Ben?” Maddox’s voice rose from the back.

Gavin caught a glimpse of Maddox at the landing, where he followed behind Xander. “Ferno. Calix and Logan are on at
Sanctuary
tonight.”

“Not sure that’s enough excitement to keep the brother from playing roulette with his blade.” A few months with the suicidal brother made Mad Dog somewhat of an expert on Ferno’s behaviors.

“Ben’s been instructed to keep him occupied.”

Maddox belted out a laugh. “Poor bastard.”

“Ben or Ferno?” Zayne brought up the rear, plodding behind Mad Dog.

“Ben, of course.” Maddox rounded another flight, shaking his head.

At the last flight of stairs, they came to a stop in front of a cast iron door. Gavin pushed it open, and the brothers were greeted by the shouts.

In the center of the crowd stood a large cage. Hundreds of onlookers crowded the packed underground arena. Young girls, some appearing no older than fifteen, pranced in bikinis outside the cage, while the growls and snarls of wolves rose above the cheering crowd.

Wrong
flashed like a marquee inside his head. So wrong.

Nothing but kids, fighting and parading around, while adults leered and jeered from the crowd.

The sooner they got Sabelle out, the better, because Gavin felt the urge to burn the hellhole down.

Scanning the crowd, he caught sight of red. Damn, Sabelle looked amazing, which only pissed him off. He had no intention of letting her seduce the lycan. Lair or not, he’d already decided to take Lachlan down. He wouldn’t be stupid about it, of course. The last thing he needed was fifty or more Pureblood wolves closing in on him and his brothers.

Remembering his vision made him flinch.