Arielle Immortal Struggle (The Immortal Rapture Series Book 7) (12 page)

“If Gaulle surrenders the documents, he will be able to have this beauty back, and we’ll all go home. If not, we’ll have to show him that we don’t play games. So don’t like her too much, if you understand what I mean,” Vitorio said and chuckled repulsively. Arielle shivered trying to remain still.

“Vitorio, I just can’t believe that Jorrit cares about this girl. I know for a fact that he doesn’t even care about his own mother. I don’t understand it,” Mauritsio said, sounding very frustrated.

“Don’t be an idiot,” Vitorio replied. “He doesn’t give a shit about this girl; he only cares about himself. The orders came all the way from the top. I’m sure that Rainer told him that his orders must be followed without any deviations,” he furthered. There was a short pause, and then he continued. “I also know Rainer, and if his orders are not followed, that would guarantee Jorrit’s demise. And I can assure you that Jorrit would make sure that we follow him all the way to hell.” Mauritsio winced at Vitorio’s words.

Silence stretched between them again and Arielle thought she was going to die if she had to stay still for much longer.

“I should have made my move the night we met her and her pretty friend at the bar,” Mauritsio snorted. “Do you remember?”

“Yes I do. Now let’s go,” Vitorio snapped.

Instantaneous recognition crashed into her brain like tsunami that slams into land with vast speed. This had nothing to do with Annabel; it was all about the issue Sebastian had with the Mafia about his company’s documents. The Mafia was keeping her for ransom and not the immortals. This was a truly shocking revelation. Did it make her feel any better? Well, no. She was still locked in this room and still in danger of being hurt.

She finally heard a strong curse break the silence, and shortly after their footsteps moved farther away from the bed. Next she heard the door slam shut, the key turn in the lock, and the footsteps fade away. Arielle just stayed there totally unmoved for a few more seconds. Finally, she opened her eyes and stared at the ceiling in total shock.
Oh my God
, she finally gasped, new reality sipping deep into her very core.

Mauritsio’s last statement made contact with her brain cells. She inhaled sharply. She had met these guys before, but where? Deep fear sunk to the pit of her stomach. Fear was a strange thing; it could control every thought, and paralyze every muscle in your body.
So this was planned.
This is undoubtedly what Sebastian was worried about and he was refusing to tell me. He was trying to protect me. Oh my God… Where is Sebastian?

Thinking back, she remembered that she was to meet Gabrielle outside the auditorium at two o’clock, right after her last class with Professor Allworth. She was sure that her absence alerted Gabrielle that something was terribly wrong and she would have contacted Sebastian. Based on the conversation of her captors, Sebastian had received a demand note, using her as bait to pressure him in surrendering his secret drawings and documents in exchange for her life. They had no idea that they were dealing with a bunch of unbreakable immortals with superhuman abilities. A horrendous tornado was about to slam and abolish their dirty schemes and their miserable lives.

The thought that she would not be hurt until they heard back from Sebastian gave her strength. Sebastian’s image filled her senses and warmth enveloped her like a protective shield. She missed him so very much and wanted to hold him. She needed his embrace that provided her sanctuary and put her world back in its axis. Tears filled her eyes and started to stream down her face uncontrollably.

Rising slowly once again, she swung her legs over the edge of the bed, and taking a deep breath, she stood up. The miserable and misty weather did very little to raise her mood as she gazed out the window. She approached gradually and, resting her hands on the windowsill, she pressed her nose against the glass.

She closed her eyes and tried to reach Eva’s thoughts subconsciously. They had always had the ability to exchange thoughts between them by sending and receiving on the transcendent level. They were able to communicate their thoughts sagaciously without having to exchange verbal words. She kept her eyes closed and stood silently for several minutes, but she was unable to make any contact. There was complete silence coming from Eva’s mind.
Why isn’t Eva trying to communicate with me? Maybe Sebastian already had a rescue plan in place and their friends had to follow that plan. Yes, that had to be it.

She walked back slowly and sat on the bed. She was desperate for a quick solution, but she knew it was not going to be easy. She needed to think hard and develop an escape plan. They were coming back to check on her before they left for the airport; that is what they said. Bending her arms, she set her elbows on her thighs, and leaning forward, she rested her face in her hands. She closed her eyes and blew out an exasperated breath.

Where was Sebastian? Was he on the way? Why Eva didn’t bother to make contact with me?
She just couldn’t understand any of it. It had been more than forty-five minutes since they had come into the room, and all she could do was sit and wait until they decided to come back. Maybe she could talk her way out of it. She pursed her lips, flicked her eyes at the locked door, and her face tightened. A sudden thought made her stand up and walk to the door. Maybe they forgot to lock it; she had to try.

Her fingers traced over the door handle, gripped it tightly and pulled as hard as she good. Nothing happened. The door wouldn’t budge. She stood there gazing at the door as hopelessness closed and stinging stirred behind her eyelids. Tears pooled into her burning eyes and started to stream down her face once again. She was losing hope. There was no way that Sebastian would find her if Eva didn’t try to communicate with her.

Chapter 8

SHE TURNED
to face the window and froze in place. The sound of the door handle turning drove a cold chill down her spine. She was so lost in her thoughts she never heard footsteps approaching. The door opened behind her, and someone stepped inside. Arielle spun around and came face to face with Mauritsio. He was alone. Surprise flickered in his eyes and shock crept over his face.

“What the fuck!” he exclaimed. He didn’t expect her to be standing right inside the door. Arielle’s eyes widened and her mouth dropped as she gasped in disbelief. Recognition crashed into her memory the moment she saw his face. He was one of the two Italian men she and Gabrielle met and talked with while Troy and Sebastian were in Brussels. She opened her mouth to say something, but closed it back again. Words stuck in her throat and silence stretched for a few moments.

