Assassin Treasure (Assassins Book 4) (7 page)

The young woman before him looked terrified. She’d been threatened with rape, hunted, and then threatened again. When Dirk released her arm she turned to his brother, it was apparent she felt him the lesser of two evils, she was now clutching at Damien’s shirt desperately. The dilemma of what to do with her weighed heavily. At Damien’s haggard expression, Dirk could see his brother struggling with the same knowledge.

“Please, don’t hurt me,” Candy begged. “I don’t want to tell, I won’t. I don’t want to be left out here with a bullet in my head. I won’t, I won’t, ever tell. I hated Tyler.”

Damien was looking down on her distressed form and then cast a solemn glance at his brother. The look of guilt was unmistakable on Damien’s face. Dirk could see the blush creeping over his brother’s cheeks when he realized with sudden relief it would be Dirk who would decide her fate. Dirk would, after all, be expected to run the family when his father was unable. The decision of her life was his to make.

Dirk became lost in thought for a brief moment. He didn’t want the girl to die, but he knew beyond a shadow of a doubt, his father would demand she be placed on a compound, where she would be completely inaccessible. Her life be damned. Damien’s secret identity would rule, as it must, and was furthermost in everything. The organization always looked at the bigger picture. One life as opposed to many and the many it could save. Candy would be safe, but she wouldn’t want to be or think she was.

“Please, I’ll listen to you,” Candy pleaded.

“Is there another way out of here?” Dirk asked her.

“Yes. I can show you another way. I can get you out of here.”

Candy looked as though she would collapse with relief. She turned and led the men around the other side of the lake, leaving the overgrown road. She followed an equally overgrown route that was more than able to avoid police detection if choppers were brought in. To Dirk it appeared she was following a specific path, yet he was unable to detect it, she was definitely well aware of the area. Dirk was amazed as she trailed through swamps without the least hesitation. She showed no disgust at swarms of bugs or leeches, though Damien annoyed him when he encountered leeches on his leg. They’d removed their shoes and socks at a small unavoidable swamp, then hiked up their pants to avoid getting them wet. Once exiting the murky water and discovering the menaces on his legs, Damien bounced around exclaiming he was being violated. Candy quieted him with gentle words.

“Sit still, Damien. We can start a fire and burn them off. They can’t possibly hurt you, there aren’t enough. They just look slimy and disgusting, and slug vampires aren’t romantic.”

Instead of starting a fire, Dirk removed his lighter and burned the creatures sticky forms off all of them, watching as Candy never flinched as he took a heated smoldering stick of wood to her leg. She sat patiently, and accepting, before him, her large brown eyes staring trustingly into his face. She promised him her complete submission. Dirk struggled with the thought he promised her safety in return. She had no idea what she asked of him the previous night. There was no way she could’ve possibly known how much his word meant to him. Even if it pained him, he’d never once broken a promise. Why he had been moved to offer his word only came after deep deliberation at the fear in her eyes. He sensed she needed to hear the words or she would succumb to terror. Under the circumstances he felt it wouldn’t hurt. He didn’t want to hurt her regardless, and she showed relief and slept. There was a stunning power in the word ‘promise.’

The hours dragged by as their tedious expedition continued on, until finally the dense brush parted. A dirt and gravel road came into view. Relieved, the three trudged toward it. Candy was lagging behind. She looked exhausted and sweaty. Dirk surmised even a threat of death wouldn’t have increased her steps. Her shoulders drooped as her body moved with weary steps forward.

Candy slumped at the side of the gravel road like a rag doll, her arms hanging limp at her sides, her chin resting on her bent knees. Damien crouched beside her. The girl had spirit, Dirk admitted with mounting respect. She never once complained. He collapsed to his knees beside them.

“Now what?” Damien demanded to his brother.

“Are there any homes in this area?” Dirk asked Candy.

“Not many. Mostly old farmhouses with really old people who won’t take shit, the winter is brutal, they’d laugh at you and call you pup.”

Dirk scowled and gripped her arm. “Is that a pot shot?”

“No, it’s the truth. Seasoned people have no fear. There are bears and wolves out here. Flash your gun, and they’ll laugh. They can party in a blizzard, outside, naked. You think I’m kidding? Please, by all means, invade a home. You’ll be the one dialing 911. Tourists, mostly the young are another story, except the revisits. If we continue down this road we’ll eventually run into someone,” Candy replied. She remained seated with her knees tucked up under her chin, breathing heavily, eyes closed. She looked drained of the energy to even look at him.

