Zed's Dishonest Mate (15 page)

“Get Roman down here.” He didn’t have time to wait. Luka didn’t have time to wait. Didn’t this man understand? He wouldn’t be here, demanding to see Roman, if it wasn’t important.

The guard backed up. He picked up the phone and dialed, never turning away from Zed.

Roman materialized in the walkway a couple of minutes later. Zed growled at having to wait two minutes.

Roman arched an eyebrow up. “What’s wrong, Zed?”

“Luka’s been kidnapped. I have to find him.”

“Kidnapped?” Roman looked surprised. “What happened?”

“The arbitrator used a spell. He must have been working for Kane the entire time. I need to find him. The longer it takes the harder it will be. Kane will try to hide Luka. Pretend to be innocent in his abduction. I don’t know where to start looking. Avery knows the elf territory and Kane.”

Roman looked directly at him. “Are you sure it’s Kane?”

Zed looked at him like he’d lost his mind. Who else would kidnap his mate?

Roman sighed. “Okay, let’s say you’re right. After you walked out of the elf territory with the prince, Kane placed blocks, making it difficult to enter the area.”

“Avery can enter and so can we. Call him here.” While the demon was trying to calm him and force Zed to cautiously approach the situation, he didn’t have time for negativity. Both Zed and Roman could enter the elf territory. Nothing Kane did would stop that.

Roman looked at Zed with a touch of pity. He stopped trying to talk sense into him. Roman was smart enough to realize that with his mate missing, Zed couldn’t be reasoned with. Instead, he walked over to the desk, picked up the phone and dialed it. “Avery, we need you in the lobby.”

Three minutes later, Avery hurried off the elevator. “What’s going on?” he asked, looking at both Roman and Zed.

“Luka’s been kidnapped by Kane. Can you help me find him?” Zed half-asked and half-pleaded. If that didn’t work, he’d demand.

Avery’s eyes widened. “If he’s in elf territory, he won’t be in the main house. You’re mated, can you sense him?”

“He’s too far away. But once I’m close enough to him, then that will change. If I barge in, it will give Luka’s captors time to move him. I need to enter close to Luka. There will be wards that prevent me from teleporting directly to him.”

“There’s a place Kane might bring Luka—the underground prison. It’s where he brings those that displease him. It’s located underneath the main offices. It’s not a small prison.” Avery cleared his throat. “Kane’s been known to lock elves up for no reason.” He turned to face Zed. “How did you find Luka in the first place?”

“One night I saw him and knew exactly where to find him. I can’t explain it, but the vision lead directly to him.”

“Can you try to see him now? Instead of reaching for the mating bond, can you try to see his location?”

He closed his eyes. The darkness met him, usually, a kind friend, but now ominous. Then a building appeared. It was tall and modern. After the image focused in on the area, he recognized it as Kane’s office, where Avery thought they’d taken Luka. Then he was traveling down. Level after level passed by and soon he was deep within an underground complex. Luka’s presence drew him deeper into the building. He couldn’t see his mate, but he was close by. The fear and disgust radiated off the elf. The strong emotions nearly pushed him back, but he forced the images to continue. It took Zed a moment to realize the images were coming from Luka. The small elf was able to project things to him. The dread filled Zed as the realization hit. Luka was like Sage, but instead of listening to others, he could see things. That was the source of the visions.

“He’s in the underground compound.”

“It’s more like a prison.” Avery wrapped both arms around his thin frame.

Zed nodded. Apparently, the doctor had visited the place, but not as a guest. He didn’t have time to worry about that now.

“Let’s go.” He focused on the building. Wards kept him from materializing inside.

“There’s a park directly across the street. If you go there, then no one will see you appear,” Avery said.

Roman looked at him. “Avery, wait five minutes and then tell Thomas I’ve stepped out. Don’t go into detail. If he forces the issue, then remind him he’s in charge.”

Avery swallowed.

“I don’t have time to handle Thomas.”

Avery nodded. “Got it. Leave him to me.”

“Let’s go.” Zed didn’t expect someone to follow him into danger. He went to Roman for information, not for backup. The demon laid a hand on his shoulder and then disappeared. Zed closed his eyes and followed.

