Chapter Thirty-Two

“You son of a bitch!” I finally got to yell in his face. “Why would you do that after you killed someone to get me out last time?”

He smiled and crossed his arms. “What are you talking about? You killed Crane. Not me.”

I kicked him in the shin, but without shoes, it hurt me more than him. “I just don’t fucking get you. You save me just to turn me in again?”

I never got an answer. I was swarmed by guards with big, big guns. There was a moment of surprise from them at the sight of me, but that didn’t last. I was handcuffed and led out of the room, leaving Fitz behind.

They didn’t bring me to a cell. Not this time. I was instead brought to a room with massive double doors. They were blood red with gold trimming on the edges. One of the guards knocked, and hands around my arm stiffened.

When the doors opened I knew in an instant who I was looking at. The man wasn’t as tall as Fitz, but that didn’t make him short. He was at least six feet. His hair was a dusty gray, and pin straight as it fell to his shoulders. The man looked to be in his thirties, but I knew he was so much older.

“Willow,” Felix greeted me like an old friend. “You have just made my night.” He looked to the guards. “Un-cuff her this instant. Don’t be so rude.” The guards did as he said. “Thank you. Now leave us be.” Felix took me by the shoulder, and led me into the room.

The size was unsurprisingly large, but it didn’t make it any less disgusting and obnoxious. There were pieces of furniture along the walls, and at least three doors leading off to other rooms. It was like two apartments put together. I didn’t know how big the other rooms were, but I was positive they weren’t like this.

Felix sat me down on a recliner, and took a seat across from me. “So nice to finally meet you. May I ask why you’re dressed like that? I feel like if I don’t, I’ll just be distracted the whole conversation.”

I felt such a profound sense of hatred for this man that it was hard to look at him. I hated him this morning, but I hated him so much more now. For doing what he did to Ferris’s mother. Even a little for what he did to Fitz. I hated Fitz too, but it was nothing but evil done to him. And this man just sat here like he did nothing wrong.

“I didn’t really plan on this visit,” I said with narrowed eyes. “Are we really just gonna sit here and chat as if you don’t plan on putting me through hell as soon as I leave?”

He smiled. “It only has to be difficult if you choose to make it that way. You could have such a good life here if you would only play ball.”

“Play ball? And that consists of you breeding me with half a dozen strangers?”

His face was blank as he decided how best to deal with me. “I understand how that can sound unpleasant.”

Are you kidding me?

“But to further discover, we need to move forward. Your existence alone is a medical miracle. We’ve not been successful in another pregnancy like yours since your mother.”

“So how many lives did you end while trying to make more of me?”

“Sacrifices must be made sometimes. One day you’ll understand.”

“Do you really believe that I’m going to let you force me to have children and then let you take them from me? If you do, you’re insane.”

He wasn’t offended. “If you want contact with the children, it will be given to you.”

“That’s not the only issue here,” I said with all of the annoyance in me. “You want me to have sex with strangers. And Fitz. Why do you think he’s up for that? He’s a bastard, but he’d never do that.”

“Perhaps.” He nodded. “But my son knows what’s best for his home and he’ll do as I ask.”

Fat chance at that one. “He wouldn’t hurt me like that.” I didn’t know how true that felt until I said it. He was cruel more often than not, but there were some lines that even he wouldn’t cross. Turning me in wasn’t one of them, unfortunately.

“Do you think his loyalty lies with you?” He smiled with amusement. “I’m his father, and you’re just a girl he met a couple of months ago. He’s not the kind for sentiment.”

“You don’t give him nearly as much credit as you should. Despite being raised by you, he’s a far better man than even he knows.”

“Is that so? Then tell me why you’re here right now.” He leaned back and crossed his legs.

“I never said he was a good man. I said he was a better man than you think he is. Your twisted affection somehow didn’t ruin everything decent about him.”

Another nod. “I hope you realize that your decision to be so difficult is incredibly selfish.”

I laughed. “I’m sorry I don’t want to be pumped for blood and babies for you to cut open at your whim.”