Candy gave him insight; she was young but a revisit, someone who belonged. No wonder she had balls.

Dirk stood and commanded the two to follow. He gripped Candy’s arm, dragging her with him. Though she complied immediately, she stumbled and would’ve fallen if he hadn’t steadied her. Dirk knew she would soon reach the point of such exhaustion the threat of personal safety would be meaningless to her. Relieved, he spotted a car in the distance, dust spiraling behind it as it maneuvered at a fast pace over the hilly road. It dropped from their sight. He turned Candy in his arms, assessing her with a critical eye.

“What’re you wearing under your sweatshirt?”

Looking confused, she mumbled, “My camisole.”

Dirk pulled Candy’s shirt over her head. She grabbed a desperate hand up to snatch her clear white, flimsy camisole back down last minute covering her, as it was almost removed with her outer clothes. Dirk noted it was now Damien who assessed her critically and with a great deal of interest. Her small, silky shoulders were a creamy white, her belly was flat and her waist tiny, only a tightly secured drawstring was holding her baggy sweats in place, they slipped low on her gently rounded hips. Damien’s eyes settled onto the high swelling, very visible shape of her breasts and darkened nipples that were well defined by the clinging small spaghetti strap lingerie.

Candy blushed a deep red at his brother’s open scrutiny. She reached for her sweatshirt, but Dirk kept it away from her. He then smoothed down her wild locks and ran a finger over a smudge on her cheek.

“Stand here with your thumb out and look helpless,” Dirk demanded.

After taking a good look at her, he decided she did look helpless and innocent and if he had to admit it she looked down right damned irresistible. No doubt whoever was coming would stop; he knew he would. He then pulled his gun. Damien followed suit.

“Please don’t hurt anyone.” Candy grabbed a fistful of Dirk’s shirt.

“No one will be. As long as you do what I tell you. You fuck up or try and fuck me over, you’ll be sorry.” Dirk disengaged her hands from him. She went pale, her eyes widened, her hands dropped from shirt and she nodded.

* * * *

Candy watched as both men disappeared into the dense bush, wrapping bandanas around their noses and mouths to shield their appearance. She stood silently gazing in their direction, not daring to flee from fear and too tired to do so. Dirk’s threat kept her frozen regardless.
Who in their right mind would fuck him over?
She was scared shitless, not a fool. Not long after, the car slowed to a stop beside her in a cloud of dust.

“Well, hey, sweet thing, need a lift?” the young man driving asked.

“We got lots of room, baby,” came another voice.

“Yeah honey, right here on my knee.”

There were three in the car—young pimply faces all leering hopefully at her. Their gazes practically drank her in. Their eyes rested with longing on her well-defined breasts. Candy’s hands rose self-consciously to cover her chest. She took a step back and shuddered, feeling exposed. The boys looked as though they would devour her whole and she was almost happy to see Dirk appear at the driver’s side. He placed the muzzle of his gun at the young man’s temple.

“Get out of the car, nice and easy little man, and your daddy won’t be washing your splattered brains off the upholstery,” Dirk said with menace.

The young man paled and shuddered visibly, so did Candy as she felt the blood drain from her face, Dirk’s fierce façade was horrifying. With arms raised and hands splayed, all three of the boys complied immediately. One of them, perhaps the youngest, began weeping. Candy felt sorry for him, understanding his fear. Dirk grabbed her arm and gave her a shove.

“Get in the back,” Dirk demanded.

Giving a sad glance to the boys, who were not much younger than her, Candy entered the car. She curled tightly in a corner and pressed against the door.

Damien moved closer to the boys and leveled his gun on the biggest, pressing the weapon into his chest. The young man cringed, his shoulders curled inward, obviously preparing for the worst. A wet stain began forming at the front of his pants. Damien’s blue eyes, like ice, narrowed menacingly. He grabbed a fist full of the boy’s shirt, pulling him forward and forcing his chin up to meet his gaze. Damien was at least five inches taller. Candy covered her eyes fearfully, feeling helpless.

