“Did you know, Temptation, that the price on your Halfling’s head is nearly as large as the one on yours? Different interested parties, of course. But quite profitable, all the same.”
“Bastard,” Gideon snarled at Asher, jerking at his wrists. The chains rattled but held. “We had a blood contract!”
“One I fulfilled,” Asher pointed out, unperturbed. “The contract stated I had to take you to your mate, nothing more, nothing less.” He nodded toward Maggie, who was only now beginning to stir. Dear Jesus, what had they done to her that she would remain unconscious through all this noise?
“You’re here, aren’t you?” Asher asked. “And she is your mate, isn’t she? Contract satisfied. You—and the contract—stated nothing about making sure the two of you made it safely back.” Asher shook his head. “You should be more careful about what you’re signing, Temptation.”
“I’ll take out another contract,” Gideon immediately prompted.
“No,” Asher said after a moment, “I don’t think so. After all, I got everything I wanted from the last one. And you don’t look as if you’re in any position to…ah, uphold your end of any bargain you might make right now.” He offered Gideon a strange smile then. “Remember, Gideon. Everything happens the way it happens for a reason.” His gaze moved to Maggie, dipped knowingly toward her lower abdomen, then shot back to Gideon and narrowed. “Besides, you wouldn’t thank me if I change the way things end.”
And then Asher shimmered away, leaving Gideon shaking with fury. His focus went back to Maggie. Her eyes fluttered open, and she moaned, scrunching them closed again.
“Oh, and in case you’re wondering,” Mortika? added, drawing Gideon’s burning stare, “shimmering won’t do you any good. Well, it won’t do her any good, at least. Nifty little trick with the cuff, by the way.”
It was then that Gideon finally noticed the bit of silver Mortika? twirled around his finger. Holding it to the light, Mortika? admired the ancient runes carved into the cuff.
Just like he’d done with the Amulet of the Gods, Mortika? summoned Hellfire. Gideon strained against the chains with all his might, but they wouldn’t budge. Before Gideon’s horrified eyes, the cuff on Mortika?’s palm melted into a ball of silver, and then liquefied and dripped from Mortika?’s hand to puddle on the floor at his feet. As if sensing its partner’s fate, the cuff on Gideon’s wrist clicked open and fell uselessly to the floor.
The ramifications were too much for Gideon to bear, and something inside him shattered.
“Oops! My bad.” Mortika? sneered. “Guess you’re back to being cursed.”
Gideon snarled. His body vibrated with rage. It clawed inside him, shaking him, ripping through him, demanding to be released. The only thing keeping him sane in that moment was knowing that if he lost control, in that tiny room, Maggie wouldn’t stand a chance.
“I know your secret, Temptation,” Mortika? taunted, crossing his arms. He leaned negligently against the doorframe. “Your rage controls you. And your rage is the only thing that will get you out of those chains. But you won’t risk that, will you? You won’t risk going demonic with her so close.” Mortika? straightened, shaking his head. “Pitiful.”
Gideon refused to rise to the bait. His worried eyes were was busy sweeping over Maggie, searching for signs of serious injury. She was fully awake now, supporting her weight on trembling legs. She did not speak, but her eyes filled with tears as she looked between Mortika? and Gideon.
“Ah, well, it’ll be worth it to see how this plays out. Either you stay chained up, and watch Stolas come for his merchandise. Maybe he’ll get rid of the bastard you already planted in her and plant one of his own. Then again, maybe he’ll keep it and raise it himself. Now doesn’t that just give you warm fuzzies?” Mortika? laughed, dark and gut deep.
“And if you do decide to let the rage take over and break those chains, so I’m out a bit of gold.” He shrugged carelessly. “I’ll get to watch you rip your own mate to shreds. The pain that will cause you—once you regain your senses, of course—will be well worth it.”
Chuckling, Mortika? turned and left the room.
“Are you okay?” he asked Maggie, devouring her battered face with his eyes.
Huge tears rolled down her cheeks, but she shook her head. “You shouldn’t have come, Gideon. I’m bait. He used me to get to you.”
“No, Maggie,” Gideon argued. “He wants you every bit as much as he wants me. Besides, I promised you I’d keep you safe.” He gave a vicious jerk on the chains and got nothing but a smarting wrist. “I’ll figure something out. You’re sure you’re okay? Kyanna said she could hear you screaming.”
“How is Kyanna?” Maggie asked, frantic. “Mortika? hit her so hard—”
“She’s okay. She’s just fine, I promise. She’s with Xander. He’ll take care of her.”