“You’re being selfish because you could help us. If the humans knew about us, do you think they’d let us live peacefully? They outnumber us by billions. It would be a bloodbath. If we had more people like you, then we could stand a chance.”

“So this is all as a just in case? You killed people, babies and mothers, to build an army for a war that might not happen?”

He sighed. “You don’t understand. And that’s not your fault. If you had been raised here like you were meant to be, then you would.”

I’d never been more thankful for what my parents did for me. A life of running was so much better than the blindness I’d have if I were here. An early death would be preferable to this life.

“I’m never going to be what you want me to be. I will fight you every step of the way on this—” There was a knock on the door that interrupted. Felix stood, and went to answer it. He was too close for me to try anything sly, so I was stuck in my chair.

“Dad,” I heard Fitz say.

Of course he was here… of course. I didn’t look around to see him, but I heard them approach.

“Ah, nice to see you. The guards said you sounded the alarm.”

“I did. Couldn’t let her get away again, now could I?” Fitz came around and sat on the arm of my chair while Felix went back to his seat.

“And I thank you for that.”

How could Fitz be like this even after reading what his file? Was he that brainwashed?

“Now,” Felix cleared his throat. “Tell our girl that her life could be so very pleasant for her if she behaves.”

Fitz smiled down at me. “He’s right, Sugar. Just be a good girl and everything will work out fine.”

Through my teeth I said, “Don’t you ever call me that again.”

He chuckled. “So sensitive.”

“Well excuse me,” I huffed and crossed my arms.

“So,” Felix went on. “All you need to do is let us conduct our experiments. And tell us where you took Ferris.”

Ah, there it was. I smiled. “I will never tell you where Ferris is. He’s mine, not yours.”

He didn’t like that one. “You have no idea just how much he belongs to me.” His eyes were intense on mine as he leaned forward.

I leaned forward too. “Oh, I know your secret. I know more than you think, so best tread lightly. You have no idea what I can do to you.” I sensed light dance in my eyes at the threat. I had no clue what I could actually do, but it was pretty fun watching him fill in the blanks.

Fitz shifted around beside me, but I didn’t look at him. I could deal with him later.

“So.” I smiled at the man who ruined my life. “You can let me go now. Or I can escape again. Your choice.” I shrugged and leaned back. “You don’t get me either way. But at least like this you can keep up your pathetic existence, and enjoy your unearned kingdom.”

His fingers dug into his armchair. “You’re only making this worse for yourself. If you insist on being difficult, I’ll be difficult right back. You can be kept in a cell for the rest of your days, and live off of crumbs for all I care. Or, you can have a bedroom, privileges. You could be a very well kept girl.”

“I’d rather live in a cage then give you a moment of peace.”

He took a deep breath. “Is that your final decision?”

My smile grew. “Absolutely.”

He nodded. “Fitz, bring her to her cage then.” He stood up. “You will find very quickly that you chose wrong.”

Fitz hauled me up by the arm. My eyes stayed on Felix. “I think I’m going to really like killing you.”

“Remove her,” Felix growled at Fitz.

Fitz started taking me out of the room without a word to me or his father. We entered the hall, and he started moving me quickly.

“Such love that man has,” I mused falsely. “I can see why you adore him so much.”

“Quiet, Sugar. I’m thinking.”

I rolled my eyes. “Don’t hurt yourself.”

He laughed. “Please stop turning me on. It’s going to distract me.”

“From?”

He took a sharp turn at the end of the hall, and we went through a door that led to a pitch-black room. He switched a light on, and we were in a bathroom. It looked about the size of one you might find in a high school. There were at least ten stalls.

“Really? Is this my new room?” I said in an uninterested voice.

“Hush now.” He grabbed my hand. “We have six minutes.”

“Do you think I’m about to have sex with you in here?” I need something to bash his brains in right now.

He laughed. “If that were the case, I would need much more than six minutes. You wouldn’t even be naked in six minutes. I meant that we have six minutes before they realize I’m not taking you to your cell, and the alarms go off again. So try shutting your delicious mouth for a little while so I can get you out of here.”

I blinked. “What?”

