Page 6 of Taken By Fury
Her eyes darkened, showing her anger was on the rise. “You’ve threatened my life, and in my book, that makes you no better. I gave you information. What more do you want?”
His frustration was at the breaking point, and he jerked her so close their faces were only inches apart. “I want everything. I’ve heard how you treated the women in your care. Oh sure, you pretend to crack open that thing you call a heart, but in the end, you are one cold-blooded bitch. If you think you deserve my mercy, then you are fucking mistaken.”
Her mouth fell open briefly before she slammed it shut and pursed her lips into a thin line.
“Truth stings like a motherfucker, doesn't it?”
Her response was to glare back at him. He’d struck a nerve. Hell, he’d plucked that sucker out and stomped all over it. Did he feel good about it? Not really, but damn, the woman drove him to the edge of his patience.
“Where are you going?”
The death stare they had on each other was broken by his sister-in-law, Aimee.
“I’m taking her back. She’s a prisoner of war with information about our people.”
Aimee stepped next to him. “So you think tying her to a bed will help your cause? She gave you information that led to a rescue.”
“It won’t hurt any, and there is still more she hasn’t told us.”
“Zander, I never thought you were the type to be so harsh.”
Neither did he, but he was as desperate to find his missing brother as was Greydon. They also had to find out what this magical netting was. It had become their weakness. “There are many things you need to learn about me.” He bowed his head in respect to his queen. “Now, if you will excuse me.” He started to walk away, but Aimee laid a hand on his arm.
“I understand, but please remember. She showed some kindness to both Bethany and me.”
He remembered, and it made him wonder what the doctor’s end game had been. “I will keep that in mind.” He continued down the corridor, jerking Sheila beside him. He still didn’t trust her, but Aimee’s words begging for his kindness echoed in his head, reminding him there seemed to be another side to this woman he was so intent on getting answers from. No matter the cost, though, he was determined to find out what she knew.
This time, he took her down the back stairs that led to a private prison usually reserved for the king’s worst enemy. One where a person’s screams of pain would never be heard. Not that he intended to make her scream, but then again, he was desperate for answers. Desperate to locate his other brother and their people. Once they had reached the bottom step, he shoved her into a cell and watched as she stumbled, then stepped in behind her. She scanned the room, her gaze falling on the small bed before she looked back at him.
“How homey.”
“Be thankful I’m not tying you up.” He jacked up a brow. “Unless, of course, you like being tied to a bed, in which case I am happy to accommodate.”
Her lip curled and the look she shot him would have melted a weaker man. However, he was no man. He was a prince of Atlantis. An immortal who had survived years of torture and he had gained firsthand knowledge on how best to mete it out. His older brothers would be proud.
“We have unfinished business.” He took a seat on the stainless-steel chair because towering over her would not gain him what he wanted. “Tell me what you know about the magical netting.”
She folded her arms over her chest. “Why should I?”
“Because I intend to get it from you one way or another.”
“You think threats will get you what you want? You really are no different from Zolar’s demons, or Zolar himself.” Her eyes misted, but it was brief before her gaze was once again ice cold. “What you need to do is take me back. It’s the only way you are going to keep yourself and the people here safe.”
He laughed. “I am taking you nowhere and especially not back to him, so you can continue your little experiments. Now, let’s try this again. Tell me about the netting.”
CHAPTER3
She tried not to panic because it would not do her a bit of good. But how the hell did she go from one prison to another? Did this demon somehow know her secret? She didn’t see how that was possible, but she knew very little about the demons called Valarians. All she understood was what little information Zolar had offered, which amounted to the god needed her to work some DNA magic and start producing babies from thin fucking air. She was handed a lab, human women of childbearing age, who were to be tested for any demon DNA, and semen from captive Valarians. She had tried to ask questions once and had paid with a severe beating. It hadn’t taken long to learn if she kept her mouth shut, did what she was told, her life was easier, and they even rewarded her with a bit more freedom and protection.
“What about my brother? Where else might they be hiding him?”
Zander jerked her from her thoughts. “Zolar has so many places, it’s hard to say.” There had to be a way to convince him to let her go. Granted, she was probably better off here as Zander’s prisoner, but there were so many reasons she had to leave. Yes, she had betrayed Zolar and helped both Aimee and Bethany when they had been in her lab and wasn’t about to lead that ass of a god straight to them. Then there was Zander. Even with his threats, she wanted to protect him as well. She had learned a little about Atlantis while captive. It was real, and it was under the protection of Zolar’s estranged wife, Uuna. She had been told Zolar had murdered Uuna’s father in order to take the city. Her informant had also said that the eldest prince was prophesied to take the throne and bring the city back to life after he killed Zolar. If she was going to be of any help to the side of good, she needed to be back in that lab, where she had some control over what happened.
“Well, start speaking. Do you need to draw me a map? I can procure pen and paper.”
She laughed as she rubbed her arms to fend off the cold air, which smelled like salt water. They were under the ocean. At least that was what she suspected from the little she had seen of the city before Zander whisked her away again.
She had never been certain she believed the stories of Atlantis, but hell if she wasn’t in a place that fit its description. The scientist in her wanted to analyze each one of the beings here, while the part that was her father wanted to dig up old relics. She wanted to ask her own questions, like how was a city the size of Atlantis sitting at the bottom of the ocean? How big was it, because she actually had no idea. What kind of magic did these demons possess? She could spend the rest of her living days exploring and soaking in everything this lost city and its people could teach her.
