KyriakisTriumph Page 14

  Sarah clasped her hands over Anisa’s. “Mom, I can’t tell you what to do but you can’t work through your feelings if you don’t talk things out with Paris. Don’t let fear ruin your life.”

  A smile touched Anisa’s lips. “That’s funny because Persephone said the same thing.”

  “That’s because she’s smart like me.” Sarah winked.

  Anisa laughed for the first time in a long time. “Thank you, sweetheart, for making me feel better. When he comes back, I’ll talk to him.”

  Sarah smiled. “That’s great.”

  “You know, I’d like to take a walk. Would you like to come with me?”

  “Sure. I think I need to stretch my legs. A full moon is coming in a few days and I’ll get to shift. I’d love to go on a run with you.”

  “I’d really like that.”

  “I wonder if my little one will be limited in its ability to shift like me or will he or she be more like Constantine.”

  “I’m not sure. Your child would have more shifter blood than human so it’s a possibility they’ll be able to shift at will but I guess we’ll just wait and see. No matter what, I have every bit of faith that you’ll be a wonderful mother.”

  “I hope so.”

  “I know so, Sarah.”

  They headed out for their walk which took them to the beach. While Anisa loved going out there to look at the ocean, today the pull was stronger than ever. The closer she got to the coastline, something made her want to actually be inside the ocean. She usually stopped when the water reached her ankles but she found herself going deeper.

  “Mom, what are you doing? You’re getting your clothes all wet,” Sarah called out to her.

  The strange pull made her keep walking until her feet no longer touched the sand. Suddenly, a huge wave came crashing over her. A strong current swept her further into the sea. A situation like this would have normally put her in a panic, but a sense of calm came over her as she allowed the current to take her where it willed.

  “Mom!” she distantly heard Sarah scream before the water covered her head.

  Submerged, Anisa felt as if something was pulling her body further away from the island. She stayed submerged until it felt as if her lungs would explode from a lack of oxygen. Finally, when she surfaced, she looked up to see a man standing on the water with his hand out to her.

  “Come, Anisa. Let me help you.”

  Squinting the water away, she focused on who her savior was. She gasped in surprise but as if her hand had a mind of its own, she found herself reaching out to him. The hand clasped around hers.

  “I have you now,” Gaspard whispered in her ear.

  * * *

  Sarah couldn’t understand why her mother started walking further into the sea. At first, Sarah figured she wanted to cool down because it was hot but the deeper her mother went the more concerned she grew. Besides, there was a dazed expression in Anisa’s eyes.

  She called out to her but there was no response. When the big wave appeared sweeping her petite mother further away from her, Sarah panicked and dove in. However, she lost sight of Anisa. Sarah swam out farther and finally, saw her mother resurface nearly a mile out. How had she gotten so far so fast? But that wasn’t what sent a chill down her spine. It was the sight of a man who literally stood on water pulling her mother against him.

  “Mom!” she’d screamed.

  And though the man was so far away she couldn’t quite make out his face from this distance, a voice resonated in her mind. Go back or he’ll get you, too!

  It had been a voice she’d never heard before but she was certain it belonged to the man on the water. Sarah would have continued to swim toward them regardless of the warning but just like that, they both disappeared.

  She stayed in the water for several moments not believing that her mother was lost to her once again. She swam from the ocean toward the shore and just as she was about to make it out, another huge wave came out of nowhere. She mind-linked with her mate calling out to him for help.

  Sarah managed to dig her fingers into the sand but a current of some kind was pulling her body away from the shore’s edge. She fought against the current, digging her fingers deeper into the sand but just as she felt herself losing the battle, a strong pair of arms wrapped themselves around her and pulled her out of the ocean.

  “Constantine,” she cried, wrapping her arms around him.

  “It’s okay. I’m here now.”

  She shook her head. “No! It’s not okay. Mom is gone!”

  * * *

  “You’re going to have to do better than that, my friend.” Dante chuckled as he placed two aces on the table. “Full house.”

