Page 130 of Vipers and Vendettas
‘They were alive,’ Daemon says, looking at the floor. ‘But, no, they weren’t okay, Jules.’
‘Where are they?’
‘They’ve been taken to a safe house by Alex’s contacts with the resistance until something more permanent can be sorted for them.’
I sit back in my chair. ‘What can we do for them? Can they come here?’
Maddox crosses the room, kneeling by my chair. ‘We’ll do everything we possibly can. I promise you. But, Jules, they’re in a bad way. They need to be somewhere …’
He trails off and looks to the others.
‘They were afraid of us, Jules,’ Iron says quietly. ‘We don’t know exactly what they’ve been through, but we found evidence of sexual assault and torture. We don’t know what they were trying to do, but those girls need to be somewhere where they feel safe, and I don’t think that place is here. Not yet, anyway.’
‘Those fuckers,’ I whisper, looking at the floor. ‘They were trying to make them mature faster to be batteries for the fae.’ I’d known it would be something like that from what Volrien had said, but the reality is stark. Here I am with my loving clan in the place I love the most, and those poor girls are probably shivering in some shitty room somewhere.
I hear a couple of them swear under their breaths at my revelation.
‘What Iron says is the truth,’ Maddox says. ‘Best case scenario, they’d be unhappy here. Worst case, they’d try to escape and end up in more danger. They’re under the resistance’s care for now. I’ve told them to spare no expense and to send me the bill. I might not be able to do much, but I can do that.’ He mutters the last almost bitterly.
I clutch his arm. ‘That will be enough for now, but I want to keep tabs on them. I want to help them, Julian. And I don’t want another girl to ever go through what they went through, whatIwent through.’
Maddox nods. ‘Never.’
His eyes move to the hearth, and he seems to notice Fluffy in front of it for the first time. He scowls. ‘What the hell is that hound doing in my fucking library?’ he says.
I put my hand on Fluffy’s head. ‘He was freezing!’ I say defensively.
He makes a long-suffering groan as he stands. ‘Fine. Fornow. I suggest we clean up, have a good meal, and call it a night.’
The others nod, and I suppress a frown, feeling a little disappointed. But they’re tired; of course they are. It’s been a long couple of days. I can’t begrudge my clansleep. They’ve probably had less than I have. I just thought …
I look up but they're gone, and it’s just me and the hound in the library, the silence only broken by the occasional snap of a log on the fire. I let out a small sigh as I stand and make my way upstairs. The clock chimes eleven as I get to the upstairs landing. I check in on Jane, but it looks like she’s still in the middle of things, and her clan and Theo have it all in hand, so I leave them to it, my eyes wide with the noises she’s making, and I realize a little while later that I can’t hear Jane through the rest of the house. Krase must have put a conjure on the room.
I touch my stomach, not looking forward to six months' time when that will be me. I don’t see any of the others as I return to my room and close the door. I take off my clothes and get in bed, closing my eyes and wishing at least one of them was here with me.
The next I know, my pussy is being stroked, and I hear whispers.
‘I’m telling you,’ Iron is saying, ‘she doesn’t wake at least until you’re halfway through fucking her. Sometimes, not even then. It’s hot as hell.’
‘You’re one sick fuck, you know that?’ Axel mutters. ‘What if she doesn’t want it?’
Iron chuckles. ‘She always wants it, and you know it.’
‘Enough,’ Maddox whispers. ‘I want her awake for this.’
A finger enters me, and I moan. ‘Wakey, wakey, pretty girl,’ Iron murmurs. ‘Time to play with your clan.’
I crack an eye open, and I see that all six of them are here. Suddenly a little worried, I open the other one and level them with a glare. ‘You all went to bed,’ I accuse. I move up the bed away from Iron’s finger. ‘I’m closed for business,’ I say a little sulkily.
Maddox smiles. ‘Sorry, pet. We just weren’t sure what you’d be up for after the past few hours.’
‘Try asking me next time,’ I sniff. ‘Why are you all here now, then? Maybe I’m not up for anything.’
Daemon chuckles. ‘Come on, princess, don’t cut off your nose to spite your face.’ He gives me a peck on the lips and moves away. So do the others until it’s just me and Jayce. I belatedly realize I’ve been brought into his room.
He moves up my body, taking my wrists and pulling them gently above my head. Daemon takes one and cuffs it to the headboard. Axel takes the other and does the same.
‘I promised you some things in the Mountain that I’ve yet to deliver on,’ he murmurs as he opens my legs, and they’re secured to the side as well.
