Fox Revenge (Madison Wolves #5) (17 page)

"Yes, sir," she said.

"And I get to do it to you, too," he added.

"I won't screw up, sir, but the video will be bad without more light."

He paused. "Get more light. I want to watch later."

"Yes, sir," she said, and she fled from the room.

Johnny walked across the room to kneel in front of me. "Do you think I am bluffing?"

"No. I think you can't get it up with a woman who can fight back, so you have to do it this way. I feel sorry for you."

He backhanded me.

I collapsed to the cot and didn't bother getting up. "You hit like a girl. Impotent coward."

He punched me, and I felt two ribs crack. I smiled. "When you kill me, you lose your only chance to live. Do you even have a penis?" I asked. "Is that why you hate women so much?"

He started hitting me, cracking ribs. I began to have trouble breathing. "Shut. The. Fuck. Up!" he said, punctuating each word with a punch, and each punch breaking more of me.

"Can you hear my ribs cracking?" I said when he was done. "A few more, and they'll pierce a lung or maybe my heart. There's no coming back from that without shifting. And I can't shift with my arms and legs bound. You are going to lose when I die. Coward."

He punched me in the head, and I blacked out.

* * * *

Clearly, I didn't die. When I woke, I hurt. My head was pounding and I could barely breathe. I lay on my side, and my hands and legs were untied. Gentle hands were bathing my face, and I recognized Emily's voice.

"I know you're awake," she said very quietly. "We are currently alone. Make a tiny noise if you understand."

I whimpered very briefly.

"You must shift and heal," she said.

"So he can come in and beat me again? No thank you."

"No," she said. "Your alpha has agreed to trade for you."

I sighed. Of course she had.

"Are you lying to me?"

"No," she said. "You are untied, but they saw the ropes and knew you used something. They found it and took it. They made Sarah and me strip you and took everything you were wearing. You are wearing clothes we found for you. You have no weapons. No one touched you but us, and we were as gentle as we could be."

"Will I get my belt back?" I asked. "It was a gift and is sized for me."

"You are wearing it," she said. "You are in jeans, and we used it as a belt for the jeans. It looked valuable."

"Thank you," I said. I wasn't entirely without weapons, but I didn't think my chances were good. If Lara were trading for me, then I should trust her.

"Will you please shift and heal, Michaela?"

"All right," I said. "I will need more food."

"I will send for some."

"It must not be drugged, at least not until I heal the concussion, and that will take a lot of clean, healthy food."

"Once you are healed, you must take the drug. Will you take it willingly?"

I opened my eyes to look at her,
but it hurt too much, and I closed them again. I concentrated on healing the concussion. She wouldn't be able to tell, so I didn't need to fake a shift to heal it.

"Yes," I said. "I will allow you to drug me, once I am healed."

"Thank you," she said. "I am very sorry."

"This isn't your fault."

"Shift and heal now," she said.

"May I have privacy?" I asked. "I do not like to shift in front of strangers."

"I am sorry, no."

"I can't go anywhere."

"I was told to watch you. I must watch you."

"All right," I said. "Give me a minute until the headache lessens." I worked on the concussion, relieving the swelling. The headache lessened, slowly, but soon I was panting from the effort.

"I don't have enough energy to shift," I said. "I need food and maybe juice if you have it. The sugar absorbs faster."

"Can you sit up?"

Oh god that was going to hurt. "I don't know. Help me; go very slowly." She slipped a hand under my shoulder and very carefully I sat up. The pressure on my ribcage changed, and I could barely stand it. "Adjust the pillows and lay me on my back," I told her. Soon I was lying down again, and that was better. She walked to the doorway and asked for food.

She talked gently to me for several minutes, then Sarah was at the door. "Are you dying?" she asked.

"No," I said.

She brought the food in, and then the two of them took turns feeding me and giving me orange juice. It was cloying; I had never acquired a taste for it, but it was better than water right now. I asked for water to wash everything down, and they offered it.

"I will need more soon," I said. "I am going to shift now. The bones are going to pop when I do it."

I didn't start shifting. Instead I worked on healing my ribs, and they did indeed pop as I pushed them back into place, my breathing growing more comfortable. Then I began a slow shift, as slowly as I could, continuing to heal as I did so.

Soon I was fox. I rolled onto my side, panting. I concentrated on healing more, working on the headache. Then I whimpered and looked pointedly at the food, and they offered me pieces. I took them gently from their fingers, not biting. It only took a few pieces, and I healed more of my ribs.

I shifted back to human, refilling the clothes. I shifted slowly, moving into the clothing, then adjusted everything so it was more comfortable. My fingers found Emily hadn't lied; I was wearing my belt. I had more chopsticks and countless knives, but the belt was a gift from Lara, and I would have hated to lose it.

