The Lion's Den (39 page)

Sergio refused to rub his aching jaw. He knew he was bleeding from the nail marks which had cut into his skin. His anger kept him focused. He tried hard not to growl or snarl at Marcus, not wanting to give the vampire any satisfaction. He didn’t want him to know just how much his words cut into him. It was no secret that Sergio was extremely protective of Elise and their relationship. However, every once in a while, he wondered about the relationship Elise had had with Darian, but he’d never let it consume him. Never would he allow doubt to creep into his mind if he was completely satisfying his lover or not. Not until this moment.
Is what Marcus said true or did he say it to hurt him?

As Marcus stood over the shifter, he began to laugh. “Look at you. You’re obsessed! You can’t take not being the top dog, oh, correction, top pussy. You think about it, don’t you? You think about the nights when she’d run from you, into his arms. You remember his scent all over her don’t you? He also bit her and you know, a vampire’s bite is undiluted ecstasy, there’s nothing on earthere’sike it. You’re right to doubt yourself, you just can’t measure up to that man over there.” He pointed to Darian resting of the sofa.

“
Fuck you!” Sergio said through gritted teeth.

“
Face it, you won her by default!” Marcus laughed.

Enraged, Sergio lunged for Marcus, fist curled up. The Master vampire stepped to the side, easily avoiding the angry shifter. Sergio’s momentum propelled him, sending him crashing into the side of the plane. Before he had time to recover, Marcus had him again, nails digging into his throat. He lifted the shifter up, leaving his feet dangling a foot from the floor.

“
I admire your strength, I can see why she
settled
for you. The other members of your pathetic Pride paled in comparison. She really didn’t have much of a picking to begin with.” Marcus punched Sergio’s abdomen, knocking the wind out of him. He slammed the shifter hard on the floor then stepped on his throat, applying pressure a little at a time, cutting off Sergio’s oxygen. “After Darian dumped her, who did she have to go to? Devin? Daniel … Sebastian?” He laughed heartily.

Sergio’s hand turned into claws as he prepared to defend himself. Marcus saw when he raised his hand to rip his leg and he stopped him, grabbing hold of Sergio’s hand, crushing it. Sergio screamed, unable to keep it in. His hand was afire, lit with pain pulsing up his entire arm. His free hand grabbed his now injured one. Marcus climbed on top of the shifter, prying his hands apart and pinning them to the floor.

“
Go fuck yourself!” Sergio said through pain-filled pants, spitting directly in Marcus’ face, his saliva landing on the vampire’s cheek.

“
Now that was just rude. How would you like it I were to spit on you? Here I am, trying to be a good friend, telling you the truth about the woman who claims she loves you and you spit in my face for my efforts.”

“
Well, calling you a sick fucking bastard just didn’t roll off my tongue as smoothly as that did,” Sergio said, smiling at him.

Marcus sat up, straddling him. He wiped the spit off with the back of his sleeve then he reached behind him, taking hold of Sergio’s groin.

“
What the fuck are you doing? Don’t fucking touch me!” Sergio began to squirm, trying to wiggle away from the vampire, to no avail.

“
I think you know by now that I’m going to do whatever I want to whomever I want.” He slipped his hand inside Sergio’s pants, his fingers finding the shifter’s penis. “Ah, cut; why am I not surprised.” He began stroking Sergio’s shaft, his fingers expertly massaging the sensitive flesh with the skill he’d acquired over the span of six thousand years. He smiled to himself as he felt the shifter respond to his touch.

“
You don’t want to do that,” Sergio warned.

“
Why not, already I can feel you becoming hard.”

“
You better get your hand off me!”

“
No. I’m horny and you’re get panthere. I don’t see why we can’t have f

” Marcus was interrupted by the hot stream of urine Sergio released. He pulled his hand away as if he had been burned.

Sergio began laughing. “I warned you, warned you twice.”