  Romeo Grimaldi pushed away from the table. “What the fuck? This is the fifth hand in a row. You’ve stacked the deck. I knew I should have insisted we use a new deck of cards.”

  “Don’t be a sore loser just because luck is on my side,” Dante grinned.

  “More like cheating,” Romeo muttered folding his arms across his chest.

  Niccolo Grimaldi laughed. “Take it easy, Dante. Even when we played games as children, Romeo hated losing.”

  “Tough. He has to deal with it.” Dante swept all the chips that sat in the middle of the table to his already staggering pile.

  “Asshole,” Romeo muttered. “I’m going home to my wife and children where I know I’m appreciated.”

  “Giving up so soon, already?” Dante taunted.

  “Fuck you,” Romeo shot back.

  Everyone at the table burst out laughing, Paris included. The camaraderie amongst the Grimaldi brothers was touching. Even when they argued, it was clear they all cared about each other very much. They’d been through so much together and they deserved their time to finally be with each other without the threat of some villain trying to destroy their family. He hoped that he’d find the same peace with his pack, his children, and his woman. Regardless of what Anisa thought, they belonged together and he wasn’t going to let her go without a fight. He just needed this time to recharge.

  Paris had enjoyed the last few days with Dante and Isis, relaxing and trying not to think about his problems. Tonight, was the Grimaldi poker night which was a tradition the brothers started when they all moved to the same neighborhood.

  “I think I’m out as well. I need to get home soon. I promised Maggie, I’d pick up some ice cream for her on the way home.”

  “Yeah, I think I’m going to throw in my chips, as well. I was never really good at this game but I do appreciate the conversation.” Giovanni stood up as well.

  Dante threw his head back and laughed. “I guess I’m the winner for the night.”

  “Yep, I’m done.” Niccolo slid his chips in Dante’s direction.

  “How about you, Paris? Are you conceding as well?” Dante smirked.

  Paris shrugged. “What the hell, I’m going all in on the next hand.”

  “Okay, at least, one of you has the balls to challenge me,” Dante teased his brothers. “I’ll make this interesting and go all in, as well. Winner of this hand wins it all.”

  “I’ll deal.” Niccolo took the deck and shuffled before dealing Dante and Paris two cards apiece in this Texas Hold’em showdown.

  As soon as Dante looked at his cards, he grinned. Paris kept his calm as Niccolo flipped the first three cards onto the table. Dante’s smile became wider. Then, Niccolo dealt the middle card.

  “You might as well give up, Paris.”

  Paris smiled politely. “Let’s just wait to see what the river card is.”

  Niccolo dealt the final card face up.

  “Well, Paris, if you want to go ahead and throw your cards in, I’ll understand.”

  “Why don’t you put your hand down first, if you’re so confident,” Paris suggested.

  “Fine, don’t feel bad when you lose. I’d like you all to gaze upon this magnificent hand.” He placed his cards face up for everyone to see. It was another full house.

  “Now, I know he’s che
ating.” Romeo who had been watching the outcome shook his head.

  “Well, Dante, you’re right. That’s an absolutely magnificent hand. But if that’s a magnificent hand, what do you call this four of a kind?” Paris grinned.

  All the Grimaldi brothers broke out into simultaneous laughter with Romeo laughing the loudest. “Finally, someone took your ass down!” Romeo gloated.

  Paris chuckled, feeling lighter than he had in days.

  “Well played, my friend.” Dante joined in the laughter.

  “The last time we played poker, you beat me and wouldn’t let me forget it for a very long time but I finally got my revenge.” Paris chuckled. He didn’t get to enjoy the moment because his phone rang. He’d told Constantine to call him only if it was something he couldn’t handle and Paris had every faith in his son. Something was wrong. He held up his hand. “I’m sorry. I have to take this.” He answered the phone. “Yes, Constantine. What’s going on?”