“Yes, I’m saving you, yet again.” He dragged me to the back of the bathroom and to the janitor’s closet. He opened it, and we got inside. The room was cramped and smelled of old chemicals.

“What are we doing?”

He answered by pulling at one of the full shelves mounted to the wall. It started shifting, and he pried open what looked like a fucking secret passage way.

“Cool.” I smiled.

I felt Fitz rub my back. “Thought you’d like that. Come on.” He took my hand again, and led me through, closing the door again.

We were in a full blown underground tunnel. But it made sense since this place was all underground. We walked down the long tunnel, and found the end of it. It was a ladder. A plain ‘ol ladder. It led up to a square hatch at the top.

Fitz went first so he could open it up. He crawled though, to what looked like outside, and leaned over the opening. “Hurry now,” he said just as the alarm started blaring. I climbed up the ladder as fast as I could, and Fitz pulled me through.

We were near the street a stone’s throw from the candy shop. Fitz shut the hatch, and covered it with the patch of grass that must have been concealing it before. He grabbed me, and we started running to his car. He unlocked it, and got into the driver’s seat.

“You owe me for that damage,” he said as he peeled out onto the street. “Big.”

“You knew I didn’t know how to drive. I’m not paying for it.”

When he turned a corner, I heard things shifting in the back of the car. I turned my head to see far more in the back than I remember bringing. There were an additional three huge duffle bags, and two suitcases along with a couple stacks of records, and the thing to play them with.

“What is that?”

He didn’t glance back. “It’s my stuff. You couldn’t expect me to come back without my records, and a few million extra in funny money.”

My mouth dropped open. “A few million. You stole a few million?”

“Only four.”

I nearly choked on air. Four million…we already had five and he took another four. What did he want to do, buy Disneyland? But if all of his stuff was in the back, it meant he was staying with me. Us. He was staying with us.

“Care to explain why you turned me in to Felix if you were gonna just bust me out again?” I asked.

“I needed time to load up the car, and you managed to break in without leaving any options to break out. The only way out was though a window you couldn’t reach, or that door. You couldn’t have gone unnoticed through the door, but I figured you could handle a few minutes with Felix. Finally meet the man.”

Splendid. Totally worth it. “I didn’t like him.”

“Clearly. I almost mauled you when you threatened him. I just wanted you to know that.”

I rolled my eyes. He could make all the jokes he wanted, but it didn’t change the fact that he hadn’t even mentioned us kissing, or the Blood Link. I knew he felt it. He said as much. Did he care that we were connected like this or was it nothing to him?

“Where are we staying?” he asked.

I sighed and gave him the address. “They’re going to kill me. I took the car without telling them. They might think I’m dead right now.”

“They’ll get over it. Me being with you, however.” He grinned. “I bet they’ll just love that.”

My cheeks warmed as I tried to figure out how to tell him what he would find out anyway. “It’s why we’re still here. So they know. I told them that we had to wait, because you said you were coming to find me.”

There was silence from his side of the car. I watched him grip the wheel tighter. “I had things to take care of, Sugar.”

“You weren’t coming. It’s fine. I didn’t really think you were.”

He knew I was lying. “I was always coming for you. I just needed to be ready for it. The plan just got jumped up a bit. No problem.” He paused and I felt his eyes on me. “We’re in this together now, Willow.”

I still didn’t know if I believed him.

“Do you wanna talk about what you found out today? I assume it’s the reason for your change of heart.”

“It’s not. I made this decision before I let you go. When Crane started telling me Felix’s plans for you. That was it for me. I couldn’t let them do what they wanted to. And I didn’t.”

“I still don’t get why you made the decision. Why do you care what happens to me?”

“If you don’t know by now… I’m not working hard enough. I can fix that.”

Not an answer. He was avoiding the main issue. He just found out that everything he thought about his old life was a lie, and he wasn’t reacting to it. It had to be hurting him. I refused to believe he’d shake that off like it was nothing.

“If you decide you want to talk about your file, I’m here.” I made the offer he’d never take me up on. I had to since it might cause him to implode otherwise.

“Thank you. But I’m fine.”

“You’re a liar.”