I made a big show of shifting back and forth a few times, very slowly, eating in between. I healed more with each time, and eventually I felt whole. My head still hurt, but it was manageable. I had no other significant ailments.

"Will you allow me to sit up?" I asked. "And maybe stand?"

They regarded each other. "Is this a trick?"

"No. I would like to test everything. I don't know if everything works, and I need to test the ribs. You are two strong wolves and I am harmless without my weapons. You may hold me however you feel is necessary."

So they clasped my arms firmly, helping me to sit. I breathed carefully, but I had healed fully.

"Stand now," I said. "I will be very wobbly. Please don't drop me."

They helped me to my feet, and it was a good thing they did. I would have fallen without them.

"Are you faking?" Sarah asked.

"No. Please walk me around a little. May I use the bathroom before you drug me?"

"Yes," said Emily. "But if you escape, my family will die. You understand?"

"Your family will not die due to my actions," I said.

They made me wear the hood, but they didn't bind my hands, and they led me to the bathroom. They let me take care of my needs, but Emily steadied me. I washed up after. "If I am allowed to remove the hood, it would feel good to wash my face," I said.

"Will you promise to close your eyes?"

"Yes."

"If you lie, I will hurt you."

"I am not lying," I said. "My eyes are closed."

She pulled the hood from my head slowly, checking, I supposed, to make sure my eyes were shut. She put my hands on the faucet then handed me a bar of soap. I washed slowly, then rinsed my mouth with the water. I set the soap down, turned the water off, then asked for a towel. One was pressed into my hands, and I dried my face.

At no time did I try to peek.

She pulled the hood back in place then led me back to the cell. Once I was seated, she pulled the hood from my head. "You will take the drug now," she said.

"May I eat a tiny bit more, and a little more water, and then enough water to wash down the drug. Are they pills?"

"It is a powder," she said. "It is bitter. I can mix it in something. Tea is best."

"Tea would be fine," I said.

She called out to Sarah, and then Emily fed me a little more of the food. I could have fed myself, but she was being gentle, and I let her do it. She gave me water, and then Sarah was there with the tea.

"I used my favorite tea," she said. "It tastes of apples. I am sorry if you don't like it. I brewed it strong to hide the taste. You will still taste it."

"How much of the drug is in it?"

"You will sleep fast and long," she said.

"We are coming with you for the exchange," Emily said. "And I will carry you to your alpha. We will bind your legs and your hands in front of you, but we will do that after you sleep."

"You will keep me upright?"

"Yes."

I reached for the tea, but my hands shook. Sarah held it for me, steadying my hands, and I drank it down.

"When you give me to Lara," I said. "Tell her that my kits were called Flora and Fauna, and that I told you as thanks for your kindness."

"They are gone?" Emily asked.

"Killed by wolves," I said.

"I am sorry," Emily said.

I could feel the drug already starting to work.

"Are you taking me right away?" I asked.

"An hour or two," Sarah said. "You will sleep."

"Please brush my hair before you give me to Lara."

"We will, if we are able," Emily said.

I started to droop.

"You gave me too much," I said.

"No," Sarah said. "You will sleep, but you will not die. You will sleep for a long time. There is no need for you to remember more."

I curled up into the pillows.

"Talk to me," I said.

"You are almost asleep," Emily said. The two of them talked soothingly to me, and I knew nothing else for some time.

I was disoriented for a long time, in and out of sleep for how long, I didn't know. When finally I could think at all, I was in my bed, but it was not Lara holding me.

"Who?" I asked through a thick tongue.

"Scarlett," was the answer. And then I slept again.

The next time, I asked, "Lara?"

"Angel," she said.

"Lara?"

"She is fine," Angel said. "Exhausted, but fine."

"The babies?"

"They are also fine."

I started to cry, and then I slept.

The next time I woke, I said, "Who?"

"Oh Little F
ox," and I was in Lara's arms.

"I'm so sorry," I said. "Oh god, Lara, I'm so sorry.
I didn't believe you. I didn't believe any of you."

"Shhh," she said, rocking me. "It's not your fault."

"It is," I said. "I'm so sorry."

"No. We'll talk about it later."

I opened my eyes. We were in bed, sitting up, and Lara had her arms wrapped around me. "The babies?"

"They are fine."

"I am so sorry," I said.

"Everyone is fine."

"He is an animal."

"I know."

"Bathroom," I said. "Then take me downstairs. I'll fall asleep again."  Paused. "You can't carry me now. Call someone to carry me."

"Oh honey," she said. "We can stay here."

"What time?"

"Mid-morning."

"Bathroom. Call someone. What day?"

"
Thursday."

I tried counting. I couldn't. "How many days?"

"Eight since you were taken until today."

I started to cry. "I'm so sorry."

