Star-Crossed Mates (7 page)

Ross realized they were surrounded. He’d actually seen some of the ferals before, back when he’d lived with Joseph. Some observed him with stoic expressions, their faces blank, void of all emotion.

Others looked satisfied with his predicament. A couple seemed almost sorry for him, but didn’t show it beyond brief flashes of regret in their eyes.

It didn’t matter what the ferals thought of the situations, anyway.

They would never go against Joseph to help him. They never did during his childhood and teenage years. They had no reason to do so now.

Clay bared his teeth at Joseph. He stepped in front of Ross, shielding Ross’s body with his own. “You heard him,” he said. “Just back off and leave us be.”

This time, Joseph actually laughed. “Or you’ll do what, little boy?

Cry me away?” His expression turned into one of visible disgust.

“Please… You’re no hunter, Clay Hart, and even if you were, you wouldn’t stand a chance. Now come quietly, before we force you to.”

“The hell we will,” Clay replied.

Joseph was right. They didn’t stand a chance. But that didn’t mean they couldn’t fight.

Ross focused his powers on the ferals around him. He willed them to back away, delved into their deepest, darkest fears. Without the boost of Joseph’s powers, he could not control them, but that didn’t mean he didn’t have skills of his own. Clay’s love and trust strengthened him. For once, he would not cower and hide. He would fight back.

The ferals took a few steps back as Ross’s power swirled around them. Ross took hold of Clay’s hand, hoping he could pull his mate away. Alas, Joseph cut off their escape, not physically, but through his mind.

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In spite of the mate bond with Clay, Joseph still held a strong grip over Ross. His spirit invaded Ross’s mind, and while it didn’t possess Ross like it had before, it still broke his focus and made his limbs weak and heavy.

Clay took him in his arms in an attempt to carry him, but it turned out to be useless. With Ross’s power no longer containing them, the ferals surrounded them again.

“What are you waiting for?” Joseph growled at his men. “Take them down.”

Chaos burst all around them. Ross was distantly aware of Joseph keeping the humans at bay with his spiritual abilities. As it would seem, even the leader of the ferals knew how to be discreet on occasion.

At any rate, it didn’t take long for the group to subdue Clay and Ross. Clay tried to protect them, but he was one man standing against many, and even if he fought bravely, he could not hold them back forever.

Ross tried to break free of his mental apathy and help his mate, but he didn’t manage to do so in time. A large feral grabbed him away from Clay, distracting Ross’s mate in the process. Several more ferals jumped on Clay, holding him down when the spirit wolf struggled wildly, reaching out to Ross.

Ross’s vision blurred, and he realized in dismay he was crying.

He’d always done his best not to cry in front of Joseph, knowing his pain just brought the damn monster satisfaction.

Joseph grinned at him. “Isn’t that sweet? The star-crossed lovers.

Or should I say mates?” He shook his head, tsking. “If only I’d known you were in love, I’d have… Oh, wait. I’d have done exactly the same thing.”

“You fucking bastard,” Ross snarled. “Just let us go. You can’t win. There are people looking for us.”

Impossibly, Joseph’s smirk turned even more wicked. “I’m counting on that, Ross.” He stepped into Ross’s personal space, taking
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advantage of Ross’s inability to move away. He gripped Ross’s chin and brought their faces a breath apart. “And when are you ever going to learn, my pet? I always win, and this time, it won’t be any different.”

Ross didn’t offer a reply, but Joseph didn’t seem to expect one.

“Bring them,” the feral ordered his men.

Clay howled, making Joseph grimace. “And do silence the pup.

This racket will just attract the humans.”

The ferals silently obeyed, and with a few well-placed punches, shut Clay up. Ross winced as his mate’s physical pain echoed through him, but it was nothing compared to his emotional one. He knew Clay was alive, but how long would he stay that way while in Joseph’s clutches?

Ross allowed the ferals to drag him off with no struggle. At this point, he could only hope a miracle happened, and the spirit wolves somehow found them, although he thought that might not be a good thing. Klaus might get hurt if he became involved in this battle.

The thought made him realize he could not give up the fight, not just yet. Sooner or later, Joseph’s attention would stray, and then Ross would be ready.

