Page 6 of Seduction in Blood
Sorrento didn't back down. "Then my debt is doubled." He smiled. "I'm not worried."
Remus nodded. "Good. Because Trelane won't be as accommodating, and my owed favor will pass to you."
Sorrento paled again, but his defiance didn't deflate. "Still not worried."
I ignored Sorrento as I tried to recall where I'd heard the name Trelane before.
"Glenda," Remus yelled. "Come get this girl. She'll need to be cleaned before we leave."
Sorrento bowed to Remus and backed away. Before he turned to exit, he gave one final warning, nodding toward me. "This one is slippery. I suggest keeping her in chains."
"There's nowhere for her to run. If she tries, any one of her six new bodyguards," he nodded toward the men in the room, "will rip her apart before she makes ten yards." He turned to me. "Remember that girl." When a robust woman entered the room, Remus pointed toward me. "I want her bathed and dressed to meet Trelane." He glanced out the windows. "You have two hours before dark. He should be available then."
Sorrento gave me a last, almost regretful glance before disappearing out the door.
I gave the six men a quick assessment. They weren't as large as Sorrento's men, but they were wiry like Harlow and no doubt quick. I shrugged. In two hours, they wouldn't be my problem. It wasn't until Glenda had grabbed my upper arm in a tight squeeze and pushed me to another door that I remembered where I'd heard the name Trelane. I wheezed, and my knees almost buckled.
Trelane was the notorious city outcast. And an ancient vampire.
ChapterFour
I stared out the window,grateful for a more luxurious ride than a catch box. At the sound of ice cubes dropping into a glass, I turned toward my host. Remus, also known as The Wolf, traveled in style. The limo was well-appointed with a white interior, and I stared down at my clothing, wondering how much filth I was rubbing into the matching leather seats. The carpet was so thick I wanted to run my toes through it. A light musky scent mixed with the rich smell of leather and something a little more sinister floated between us.
A dark partition had been raised between the driver's section and the back, which had plenty of legroom. I huddled on the long cushioned bench, and The Wolf sprawled on one of two console chairs. He poured what looked to be vodka into the glass.
He glanced at me and lifted the crystal decanter that he'd pulled from the chilled section of his liquor cabinet. What the hell.
I nodded. When he reached for the tongs to select an ice cube, I murmured, "Neat."
He raised a brow and poured two fingers into the glass before leaning over to hand it to me.
I forced myself to sip rather than gulp the liquor, but my nerves wanted me to down it and beg for more. After two long sips, my courage returned. "I didn't know the packs were into slave trading."
I waited. Was he going to censure me? Hit me? Eat me?
Instead, he laughed. "Ah, my dear, I'm afraid Sorrento has given you the wrong impression." His expression darkened, and he swallowed a large portion of his vodka. "He knows how the shifters feel about catch boxes. And while he may have paid his debt in a more than acceptable manner, his actions won't go unpunished, if that gives you any peace for the way you were treated."
I tried to hold my surprise in check. A shifter being more polite than a human. But I had to admit, Sorrento wasn't your model human by any stretch.
"Yet, you have no problem with him trading me off to pay his debt." I swallowed the rest of the vodka. The liquor replaced my fear with irritation.
"Is that what you think? That you've been traded off to be a slave?"
I managed a half-shrug.
He laughed before finishing his drink. He lifted the crystal decanter. When I raised my brow, he followed with a shrug of his own. "We have another forty-five minutes before we arrive at the Trelane estate. We might as well enjoy the ride."
I offered my glass, and this time, he poured a larger serving for both of us before setting the crystal bottle back in the refrigerated cabinet. It had been a while since I'd had anything as fine as this vodka. Not only was it worth sipping, if I drank much more, all my inhibitions would be gone. That wouldn't be wise until I knew more about my situation.
"So, how would you classify my abduction and…" I waved my hand around the limo, which I had to admit didn't suggest horrible captivity. But a hostage was still a hostage.
"As a human, you probably don't know much about magical creatures. But, from my research into Pandora, you know the underworld." When I didn't respond, he asked, "Am I wrong?"
I shook my head. The more I learned about my situation, the easier it would be to find a way out. One in which I was still in one piece.
"This world revolves around those who have and those who don't. Even in the mundane world of humans, people borrow money or other material items, typically in exchange for money or credit. In the world of immortals, money is king, but the only credit we use are personal favors, which are as valid as any written contract. But unlike debt collectors or lawsuits, anyone not following through on a favor owed is punished more…directly."
I took a large gulp of my drink and turned to the window. No sane person would ever go back on a favor owed to an immortal of any species. Not without a death wish or forever looking over your shoulder.