  “I’ve got bad news,” Constantine said without preamble.

  Paris’s heart dropped because he knew before Constantine even said it because he could feel it. “Tell me…”

  “It’s Anisa…she’s been taken.”

  Paris’s world came crashing in on him.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Anisa struggled against her captors, unable to move or shift as they dragged her to an unfamiliar location. How did this happen? One second she’s on the beach and the next, she was fighting the water only to see Gaspard standing in the middle of it. Instinct had told her that either he or the Hunters would come for her but she hadn’t expected this. And what of the men who were supposed to be watching Gaspard? How did he elude them, unless they’d been killed? If that was the case, Paris would be beside himself.

  She didn’t know why her thoughts continued to drift to him. He would probably be glad she was gone considering how many times she’d pushed him away. Anisa quickly shook her head to clear it of all thoughts of him. There was no room for sentimentality right now. She had to figure a way out of this mess. She’d spent the last couple centuries at someone else’s mercy and she’d be damned if she allowed herself to be captured without a fight even if it killed her. She had to at least try to get back to Sarah. And Paris.

  No! There he went again, invading her thoughts at the most inconvenient time. “Focus, Anisa,” she muttered under her breath. She had no idea where she was because after Gaspard captured her, he put some kind of sleep spell on her. And she woke up being dragged through a woodsy area. She wasn’t even sure if she was still in Greece. She took in her surroundings trying to remember landmarks.

  “It won’t matter if you try to memorize the land. No one will find you,” Gaspard spoke up as he led the group of men surrounding her. It appeared he was in the lead of this group. A group of Hunters.

  “What the hell is this all about, Gaspard? Why are you in league with the Hunters?”

  He didn’t bother to turn around. “I belong to Gage. I always have.”

  “You bastard!” She screamed. “You brainwashed me for all those years, keeping me away from my daughter and any real semblance of happiness I could have and now, you’re fucking working for Gage. How could you? You claimed you loved me.”

  One of her captors punched her in the back, drawing a howl of pain from her. “Shut up, seraphim,” the unknown Hunter ordered. He was tall, painfully thin and deathly pale with no pigment in his skin. His pink eyes gave him a sinister appearance. The only thing she could move was her head as two Hunters gripped her arms, one on each side of her, and her feet scrapped the ground. They were flanked by the black-eyed shifters. Anisa knew they were under Gage’s control because of the black eyes. She actually felt sorry for these poor mindless creatures. She’d seen Gage break these shifters down, many times. They’d come to him strong and defiant but by the time he was finished with them, they were mindless slaves. They were better off dead and Gage knew this.

  She could only imagine what he had planned for her. He’d make her stay in her wolf form, beating and torturing her psychologically and physically. All the while, he’d extract her essence in the most painful way possible until she wished she was dead. She couldn’t go back to that life. There had to be a way out of this.

  Perhaps if she reasoned with Gaspard, she could convince him to let her go. She had to be careful so the pale Hunter didn’t attack her again. She attempted to throw her thoughts to his mind, only to find that she was locked out. That was probably Gage’s doing.

  Abuse or not, she had to try. “Gaspard. How can you let this happen? You said you hated Gage!”

  “I said shut up, mutt!” The pale Hunter drove his fist into her back hitting her directly in the kidney.

  Anisa screamed. “Bastard!”

  He hit her again in the same spot. “I said, shut up.”

  Anisa howled but she wouldn’t submit to these assholes no matter how much they hurt her. “I may not have a choice in where we’re going but I don’t plan on doing it quietly. Besides, knowing Gage he wouldn’t want any harm to come to me before I get to him.”

  The pale Hunter laughed. “He doesn’t care about you beyond what he can get out of you mutt.”

  Gaspard halted his steps, forcing the other following him to do the same. He turned to the Anisa’s tormentor. “That’s enough, Dahl. It’s not your place to punish the seraphim now that we have her. Gage left strict instructions.”

