Chapter 41

“These guys aren’t typical Coalition,” Quinn muttered for her ears alone. “Something’s way off.” They drove slowly through the Warehouse District along the river, just blocks from the banquet hall at Playhouse Square.

The van rolled to a stop at an old hat factory with boarded up windows and graffiti-covered walls. It was set apart from the refurbished warehouses that served as bars and trendy restaurants at street level, and luxury apartments above; like this one last building was skipped in the revitalization of the district. Jake and Lane shoved them into the deserted parking lot beneath the Shoreway Bridge.

Allie knew from her lessons with Daniel that this was not how they normally operated. It was customary for the Coalition to stay constantly on the move until they had you safely behind the walls of their prisons.

“We’ve only gone a few blocks,” she whispered.

“I have a bad feeling about these guys,” Quinn said.

“Jake! Lane! Get them inside and don’t let them get too comfortable in those collars.” Jon sneered. “Keep them on edge, this one especially.” He pushed Quinn into a dark room.

Allie found herself sprawled on the floor beside him, her ball gown tangled around her legs. She hastily covered her sai, grateful that Gregg insisted she arm herself for the evening, and for Imogen’s concealment gift. She couldn’t use them now—she was too weak. She would wait for the perfect moment and hope it was enough.

Allie wasn’t at all prepared for what came next when Lane’s foot slammed into her face.

“Aw, the little princess is surprised.” He cackled. The blow shattered her jaw and blood filled her mouth. He kicked her stomach with his steel-toed boots, snapping her ribs. Allie curled into a ball to protect herself, but she refused to cry.

“Don’t worry, doll, your kind heals unnaturally fast, but with that collar, I promise it’ll be nice and slow.” He grinned suggestively as he pulled her up by the hair. “But we can’t be too careful. It’s best to keep you weak and injured.”

“Don’t touch her!” Quinn snarled, but Jake slammed a baseball bat into his back and proceeded to beat him for sport.

“I’ll go a little easier on you, princess.” Lane dragged her across the room. Allie choked as he backhanded her. Rage boiled inside her, and she spit in his face. She couldn’t stop him, but she wasn’t about to lie down and take a beating.

He moved to strike again, but she reacted on impulse, catching his arm mid-air. But her strength just wasn’t there, and it only angered him. She paid for it with a fist to her mangled jaw. Before she collapsed in defeat, she managed to land a kick squarely in his crotch.

“You’ll pay for that too.” He advanced on her. Her body buckled under the force of his powerful fists. He finally dragged her back to her feet, pinning her arms behind her. She was horrified when the delicate silk of her halter ripped and fell to her waist, baring her to his leering gaze.

“Well, those don’t belong on a sixteen-year-old.” He grinned lecherously. “You’re older, aren’t you, doll? What are you? Four, five hundred years old?”

Allie trembled in fear as he held her trapped against his chest. “I’ll kill you for this,” she said coldly.

“Come on, doll-face. We’re just getting started.” His hands inched slowly upward. She trembled in fear of what this man might do to her.

Quinn shot across the room in outrage, knocking her to the floor. She clutched at her dress, ashamed of the angry sobs she couldn’t control.

“Don’t you dare touch her!” It must have taken everything Quinn had, but he got his hands around Lane’s throat. Just when he was about to snap his neck, Jake’s bloodied bat crashed into Quinn’s skull with a sickening crunch. He fell in a heap without a sound. Allie scrambled to his side, wiping the blood from his face. She watched helplessly as he gasped for breath.

“That’s enough fun for now.” Ella stumbled into the room. She was barely alert, obviously still fighting the effects of the tranquilizer. “Lock them in the cellar.”

Allie struggled as Lane pulled her from Quinn’s side, locking her arms securely behind her back. She stiffened in defiance when Jon laughed at her predicament.

“How’s that arm?” She glared fiercely, holding her head high. He cradled his crushed arm in a makeshift sling. Somehow, it made her feel better that she’d put up a good fight. That wouldn’t heal easily.

“Fine, sweetheart. How’s that face?”

“This little scratch? You know, you should try fighting your own battles sometime, sweetheart.” Her bravado was totally false, but she refused to let him see she was scared out of her mind.

“Ahh, but, my feisty little darling, you have the unfair advantage.”

“Tell your brainless goons to back off, and I’d say we’re a pretty even match with your fancy little collar.”

“Enough! Jon. Cellar. Now,” Ella snapped.

The last of Allie’s resolve crumbled when she saw the shallow dirt hole no more than four feet wide and maybe a foot deep. Probably a secret storage space used to hide contraband goods at some distant point in the past, but it was an all too familiar sight. She’d spent a great deal of time staring at that “cellar” in her nightmares.

With a kick, Lane sent her flying headfirst into their prison. Jake dumped Quinn beside her. She choked on her screams when the half-rotted door closed. They were plunged into darkness, and her nightmare came alive.

