The Game (26 page)

Seth was at his wit’s end. Exasperated, he turned to Tor. “Is there any other way off the island?”

“Only a small platform at the southwest side of the planet. It hasn’t been used in ages.”

“But it’s there.” Seth pinched the bridge of his nose and then rubbed his forehead, attempting to ease the throb of a headache he didn’t need. Time was slipping away.

“Any buildings that haven’t been searched?”

Shawn moved next to his brother. “Tor, there’s that outbuilding located just off the old platform.”

Tor’s brows dipped. He shook his head. “Hasn’t been used in forever.”

“She’s got to be there.”

Seth agreed with Shawn. They’d searched everywhere else. Without hesitation, Seth said, “Lead the way, Shawn.”

* * * * *

In the distance a light flickered and the pounding in Seth’s head increased. His gait quickened. The vegetation in this part of Zygoman was wild, unattended. It was mere luck that he didn’t trip on the maze of tree roots zigzagging above ground. As Seth weaved in and out, the ground shifted, or did it?

A nervous laugh surfaced. “Ridiculous,” he whispered. Yet he could have sworn that the gnarled roots moved. Any moment he expected one of them to snake out and grab his ankle.

Instead, Seth’s heart stopped as a strong hand folded around his biceps. Sharply, he was jerked back. He clenched his fist and drew it back, then stopped in mid-swing. 143

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“Fuck, Allen, you want to announce our presence?” Tor bent at the waist to catch his breath.

Shit! The pounding that Seth had heard wasn’t his heart, but his feet striking hard against the ground. He’d been running, leaving everyone behind. A tight breath wheezed in his chest. He looked past Tor’s stooped body. The guiding light didn’t look any closer than it had a minute ago. How could that be?

He wanted—no, needed—to run, to beat a path straight to Chastity. The heaviness in his chest screamed that time was of the essence.

The thundering of more footsteps brought Seth about. When Terrance and Shawn appeared around a bend, Tor motioned for them to slow their pace, pointing to the growth around them. “Watch your step and douse the damn light sticks.”

Seth, too, twisted the bottom of his luminary, and darkness spilled around them. He widened his eyes, pupils dilating. At first he couldn’t see anything. Then, slowly, the two crescents hanging in the sky produced enough brightness to see the shapes of objects, but not their identity.

“Move it,” barked Seth, a lack of patience in his edgy voice. A wary hand rubbed the back of his neck, feet moving. He had to get to Chastity and fast. When the form of a small building, a warehouse of sorts, became visible, a chill slithered up Seth’s spine and froze him in place. The dense vegetation and the blue-gray moonlight gave the structure an eerie, almost dissolute, effect. Then a plethora of goose bumps alerted him that Chastity was near. His body could sense her, his cock tightened. Even with the current precarious situation, the thought of being near her—holding her in his arms, his erection sliding in and out of her wet pussy—excited him, warring with the possible danger that lay ahead. Drawing closer, approximately a hundred feet away, Seth strained to see inside the building. The windows were intact, crusted with layers of dirt that obscured his view. The centuries-old structure showed its neglected state, as the siding—warped and rusted in some places—made a God-awful screech that grated against his nerves. From the chimney a thin cloud of smoke rose, swirling as it climbed into the sky before dissipating.

A dark image slipped past a window. Icy fear cut through Seth’s veins like razor blades. He hadn’t known fear had a taste, but it was there, acid upon his tongue. And he’d never remembered a time when he was so anxious. Afraid of what he might find, afraid of what he wouldn’t.

“Tor and I will take the front.” Seth waved Terrance and Shawn forward. “You two the back. We go silent from here on.” The men acknowledged his order as they activated the ear and mouth receptors that would allow them to talk to one another. Then they moved out.

Standing out of sight, Tor used the palm of his hand to wipe away a patch of the grime from the window where they had seen the figure. He stepped forward and something crunched beneath his feet. The snap sounded like it was amplified. The man 144

The Game

flinched, and then looked over his shoulder. Even in the dark Seth could see worry furrow his brows.

“She’s in the back room. There appears to be only one man.” Tor paused, but only briefly. “We’d better hurry,” was all he added before addressing his brothers with apprehension in his voice. “Terrance, Shawn, get in place. We’re going in.”