"Shhh," she said. And then she was on the phone. "Send someone strong upstairs."

A minute later, Elisabeth entered. I was still crying quietly.

"You're awake," she said. "Are you hurt?"

"I'm so sorry, Elisabeth."

"She feels guilty," Lara said. "She needs you to help her to the bathroom. I think she wants you to carry her. Then she wants to go downstairs."

Elisabeth crossed the room and checked me carefully. Then she pulled me from Lara's arms, and I wrapped my arms around her neck as she picked me up. She started to set me on my feet, but I cried louder.  "Please carry me, Elisabeth."

"All right," she said. And she carried me into the bathroom, then helped me undress enough.

"Do you want me to wait?"

"Yes. I might fall over."

"All right." She steadied me. I wasn't even embarrassed about it anymore. I fumbled at everything I needed to do, my limbs still barely working.

"They drugged me."

"I know. The woman who gave you to me told me they gave you as much as they thought they could so you would sleep as long as possible. They told us to expect this."

"They were trying to be kind."

She helped me stand and steadied me at the sink. Then I turned and almost fell. She picked me up. "Are you sure you want to go downstairs?"

I laid my head on her shoulder. "Yes. Help me stay awake. Feed me. I am going to try to flush the drug."

"It won't work," Elisabeth said. "We talked to the doctors. You have to let it run its course."

"Perhaps my healing ability makes a difference."

"I doubt it," she said. "But we'll do whatever you ask."

"Downstairs, then bring Lara down. Then I want my friends. I want touching." I started to cry again.

She carried me from the bathroom, and Lara was standing there, caressing me.

"Wait for help, Lara," I said. "No falling."

"I'm not going to fall," she said.

"Humor me."

She smiled and caressed my face. "All right."

Elisabeth carried me downstairs and set me on the sofa, then she went upstairs and helped Lara down. I zoned out, but once Lara was comfortable, I lay down with my head in her lap.

"I am going to sleep more," I said. "But could I please have my friends around? It's okay to wake me."

"Yes, honey," she said. She began caressing me, and I slept, but not for too long. When I woke, Angel's face was inches from mine.

"Hello, you," she said.

I closed my eyes, pushing tears back, but reached out and cupped my hand behind her head.

"Who else is here?" I asked.

"Everyone," Angel said. "Scarlett. All the enforcers. Mom. Councilwoman Vivian. The Lassiters."

"Serena?" I asked.

"Here," she said.

"Serena, I'm so sorry." I couldn't hold the tears back. I felt so guilty.

"It wasn't your fault," she said. "You trusted the wrong person. You should have been safe."

"Did you catch the one I hurt?"

"Oh yes," she said. "We did."

"Who gets credit for that one in the body count?"

"Rory," Serena said. "You get an assist. Rory caught him, then he and Eric got him bundled into a car by the time Emanuel and I stopped chasing after you."

"Is he dead?"

"Yes."

"Good."

I drifted for a while as they all talked around me. I think some of them tried to talk to me, but my brain wasn't fully functioning. I felt myself adjusted a few times as wolves sat on the sofa with me drapedacross multiple laps. I received a lot of gentle touching. Someone rubbed my feet. My face was caressed gently.

I woke to find Elisabeth had replaced Lara. Gia was in the middle, and Serena was at my feet.

"Lara?" I asked.

"Bathroom," Elisabeth said. "We were going to try to wake you to feed you."

They helped me sit up, and I blinked, bleary-eyed, at them. There was shifting on the sofa, and then I was between Gia and Elisabeth, leaning against Gia. I felt a hand on my shoulder, and Angel was there. Scarlett walked around the sofa and sat down at my feet, leaning against my legs.

I turned to Elisabeth and blinked at her. "You understood," I finally said.

"Yes," she said. "Touching."

"Thank you."

She smiled and caressed my face.

Lara rejoined us, waddling slowly. She smiled at me. She traded places with Elisabeth, and I leaned against her, resting a hand on her stomach.

"They're okay?" I asked.

"I had an ultrasound this morning," she said. "They're fine and right on schedule."

I zoned out, but didn't sleep. The next thing I knew, Francesca was setting food down on the coffee table. Lara had her feet up on a footrest. I looked at the food. Scarlett started to assemble a fox-sized plate. There was chicken, potatoes, and just for me, fruit. I stared at the potatoes.

"They usually put the drug in the potatoes," I said.

"Oh," Scarlett said. "I'm sorry." She set the plate aside.

"No," I said. "Get back on the horse."

I looked around for Vivian. She was sitting quietly. "Right?"

"It is up to you," she said. "Maybe start slow."

I nodded. "The last time it was in the tea. They tricked me the first time, but I stopped eating before I'd had enough, and I figured out they were drugging me."

"You don't have to tell us," Lara said.