“No! Please!” she shrieked, clutching the cold damp earth beneath her. She beat her fists on the door. “Please don’t!” Her heart hammered in her chest as she raked her nails across the splintered wood until her fingers were bloody nubs. She could hear muffled voices above but couldn’t make out what they were saying over her sobs.

“Allie.” Quinn finally roused. “Stop.” He reached to still her hands. “Don’t think about the tight space, just take long deep breaths and close your eyes.”

“Quinn?” she cried. “Where are you?” She didn’t know if she was dreaming or awake.

“I need you to keep it together, Allie.” He deftly gathered the scraps of her top and tied them in a knot at the nape of her neck. He pulled her against his chest and held her as she shook with silent sobs.

“Deep breaths.”

“Wh-what’s happening?”

“I don’t know. We should be long gone by now, but if they plan to keep us here, we might actually have a chance. Liam will be tracking us by now, but these guys don’t seem the least concerned with what our family might be capable of.”

“Shhh, listen,” he whispered.

“What do we do now, Ella?” Jake’s voice rose above their prison. “Are we really going to sit here and wait for their parents to find us?”

“I’m not concerned with a few angry parents. We have protection here. Right now, we need to make a call.”

“I got it. Livia will be less pissed if I call her,” Jon said.

“I do not understand this!” Quinn shook his head in frustration. “They’re too confident, like they think they can’t be touched.”

“What does that mean for us?” Allie asked.

“Nothing good.”

“She wants pictures,” Jon announced a moment later.

“Jake, open the door,” Ella snapped impatiently.

Allie flinched at the sudden bright light, growing wary when Jon approached with his phone.

“No!” Quinn hissed, and they both threw their hands up to cover their faces.

“Hold them up,” Jon said.

She fought Lane’s tight grasp but didn’t have the strength to resist anymore. He held her face tightly, and her eyes teared at the shooting pain in her broken jaw. As the camera flashed, she grimaced and could only hope the image looked nothing like her.

“This is not good.” Quinn hung his head.

“We’ll just wait for them to screw up and take advantage of the opportunity,” Allie said with more confidence than she felt.

“Livia will be here in a few hours,” Jon said. “She’s not certain about the girl, but the fact that she’s a powerful unknown has her intrigued. The boy could prove to be useful too. He’s not on our records.”

“We need to keep moving. It’s not safe here,” Lane said nervously.

“No need,” Ella said. “Our tracks have been covered by a friend to the Coalition. He keeps this place secured for our use. Even if their parents do manage to come looking, they’ll never find us here.”

“They don’t know we have Liam,” Allie said triumphantly.

“Unless their guy’s gift trumps his,” Quinn said. “At the very least, we seem to have a few hours. That might give us just enough time to figure out a plan B.”

* * *

They grew quiet as the hours passed, each lost in their own thoughts, but Allie couldn’t stop worrying about Vince.

Is he even alive? Was Aidan able to save him? Who is this Livia chick, and why is she so interested in me? I’m nobody.

“Who is this woman?” Quinn growled, his thoughts mirroring her own.

“I don’t know, but she terrifies me.”

“We have to get out of here before she shows up. I have a bad feeling about her.”

“I have to get this collar off now! I could lead Aidan right to us.”

“Your connection is that strong?”

“Since the very beginning.”

“Even this far?”

“Even from Paris,” she whispered.

“Allie, they can’t know how powerful you are. How did I let this happen?” He slammed the door with his fist.

“It’s my fault. It was stupid of me to leave the gardens like that.”

“Why were you in the alley? Why didn’t you just—oh. You saw us?”

“Yeah, I saw you, but I should have known better than to walk down a dark alley in the city by myself late at night. It was beyond stupid. I just didn’t want to disturb you.”

“I promised Sasha when she was thirteen I would take her to the Junior Ball. She was convinced no one would ask her because she was already so tall.” He smiled at the memory. “I should have known we’d end up getting too close again. But I wanted to keep my promise.”

“You love her, don’t you?” Allie was still astonished she’d never seen it. It was so obvious.

“More than she could possibly know, but we make the worst couple. We get way too hot and heavy, way too fast, until something stupid sets us off and we fight like we want to kill each other. We’re better as friends. I believe you might know what that’s like.”

“I’m familiar,” she said dryly.

“I envy your relationship with Vince. I’ve tried to date mortals, but it’s just so different. I guess it’s easier for you. He has to be like an escape.”

“It’s too dangerous for him,” she choked. “Right before they collared us, I saw what was delaying Aidan. It was Vince—he must have gotten mixed up in the confusion.”

“The gunshots? That’s why you screamed.”

“He was dying, Quinn.”

“No. Aidan wouldn’t let him die, not knowing what it would do to you. He’d move heaven and earth to save you that kind of pain.”