  Dahl gritted his teeth but didn’t reply. It became clear that Gaspard was in charge of this recovery mission. If only there was a way to reach him.

  She tried again. “Gaspard, this isn’t you. Let me go. You know what he’ll eventually do to you.”

  “Shut up,” he yelled.

  She huffed in frustration. “I need you to let me in!” she yelled back. There was a brief pulse of light that flashed making everyone pause once again.

  “What just happened?” One of the Hunters asked.

  “It doesn’t matter. Let’s just keep moving. Gage is expecting us. We should be there by sundown,” the pale man replied.

  Anisa wasn’t sure what had happened either but suddenly she heard a voice.

  I have to keep her out.

  It took a moment to process that it was Gaspard’s voice. And then, it clicked. She remembered the key to her powers was the strength of her will just like when she’d needed to heal Nina. All she had to do was focus on what she wanted for something to happen.

  She entered his mind. Gaspard, what have they done to you?

  He almost stumbled but kept walking, looking straight ahead. How did you do that? I had a barrier up.

  I’m finally figuring these powers of mine out. Since everyone else has been using me for them, I might as well learn how to use them for me.

  Do you think just because you’ve invaded my mind that this will change anything? You belong to Gage now.

  Gaspard, what did he do to you? You hated Gage. You must have, otherwise, you wouldn’t have been on the run from him all these years.

  He didn’t answer right away.

  Gaspard?

  Get out of my head! He screamed mentally but it was such a resonating sound in her mind that it hurt her head.

  No. Not until I can make you see sense. Don’t you know he’ll end up killing us both once we’re no longer of use to him?

  Gage can do what he will to me. I am his to serve.

  What? It sounds like he extracted your spine in the process of whatever he did to you. Why are you doing this to yourself? Why are you doing this to me? You told me you loved me. You don’t do this to people you love.

  I never loved you. I was just using you, he shot back.

  Anisa had suspected as much once she’d learned the truth but all the sympathy she might have felt for him flew out the window. She saw that reasoning with Gaspard wouldn’t do any good.

  Her only hope now was to escape from these Hunters. “I want to break free!” she willed with everything in her. The light appeared so bright that
it stunned them all. She brought her arm up to shield herself from the light. That seemed to be a side effect of her powers but at least she could move again. She took advantage of the stunned Hunters and wrestled out of their grasps. She took off as fast as she could.

  As Anisa ran, she shifted to her wolf in order to move faster. Almost immediately, she could feel the shifters at her heels snarling and barking. She sped up giving it everything she got. She might not be able to outrun a wolf of Paris’s caliber but she was certainly faster than this pathetic lot.

  The only problem was, she didn’t know where she was going but she kept going until the Hunters were no longer behind her. She ran until everything went completely black. No sunlight, no more and not even stars. Anisa realized she was in some kind of void. But how?

  She slowed down allowing her eyes to adjust to the darkness. However, it was nearly impossible for her to make out anything even with her wolf gaze.

  And then she heard it. A loud, maniacal laughter sending a chill down her spine.

  “Anisa did you honestly think I would allow those idiots to be in complete control of your transport to me? No, I took precautions. I was watching you with them the entire time with an invisibility enchantment. They failed again by letting you get away, albeit temporarily, but still a misstep on their end. Of course, they’ll all be severely punished but I’ll leave that for later.”

  The frustrating part about this entire exchange was the fact that she couldn’t see him. But almost as if he read her mind, Gage appeared in front of her, bathed in light.

  Anisa took several steps back. There was something different about him. His face seemed off. There were deep lines etched in his face and his eyes glowed a dark sinister red.

  Stay away from me, she shouted into his mind.

  Gage chuckled. “You know, I can’t do that. It’s a shame that Gaspard couldn’t get a hold of your half breed daughter, but I’m sure that will be rectified soon enough. In the meantime, I have you now and there’s no escaping me this time.” Gage held out his hand and chanted a few words Anisa couldn’t make out.