Jullien.
With that single thought burning in his mind, he made his way back through the restaurant to the area where his parents had the bastard cornered.
Blind rage clouded his eyes. All Nykyrian wanted to do was rip out Jullien's heart and feed it to him.
With one fist, Nykyrian picked his brother up from the floor and hurled him across the table. Serving ware shattered and scattered, the icy tinkling sound mimicking the coldness consuming him.
Nemesis was awake and demanded to be appeased.
Nykyrian pulled Jullien off the floor by his neck. "Where is she?"
Jullien tried to claw Nykyrian's hand from his throat. Nykyrian tightened his grip. He wanted to see the fat weasel crawl. "Your life hinges on how fast you answer me, you bastard!"
Two of Jullien's guards moved toward them.
Nykyrian switched his blaster to stun and shot them before they could get near him and the fat slob he dangled from his fist like a frightened gim fry. Nykyrian looked at his parents to see if they would interfere. They just stared at him as if he were an animal. So be it. Kiara was all that mattered to him. To hell with anything else. Nykyrian clicked the blaster to kill and held it under Jullien's chin.
"Answer me, or the next sound you hear will be your brains hitting the wall behind you."
Sweat covered Jullien's pudgy jowls. "Aksel has her. I don't know where he's taking her."
Shock at his unexpected answer was the only thing that saved Jullien's life. Numb, Nykyrian released him. The room seemed to tilt. Aksel has her, the words echoed in his mind like a forgotten nightmare.
His father reached out to touch him. Nykyrian moved away with a snarl. He glared at his father with all the hatred scorching, blistering his soul.
"She's the only reason I came tonight," Nykyrian said, narrowing his eyes at his father.
"If something happens to her, I want you to know I'm coming back for Jullien, and when I finish with him there won't be enough left to flush."
Spurred by his agony and rage, Nykyrian left his parents standing next to his brother, watching him with disappointed eyes. To Hell with them. Let them comfort Jullien. He didn't need their love. He didn't need anyone or anything except Kiara.
Nykyrian pushed the bell at Jayne's house. He wiped the tears falling down his cheeks, stunned he would cry now. All the times he had been beaten, wounded, and cursed not one tear had ever fallen. Now he couldn't seem to stop them.
He would gladly trade his life for Kiara's. Whatever it took, he would see her safe.
Jayne opened the door, then stood back, her mouth falling open. Nykyrian disregarded her shock, no longer caring who saw how much the tiny dancer meant to him.
"Aksel has Kiara," Nykyrian said in a ragged, hate-filled voice.
Darling and Caillen came to their feet from the couch. Jayne pulled him into her house and pushed him toward the kitchen table. Dazed, Nykyrian sat in the first chair he reached. Nothing seemed real. It was all like a terrifying nightmare.
He looked at Caillen. "Did you find out anything more about Rachol?"
"He's with my sisters, but I don't know where."
Nykyrian nodded, wishing Rachol were there to help plan this damned thing. His emotions were too tangled. He couldn't think straight. All he could think of was Kiara.
Nykyrian ran his hands over his face, his tears finally stopping. "Darling, I need you to get those disks you picked up from Rachol, along with the ones I got from Driana. With any luck— "
The bell sounded again.
For the second time that night, Nykyrian's world spun. Driana stood outside, clutching Thia to her breast, the child wrapped in a bloodstained blanket. The side of Driana's face was swollen and red.
"He's gone crazy," Driana said, holding Thia tightly.
Nykyrian shot out of his chair and crossed the room to see if his daughter were still alive, his heart lodged painfully in his throat as his fear tripled.
Nykyrian pulled the blanket back and let out a fierce curse. Thia was covered in more bruises than her mother. She turned her little head to look at him, but couldn't open her eyes for the bruises.
"I didn't think he'd stop beating her," Driana said, then broke off into heavy sobs.
Gingerly, Nykyrian pulled his daughter to him and rocked her. He was going to kill Aksel tonight.
"It's all right," he said to Thia, swallowing the wave of tears gathering in his throat. "No one's ever going to hurt you again."
Hadrian, Jayne's husband, came forward to take Thia. "I'll take care of her."
Nykyrian was immobilized by the turbulent state of his emotions. As much as he had hated in the past, nothing had ever prepared him for this burning ache in his soul that begged for appeasement.
Reluctantly, he released Thia to Hadrian, knowing Hadrian would be able to tend her injuries.
"Where is he?" Nykyrian asked Driana.
"He's gone to his base on Oksana. He thinks he's safe there."
"And Kiara?"