The Awakening: Liam (Entangled Covet) (7 page)

man strode in with a gun raised. Ava stumbled to her feet as Liam backed up.

Three pops ricocheted around the room. Liam’s body jerked three times and he fell to his knees.

“No!” she screamed.

Before she could move toward Liam, the guy lifted a different gun and shot her.

Chapter 4

He’d torture the motherfucker, break each bone in his body, one at a fucking time, saw off his limbs,

and carve out his eyes until he pleaded for death. Then and only then would Liam allow his beast to finish

him.

A slow, agonizing death. Nothing less.

The fucker had
shot
him. Of course, he’d known he would heal quickly, but it had been enough to take

him down and get him locked up in this goddamn cage.

Snarling, he violently shook the bars that now surrounded him as Ava slept peacefully on the mat in the

other room. Out in the open. Innocent prey for a bloodthirsty predator.

At least he hadn’t shot her, too. He rattled the bars again, roaring his rage, then drove his shoulder

against them, over and over. The sound of his body connecting with the metal filled the room.

Ava bolted upright, her gaze frantically searching for him. “Liam!”

A slow, agonizing death
.

He repeated it. Focused on it. Used it to center himself, refusing to let her see how fucking freaked out

he was—how desperate to get out and keep her safe. “I’m right here.”

She twisted her body around, her gaze connected with his, and she inhaled audibly. “Oh, God.”

Shooting to her feet, she swayed slightly before she bolted over to his room, paying no mind to the

nuggets of glass still on the floor, and yanked on the bars. Her gaze snapped to his. Wide. Terrified.

Hysterical sobs poured from her mouth around a mumbled “No!” She repeated that one word, tears spilling

down her cheeks as she yanked, tore, and screamed at the barrier.

Seeing her on the brink of hysteria was more than he could handle. He shoved his arms between the

bars and grabbed her face. “Look at me!”

“We have to get you out!” Wild eyes met his as she tried to jerk from his grasp, her yanks on the cage

manic. “You can’t be in there. Oh, God! You can’t be in there!”

He tightened his grip, struggling to keep calm despite his own fears. “Ava. It’s going to be okay.”

“No, it’s not! He’s coming.” Tremors shook her body as she strained against him, trying to peer over

her shoulder at the door. “What’s game is he going to play now?”

The terrified question almost brought him to his knees.

He snaked a hand behind her head and brought her closer as he wrapped his other around her waist,

holding her against the bars. Fear for her churned his gut. Body trembling, she clung to him and he shushed

her until her muscles slowly steadied. He needed her calm. Prepared. This was her chance at escape.

When she breathed deeply, he placed his mouth against her hair. “Listen to me. He’ll leave the door

open when he comes in. He always does. Fight with everything you have in you, and when you get the

chance, run like hell.”

“I-I can’t leave you.”

He pulled back and gripped both her shoulders, looking her in the eyes. “You
can
and you
will
. Do you

understand me?”

As he cupped her face between his hands again and placed his mouth onto hers, a light sob breathed

across his lips. Tears burned the back of his eyes and he squeezed them shut, refusing to think that this

might be the last time he kissed her.

She
would
escape.

Faint footsteps came from outside the room. “He’s coming.”

She stiffened, her fingers biting into his biceps. Unshed tears magnified her amber eyes.

“Live, Ava. Promise me.”

“Don’t say it like that, Liam. You fight, too. Do
not
die in here.”

The door swung open and the man strode straight in with no hesitation. And just as before, he’d didn’t

close the door.

Cocky son of a bitch. His arrogance would be his downfall.

“I didn’t invite the beast to play, Liam. How dare you change the rules mid-game!”

Fury radiated off the man as he closed the distance between him and Ava.

She whirled around and slapped him, making contact with the side of the mask. The hit didn’t even faze

him. He whipped an arm out, clipping her on the side of the head and sent her crashing against the bars

then to the floor.

“I’m sorry about this, Ava, but Liam brought an uninvited guest to the party,” he said as he grabbed two

fists full of hair and dragged her to the middle of the room.

Screaming, she grabbed his wrists, her body twisting until she found her footing. Teeth bared, she

launched at him again, fists pummeling him. And again he swatted her away as if she was a pesky bug,

sending her careening to the floor.

Liam banged against the bars, his beast bellowing its rage.

“Why the fuck are you doing this? Show your face you fucking coward!

“You started this! The connection was supposed to be severed!

He jerked Ava up by her arm, then whipped her around. The sound of hand meeting cheek made

Liam’s beast charge forward, caterwauling, as she collapsed to the floor for the third time, stunned. Liam

squeezed the bars in a death grip as his insides ignited in a blistering firestorm.

“Nothing?” the man said, peering at him. “Not even a prickle?”

Prickle.
The fucker was goading his beast, wanted it out. Liam didn’t care what the reasoning was, the

fact this crazed shifter wanted it, meant he’d make damn sure it didn’t happen. He didn’t want to know

what the consequences would be if he did.

“Let’s see if this helps,” their tormentor said.

By the front of the gown, he hauled her back to Ava feet. Screaming, she clawed at the man’s mask, but

he gave a short punch right to her mouth. Blood spurted from her lip and nose as her head snapped back

and body went slack. When he released her, she slumped to the floor. Not moving.

“Ava!”

Snarling, Liam slammed his shoulder against the cage, certain he was going to lose it any second.

Certain his beast was going to bend him to its will and emerge. He
wanted
to allow it to happen.
Wanted
to

feel this fucker’s neck between his teeth—feel the bones snap. He could taste it. His mouth watered for it.

