Page 50 of These Deadly Dreams

“Do we tell him I’m your beloved?” Her eyes burn with an inner fire when she asks this. Like just the thought of being his beloved heats her from the inside.

“No. I still don’t want anyone to know. Not until all of the threats have been dealt with, and I know you’re safe.”

I set my burger down. “We also need to keep the harpy thing on the down low. If there is any reason for him to be interested in you, we need to keep that under wraps, or he’ll never let you go.”

“Agreed.” Kai pulls his phone from his pocket. “Should we call now? Get this over with?”

Ellis swallows, and her hands flutter in her lap. I grab one and give it a squeeze, trying to reassure her that everything will be okay. Nodding at Kai, I give him the go ahead to call Thomas Kennedy.

18. Sterling

There’s a hot poker shoved inside my brain. It’s the only thing that could cause this kind of pain. I groan and slowly crack one eye open. It’s dark, thank the gods. I think even the slightest bit of light would cut through me in waves of agony. My other eye opens, and I stare up at the darkness.

I can’t tell where the ceiling is. If there even is one. For all I know, I’m in some vast, empty void. Except under my hands is a smooth surface. It’s unforgiving on my back, and my muscles are cramped and aching. I grit my teeth and roll onto my hands and knees, sweat breaking out over my skin at the effort it took for me to do that. My limbs are shaky, like noodles, and the longer I hold myself up, the harder it gets.

I collapse onto my side, gasping for breath, as my arms and legs twitch uncontrollably. What the hell did they do to me? I lift my head and look around, but I can’t get any idea of where I am. It’s all just dark. I know I have to be in that damn warehouse, because that’s where I stupidly got captured, but that’s all I got.

Reaching inside me, I call my wolf forward—he’ll be able to see better in the dark. But nothing happens. It’s like trying to hold smoke in my hands, but it leaks out between my fingers. There’s nothing to grab on to. No link to my wolf. He’s silent in my head and my chest is empty where he’s usually felt.

The lack of my wolf’s presence leaves me reeling. I gasp and clutch at my chest, digging my fingers into the skin like I can tear into my body and pull my wolf out. He’s been with me my entire life. His absence is like losing a piece of myself, like losing a limb. Where the fuck is he!

A sound draws my attention. It’s close but distant, like whatever it is is behind a door. I hear a key slide into a lock, and the lock clicks. Light creeps into the room as the door swings open, and I slam my eyes shut. When I peek through my closed lids, my heart drops to my stomach.

Sam Morris stands in the doorway. Green light twining around his arms.

“You’re awake. Good.” He grins, and it’s a dark and twisted thing. “It’s time to play.”

19. Malakai

Ellis’s emotions are battering against my shields. I’ve long since mastered blocking powerful emotions. But with her, even the smallest brush against my barriers gets sucked inside. And once inside, it’s like it gets amplified. The only thing I can think of, is that her being my beloved is the cause of this. It’s been distracting, because she feels everything so hard in the first place, and to top it off, her emotions are caused by extreme circumstances. I need to find a way to block them so it doesn’t distract me during times I need to remain focused.

Right now, her anxiety shoves past my barrier, seeping into my blood and making my limbs itch with the need to move. Underneath that thick layer of nerves, hope flutters softly, like a butterfly tickling my skin. I want so bad for this to work. To get her out from under Kennedy’s thumb will be one step toward securing our future together.

I take a deep breath to push her emotions down, and grab my phone. Switching it over to speaker, I meet Ellis’s gaze, and give her an encouraging smile.

“Malakai Thorne,” Kennedy’s slimy voice projects from the speaker. “To what do I owe this pleasure?”

“There are some things I would like to discuss with you,” I say, keeping my voice cool and uncaring.

“And what would that be? Shouldn’t you be on your next mission? Or is this a conversation about you dropping out of the contest?” His glee over that prospect is not lost on me.

A slow grin pulls up the corners of my lips. It’s not a pleasant grin, and my fangs descend slightly. “I won’t discuss anything with you over the phone. Meet me tomorrow. River’s Edge at noon. We can talk there.”

“Will my lovely daughter be joining you?”

A growl rumbles low in my chest, and I swallow, giving myself time to get the monster under control. “She will. I can’t let her out of my sight, after all. Wouldn’t want her to fall into the wrong hands.”

Kennedy chuckles drily. “Indeed. Tomorrow at noon, you say?”

“Alone. Do not bring any mages with you, no reinforcements. If I sense any other presence, we’re done.”

“That goes for you as well,” he counters. “Just you and Ellis.”

“Of course.”

“Then I’ll see you tomorrow. Tell Ellis I’m looking forward to seeing her.”

He hangs up before I can growl a retort. It’s probably for the best. I need to remember to keep myself in check tomorrow. I can’t give him the idea that Ellis means anything to me. Ellis’s amber eyes are wide in her pale face. Her knuckles are white from gripping Cade’s hand so tightly. I wince. That has to hurt, especially if any of her supernatural strength is seeping through. Cade looks unfazed, though. His hope brushes against my barriers, and I let it in. It bolsters my own. Maybe this really will work.

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