Page 55 of Anything But Convenient

I'm thrown over his shoulder and then we're moving. I took the chance to look at the surrounding area. Unfortunately, it's too dark to really tell what the hell was going on. I could see some light shining on what I’d guess was a parking lot.

Again, it doesn't tell me much. There are parking lots pretty much everywhere.

The distant sounds of heavy traffic gave me a little reprieve. Maybe we were outside the city. The dark voice inside me says, ‘Or maybe we're outside of a different city, and you're far from home.’

I hated the thought. I wished I was back in bed with my husband curled up in him and basking in the comfort he provided. It's not that I took him for granted all this time, more that I'm realizing just how fucked up the world really is.

Sure, I had been paying attention while the NightShade crew talked about the Gilded Ones. The name Mordecai was familiar enough, but they hadn't spoken about him a lot. Ajax, sure. He was the jerk who was in the trafficking. The one who had taken those people that I initially showed up to help. I would never thank him for his evil doing, but I recognized the way fate brought me to my husband.

I wondered how he was feeling at the moment. Had he heard that I was taken? Had Damari gotten word to the others?

The last thing I remembered seeing of him was that he was running towards the building. I wasn't quick enough to make it. My reaction time was far too slow, and I paid the price.

What was strange is that I had nothing to offer these people. I didn't know any secrets, and I didn't have any skills other than the languages I could speak and read. Even if they knew that much, I wouldn't be an asset for them.

I was sailing through the air again before I knew it and landing in a chair. My spine stung with the pain of my fall. It was only the start of my discomfort. A bright light shone in my face as my wrists and legs were bound with duct tape.

There was nowhere for me to go. Nothing for me to do.

I forced my eyes open, needing to see at least where I was. The lights were so bright, I couldn't make out anything. I was alone in a chair in a room. Past that, it was anyone's guess.

I didn't dare call out, not because I was afraid of who would answer, but because I was in no hurry to speed up this process. The two men who had taken me out of the van, who were also likely my kidnappers, were probably still in the room with me watching my every move. And this Mordecai person would be showing up soon. I had no doubt.

I had always been good at the waiting game. And wait we did.

The heat of the lights burned against my skin. I felt like I was on fire. It could also have been from the tranquilizer moving through my system. I had never experienced it, but me and drugs were not the best of friends. Even over the counter stuff could make me loopy sometimes.

That's why I had never experimented much when I was younger. No reason to wind up in a hospital because I decided to take E to get through a homework assignment. I'd seen it happen a number of times to other people.

The sounds of heels on the hard floor echoed through the room. I wondered for a minute if maybe they had brought someone in to speak with me or take care of my wounds. Maybe it was someone here to explain how this would all work.

The lights dimmed slightly, which illuminated that I was surrounded by men. It wasn't just the two I thought. There had to be at least twenty.

Two of them moved to the side revealing a slim woman. Her bright red heels continued to tap as she walked forward in a matching power suit. She stayed just out of reach, her gaze assessing me.

“Archie, what a pleasure to have you here.”

I frowned, but didn't say anything. They had not taped my mouth, which either meant they weren't worried about what I would say, or they wanted to hear what I had to say. I didn't really like either option. I would be quiet and reserved. It's what would give me the answers I needed.

The woman made a clicking sound with her tongue. “Don't be shy, Archie. I am so excited to have you here. It's been a long time coming. Not you in particular, of course, but I could never resist when things line up perfectly.”

I tilted my head slightly, letting her know that I had no clue what she meant. I still didn't even know who she was.

As if she could read my mind, she pressed a hand to her chest and said, "Oh, dear, look at me. How impolite. My name is Shelley. But you might know me by a different name. I am Mordecai.”

There was no hiding my reaction then. My eyes blew wide as my jaw dropped.

This was Mordecai.

This woman who looked like I could snap her in half. I didn't even have the muscles that the guys on the NightShade team did. Ronan could sneeze this woman into oblivion. She was that thin and frail.

Yet the men around her all looked as if they were seconds away from bowing at her feet. Every word she said captivated them in a way that spoke of a cult-like existence.

She giggled. Like, actually fucking giggled.

“You're so cute. That's the reaction everyone has when they realize who I am. Though that number is kind of small. It could be smaller, but it's so fun to reveal the big secrets, you know? Especially when I won't see that person ever again.”

She didn't have to elaborate what she meant by that. Her plans did not involve keeping me around, and I doubted she went through the trouble of kidnapping me just to let me go back home.

---