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“You’re forcing her to respond.”
“Pleasure is pleasure.” He circles his free hand around her head. “There. She cannot hear us now. Don’t want pesky memories getting in the way. I never bothered to ask her mate’s name. Who was he?”
I refuse to say. Lord knows what the psycho freak would do with the information.
“Tell me.” He lowers his hand, hovering over Anka’s rosy sex. “Or she spends the entire night coming against her will—and not just for me. I’m sure the wizards of the Anarki would love her.”
As I recoil, a silent tear rolls down Anka’s cheek unchecked. She clenches her fists so tightly, I see blood running from her palms. The woman can’t endure being violated repeatedly.
My voice shakes when I answer. “Her mate is—”
“Was,” Mathias corrects.
“Was Lucan.”
His awful smile widens. “Splendid. No reason to abduct a warrior’s mate and force her to break their bond if it won’t cripple Bram Rion’s little rebellion.”
That explains everything. Mathias not only knows of the Doomsday Brethren, but since he was impersonating my father when he interrupted one of their training sessions, he has a good idea who’s in it, who is mated, and he figured out a shortcut to making them one key member smaller with Lucan’s insanity.
He sends Anka a look of such evil amusement, chills shudder up my spine. “I know precisely what to do with you.”
Whatever he has in store, I already feel sorry for her. I pray she survives and vow to myself that if I escape alive, I will find and help her.
With another snap of his fingers, Anka disappears.
Blinking, I scan the room. She’s gone. “What did you do with her?”
“As much fun as she provided me, I sent her to a place where she can be far more…interesting.”
Did he turn her over to the Anarki for some sort of gang bang? “Send her back to her mate. He’s suffering and—”
“Anka no longer has a mate. So why would I return her to Lucan when my plan to both distract and weaken Bram’s little group is working? Besides, where I’ve sent her, she’ll be very much appreciated.”
“Damn you! Don’t do this to her or Lucan. Don’t—”
“If I were you, I’d worry less about their problems and focus on your own, which have become grave, indeed. Now, either you cooperate with me…or I’ll change my mind and let you experience what Anka has firsthand.”
The very thought of Mathias touching me, of him forcing my body to crave what my mind rejects… I can’t. And breaking my bond with Marrok?
Never.
“I see you understand me, witchling.” Mathias sends me an unctuous smile. “Your decision. Shall we do this easy…or hard?”
Chapter Fifty-Seven
Marrok
Twelve panic-filled hours later, dusk is nearly upon us. I have neither word nor sign of Olivia. The worry that has gnawed at me all day now threatens to consume me.
“Stop pacing.” Bram swirls the whiskey in his glass before tossing the rest back. “Duke and Caden left a few minutes ago to continue their search. Ice is on his second outing, as well. One of them is bound to turn up a clue. I’ll put out more feelers. If the Anarki try to invade, I’ll mop up the wizards. You handle the undead. And we’ll keep praying.”
Grimly, I nod. Without a clue about Olivia’s whereabouts, we can do little more.
I know not who or what magickind prays to, but even if I have not paid my penance in the past fifteen centuries, I hope God will not punish Olivia for my sins. She has barely lived… I must maintain faith—in Him, in myself, in my mate’s abilities, and in the Doomsday Brethren, who have proven more resilient and determined than expected.
But matters look dire. Gray, the venomous, pox-hearted snake, ceased answering both his mobile and the enchanted white rocks. Since he evaded the Anarki for several hundred years, ’tis hardly a surprise he is difficult to find. But he knows me not. After thrice leveling killing blasts at me and abducting the woman I love, he will find me a formidable, tireless enemy. I will not rest until I bring him down and Olivia is safe in my arms.
“What of Shock?” I ask.