* * * *

Luka kicked, hit, and then bit the arbitrator, but the steel grip held tightly onto his shoulder. He looked down to minimize the dizziness. The floor moved, but it was better than the spinning. Teleporting affected someone like a merry-go-round, spinning nonstop for an hour. When the rider exited, the world still spun while he struggled to stand on legs wobbly like jelly. If he had closed his eyes the unbearable nauseous feeling wouldn’t have affected him as badly, but watching the process made it far worse. At least looking down didn’t make him want to throw up.

The arbitrator grabbed his arm and pulled it behind Luka’s back. The pressure tore at the joint. Any more and his shoulder would dislocate. He whimpered as the older elf pushed him to the ground. His legs gave out and he tumbled to the floor.

“Behave, or it will only get worse.”

“Worse? What could be worse?” Nothing else could compare to being separated from Zed.

“Do I need to remind you that King Kane doesn’t take disobedience lightly? If you continued to fight, he will make you wish for death.”

The truth behind the cold, crisp words left Luka shivering. For years a part of him had wanted to give up. The visions gave him hope. Enough hope to live.

The spinning stopped. He smelled mold and dirt, the scent of a drafty basement. It took another few seconds before his eyes regained focus. The room was dreary with thick, concrete walls. The ceiling had numerous brown water stains. The lack of windows or furniture forced all kinds of dark images of the area’s purpose into his mind. The bare walls looked lifeless and the thick wooden door impossible to move.

He closed his eyes and started to think of his mate. If he concentrated, Zed might see him. It had worked once before. Why not now?

“Welcome back.”

The voice yanked him back to the room. He turned to face King Kane and whimpered.

King Kane’s eyes narrowed. The blue irises’ dark glare bore down on him.

“I want to go back to my mate,” he demanded. The fear was overpowering, but being mated helped him find the courage to talk back to the man that killed his father and forced him to be his son.

“I have plans for you that don’t include being a vampire’s whore.”

“I’m not a whore. Zed and I are mates. Not even you can interfere with that.”

A hand shot out and slammed into his cheek. His head snapped to the side. The sound of flesh hitting flesh reverberated within the room. His vision darkened. In the darkness, he prayed for Zed. If his mate took too long to find him, there wouldn’t be anything left for Zed to save.

No, he couldn’t give up. Before, he didn’t have much to lose. Now he had more than his own life to think about. Zed would find him, but for now, he needed to help himself. He buried the rage, the fear, and the despair under his hopes for the future. He pushed down any hint of hostility. “What plans?” Luka asked in a forced civil tone with none of the animosity that he felt.

“A very powerful man wants to be your mate. It’s an honor. I can’t guarantee that he’ll treat you as nice as me.” Kane’s lips arched up into an evil smirk. “Originally, I promised him your virgin ass, but spreading your legs for the vampire ruined that.”

Kane’s eyes narrowed in an accusing glare like he mated with his destined half to spite the elf king. Self-centered didn’t even begin to describe Kane.

Luka shook his head. “I already refused to mate with him. That was decided before I left. Besides, I belong to another man, that makes me undesirable and off limits.” Luka’s voice trembled, betraying the fear he tried to hide.

“He doesn’t want a bond, just a child. If you please him, he might keep you around. Maybe some of the techniques learned from whoring to the vampire will come in handy.”

Luka felt the vomit forcing its way up his throat. He only wanted his mate. The thought of another man touching him terrified and disgusted him. “It doesn’t make sense. I’m not royal or special, why me?”

“Breeding and mating between races is disgusting. You’re a product of a dirty union. The man that is desperate to own you will one day rule the supernatural world. He recognizes your gifts. He’s not an elf, but he’s better than a vampire. Your ability to see the future will be an asset and the child a contribution to our cause.”

Luka took a deep breath. “I’m a product of a mixed breeding. I’m half elf and half human.” He watched for the movement to dodge the strike, but none came. The man who hurt and terrorized him only watched with an evil smirk and narrowed eyes. He felt smaller than a flea and just as useless.

“There’s no hope for garbage like you, but my plans are better than spreading your legs for that pompous asshole. A mixed mating won’t matter with your tainted, dirty blood.”