* * * *

A flight from London to Paris didn’t take long, and yet, halfway there, Klaus knew they were too late. He sensed the exact moment when Ross and Clay fell into Joseph’s hands. He couldn’t pinpoint one single feeling that made him realize it. It was rather a whole amalgam of them, a burst of power, terror, determination, and anger.

“Klaus, are you all right?” Wolfram asked him.

Klaus shook his head. “Joseph has them. I just know it.”

Dietrich cursed under his breath, while Wolfram’s expression turned concerned. “Are you certain?”

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Klaus just nodded. His skin itched and his gut twisted, the desire to be by his mates’ sides so powerful it hurt. The private jet, even if incredibly fast, seemed to go with the speed of a turtle. All conversation ceased, the atmosphere ripe with tension and the knowledge of what was at stake.

As soon as the plane landed, Klaus wanted to leave the airport.

The pendant burned in his pocket, as if demanding to be followed.

But the many reinforcements they’d brought demanded organization.

Even if they’d be useful in the fight against Joseph, right now, they just seemed a nuisance.

After what felt like forever, they at last left the private airport.

Cars waited for them. From the outside, they looked like simple human vehicles, of various colors and sizes, but they had been specially manufactured for the spirit wolves and held various improvements, weapons, and bulletproof windows. Klaus got behind the wheel of the first one, positioning the map and pendant within view.

A small point on the map showed their current location. It traveled in the general direction of the main Parisian area. Klaus followed it like he would a GPS, just like Hewitt said.

Behind him, the convoy of vehicles followed, each at a reasonable distance away so that they would not draw the attention of humans. It wasn’t unusual for stars to come visiting Paris, but stealth might come in handy.

Slowly, but surely, they progressed through the traffic. The pendant began to glow brighter, as if letting them know they were approaching their target. At this point, Klaus drove almost on autopilot, his whole world focusing on the whisper of the magic telling him where he needed to go.

At last, their journey ended when they reached a small section of the former warehouse district, now transformed by a series of modern projects. It was hard to believe the eclectic beauty of Bercy served as hiding spot for ferals, but the magic couldn’t lie. Already, Klaus could
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feel his mates closer. The bond with Clay and Ross, even if unfulfilled, guided his steps. He would not disappoint them, not this time.

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Scarlet Hyacinth

Clay cracked his eyes open, trying to shake his dizziness away.

His head throbbed with an atrocious pain, but even through that, he recalled what happened. He and Ross had been captured by Joseph Garou.

Clay had never met the feral before, and what he did remember now was hazy at best. He struggled to focus his vision, and when he managed, he found with surprise he’d at one point been relocated from the Parisian streets to a large, airy room. The luxurious furniture and stylish decoration created a picture that seemed torn from a designer’s catalogue.

But as Clay tried to stand, he realized he could not. He was cuffed and chained to the floor, like some animal. Silver manacles squeezed his wrists in a tight grip, burning his flesh. Clay tried to pull harder, aching to be with his mate. Panic coursed through him. Where could Ross be?

No matter how much he strained against the cuffs, he could not break their hold. It seemed the owner of this chamber, probably Joseph, made some modifications to the original concept.

The sound of approaching footsteps alerted him to a new presence. Before Clay could free himself, Joseph appeared in his line of sight. “Well, well. Sleeping Beauty is awake. Welcome back.”

Clay glared at the other man. He wouldn’t give Joseph the satisfaction of showing fear. “Thank you,” he replied sarcastically.

“Although I have to say, your hospitality leaves a lot to be desired.”

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Joseph laughed. “I see why my pet is so smitten with you. You’ve got spunk.” His expression turned wicked and his eyes roamed over Clay’s body. “I look forward to tasting it.”

Clay barely managed to suppress a shudder of disgust. He remembered Ross’s reluctance to be intimate with him, and understanding dawned. Even if Ross never explained what abuse he’d suffered at Joseph’s hands, some of it must have been sexual as well.

The anger fueled his waning strength, and he pulled against his silver chains wildly. He thought he heard the wall crack a bit, and the sound renewed his determination. “You fucking bastard. I’ll kill you.”

