Page 65 of Fated Redemption
This time it was Aleks who punched the small man, and from the sound his fist made, it would be a while before he got back up again.
* * * *
Rhys opened his eyes. Or he thought he did. All he saw was darkness. He blinked slowly and his eyes adjusted to what little light there was. He was in a room. A cold room. He could smell earth. He went to sit up and groaned. His back was killing him. He reached around and felt for a wound.
Whatever it was had healed but he knew it had been bad. He had been stabbed deeply. He could tell since his clothes were sticky and drenched in a lot of his blood. He felt hunger begin to gnaw at him. He had used what precious little blood he had to heal. He needed to feed.
He looked around and slowly was able to make out tall shapes, like bookcases. There was only one small window high up on one wall. Moonlight streamed in through the dirty panes. He took a deep breath, he smelled something familiar. A second later he heard a tiny cry, his eyes widened. Lying in the center of the moonlight on the floor was baby Aidhan.
He crawled over to the child. Hands shaking, he made sure the baby wasn’t hurt. He saw no marks, but Aidhan’s little hands were like ice. He went to scoop him up, but hesitated. The hunger made itself known again. Shaking, he backed away.
“No,” he whispered. He would not feed from an infant. The addiction, compounded by severe blood loss, turned his hands into claws as his fangs cut through his gums.
“No.”
Still, Aidhan whimpered and cried. How long could the baby survive in this cold? Hours? Minutes? Rhys’s mouth watered and he swallowed again and again. He was so hungry. Maybe just a tiny sip?
“No! No! No!” Ragged scream after ragged scream filled his throat. In the background he heard Aidhan’s cries. The poor thing was scared to death.
And he should be. He’s trapped with a monster.
“I’m not a monster. I’m not. I won’t hurt this baby, even if it kills me,” Rhys whispered.
He dragged himself over to Aidhan and gently picked him up and held him close. In the moonlight he could see Aidhan’s face. The tiny child calmed down the instant he was picked up. He looked up at Rhys, blinking his purple eyes.
“Okay, kiddo, it’s just you and me.”
Rhys stood and bounced Aidhan in his arms. He had to move slowly since he was weak from blood loss. But, after a while he had checked the entire room. Of course their captors had not left any way out. The door at the top of the stairs was locked, even throwing his weight against it, it wouldn’t budge. Whoever had taken them wanted him trapped so he would feed on the baby. He slid down the wall until he was seated on the floor.
“We just have to wait for your momma. I bet she is with Moe and your Aunt Abby right now figuring out what happened.You’ll see. We just have to wait.” Rhys tucked the baby close against his body.
Out of nowhere a sense of motherly love filled him. The pain and hunger from the addiction evaporated. He felt a peace like he had never known before. In that instant, he knew, that no matter what, he would do whatever it took to get them out of here alive.
Fate had plans for them both.
* * * *
Around her, Rebecca heard voices. They planned search patterns and perimeter checks, but she didn’t care. All she wanted was her baby. Aleks was standing with Bran and Liam coordinating efforts. Abby and Moe could feel that Rhys was awake, but could not pinpoint where their mate was.
“He won’t hurt your baby,” a melodic voice said.
Rebecca turned her head. It was as if each movement was in slow motion. Gabriel knelt beside her.
“I want my baby, Gabriel. Please find my baby,” she whispered. She saw the pain and helplessness flare in his eyes.
“I swear I will find the ones who took our children.” He took both her hands in his.
She had forgotten. Rhys was like a son to Gabriel, he was the only other person besides Aleks who could possibly understand her pain. She just nodded. The whole world was muted. It was as if she was wrapped in soft cotton. All her senses were dull.
“Is she okay?” she heard Gabriel ask.
“She’s in shock, but I dare not move her to the clinic. Another bout of hysterics could shut her down,” she heard Doc say.
She nodded, agreeing with him. She would probably lose her mind if she left the diner without her son. They moved away from her.
“My dear. My dear. Oh, don’t you look a fright,” a soft voice said.
Rebecca tried hard to focus on the figure before her.