The hate coming from the king shocked him. He knew Kane didn’t like him, but the man despised him. “If you hate me so much, why did you adopt me?”

“I arranged for your adoption because of the visions. Your father foolishly tried to hide you. Then he refused to give you up. Since the first vision, I’ve wanted you, but even those were nothing but a disappointment.”

Luka backed up. “It’s too late. The mating is already complete. You can’t force me to bond with another.”

“Yes, I agree. It’s too late for a bond, but who said anything about forming a bond? That was the old plan before you dirtied your body. Don’t think too much of yourself. The man only wants a child. Your ability is too week, but maybe if you had a child with a stronger bloodline things can be salvaged. The power can’t be taken from you, but we might be able to force it into your child.” Kane laughed. “You won’t live through it. It’s a shame though. In the end, you won’t see the world we create.”

Luka backed up. The man was pure evil. He killed his father and hurt him day after day for this. The rage surged inside of him. He pushed past the elf king to the door.

Kane grabbed his arm. “Where do you think you’re going?”

“Away from you.” He yanked his arm free. “Keep your vile hands off of me.”

Kane laughed. “Finally grew a backbone. Too bad I can’t damage you. I’ve promised that privilege to someone far worse than me.”

“You don’t give yourself enough credit. I’m sure you’re more of an asshole.”

“You’re far too naive. There are people that will rip out your insides and spoon feed them back to you.” Kane sighed. “Give up and do what I say. Then I’ll be a fond memory. And believe me, the time we spent together will become the happiest times of your life.”

“No, I have a mate. He’ll come for me.”

“It’s not like the vampire cares about you. The only thing he wants is your body. He’s already had that. He won’t come for you now. No one wants to risk a war and damage the fragile peace.” The king laughed.

“I don’t understand. All I can see are scattered visions. Why go to so much trouble for that?”

Kane nodded. “You’re nothing but a product from a failed experiment. The magic we tried to capture was released into the world. In essence, I created you.”

“I’m not related to you in any way. I had parents that created me.”

“No, we’re not related by blood, but I created you and the others like you. They have human blood and strong supernatural abilities. You exist because of me.” Kane pushed him away from the door. He tripped and landed on his ass. He curled into a small ball and waited for the first strike. Kane laughed as he backed up, opened the door and then left with the arbitrator. The door clicked behind them. The ceiling light switched off.

The darkness scared him. Monsters hid in the darkness, killing in the shadows. “Let me out.” Luka screamed. He crawled toward the door, feeling around the cold concrete until he touched wood. He stood and then kicked the door. The palms of his hands rammed into the wood. Soon the pounding left his arms and fists numb. He slid to the floor and curled into a tight ball.

Luka closed his eyes and tried to focus on Zed, but there was nothing. He knew Zed was looking for him. He just hoped his mate found him in time.

No, he wasn’t going to be a victim again. He closed his eyes and looked into the future, but he saw the past.

He gasped as the scene started to play. Luka sat with his dad. Their red hair glowed in the sunlight. His dad touched his hand and guided it up and down the page as he formed numbers with a pencil. The writing was more of a scrawl. His smaller self bit his lip as he pressed harder into the paper.

Each morning he had asked, “Is today my party?”

His dad rubbed his head. “Soon, but not today.” That day the answer changed. “Tomorrow, you will be five.”

The day dragged. He had helped decorate his birthday cupcakes. Each one had to be bright. That’s what he had wanted, a lot of colors. Outside snow fell. The streets turned white, but they were safe watching high above the city in their apartment.

Then a knock. His father stiffened. He pulled Luka from the chair.

“Go hide in the bedroom. Don’t come out.”

“What’s wrong?” Luka shook. His dad never acted this strange.

“It’s a game. I’ll come soon, but stay hidden and be very quiet.”

Luka shook his head. He held onto his dad’s waist.

“Please, be brave. Do this for me.”

He closed his eyes and ran to the other room. He pulled open his dad’s closet and hid in the back behind a large bag of blankets. The closet door stayed open a crack. The sounds traveled into his corner.

“What do you want?” his dad asked.

“Your son, and you’re going to give him to me,” King Kane demanded.

“Get out of my house,” his dad ordered. “Luka’s not going anywhere with you.”