Mauritsio was still staring at her. He remembered the effect she had on him up close. She was quite beautiful. A lot more beautiful than he remembered from the very first time they met. He couldn’t think beyond the sensation of those deep blue eyes. Her voice snapped him out of his crazy reverie.

“You…you… you’re Mauritsio,” she stammered, and her voice fell to a measly whisper.

“You remember my name?” he huffed in clear disbelief.

She rolled her eyes. “Why are you surprised about that?” she said blankly. “But what are you doing here? Better, what am I doing here?” she furthered.

He shrugged. “Hum… it is a long story,” he said unemotionally.

She laughed a throaty laugh. “As you can see, I’m not going anywhere.” Peering around the room she made a circular motion with her hands. “I’ve have all the time in the world, so what am I doing here?”

He laughed a low scathing sound and shook his head. “I can’t discuss this with you,” he said.

She paused for a short moment, pondering his words. “You can’t discuss this with me? I am your hostage; I have the right to know. Why are you doing this? What do you want from me?” she breathed quietly.

“There are many things I want from you, but now is not the time,” he said wickedly.

“I don’t understand,” she said irritably.

“Let’s just say that if you just cooperate, you will make this a lot easier for all of us.”

“Who is all of us? What do you want from me?” she asked once again.

“No more talk,” he said. “Go and sit down,” he ordered, pointing to the bed at the other side of the room. Lifting his hand, he traced his finger down the side of her face. Arielle recoiled and gave him an icy stare. A furious flush crossed his eyes, noticing her repulsion.

“You do think you are too good for me, don’t you?” he said, spitting out the words with clenched teeth.

“I thought you and your friend were nice guys and to think you’re nothing but scum,” she said disgustingly and spat on him.

“You better shut the fuck up,” he said with a furious growl. “It’s not my fault you’re here. You’re here because that bastard of a boyfriend you have is refusing to go along with the program.”

“Wh—Wh—What?” she mumbled. “The program? What program are you talking about?”

“Don’t play dumb. I’m sure you know that he is refusing to turn over the documents we want. If he doesn’t comply, I can assure you that it’s not going to be good for him, and it will even be worse for you,” he said and cursed, never taking his eyes off of her.

“You’re nothing but thugs,” she said. “You have no idea who you are messing with.”

“Oh…please enlighten me,” he said and laughed out loud.

Arielle decided to keep quiet and say nothing more.

“I would like nothing more than to teach you a lesson. To show you what it means to be with a real man.”

“I suppose you think you are a real man,” she snorted.

Mauritsio’s mouth dropped open and his eyes narrowed to slits. “I told you to shut the fuck up,” he said, fire spitting out of his eyes.

“Or what?” Arielle snorted, not understanding where all that nerve came from.

He suddenly reached over and grabbed her throat tightly, giving her a meaningful glare. “I’ll throw you on that bed, and I’ll show you what a real man can do, you fucking bitch,” he said through clenched teeth. She raised her arm and slapped his hand away from her throat. Fury flickered in his eyes and, lifting his hand, he backhanded her hard. The stone from his pinky ring tore her cheek and pain shot right through her bones.

“Bitch!” he growl again as he watched Arielle staggered backward and, losing her balance, she dropped to the floor. Lifting her hand, she touched her cheek and felt something warm and wet. She knew she was bleeding. She pressed her lips together as wrath pooled deep in her stomach and the sound of the blood rushing through her veins pounded in her ears. She had to make her move now. She had to try and help herself out of this situation.

Blocking the excruciating pain out of her mind, she leaped up and threw herself on him. One balled hand caught him by surprise right between the eyes and her knee connected perfectly with Mauritsio’s groin. The reaction to Arielle’s attack on Mauritsio came both fast and furious. He doubled over in excruciating pain, holding his groin and gasping for air. His lips moved, but no sound came out. Arielle released the breath she was holding and just stared at him with rebellion as he crumbled to the floor.

“A real man,” she humphed, amassing all the courage she could find, and darted out, shutting the door behind her. She turned the key, locking the door, and taking a few steps back, she stared at the closed panels. She knew that she had a short amount of time before he would recover and start to pound on the door.

Sweat dripped down her back and blood down her cheek. She swallowed hard. Swiftly turning on her heels, she vaulted toward the staircase.

She scaled them two at a time. Reaching the landing, she bolted right into a wall of muscles. She stumbled backward, lost her balance, and fell down a staircase. Her body bounced painfully off of each step and finally landed on the basement floor with a loud thump. She groaned in sheer pain.
Oh, God, I hope I didn’t break any bones,
she thought anxiously. Opening her eyes, she stared up at the landing and saw a man standing there watching her, utterly astonished. She couldn’t make out his face in the poorly lit corridor, but he did seem familiar. She put her hands on the floor and pushed herself up slowly, trying to rise to her feet. The floor swayed beneath her and she crumpled back down to the ground.

The small spark of hope that slipped through her veins after she left the room was now gone before she had time to decipher it. An expression of wretchedness flashed across her face. She was doomed. The pain was excruciating. She couldn’t feel her limbs; her face burned and her eye felt swollen. She closed her eyes, feeling trapped and discouraged. She wanted to run, but her legs wouldn’t respond, and even if they did, where could she go? Her lungs seared and she couldn’t contemplate anything but how to escape. Her heart thudded so loud she could hear it pounding her chest. She heard the man descending the steps unhurriedly. With a few short strides, he was standing right over her, and she swallowed nervously.

“What do we have here?” he said, his voice stunned. Reaching down, he grabbed her by her shirt and lifted her as if she weighed nothing at all.