But he didn’t dare. Shifting wouldn’t help Ava. He’d still be stuck in the cage, and he’d have given this man

what he wanted. Shifting wouldn’t help Ava. He’d still be stuck in the cage, and he’d have given this man

what he wanted.

No!
The command fell on deaf ears. The beast roared, tearing forward, fighting for dominance.

Stand down!

At Liam’s refusal to allow it to emerge, his beast retaliated by swiping its razor sharp claws forward,

flaying the inside of his chest. He muffled the bellow of pain with a roar of rage, clinging to the bars to stay

standing.

The anger eased out of the man’s body as he laughed with glee. “You’re just as disconnected as ever.”

Liam’s lips pulled back from his teeth and he growled, the only sound he could make because of the

war being waged inside him. But he would win. His beast would not control him.

When Ava pushed up, the man advanced on her again. “You understand I have to be certain, right? I

can’t have another surprise like earlier. This is a party of three, not four.”

Latching his fingers around her throat, he lifted until her feet dangled a good foot off the floor.

Knuckles white, she gripped his wrists as her face deepened to purple and her mouth opened and closed

trying to draw in air.

Terror encased him. Together, Liam and his beast raged against the bars. Even with their combined

strength, the steel was too much for them.

“Take me!” he yelled. “Leave her out of this!”

The masked head turned toward him as he lowered Ava to her feet and slackened his grip. Deep gasps

of breath came from her as she tried to regain the air she’d been denied. The frightening florid color of her

face slowly faded.

Liam stared the man in the eyes, and said, “I’m going…to fucking…kill you.”

“You already have.” The words were delivered with such even calmness it contradicted every crazy

thing the man had said or done up until this point, stunning Liam.

With his free hand, he lifted one of her legs and maneuvered his body in between. Her eyes widened

and a whimper came from her parted lips. She slapped at him.

“There is one thing that will ensure the beast’s presence, isn’t there, Liam?” He chuckled. “I know what

you’re thinking, but, no, not that. It has to be more intimate, doesn’t it?”

Liam snarled, shaking the bars while his beast lowered, ears flat against its head, threatening growls

vibrating its body, gathering every bit of power it had. Pressure built in Liam’s chest. He forced sharp, short

puffs of air through his mouth, preparing for the attack about to come.

The man ran his hand over Ava’s waist to the underside of her breast. She jerked, and made a gagging

noise as the grip on her throat tightened again. All the time, the fucker kept his attention on Liam…waiting,

expectant.

Through clenched teeth, Liam sucked air. Violent tremors shook his body while his beast tortured his

insides and the man tortured him from the outside.

“Oh, that’s right.” He put his hands on Ava’s thigh. “It’s these, isn’t it? Marks that are only supposed to

be stroked by you or her. Never another man.”

Ava squirmed as the man slid his hand to the inside of her thigh. Then she stiffened and a shudder

shook her body. Liam knew what those marks were designed to make her feel if someone else deliberately

touched them besides himself.

Revulsion. Disgust.

The motherfucker had touched one. Had touched
his
mark.

And it had the intended result. Teeth bared, foam dripping from its jowls, his beast sprang forward.

Crazed fury erupted inside him as the feeling of a thousand needles pricking his skin stabbed at him. Liam

squeezed his eyes shut, knowing the unholy blaze of his beast was in his gaze. For the first time ever, he

was certain the beast was going to explode out of his body, splitting him in two.

When Ava whimpered, an agonizing roar ripped from his lips as his beast took one final charge

forward. Fighting for dominance was never fun, but this…this was excruciating.

Stand down! He wants this! Do you want her to die?

His beast snarled, but retreated, seeing he was not going to allow the shift. The pain immediately left

him and he almost collapsed as he opened his eyes.

The man released Ava and she slumped to the floor again. Had he choked her unconscious while Liam

had battled the beast?

She wasn’t dead. He could still feel her.

Come on, baby, get up
.

The man walked closer to the cage, his masked head tilted to the side, staring intently at Liam. “You’re

just as
Dserted
as ever. How does it feel to have your beast rage, but be incapable of tapping into it?”

Again the question was delivered calmly. There was no sign of the previous lunatic. Had it been a

show? A way to cover his identify?

He still had no idea who he was, but one thing was clear. For a condition that was extremely rare among

their race, this other shifter understood
Dsershon
too well. And he hadn’t shifted earlier to stop Liam when

he’d busted through the glass. He’d run instead.

Clarity slammed through Liam.
And now he knew why
.

The man couldn’t shift. He was in the throes of
Dsershon,
just as Liam had been until Ava’s kiss had

freed him just hours ago.

Why would he punish another
Dserted
shifter? Wasn’t the hell they had to live with enough?

Ava stirred in the background, pushed up on her arms, shook her head, then collapsed back down, just

to push back up again.
Dea, please give her strength.

She’d been hit so hard, so many times, had to be dazed, disoriented. He needed to give her the time to

recover. Keep this bastard’s attention on him. And he knew exactly where to hit him where it hurt.

“It’s not my fucking fault your mate
Dserted
you.”

The man charged the cage, grabbing the bars and shaking them. “It
is
your fucking fault!”

Not yet. Wait. Make sure she’s on her feet.
“How is it my fault you couldn’t keep your woman happy

enough to stay?”

The scream that came from the man was all kinds of psychotic crazy, filled with rage and madness. He

grabbed Liam by the shirt, pulling him forward until he slammed against the bars. Liam didn’t fight. Didn’t

rip the mask from the bastard’s face as he so desperately wanted to. He just let him beat him against the

bars.

Whatever was needed. He wouldn’t risk Ava by grabbing him too soon and having the man fight him

back. So she had the best chance at escape, he had to wait for the perfect moment. This man may be