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Allyson’s screamsechoedoff the warehouse walls and rang in Frankie’s ears. Adrenaline shot through her, and she fought to hold in her anger—she couldn’t allow herself to shift unintentionally—but the rage filling her was on the point of exploding.
“Let her go, you sick bastard!” She shook the cage bars so hard the damn thing nearly tipped over.
Blood poured down the front of Allyson’s torso, staining her shirt and jeans. All the color had drained from her face, and Frankie could tell she was fighting not to pass out.
Robert laughed as he glanced at Frankie. “Don’t worry. I’m not killing her.” He brandished the knife again and stabbed the tip into Allyson’s arm.
She shrieked and writhed from the pain.
“See that right there.” He pointed to the wound, raising his voice to be heard over Allyson’s screams. “It’s a shallow wound. Deep enough to cause pain, but nothing that will cause her any permanent damage.”
He plunged the knife into Allyson’s thigh, inches away from her femoral artery. “Actually, you should be thankful I haven’t taken her life already. I find myself growing bored.”
Seeing him torment Allyson conjured thoughts of all those other women. Had Robert tortured them the same way? Her body trembled with fury. She couldn’t let herself think about it.
“You are a sick, pathetic excuse for a human being,” Frankie spat.
Robert paused with the knife in the air and turned toward her. Blood dripped from the blade onto his hand as he began to laugh. His laughter filled the warehouse—the cackling of a madman. “A pathetic excuse for a human?” He walked toward the cage. “That’s where you’re wrong, you filthy mutt. You see, I’m not human. Not in the slightest.” He knelt in front of the cage and pointed his blade toward her face. He lowered his voice to a near whisper. “I’m more powerful than any man will ever be.”
He stood and backed away from her, but his eyes never left hers. “And now, courtesy of your little outburst, I’ve become very angry,” he said, almost clinically, “and believe me, youreallywon’t like it when I’m angry. Because when my anger builds, I need to relieve it, so if you’ll excuse me, the faerie and I have some much-needed business to attend to.”
He turned away, and Frankie heard him unbuckle his belt before he unzipped his pants.
Allyson screamed and struggled against the chains holding her. “No, please. Frankie, help!”
Frankie pulled against the bars so hard the metal bent several inches and the cage actually toppled over. “Don’t you fucking dare!”
Robert chuckled. He pushed his body flush against Allyson’s, and she cringed at his touch. “Don’t worry. I won’t touch her.” He ground the bulge in his pants against her small hips. Allyson whimpered, and he placed the knife against her throat. “At least, not while she’s alive.”
Shots echoedthroughthe warehouse as Jace fired three rounds from his Mateba straight into Robert’s back. The bastard staggered, falling forward and sending Allyson, who was shackled and hanging from a chain, swinging in the air.
Jace’s gaze darted around the room. Frankie was struggling with the metal bars of a large cage that had tipped onto its side, her attention trained on him.
Tears poured down her face and blood covered her chest. “Jace!” she yelled.
Jace placed a single finger over his mouth to silence her and pointed to the rear exit door where David was slipping inside the building. As Jace watched, David limped toward the cage, making sure Robert didn’t spot him.
Slowly Robert rose to his feet, still much too close to Allyson. The bullets pushed their way out of his back as the skin stitched itself back together, visible through his torn shirt. He turned to face Jace, the desire of a murderer burning in his eyes.
“Haven’t you learned? Your silly little bullets can’t kill me, Jace.” Robert smirked.
Jace held his gun steady, pointed straight at Robert’s head. “Maybe. But they can sure as hell cause you a lot of pain.”
Robert stepped forward, arms wide in a welcoming gesture. “Why bother fighting, Jace? Give yourself up now and I’ll let them both go. Untouched.”
Jace shook his head. “You really think I’m that stupid? You won’t yield that easy.”
A wide grin spread across Robert’s face. “That’s debatable. But considering your bloodline, for my own sake, I hope your lineage alone makes your intelligence above par.”
“What the hell are you talking about?” Jace focused on Robert, trying hard not to glance in Frankie’s direction as David quietly picked the lock on the cage. If only Robert would move toward him, David could get to Allyson, too.
Robert stepped toward Allyson and ran his hand down the length of her thigh. She writhed in a fruitless attempt to avoid his touch. “You still haven’t figured it out yet, have you?” he said, then turned to leer at Allyson.
While Robert wasn’t looking, Jace inched forward. One step. Two.
Turning to face Jace again, Robert wiped the blood off his knife with the edge of his shirt. He eyed Jace up and down. “You never once questioned why? Why your name was carved into the arms of my masterpieces? Why that werewolf bitch was attacked just after you fucked her like the whore she is?”
Jace let out a low growl. “I don’t try to understand the logic of psychopaths. If you wanted to kill me, you should have just done it that night at the park. Enough with the theatrical games.”