Marcus growled. With a hard backhanded punch, he knocked Sergio unconscious, even loosening two of his teeth. He rose to his feet and leaning over, he wiped the urine from his hand onto Sergio’s shirt before entering the bathroom to wash thoroughly. He cursed to himself, agitated by the shifter’s actions. He stepped out of the bathroom, looking around the plane at their captives. His eyes stopped on Christopher, the youngest of Darian’s coven, the most impressionable. At the far end of the plane, he saw Adrian stir.

Adrian opened his eyes. Much like Sergio had, he looked around, taking in his surroundings. He saw Sergio laying on the floor, zipper undone and a wet urine stain on the front of his pants. He didn’t want to think about what happened to his friend to explain why he was in that state. He saw Miranda rolling over, coming to. When she woke up, he asked her if she was all right.

“
I’ll be fine,” she answered, rubbing her leg a little. The wound was healing nicely, in spite of her not being able to drink Elise’s blood to heal faster. Both of them turn toward Marcus, who had been watching them.

“
So, are we your bargaining chips?” Adrian asked.

“
No, leverage … temptation, outlets for my desires and aggravation, but not at all bargaining chips.” Marcus unfolded his arms and began coming closer to them. “See, in order to be bargaining chips, the people I would be bargaining with would have to have something I wanted. Something I couldn’t get unless they gave it to me. I
take
what I want, as you can see.” he made a sweeping motion toward the unconscious bodies.

“
You talk too much,” Gabriel said as he came to.

“
Welcome to the party,” Marcus retorted.

“
See what I mean?” Gabriel sat up, back against a coffee table. “Where are you taking us?”

Marcus chuckled as if he was in disbelief. “What is it with you people? Why would I tell you where I’m taking you? What sense would that make?” He had to admit to himself, this group of supernaturals were far more entertaining to him than many others he’d come in contact with over the centuries. Their conspicuous candor was refreshing to him.

“
You’ve already proven that you take what you want. You’ve said no one can stop you. What difference would it make our situation if we knew?” Adrian asked, attempting to gather the information they needed.

“
Cute. Your mind games won’t work on me, but it was a nice try. I would have done that myself if I were in your position.” Marcus stepped a bit more closer. He was enjoying their wisecracks, which were far more entertaining than the ‘pleading for their lives’ he’d gotten from others. Although he had to admit, he had not enjoyed Sergio pissing on him. He’d make the shifter pay for that offense later.

“
An what position is that?” Adrian asked, wondering what their fate were going to be.

“
If my Pack and all of my friends abandoned me, including my mother and father, leaving me in the presence of the very man they knew I could not defeat … An extremely powerful vampire who would probably kill me, I’d want to know where I would die, too.” Marcus sat down in a chair next to where Sergio’s laid.

“
You must be pretty bored with immortality,” Gabriel said. He looked around the plane. “Wait a minute, who’s piloting this fucking plane?!”

“
I am,” Marcus answered. “And don’t try to analyze me. There’s nothing I find more thrilling than living forever, growing more powerful as time goes on.”

Adrian rolled his eyes. “I’m sure,” he scoffed.

“
And just how the hell are you piloting this plane?!” Gabriel asked, incredulously. He couldn’t help but notice the Master vampire was not in the cockpit where he should have been.

“
He’s using telepathy, Gabriel. Powerful vampires can do that easily,” Miranda said.

“
Oh,” Gabriel said, surprised. He was starting to realize just how little humans really knew about the supernaturals. How their world really worked and he really didn’t appreciate the crash course he was forced to take to gain that knowledge.

“
Your partner, Barry ran with the others. He didn’t stop to wake you up when you were knocked unconscious. Funny, you’d think he wouldn’t leave you alone. You know that’s what you are, don’t you? Alone. No one here really knows you and probably won’t care if you died,” Marcus said, watching Gabriel’s reaction. He didn’t get the response he’d hoped for which disappointed him. Gabriel only shrugged.

“
It’s not their fault I’m here, it’s yours,” Gabriel said, keeping a brave face.

