Page 10 of The Bodyguard and the Alpha
“No,” she said. “You did the right thing. You were helping Luc and Caly. She’s his mate and my sister. Rescuing her was a priority.”
She was right. Mates were to be protected at all costs. But she didn’t understand that by helping Luc to rescue his mate, I’d put my own in danger. She wouldn’t change her opinion, even if she knew. Elie would have wanted her sister to be rescued, even if it meant putting herself at risk. She was a fierce protector. A perfect mate.
I had waited five years to tell her that she was my mate. To Declare my Intent. I held the words in my chest, aching for her to hear the words. She was hurt and we needed to get out of here. Then, I would tell her. It was time. I wouldn’t take no for an answer. I’d behaved badly. I’d hurt her. But I’d had her in my arms now. And Beast had been able to feel her emotions. She still wanted me. So she would get me.
While I couldn’t tell her the words I wanted to say, I could tell her who our kidnappers were. “We’re in the hands of Humans First.” While I waited for Elie to wake up, I’d drawn on Beast to eavesdrop on the guards outside our cell. Clearly unaware of just how well a Shifter could hear, their casual conversation had given me a lot of information. The only good news was that they didn’t care about Elie. And I had to keep itthat way. “They’ll be coming to take me away soon. I’ll be all right. You don’t need to worry about me.”
“What are their demands?”
“Not sure yet.” The goons outside didn’t know the details. I could make an educated guess.
“I don’t think they’ll ki—”
Her voice choked before she finished the sentence, and she turned her head so I couldn’t see her expression. But I knew what she was having trouble saying. Insane as the situation was, it pleased me that the thought of my death was so upsetting to her.
“It’s all right.” I kept my voice low and soothing. “I’ll be fine. You don’t need to worry.” I could handle a lot of torture. Especially when she was waiting for me to return. I wasn’t already dead, so I must have something they wanted. I might be battered and bruised by the time I saw her again, but I was determined to return to her. In fact, I was betting on it. I was relying on having more moments with her. More time. I had to believe that I would have another chance. A chance to fix my mistakes.
Footsteps sounded outside the door. I was going to make this easy. I would go willingly. So that I could come back to her.
“They’re coming,” I said.
Chapter 9
Electra
“They’re coming,” Bastien said. My brain screameddanger.Instinctively I reacted, rolling to my feet—head throbbing, bad idea— reaching for my magic, trying to get a ping from my pre-cog. But of course, there was nothing. Dizziness from my head injury and disorientation from the lack of magic made me stumble into the wall. Fuck. Useless. I was useless as a bodyguard now. I couldn’t sense danger. I couldn’t protect my principal.
“Breathe, Elie.” Bastien’s tall form was beside me. “It’s not your fault.”
Deep breaths. Head leaning against the wall, I waited until I didn’t feel like I was having a heart attack.
Bastien was right. It wasn’t my fault. Logically, I knew that. My brain knew that. But my heart didn’t. One more deep breath. Ruthlessly I shoved the emotion down. I’d been ignoring my heart for years now. I could do it a bit longer. Straightening my spine, I made myself stand tall, despite the pain. If I couldn’t be helpful, I at least had to not be a burden. I wouldn’t be pathetic. I wouldn’t cry. It was just the dust in the cell. That was all. Yeah.
The door opened, letting in some light from the corridor outside. It was enough that I could make out four men entering our cell. They wore masks but their movements, lacking the fluid grace of Shifters, made it clear they were human. Three of them pointed automatic weapons at Bastien. He took a step, blocking me as I tried to move in front of him. Dammit. He was still my principal.
“Easy or hard. Your choice,” said the one without a gun. He had some other sort of weapon. A long stick. I didn’t recognise it.
“I’ll co-operate.” The snarl I’d heard in Bastien’s voice when I’d told him I was injured was completely absent. He was pulling on his politician’s persona. Smooth. Urbane. If you couldn’t see the shackles on his wrists and ankles, you’d think he was at a meet-and-greet. He was even still wearing his tailor-made suit. It was crumpled now, but it still hugged his broad shoulders and emphasised his trim waist. I probably looked like I’d been dragged backwards through a hedge, while he was as handsome as ever.
Damn Shifter genetics. It was unfair to the rest of the male population. Unfair to those of us who wanted to find a human who didn’t look like a teenage boy by comparison. And add in that human males seemed to be commitment-phobic or incapable of staying monogamous, it was no wonder human women went nuts over Shifter men.
“I’m sure you will,” said Stick-guy.
Shit. My mind was wandering. I’d zoned out. Perhaps I did have some concussion. I needed to pay attention.
Bastien turned his head towards me, his gaze holding mine, his expression unreadable. “I’ll come back to you,” he said. Just as Stick-guy stepped forward and pressed the stickinto Bastien’s ribs. Bastien convulsed in pain for long seconds, then slumped forwards, limp body held upright by the chains attached to the wall.
“No!” The shriek was out of my mouth, and I lunged at Stick-guy without conscious thought. The manacles pulled me up short, straining my shoulders, pain radiating down to my hands, sending them numb.Fuck that hurt. “Bastard.” Bastien had said he would co-operate. He’d shown them no violence. And they’d shocked him anyway.
“Worried about your mutt boyfriend?” sneered Stick-guy. He ran his gaze up and down my body, lingering on my breasts. I held in a shudder, refusing to show him how he affected me. “I think you need to fuck a real man to see what you’ve been missing.” He groped his crotch suggestively.
I took a step backwards. Not in fear, but in readiness. I needed space to move. If he touched me, I’d kill him.
Something must have shown in my expression, because his laugh faltered briefly. Then, because he needed to shore up his ego, after showing weakness, he turned vicious. He whirled, swinging the stun stick at me. I dodged, too slow because of my manacles and my injuries and the stick connected with my shoulder. I arched in pain, mouth opening in a scream, as it hit the place where I was already bruised.
And then he turned it on.
I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t think. Sharp pain radiated out from the site, travelling along my nerve endings, lighting up my body like a fucking Christmas tree. Unconsciousness was a welcome relief.
