Page 63 of Manix
Iago wandered away, talking to the room like he was some great orator rather than a piece of shit. “I’m an intelligent enough person to admit when I was wrong. I always thought that it was your mother who supplied the Manix genes, but I have since learned that it wasn’t her at all. All those years and useless offspring wasted. It wasn’t her—it was your father who was the Manix. Apparently, my mother was a whore too. I should have guessed.” He paused. “But you were Manix, a female at that, and I needed more. Most in the supernatural world think your species is dead. Extinct. Thank you for leading me right to an entire colony of them. Bad for supply and demand, but it's always nice to have a farm.” His grin widened and I tried not to flinch at the expression. “Imagine my surprise when I realized I had the last remaining female Omega Manix just living under my roof. Your value skyrocketed. Hell, I could name my price and my buyer would take it.” He was practically gleeful, and I shuddered.
“I don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about, you psycho piece of shit.”
Iago frowned. “You are a lot more mouthy when I don’t have the brat to keep you in line. Luckily for me, I brought along some new insurance. Bring in our guest,” he yelled to whoever was watching the door
Ice flooded my veins. No. He couldn’t mean…
They dragged in a nearly unconscious Raiden, and I screamed. Scrabbling to my feet, I rushed over to him. He was shirtless and bleeding from what seemed to be dozens of knife wounds. His face was absolutely battered, but they’d left his torso alone.
I leaned over him, hissing at the men who held him. Men I’d feared my whole life.
Raiden opened one battered eye and looked at me. “Naja.” Then he passed out again. Blood loss? Head injury?
I checked him over and could see he had a couple of broken fingers, the wounds and gashes across his chest and back, and his face was a mess, but they hadn’t touched his stomach.
“Oh, don’t look so relieved, Marigold. I wouldn’t hurt the future merchandise. Do you think I’ll get another female Omega from the litter? This is like one of those surprise unboxings.” He actually sounded gleeful.
His phone rang, and he pulled it out of his jacket pocket to answer. His face lit up at whoever's name was on the screen.
“Ah, it's nice to hear from you, old friend. Yes, I have retrieved the merchandise.” He was silent for a moment and then his brows rose. “I see. And where did you hear that? Hmm, interesting.”
I was dying to know who was on the phone but it didn’t take a genius to realize it was my buyer. “I’m afraid I am reluctant to part with the new stock. Perhaps after he’s…” His eyes grew wide. “How much? Oh, well then, we might just have a deal, friend. Always best to get a breeding pair. I’m afraid that the new stock had a bit of a rough time in transit though, he doesn’t look the prettiest.” Whatever the other guy said made Iago laugh. “Fair enough. I shall see you soon.”
Iago pocketed his phone and turned to grin at me. “Marigold. You have just made me the richest fucker on the planet.”
He gave orders for someone to clean up Raiden, but I kicked and scratched any person who even came close to him. I was feral, my long-dormant Beast riding me. I could feel her moving under my skin, frustrated that we weren’t Manix enough to burst out and put these fuckers down like the rabid dogs they were.
Someone dropped a bucket and a cloth at my feet, plus a first aid kit. “You do it then, you psycho bitch.” He called me a string of vile names as he walked away, but I took the kit and opened it up. It was basic, but it would do. I ignored the water, which could be full of god knows what. I wouldn’t trust these fuckers as far as I could throw them. I closed up the wounds I could with bandaids, relying on Raiden’s supernatural healing. There was nothing I could do for his face though. I cleaned it up as best I could, wiping the dirt and fuck knows what else from his skin. He flinched away, and I softened my touch. I’d caused him enough pain now. I wouldn’t cause him any more.
“Raiden, baby,” I whispered, choking back a sob that caught in my throat and expanded so big I was worried I’d choke on it.
This was all my fucking fault. I should have left Luisa with them and run. Instead, I was selfish, so fucking selfish, and now Raiden was paying for it. I’d started to believe I could have it all, and could be happy. What a fucking joke. Some people weren’t destined for happiness and I was one of them.
I stroked Raiden’s hair from his face gently, but it was tacky with blood and that made me cry harder.
I looked at the predators in the room, turning so I could keep them all in my line of sight. They were drinking tequila and laughing like they hadn’t nearly beaten Raiden to death, like they weren’t selling me to some freaking psycho who wanted… who wanted to... My mind shied away from the thought. Instead I crouched beside Raiden, my hand on his stomach, the only uninjured part of him.
The cubs kicking against my hand just made me want to cry and cry and cry. My selfishness had prevented them from having a life too.I’m so sorry, little ones. I’ve fucked it all up before you even had a chance to enter the world. I’m so sorry.
The sound of a helicopter landing outside made the guards whoop, because I guessed it was their payday landing, and my stomach threatened to revolt again. My uncle stood, straightening his jacket, which told me that he wanted to impress the man who was about to arrive. It meant he was either super rich or super powerful. Definitely one hundred percent evil.
Something snapped inside me, and I scrubbed my cheeks on my forearm. If this fucker thought I was going to come easily, he was insane. No, I knew if they managed to get me onto that helicopter, I was better off dead. I looked around the warehouse we were in. It was obvious that it was a warehouse because it was filled with shipping containers. It was definitely remote, because until that helicopter had landed, there hadn’t been a single sound.
I had to pay attention. If I was going to get us out of this, I couldn’t be fucking weepy. I had to be tough. Smart like I used to be. I’d fucking learned how to make the best forgeries south of the goddamn border. I’d navigated the dark web and saved Luisa. I was a badass. This shit wasn’t over yet.
My inner pep talk managed to chase back some of the fear, and I searched for a potential weapon. It was a fucking warehouse though; it wasn’t like they were just going to have Uzis lying around.
My uncle moved to the door of the warehouse, his guards flanking him. I could see my buyer, and he was younger than I’d expected. He was in a three piece suit, and looked like he had the whole fucking world in the palm of his hand. But the cruel twist of his lips told me he wanted more, and he wanted to make it bleed.
We couldn’t leave with him. I searched harder and saw a crowbar lying discarded beside some crates. Nothing like bringing a crowbar to a gunfight, but it was better than nothing. Keeping an eye on the group near the huge sliding doors of the warehouse, I crab-walked backwards toward the crowbar. I hated to leave Raiden unprotected, but I couldn’t make sudden movements otherwise I’d attract the attention of the guards.
When my hand finally hit the cold metal of the crowbar, I gripped it. Fuck, it was heavy. But that was a good thing—maybe I could cave in a few skulls before they killed me.
A soft sound behind me had me whipping my head around. Someone was hiding in the shadows. I strained my eyes, and who I saw made my jaw drop open.
The very last person I ever expected to see soft-walked toward me. He looked at me, and I saw the shock in his eyes too. “You,” he mouthed softly, his eyes wide.
I couldn’t even form words. Why would the guy who’d smuggled me out of Mexico be here lurking in the shadows? I never even knew his name, but I didn’t think he’d been working for my uncle.
