Chapter Six
Aurelian
AURELIAN TOOK a seat, sipped his cognac, and regarded the bound Shazlik in front of him. The creature was extremely dangerous, and Aurelian had acted accordingly in thoroughly restraining him.Going to have to deep clean the binders when this is all done.He shuddered.Never thought I’d use them like this.
“What the hell am I supposed to do with you?”
The Shazlik looked back at him silently. The creatures were slender by human standards, almost elfin. They were also blindingly quick and, according to rumour, pathologically violent. The grey-skinned horrors were in high demand as purveyors of destruction and killers for hire.
“You see, my murderous friend, you present something of a problem. I’ve never held someone captive before.”
The Shazlik made a show of looking around at the cables, cuffs, bars, and restraints throughout the room and then turned back to look at Aurelian.
“Yeah, yeah, I take your point. But this is all for use withconsentingadults.”
The creature seemed to give the smallest of shrugs.
“I don’t suppose you’re going to tell me your name,” Aurelian ventured.
No response.
“All right, then I guess I’ll call you Shaz. Here’s the problem, Shaz. Despite what you might think, I have absolutely no skill in torture or interrogation or anything like that. Seriously. And I’m not really that kind of person anyway. If it’s not consensual, it’s not for me, okay? And while I suppose I might know how to bring you off in some way you’ve never experienced before, I don’t see that holding a lot of weight as a means of persuasion.”
Silence. Perhaps the slightest of smiles?
“So, I doubt you’re going to give me any information, Shaz. The only thing I have to bargain with is your life, and that’s where things get really sticky.” Aurelian got up and paced. Even when he was turned away, he could feel the intensity of the creature’s stare upon him. “I’ve never killed anyone, and I doubt I could do it in cold blood, honestly, but I know people who can and will. The simplest solution is to give them a call and you’re no longer a problem. But that’s not my first choice.”
The creature tilted its head, gazing at him fiercely.
“In exchange for your life, I want two things, Shaz. I want a guarantee you will offer no further harm to me or my friend, and I want information. If we can work out how to make that happen, I’d much rather let you live. Do you think we can work that out?”
A long moment of nothing then the Shazlik nodded its head slightly, once.
Aurelian sat down and let out an exhalation of relief. “Okay, then. Who sent you?” The creature said nothing but lifted its cuffed wrists. Aurelian shook his head. “Sorry, Shaz, info first. I’m not giving something for nothing.”
After a moment, the alien said, “Holloway.”
Aurelian frowned. “Holloway? Is that a person? A company?”
“Holloway,” the Shazlik repeated and lifted its wrists once more.
Aurelian shook his head once again. “You’ve got to tell me more.”
The creature said nothing but lifted its wrists a third time.
Aurelian rubbed his jaw and looked at the Shazlik dubiously. “Oh, Shazzy, you’d better not be messing with me here.” He hooked a thumb into his belt, leaned forward, and with his free hand flipped open one binder. Without breaking eye contact with the creature, he opened the second binder.
A millisecond later, the alien was surging forward with hellacious speed, hands reaching for Aurelian’s throat. Just as they tightened, Aurelian pressed the control button on his belt to activate the electrodes in the Shazlik’s ankle cuffs. The creature dropped like a limp dishrag.
“Fucking hell, Shaz,” said Aurelian, gasping for breath. “I really felt like we were getting on, there.” He reattached the wrist binders on the unconscious alien, making sure they were as tight as possible. “And to think I almost didn’t buy those cuffs. Bit of a niche toy, but very handy as it turns out!” Sighing, he pulled out his phone and dialled Marc’s number.
***
When Aurelian emerged from the room, he walked swiftly to the living room, his heart in his throat.Please, please, let her still be there.He really didn’t know what he was going to do if she wasn’t. He didn’t want to think about it.
He rounded the corner and there she was. Sweet, beautiful Kait sitting demurely on the sofa, hands clasped in her lap.Steady on,he reminded himself sternly.Just because she’s still here, doesn’t mean she agrees. Don’t count your chickens, Ari.With this in mind, he sat down in the wingback chair perpendicular to the sofa.
Kait glanced at the hallway. “Is…everything okay?”
