Page 18 of Beginnings

I inhaled—and almost threw up. The stench of blood and other fluids hit my sensitive nose. I swallowed a cry, bile rushing up my throat. I knew that underlying sweet scent. I didn’t want to see what lay up there but knew I needed to. I pushed up the air grate which was set in the floor and shimmied out from my hiding place. I didn’t replace it. If I needed to leave quickly, that was my only way out.

I breathed slowly hoping my scent and the stench of dead rats would be covered by the blood and other smells. Careful to remain quiet, I shuffled forward and squatted near the door.

“Oh, we’re all evil to some degree, but I guess it depends on your point of view. Take you for instance; a strong and powerful alpha who has gone mad with grief. You, Rawson, are going to show all those fucking human sheep out there just how evil an upstanding member of the shifter community can become. And I am going to be their fucking saviour by locking you up,” Doherty said, brushing an imaginary speck of dust from his shoulder.

A low growl rumbled from Rawson’s chest. “That’s my wife! My mate! Let me. Go to. Her!” He panted hard, blood running from his ravaged lips.

My breath caught in my throat. Rawson was struggling to even talk. He was wounded badly, and not just his face.

Doherty’s cold laugh coated my insides with ice.

I peeped through the slats of wood which made up the door, trying my best to get a better look. I didn’t care if it was Doherty, I needed to get Rawson out of there.

Doherty had his back to me but I’d know him anywhere; his silver grey hair, his tall slim frame, and even if I couldn’t see his face I could hear his Irish accent, and the familiar coldness to his voice.

“Oh, but you just killed her, Rawson. There is no going back now.”

“Killed her!” Rawson’s eyes were so swollen they were almost shut, but I could see their wildness, and they grew darker by the second, his bear fighting to take control. “I didn’t kill her! I love her more than my own fucking life! She’s my life mate.”

He tried to crawl on his hands and knees to what remained of Lyss; of the sweet natured, beautiful woman who had cared for me and loved me for years. Tears obstructed my vision and my heart tore apart so viciously, I had to shove the back of my hand against my mouth to stifle my sobs.

Rawson roared over and over, cursing Doherty with everything he had.

I couldn’t imagine what seeing Lyss’s torn and broken body was like for the kind man who had saved me from the clutches of London’s underworld. This whole situation was fucked up! They'd been close again recently, their love the only light in my otherwise dark days. Rawson had never talked to me about what he’d been doing, almost as if he’d thought better of it. Despite my vow to find out what had happened to Connor, I hadn’t wanted to push him, not when he and Lyss had been working things out.

I bit my hand trying not to cry out as Rawson threw himself toward Lyss. Tears ran down my cheeks when I saw the true state of his face. His mouth was cut and bruised, and his nose was broken, dripping blood down his shirt. And he crawled. I had never seen Rawson lower himself physically to anyone before, not even Doherty.

Doherty snorted, his body shifting and I almost vomited on the spot. The only thing I could do to stop myself was bite my hand harder. The pain I inflicted upon myself was nothing compared to the agony inside my soul.

Lyss was literally in pieces. Ripped apart by something frenzied and wild. Rawson tried his best to get to her, sobbing for his mate. Tears ran down his swollen and bruised cheeks, mixing with blood and saliva before they dripped onto the floor.

Doherty prowled around Rawson before he smiled and brought his foot back. He landed a vicious kick in Rawson’s ribs. Rawson grunted and fell onto his belly. Doherty kicked him again and again. Each time Rawson pushed back up, his eyes on the ruins of Lyss’s face. I wanted to scream at the man who had saved me to save himself, to fight like he should. Bone cracked, and he fell face-first into the blood of his mate.

My blood chilled. He didn’t care that he was going to die, he just wanted to get to Lyss before he did.

“Let! Me! Touch! My! Wife!” He panted hoarsely.

Doherty laughed. “Oh, you won’t be touching her again—ever. No, where you’re going the only people you’ll get to touch are the guards when they force you on your knees to do whatever they want you to.”

Bile burned my throat. I had no idea what had happened here, but I knew Rawson hadn’t killed Lyss.

Doherty kneeled next to Rawson’s ruined body. My blood froze when he growled, “You’re mine now, Rawson. I own you.” He stood and spoke to someone else.

I shrank back. I hadn’t even seen the other man in the room. His movements were predatory and powerful. He had to be a supernatural to move so fluidly for such a big man. His head was covered in a mask and helmet, and his body armour was the same as the other agents. Only his eyes showed. Minutely, his head moved, and I was sure he stared right at me before he turned his glowing red gaze to Doherty, then leaned his bulk back against the wall—watching.

The director peered down at Rawson again. “It’s time to prove you’re not as invincible as you believe, Rawson.” He huffed a humorless laugh. “If you hadn’t interfered in Connor’s disappearance or my life, then none of this would have happened.” He shrugged. “But you did, even after my warning, so this…” He grabbed Rawson’s bloodied head and forced him to look into Lyss’s dead eyes. “...is on you. You killed her.” He released his grip before slamming Rawson’s head into the floor.

Doherty stood, his face twisting as he wiped Rawson’s blood off his hands with a pristine white handkerchief. “The police have no authority when a shifter loses control and kills others.” He fixed the red eyed man with a challenging stare. “This man is out of control and is a danger to society. Imprison him with the others. You know where.”

“No!” Rawson’s voice was little more than a harsh whisper. “You’ll. Not get. Away. With this.”

Doherty shrugged. “I will. I always do.”

“You evil fuck!” Rawson spat blood from his mouth onto Doherty’s shoes.

The red eyed man unfurled his body in one smooth move and studied Rawson. Rawson didn’t look away. No, his eyes turned deep brown, fury burning in them.

Doherty cocked his head and grinned. “Oh, I am. You have no idea how evil, but you are going to find out. This?” He gestured to Lyss’s mutilated body. “This is nothing. I am going to break you; or rather my partner is, with the help of our friend here.”

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