Page 63 of Cruel Salvation

Chapter20

Damon wokein the safe house, his head pounding and his mouth dry, feeling like it was stuffed with cotton wool. He opened his eyes slowly, trying to remember what had happened. The eerie silence told him he was alone and the thought sent a shiver down his spine. Naz was gone, and the fear of it had him stumbling to his feet. His legs felt weak and wobbly like a newborn foal, and he gripped the edge of the door frame that led to the kitchen to stop himself from going down as he stumbled.

“Naz.” Her name rang out with desperation and the echo of quiet was the only thing that came back to him.

Simon had taken her somewhere while Damon lay unconscious, it was the only explanation that made sense. The fact she’d left him unconscious proved she hadn’t done so of her own free will. Naz would never have left him like that. He felt a chill go through him as he realised he must have been drugged by the tea that Simon had made, yet Naz had refused it. His mind was clearing quicker now, his body metabolising whatever he’d been given. The rain still fell but the light from the window showed the late afternoon sun trying to peak through the clouds, causing a rainbow on the horizon that seemed to mock him, meaning that it was most likely hours since she’d been taken.

Slumping back onto the arm of the couch, he rubbed a hand over his face trying to clear the fog that hung off him like sticky sap on his brain, making everything sluggish. He felt frenzied and panicked as he searched for his phone and found it crushed on the floor.

His eyes traced the room looking for a clue, a sign of a struggle, but there was none, and he didn’t know whether to be relieved or terrified. A struggle meant she was alive at least, but then it also meant she could be hurt. Damon jumped off the couch and ran outside, but it was too late; there was no trace of them left. He honestly hadn’t expected there to be any, but still, his shoulders fell in defeat.

Trudging back inside, he knew he had to get back to the team and tell them what had happened or at least get word to them. They’d be able to track them with their resources, but it would take time and every second counted now if they wanted to save Nazareli, the woman he loved beyond his wildest expectations from whatever plan Simon and likely Andrea had in store for her.

Damon took a deep breath before running back to the car. This was going to be a long drive and he wasn’t sure what awaited him at the end of it. All he knew for certain was that it had to be good, no other option could be tolerated. Before he could open the door to the car, he spied the slashed tires and cursed, lashing out with his fist as a roar of frustration bellowed from him.

Hopeless wasn’t a feeling he was used to. He had more money than he could ever spend in ten lifetimes, and yet what good did it do him now?

He was trapped, alone, and the love of his life was vulnerable, and he could do nothing to help her. He had to think fast and come up with a plan. He looked around, searching for anything that could help him, but the safe house was barren and empty. Every piece of comms equipment or technology had been destroyed, including his mobile phone.

He had no choice but to start walking, to find a way out of this godforsaken place. He pulled his coat around him, trying to fend off the biting wind and rain that lashed at his face. The weather was the least of his worries. He needed to make it to the village or any kind of civilisation so he could raise the alarm. He had a woman to save, a woman he loved more than life itself.

As he walked, Damon replayed the events of the past few hours in his mind, trying to piece together any clues he might have missed. He couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something he was missing, some detail that could help him find Naz. He racked his brain, trying to remember anything that might be useful.

Headlights blinded him as a vehicle flew around the corner and he lifted his arm to shield his eyes from the bright light of the headlights. As it braked and pulled to a stop beside him, he tensed, not knowing what or who to expect, but relief flooded him when he saw Duchess and his brother.

“Get in.”

Damon jumped in the back seat and Duchess hit the accelerator. “Talk to me. What happened?”

“Simon drugged me and took Naz.”

“Fuck. How long?”

Damon shook his head trying to clear it as his brother watched him with worry in his eyes. “A few hours maybe.”

Duchess glanced at him in the rearview mirror, her expression grave. “We’ll track them down. We won’t stop until we find her.”

Damon gave a nod, his heart pounding in his chest. “We have to hurry. They could be doing anything to her.”

“We’ll find her, Damon. We always do.”

He knew she was trying to reassure him, but he wouldn’t rest until Naz was safe in his arms.

As they drove, Damon’s mind raced with possibilities of what could be happening to Naz. He couldn’t bear the thought of her being hurt, or worse. He clenched his jaw, feeling powerless with each passing second.

Duchess pulled up to the safe house, the engine still running. “Let’s see if we can find any clues.”

The three of them got out, the rain still pouring down on them. They searched every inch of the place, turning over furniture and checking for any signs of a struggle. But once again, there was nothing.

“We need to widen our search,” Damon said, his voice tight with tension.

Duchess was on the phone to Bás as Gideon gripped his shoulder.

“We’ll find her, brother.”

Damon looked at the man he’d hero-worshipped all his life and prayed he was right. “What if they don’t? I can’t do this without her.”

Damon knew his brother understood, he loved Duchess with the same ferocity as he loved Naz.