“Not if they just take a little.”
She turned her head. “You know it’s a weapon, right? That he’s loading it in darts to kill people.”
“I like weapons.”
It was difficult to believe that at one time, she’d thought him to be handsome. “I can’t wait to slap the cuffs on you,” she muttered.
He licked his lips. “I’ll be cuffing you, sexy.”
Bile rolled around in her stomach and tried to climb up her esophagus. “Ewww.”
He directed her toward the docks, and she drove around rusting warehouses until finally parking near a ramshackle warehouse that might have been white at one time. Rust covered the entire side, and damaged boards lined one side.
Lex frowned. “I think you might have structural problems, asshole.”
Masterson snorted.
She turned to view him fully. His pupils had dilated, and his face was flushed. “I’m thinking you lied about not taking pain pills.”
“Hey. Getting shot hurts.” He chuckled, his aim not wavering a whit. “Don’t make me shoot you. I promised your dad I wouldn’t shoot you until he had a chance for a nice family reunion.”
God. Did her dad really want to see her, or did he want to watch her get shot? Her hands trembled, so she set them in her lap.
“There are zip ties in the side of the door. Grab them and zip your hands.” Masterson’s voice remained clear, a sign that a simple pain pill didn’t affect him much.
Lex reached for the ties. “Do you sample all your drugs?”
“Some.” He shrugged. “Now, Lex.”
She could turn and grab for the gun, but he had the advantage, and she still didn’t know where her mother might be. If Jennie was inside with the monster, Lex needed to get in there. Playing the captive would hopefully get her father to let down his guard. She slipped her hands into the tie, using her teeth to pull it closed.
“Tighter,” Masterson ordered.
She pulled tighter and then turned to glare at him. “Let’s get this over with.” For the first time since childhood, she was about to see her father without cuffs or an orange jumpsuit. As she stepped from the car, a chill skittered down her back. She quickly noted several soldiers scattered throughout, on alert. Damn it.
Her boots scraped over cracks in the asphalt as she walked in front of Masterson and into a barely lit warehouse. She blinked several times until her eyes accustomed themselves to the light.
Her father met her at the door. “Alex.”
She peered around him to see her mother sitting at the lone table in the massive building, dressed in her Sunday best. Water dripped down the walls, and off to the side, a brand new Mercedes waited quietly. “Are you all right, Mom?”
Jennie nodded and stood, walking toward her with a big smile. Seeing Lex’s bound hands, she frowned. “I don’t understand.”
Parker sighed and slipped an arm over Jennie’s shoulders. “Lex isn’t quite on board yet, and we needed to get her here.”
Jennie shook her head. “No. Let her go.” She gasped as Parker squeezed her shoulder.
Lex hissed. “I’m fine, Mom. Just relax. We’re all good.”
Her father smiled. “Now that’s what I want to hear.” He pulled Jennie around and pushed her into a chair. “Alex? Come sit.”
Jennie frowned and pulled out a chair for Lex.
Lex gave him a look and walked over to sit in the chair, calculating the best way to get out of there alive. Masterson had a gun, and the handle of one poked out of her father’s waist.
The front door of the Mercedes opened, and a man stepped out.
She lifted her head. “Yuri Demidov. I’ve been looking for you.” So the pictures of him were current. “I’m supposing you were the one who sent men to my apartment several times. They had, ah, your type of accent.” In other words, they were witches, too.
Demidov shut the door and smoothed down very expensive looking silk pants. “Yes. I needed the order from your father, and I figured you’d check your damn mail more often.” He shook his head. “I didn’t know who was helping you until I saw the video of the Dunnes that Masterson so smartly arranged.”
Masterson snorted. “She’s fucking Kellach.”
Lex stilled.
He rolled his eyes. “I’m not a moron.”
She didn’t move. The hell he wasn’t.
Demidov smiled, his teeth overly white in the dingy building. “This will be easier than I’d hoped.” He pulled a gun and pointed it at Jennie’s head. “I knew the second I flooded Seattle with Apollo at least one enforcer would show up, but I had no idea they’d send three. I’d like to take them out slowly, one by one. Call your lover.”
Chapter 35