From one end of the house to the other, the outbuilding shook as doors crashed inward, making it appear as if a tornado slammed into it. Like lightning racing across the sky, Seth and Tor darted through the narrow passageways, meeting Terrance just as the big man’s shoulder hit the ancient door, splintering wood. Charging in, Tor followed Seth.

What Seth saw drew him to an abrupt halt. He couldn’t breathe. It was like walking into a nightmare.

Chastity’s body was slumped, her chin listless upon her chest, her wrists outstretched, bound to the wall by medieval shackles. She wore a blindfold and a red rubber ball was wedged into her mouth. The front of her evening gown was ripped down the center, exposing her breasts, the smoothness of her belly, the small patch of dark curls at the apex of her thighs and her beautiful long legs. Even beneath the stretchy material of what was left of her gown, the muscles and tendons in her arms bulged, revealing the stress of hanging languid by her limbs. She made no sound—no movement.

Beside Chastity, a naked man held an ancient red-hot branding iron poised and ready to press against the tender flesh of one of her breasts. The man jerked around.

Seth’s heart slammed into his chest.

“Josh.” Seth’s voice was weak with disbelief.

The shock surfacing on his cousin’s face faded. Then he grinned, a smirk that made Seth’s stomach pitch. Josh’s lips curled up maliciously, baring his teeth. Ebony hair, normally picture-perfect, was tousled and tangled. His red-rimmed eyes were wide—

madness haunted them.

This was not the boy Seth had grown up with. Seth struggled to put the pieces of what he was seeing together.

The report Seth’s detective had given him had explained Josh’s involvement in Chastity’s disappearance. The retainer on the moon had met with her mother. Seth knew why Chastity had left him at the altar two years ago, knew Josh had instigated her flight. But never had he thought his cousin’s connections were sinister, or that he was capable of harming Chastity.

Or had Seth just not wanted to believe it? Seth looked at the man before him through different eyes. Jealousy. Envy. Rage. Had the signs been there all their lives?

But why Chastity? Why here…now?

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Josh gazed adoringly at Chastity. Slowly, he threaded his fingers through her hair.

“She’s beautiful, don’t you think, Cousin?” He leaned forward and pressed his dry and chapped lips to Chastity’s ashen cheek. She remained listless as his tongue flicked out and licked a path from her chin to cheekbone. “And she’s mine.” The back of his hand grazed lightly along her slack jawline.

Seth took a step forward. “Josh—”

Josh jumped back. The iron in his hand wavered, halting Seth’s words. Even in the dimly lit room Seth saw the brightness of the red-hot steel reflecting a pink shadow off of Chastity’s alabaster skin.

Josh pivoted and glared at Seth. “She doesn’t love you.” He tilted his head as if listening to an inaudible sound. Then he answered with a quick nod. “She wants you to leave now.”

Something was dreadfully wrong with Josh. Seth took another step, but stopped when he saw his cousin bristle and the wavering iron come dangerously close to burning Chastity.

“Chastity asked me to come and rescue her.” Josh began to caress a path down between her breasts rising slightly with each sedated breath. Heat raced up Seth’s neck, scorching his ears and cheeks. Fingers tensed, and then clenched, itching to tear his cousin’s hand away. But through the grace of God, Seth remained still, afraid of what Josh would do if the men stormed him.

“I’m always rescuing her…from you. Always from you… She’s mine—gone—” He rapidly shook his head. “Now—then—” he rambled incoherently before adding, “—she needs me, you know?”

Seth cast a glance toward Tor and Terrance, and then he took another step forward. Both men followed his cautious movements, remaining silent in the shadows, waiting for the moment to act.

Chastity’s breaths appeared to be slowing, becoming shallower by the moment. Had Josh overdosed her, or had she escaped too deeply into her safe zone? Anxious to put an end to this and to verify that she was okay, Seth held out his arms in invitation to try to tempt Josh away from her.

“We both need you, Josh. We’re family, bro.”

As Josh’s head shook wildly the branding iron swung away from Chastity’s flesh. Seth breathed a sigh of relief. Still, he prayed that a brilliant plan would come to mind before his cousin snapped.

Like a child, Josh’s bottom lip puffed out. “No, you don’t.”

What had happened to the man he’d grown up with?

Without warning, his cousin’s mood switched from pouty to sober. Again, his attention was drawn to the almost lifeless woman beside him. His body slackened. “But Chastity loves me.”