“I hope you’ve got bug repellent boys. It’s fucking deadly out here.” Chuckling, Damien released the boy who dropped to his knees, obviously unable to remain standing. Damien got into the passenger side. Candy, who had been peeking through fingers, uncovered her eyes and from the ghost-like appearance on the boy’s face she could see he was as surprised as she.

The car took off, tires spinning. Dirk’s eyes were lit with laughter, Candy noted, as the boys dragged their friend to his wobbly feet. All took off running in the opposite direction, heading for the forest as fast as their youthful, though somewhat shaky legs would carry them. Candy caught Dirk’s glance as she gazed sorrowfully at him in the rearview mirror. He removed the bandana.

“When we get to the airport we’ll be boarding a plane,” he informed her.

“To where?” Candy’s heart began to thump in her chest.

“Wherever I take you, you’ll remain unharmed, as long as you obey me,” Dirk replied.

Candy nodded. Her head bowed. “What’s going to happen to me?”

“I haven’t decided, but you’ll be fine,” Dirk replied.

When the airport came into view, Candy began shaking. Once she boarded that plane, she would never return. The idea was a boulder in her belly. The thought was unbearable. She sobbed, taking in her surroundings one last time. The ocean of massive, beautiful coniferous trees waved in the distance. The rolling hills and mountains beckoned gently before her. The breeze that brought the mystical sound of laughing gnomes was hushed and subdued.

“Don’t take me away,” Candy pleaded as Dirk stopped the car.

Damien opened her door and pulled her reluctant form from the backseat. Her fear overpowered her sense of reason. She was terrified of the unknown, of them. Dirk gave a quick motion of his hand to Damien who dragged her to his hard chest.

“You’ll be fine, Candy,” Damien soothed. “We’re not going to hurt you.”

Candy began struggling desperately. Her hands pummeled against Damien, her feet kicked at him. All sorts of horrible scenarios assaulted her tortured mind. The worst being she could be tossed from the plane over the ocean, her greatest fear had always been sharks ripping into her flesh. To be left to the mercy of the water and the horrific dangers that lurked beneath were too much. Horrified she wondered if she would wake in the terrible place Dirk mentioned.

Will I even wake at all?

That thought increased her struggles. Damien was too powerful, he gripped a firm hold on her, and he held her easily with her arms pinioned up behind her back, keeping her completely immobile. Candy cried out as she felt a needle prick her arm. She turned her head and looked with terror at Dirk. He removed the syringe after expelling the clear liquid up into her vein. His look was grim, but determined. He capped the needle and replaced it back into the pocket of his pants.

“Please, Dirk, please don’t,” she wept. She realized she had broken her word, she wasn’t obeying and she could see he was angry. Would Dirk keep his promise? Or would he consider his promise null and void because of her attack on his brother?

A fuzzy sensation roamed lazily throughout her body, her fingertips tingled as did her cheeks and lips and she could feel heat flood her face. Her exhausted legs wobbled and buckled. Damien scooped her up easily and with long strides headed for the sleek, black, private plane, its engines already running, the propellers spinning. Candy’s head rested on Damien’s shoulder, and then rolled back groggily to see him smiling down on her.

“Am I dying?” she whispered.

“Nope. You’re going to sleep. Relax, sweetheart. I’m not going to take you to anyplace where there’s poison ivy or animal crap,” Damien said and chuckled.

Candy’s eyes clouded. Her body felt heavy, and she was unable to lift her arms around Damien’s neck. Her tongue felt thick and she couldn’t speak; her mind felt trapped. Tears stopped flowing, drying on her cheeks in the cool air. She was vaguely aware when Damien settled her onto a plush, well-cushioned seat, placing her head in his lap. His heavy arm draped over her shoulders and chest holding her snugly in place while the plane ventured forth. A thick blanket was settled over her, its warmth welcome, as she felt cold now that she was immobile and still without her sweatshirt.

Candy could feel the engines rev as they picked up speed. Her thoughts moved around her in slow motion. She wondered if she would ever wake again. It was doubtful; she knew their profession. She was helpless and now hopeless.

“What are you going to do with her, Dirk?” Candy heard Damien ask his brother, as they headed down the runway toward the beautiful blue sky. Not one cloud marred the horizon that she caught glimpses of through the windows as the scenery began to flash by.