Page 52 of Tarnished Embers
I strain to listen, but no one answers, and I can hear her heels clicking down the stairs, the sound getting quieter, sealing my incarceration.
“She’s not coming back, girlie,” a deep voice sounds on the other side of the door, my raised fists pausing. “So I wouldn’t waste your breath.”
“W–who are you?” I ask, my hands trembling as I press my forehead to the door and tears fill my eyes. There’s a flicker of hope, knowing at least I’m not totally alone, even if it is someone who is in the pay from my evil stepmother.
“Name’s Dan,” he replies in that same deep tone, and then I remember the shadow behind Odette.
“Dan, I need you to help get me out of here. She’s holding me against my will and she’s going to make the boys do something horrible.” I can’t bring myself to say the words. Can’t bear to tell a stranger that she’s going to force them to have sex with strange women, and they’ll do it all because they love me and won’t let me take their place.
“I’m not paid to interfere, miss…” he starts, but he sounds unsure and I jump on it. I press myself closer to the wood, my limbs tingling as my stomach flutters.
“Well, maybe you could get a message to one of the boys? So they at least know where I am?” I ask, hope filling my chest. I’m sure they’d be able to help, to get me out somehow.
“I’m not sure…”
“Please, Dan. She’s…” I swallow hard, deciding that knowing the truth might help my cause, our cause. “She’s going to force them to sleep with women for money, and if they refuse, s–she’s going to s–sell me to the highest bidder for the night.”
Tears track down my cheeks as I wait for his reply, the small nugget of hope at having found an ally dwindling like a flame flickering in the wind the longer he remains silent. I wait so long that I don’t think he’ll answer, and it’s as if all that was holding me up is gone as I sink to my knees on the dusty floor.
“I’ll see what I can do. No promises.”
* * *
“WITHOUT YOU” BY URSINE VULPINE
OCT
“Anyone seen Ember?” I ask, striding into Prince’s room where I find the others, all of us damp from our showers after a rigorous training session with Andy. “She’s not in her room.”
Prince sits at his desk, his back straightening and his brows furrowed at my question. “She was cleaning the guest quarters, I think. Getting it ready for tomorrow.”
I look at my twin, seeing the worry shining in his eyes, his feet bouncing as he sits on the edge of the bed. Cas gets up, heading to the door I just came out of, but it opens before he reaches it, and my heartbeat becomes rapid as Odette walks in with two armed men.
“Ah, I’m glad that you’re all in one place, makes this so much easier,” she says, her pleasant tone sending shivers down my spine.
“What the fuck have you done to Ember, Odette?” Prince growls out, his voice low and menacing as he gets to his feet.
She waves her perfectly manicured hand in the air as if Ember’s whereabouts is not important. “She’s safe, for now. Although I must admit, her plan was brilliant, if a little simple.”
My muscles tense, and I cast a glance at Kit as he comes to stand next to me with his jaw set and nostrils flared. Prince steps away from his chair, striding over to Odette, but one of the armed men raises his gun and points it right between Prince’s eyes. We all freeze, my breath catching.
“Now, we don’t need to have any of that, do we? It would be such a shame if anything were to happen to your dear stepsister on account of your poor decisions.” She’s cool as a motherfucking cucumber, and rage makes my vision waver as she threatens my soulmate.Oursoulmate. “Here’s what’s going to happen,” she continues, the fucking gun still pointing at Prince. “No one is running away, and youwilltake part in the party tomorrow night as planned. If you try to do anything, try to find her and escape, you will fail. These men and their team have orders to keep you all secure by any means necessary, but more than that, I have someone who is very interested in the lovely Ember, says she’ll sell for millions at auction, and believe me, once they have sold her you will never see her again.”
Nausea swirls in my stomach, and a noise behind us has me turning to see another guard out on the balcony, his at ease gun in his hands, his eyes trained on us.
“You fucking cunt,” Cas grits out, his entire body trembling as he holds himself back from lunging at our stepmother.
She laughs, fucking laughs, like he just told the funniest joke, and I think it’s that moment when I realize how truly insane she is. I wonder how I never saw it before, it was clearly always there, waiting. Maybe we all chose to live in ignorance, because before Ember, there wasn’t much to truly live for.
“Perhaps, but I gave her to you, so I can take her away until you’re good boys again.” I fucking hate her, more than I ever have before. My whole being bristles with it, with the loathing that sets my teeth grinding. How can we trust a word out of her lying, serpent mouth? She holds all the cards here, so it doesn’t matter if I believe her. I’ll do as she says because at least then there’s a chance that Ember will be safe. “Once you’ve cooled off, I’ll send someone to escort you down to the kitchen to make some dinner for you all and Ember. You wouldn’t want her to go hungry now, would you?”
“I’ll go,” Prince volunteers in a dark tone, and she doesn’t even bat an eye at the promise of retribution in his voice. We may have nothing now, no money, no connections, and no way out, but somehow, someway, I know that we will get our revenge for this, for everything.
“Excellent. The rest of you can rest here and you’ll be escorted to your rooms later.” She spins on her ridiculous heels and leaves without so much as a look back, the guard who had his weapon trained on Prince lowering his gun and then waiting until Odette has left with the other guard.
“She’s in the attic,” he says, just above a whisper, his eyes fixed on Prince who gives him a nod of thanks. Then he, too, leaves, the door being shut behind him, the sound of a lock engaging loud in the silent room.
“Fuck!” Cas roars, grabbing the lamp off the bedside table and ripping it from the wall before throwing it across the room. The sound of shattering glass accompanies his harsh breathing and tears sting my eyes at the hopelessness of the situation we’re in.