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Josh’s fingers closed brutally around a breast. “See? She doesn’t flinch when I touch her. She wants me to touch her—not you.” Five angry red impressions marked Chastity’s tender skin as he released her.

Seth’s fists clenched. Rage curled through his body like a wildfire. His cousin was a dead man.

Josh lifted the branding iron in front of him jabbing it toward Seth like a saber. Seth took a cautious step backwards out of the slashing iron’s path.

“I’m going to brand her with my initials.” The fiery letters “JA” glowed brightly, sending a wave of fear through Seth. Then Josh grasped his cock in his free hand.

“Before I brand her with this.”

Josh’s shaky hand slipped up and down the length of his dick, a bead of moisture glistening from its tip. His face hardened, his brows pulling together into a lustful expression as he continued to pump his erection. With a blissful sigh his eyelids drifted closed.

All three men lunged at once.

Immediately, the air grew heavy and musty as heavy boots struck the dust-strewn floor.

At the sound of their pounding footsteps, Josh’s eyes shot wide. He barely skirted them, moving quickly to a table near a window. Before Seth knew it, Josh had a gun aimed at him.

Josh’s hand shook. His features mellowed into a semblance of regret. “Don’t make me kill you, Seth.” The man’s voice again turned childlike. “Take your friends and leave us.”

There was a loud
crash
as glass shattered, showering Josh and the floor. Like an avenging angel, Shawn soared through the window as if on wings. His aim was true as he slammed into Josh’s back.

Josh pitched forward. A grunt wedged from his lungs.

Seth charged him.

As Josh fell, he squeezed the trigger.

The gun discharged.

Seth heard a cry. Felt searing pain.

Through a haze he realized the cry was his own. He attempted to move, to help the three men who had tackled Josh, but his knees buckled. He crumpled to the floor. More intense pain slammed Seth’s body. From a distance, he heard a scuffle, smelled the pungent scent of blood. Bone met bone. The crunch was sickening. Josh screamed.

Everything went deathly silent.

“Allen?” Tor’s large hands shook Seth. “Allen, can you hear me?”

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Seth attempted to rise, but his left arm wouldn’t hold him. “Chastity.” Seth’s voice sounded weak even to him.

“You’ve been shot. Stay still, buddy, you’re bleeding pretty bad.”

“No,” insisted Seth. “Chastity must wake…lose her…too deeply under.”

Pain lanced Seth’s chest as Tor brought him into a sitting position. “Tell me what to do.”

Already Terrance and Shawn were taking Chastity’s listless body from the wall. When the handcuffs opened, she crumpled. Shawn caught her beneath her armpits, then swept her up, cradling her in his arms.

Against Tor’s warnings to remain immobile, Seth fought to get to Chastity, crawling, dragging his body across the floor using his good arm. “Bring her to me,” he groaned. The intensity of his injury made the lights fade in and out. Seth fought to stay conscious, leaving a path of blood behind him.

Tor’s hand halted Seth. “Allen, you can’t move. Shit, the bleeding is getting worse. Dammit, Shawn, get her over here,
now
!”

Seth coughed, and the result was excruciating. He felt the pressure of Tor’s hand against his shoulder, felt ice rip through his veins.

“Lay her next to me,” Seth managed to say. Tor was gentle as he rolled Seth onto his uninjured side.

Shawn positioned Chastity so that she and Seth were face-to-face.

“Beautiful,” Seth murmured, bringing his hand to her cold cheek. His tongue slid over parched lips, his mouth even drier. He leaned forward with Tor’s assistance.

“Wake up, angel,” Seth whispered. “Baby,” he swallowed hard, “I-I need you to wake up.”

Nothing. Chastity’s breathing remained shallow. Her pasty skin was haggard, lifeless.

“Baby, please wake up.” It was a struggle for Seth to speak, but he went on,

“I…love…you…”

When she didn’t respond, he touched his lips to hers. His caress had awoken her before. He prayed it would again.

He’d give his life for Chastity. He loved her that much.

“Hold on, Allen, help’s coming.” Tor offered support, as he continued to exert pressure on Seth’s wound.

Seth was too weak to speak. His limbs were numb. He barely had enough energy to keep his eyelids open. There wasn’t much left of his kiss, just the pressure of his mouth resting against hers.