Before he could free himself, a harsh blow violently cast aside his zeal. “Settle down. We have enough wild animals around here. Of course, if you’d like to join our ranks, I won’t refuse you.”

“Never,” Clay snarled.

“You might change your mind soon enough.”

Clay sensed his mate’s presence approach, and a feral entered the room, dragging Ross after him. The new arrival pushed Ross on the large, four poster bed in the middle of the chamber. Ross shook his head, as if trying to dispel his own dizziness. “C–Clay?”

His voice slurred slightly, and Clay recognized the incoming sign of a feral seizure. Usually, the serum held back the virus, and it didn’t need to be administered more than once a day. What had Joseph done to Ross?

“You may be wondering what’s wrong with your little mate.”

Joseph grinned. “Let’s just say I have an incipient product, just dying to be tested.”

Clay recalled the destruction of the lab and wondered what Joseph planned. Whatever it was, it couldn’t be good for them. “So test it on yourself and leave us alone.”

It was a futile reply, and he knew it. Predictably, Joseph ignored him. He waved his soldier off and joined Ross on the bed. Ross tried to crawl away, but his motions were sluggish. Clay himself could sense the slight mental apathy, most likely Joseph’s handiwork.

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Joseph moved so fast Clay almost didn’t see him. In one single instant, he climbed on top of Ross and began to divest Clay’s mate of his clothes. He took his time, apparently enjoying each wince and cry, drawing out the experience for a maximum amount of pain.

Clay howled, desperately trying to reach them. One gaze from Joseph made his mind feel numb and heavy. Clay fought the powerful spiritual hold, but his efforts did nothing to stop the feral. It seemed Joseph somehow managed to enter Ross’s mind, and through Ross, his power trickled into Clay as well.

Anger and horror shot through Clay at the realization that he could truly do nothing to save his mate. He’d just sit there and watch Ross be raped, helpless, tied down in the hold of someone so much more powerful than him.

This was all his fault. If he hadn’t refused Klaus’s help, because of his own jealousy, they might have been safe now. At least the Magistrate wouldn’t hurt them, not really. But with Joseph… Ross would be sexually assaulted, maybe killed.
Spirit Mother, please, help
us!

Against all odds, Clay’s prayers seemed to be heard. All of a sudden, a shout sounded outside, followed by another and another.

The echo of an alarm reached his ears, quickly followed by gunshots and making hope fill him. He already knew who it was. Klaus.

“It would seem we have intruders.” Joseph growled lowly and focused his gaze on Ross. This time, Ross fought him. He must’ve sensed their mate, as well. “Get off me,” Ross said. “Get the fuck off me.”

Looking even angrier, Joseph punched Ross. The young man fell against the pillows, panting hard. For the first time, Clay noticed heavy cuffs tied to the headboard as well.

Joseph chained Ross down then got off the bed. “Don’t go anywhere,” he said in a faux sweet tone. He made his way to Clay. In brisk, efficient motions, he punched and kicked Clay, driving all
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strength out of him. Clay heard his ribs crack at one point, but he refused to cry out.

Joseph didn’t look like he cared. He left the room without giving him another glance. Distantly, Clay heard him bark out a couple of orders, and two big ferals entered the room, meant to guard them.

Through the haze of pain, Clay kept a small spark of hope. Ross seemed weak, but otherwise, unharmed. They’d narrowly escaped a disaster. Now, Clay needed to trust Klaus. He needed to hope that, for once, Klaus would not let him down.

* * * *

The lavish building masquerading as a business center held an army of ferals. Klaus and his men managed to enter stealthily, but the security systems were top notch, even better than at the Magistrate’s Den. There were cameras everywhere, sensors analyzing every approaching individual, and dozens and dozens of guards.

Even as he advanced, Klaus could feel the agony his mates passed through. It was so hard to keep control and not charge forward like he wanted to, but he couldn’t risk being noticed. It would draw more unwanted attention to Ross and Clay.

It only took one false move for everything to turn to hell. One of the soldiers must’ve tripped a sensor because alarms started screeching. Doors opened, with the feral guards rushing through the base. Behind them, the building sealed tight to prevent all escape.