Marcus undeterred, continued to play his mind games. “Must suck being alone. Your mistress no longer wants to sleep with you. Your job, for which you’ve dedicated you life to

fired you. Your wife dumped you, your children are afraid of you, of what you’ve become, and your best friend aban

”

“
Shut the fuck up! You don’t talk about my family, you psychotic son-of-a-bitch!” Gabriel was unable to control his anger, even though he knew he was being provoked.

“
You have no more family, Gabriel. Didn’t you realize that when you woke up in the hospital room all alone,” Marcus asked, feigning sympathy, one eyebrow cocked.

“
Go to hell!” Gabriel shot back. He could feel his temperature rising to a boiling point. He wanted to lunge at the vampire, to rip his throat out.

“
Gabriel, calm down,” Adrian said, knowing Marcus wanted to antagonize them, he wanted to torture them and a good deal of that “torture” included what he could do to them mentally.

The younger shifter looked at Adrian. Gabriel nodded, understanding what he meant. He hadto keep his calm, even if it was
damn near impossible.

Marcus turned his attentions to Adrian once again. “Yeah, I guess you would know a thing or two about being dumped also. You couldn’t even keep your best friend happy as a lover. Maybe you were too afraid to be on the bottom because that’s where you knew you belonged. Isn’t that right, Adrian?” he said, rising from his chair.

“
I’d tell you to ‘suck my dick’ if I didn’t think you’d take me up on the offer,” Adrian said, settling back against the cushions. “Is the remainder of this boring ass flight going to be you pulling these preschool antics trying to get a rise out of us?”

“
There are other ways to get a ‘rise’ out of you,” Marcus said smiling. “For now, however, I’d like to rest for the remainder of the flight.”

Adrian smirked. “Maybe,
I
want to talk now, I’ve got so much to s

”

“
Sleep.” Marcus said, exerting his mental power over them. The three shifters fell asleep instantaneously, slumping over to their sides. He sat in his chair again, watching all of them slumber. He was almost excited for what he was planning on doing to them and couldn’t wait to return home.

***

Once the two jets landed at the airstrip, they all deplaned. Six trucks were waiting for them as Elise and Xander had arranged. Once they were on the road, the other five trucks followed Xander’s SUV as they sped toward Kysen’s Mansion. When they arrived, everyone climbed out, except the vampires, who were thoroughly protected from the sun’s harmful rays by tinted windows, jackets and blankets as they were unable to find coffins at the club.

Xander turned to address them. “Some of you should stay in the trucks to look after the others. Those who want to come inside, follow me.”

“
I think I’ll stay with Xavier,” Justin said, climbing back into the truck. Several others followed his lead, climbing back inside while the others followed Xander as he led the way toward the front door, which opened before he could knock. Kysen’s human servant greeted them.

“
My Master sensed when your planes landed. He’s expecting you,” the servant stepped aside, allowing them entry. Once they were inside, the servant led them to the den. “Please wait here,” he said, then he left.

They looked around the room, marveling at the lavish luxurious decorations. They waited feeling their nervous tension mounting, some of them were more nervous than the others.

“
I hope he helps us,” Devin said.

“
Why wouldn’t he?” Sebastian asked. “Darian’s in trouble.”

“
I don’t know … I just hope he helps us,” Devin repeated.

“
I don’t see why he wouldn’t. Aren’t vampires loyal like that?” Sebastian asked. He was excited to meet Darian’s Master, his Maker, the vampire who brought him over. He’d been impressed with Darian ever since the first day he’d met him. He regretted not being allowed to go to the birthday party Natasha threw for him, which Kysen had attended. He’d heard so much about him when the rest of his Pride returned home, he was just itching with anticipation to see if he was a being who could measure up to the hype.

“
In my experience, I’ve seen some who are loyal and some who aren’t. The blood bond they share doesn’t always instill loyalty, remember both Tony’s and Christopher’s histories with their Makers,” Elise said.

“
Oh, I see,” Sebastian said, nodding.