"I can stop if you can't hear," I said.

"Oh honey," she said. "No, that's not what I meant."

I told a part of it. And then I tried to take the plate from Scarlett, but I didn't trust my hands. Gia helped me. I took the fork. My hand wavered, but I was able to spear a potato.

I looked at Scarlett.

"You don't have to eat them," she said. "Never again."

"I love Francesca's potatoes," I said. "I won't let them ruin that." Gia had to steady me, but I popped the potato into my mouth. It tasted wonderful, and suddenly I was ravenous. My hand began shaking more, and I dropped the fork. I tried to grab it, but it tumbled away from me, bouncing off my leg and landing on the floor. Scarlett picked it up and set it aside.

She grabbed a second fork and asked, "Do you want us to feed you?"

I nodded, and slowly Scarlett f
ed me while Gia steadied the plate on my lap.

"Not too much all at once," Vivian said. "Let it settle."

I nodded and pushed the plate away. Scarlett took it from Gia and set it aside for me. Then Gia helped me drink some lemonade.

I zoned out again, leaning against Gia, but then woke up and found Vivian again. "How long is this going to go on?"

"You'll be fine by morning," she said. "Weak from lack of activity. Don't overdo it."

"Anything I can do to speed it up?"

"More liquids, but it won't matter by that much," she said. "Tomorrow is not far away."

I looked at the window. It was still daylight.

"Bathroom," I said. "Then a short walk."

Scarlett climbed to her feet then pulled me to mine. She steadied me to the bathroom. "Do you need help?" she asked.

"Let's see if I can stand," I said. I held a hand against the door frame to steady me, and she stepped away. My legs held. I was dizzy, but functional. I nodded and slipped into the bathroom, closing the door.

I must have zoned out, because suddenly Angel was in with me, kneeling in front of me. "I'm tired of you helping me in here," I said.

She smiled. "Let's not make a habit of it," she said. "All done?"

I nodded. She helped me up and I reassembled my clothing, washed, and then hobbled slowly out, Angel nearby, but I was standing on my own.

"May I go outside?" I asked the room in general.

"Of course,"
Elisabeth said. "Serena."

Serena gestured, and Rory and Emanuel went outside in front of me. Serena and Angel flanked me. I looked over at her. "You're not an enforcer."

"I got a promotion."

I turned to Elisabeth. "No. She has school." I turned back to Angel. "School!"

"I am still going to school," she said. "But I have an easy load this term."

I glared at her, but she smiled back.

Francesca spoke up. "She's fine, Michaela. She'll need to be a full time student by midterms, but we need her now."

Angel stepped up to me, kissed me on the forehead, and said, "Did you want that walk?"

I did. I shuffled for the door then out onto the steps. It was late afternoon, and the air was crisp and clean. I stared at the stairs, but then Scarlett and Gia stepped to either side of me, and they supported me down the steps. I stumbled around the courtyard for a few minutes, several of the other wolves stepping outside with me. I called Elisabeth over, then when she arrived, I said, "Put your arm around me." I wrapped mine around her shoulder then asked, "Is Lara really okay?"

"She's tired. That's all. She is fine. I promise."

"How stupid was I? If you're going to yell, please do it now."

"You know," she said. "Yes, you were stupid, and you paid for it, but you weren't that stupid. You had no reason not to trust her."

"I thought she was trying to lure Kimber away so she could talk to her, but Kimber wasn't having it. And I had to go to the bathroom. I should have taken Serena, but I wanted Kimber protected."

"From now on, you let the enforcers manage your security. Stop second guessing us. All right?"

"All right."

"I will see to your security and Lara's. Stop insulting me by acting like I don't know my job. You do your job and don't fight us while we do ours."

"Yes, Elisabeth."

"Do you feel properly chastised?"

"It's my fault Kimber had to go back."

"No, it's not. It is her brother's. And only her brother's. We taught her everything we could about poisons. She is going to be a meek wolf. She is going to have a very difficult time for a while, but she promised me Johnny Mack is a dead man, if he doesn't kill her first."

"Oh god," I said.

"It's the best outcome we could have had."

"What else did we pay?"

"We promised no revenge."

"Unacceptable," I said.

"Tough."

"I promised to kill Brody and Johnny Mack if Brody let him touch me. He let him touch me. I intend to keep my promise."

"You will do no such thing," Elisabeth said. "Lara gave a personal promise. No revenge."

"I didn't promise."

"You will not discuss this with Lara," Elisabeth said. "She had enough stress over this. She
and the babies are fine, but the doctors were not happy. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Elisabeth."

"Lara promised no revenge."

"I promised them they would die. They deserve to."

"They are going to," Elisabeth said. "Kimber will kill Johnny, and without his protection, Brody won't last three days. By now, Kimber's claim is greater than yours."