Torment, page 10
“That will be Kobie with an update about the chaos back home.”
“Chaos?” Griffin got up and winced at the stiffness of his muscles.
“I can’t even describe it, teen boys, teen girls, young ones—it’s never-ending motion.”
“Do you live with them?”
Noah shook his head, “no, I have my own house of crazy.” He smirked briefly, “I should go call Coop and Emersyn and see how things are.”
“What’s it like?”
Noah gave him a confused look, “the house of crazy?”
“No, having a mate?”
Noah blew out a breath, “it’s like—I can’t,” he huffed out a breath, “hard to explain, and my mating isn’t exactly normal, but the best I can describe it is your mate is the person who helps you learn many lessons—about yourself and they accept you regardless of your own opinion of yourself.”
“That’s—” he wasn’t even sure.
“Yeah.” Noah turned on his heel and walked toward the door.
“Hey,” he turned to see Devin lower his phone, “do you know where the hyenas working for Tomas are from?”
Griffin ran his hand through his hair, “somewhere in Europe, their accents vary.”
Devin held his look for a second and then nodded and put the phone back to his ear.
Griffin went over and opened the cupboard that the protein bars were in. He wasn’t really hungry but had discovered in the last day that if he stuffed one in his body, often, his bear seemed more content. Still mad but not raging. As soon as everyone was off their phones, he would see if he was allowed to go outside. He needed fresh air as much as he need to snack.
Glancing over at Blaise, he wondered who she was talking to; her facial expression was less, ‘I want to kill everyone’, so he was curious who could take that look off her face, even for a few minutes.
Taking another bite, he chewed the dry bar. They should get these in beef flavor or something a little more appetizing. He looked at the wrapper, it said blueberry, but the taste in his mouth was not any sort of berry.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Blaise flicked her gaze over to see Griffin was looking at her again. Getting up, she went into the bedroom and closed the door. That was a mistake, it was the one Griffin had slept in and the entire space was drenched with his scent. She sighed into the phone.
“What’s going on?” Emersyn asked her, “I know you call a few times a week, but you haven’t said five words this time just listen to me rattle on about Aspyn and the other kids.”
She needed to tell someone, and it wasn’t like she even had girl talks with any of her family. “Griffin, the half-brother of Aiden Tomas is,” she bit her lip, then softly breathed, “my mate.”
“Okay. Is that good or bad, because from your tone, I can’t be sure?”
“I don’t know.” It was the truth, she wasn’t sure because her own feelings and emotions were changing multiple times each hour. “He’s a half-breed.” She scowled at her own words. It felt wrong even to say that after what she’d been through in her life. She knew better than to use a label.
“I don’t think he had any choice in that.”
Blaise crossed her arm over her chest and rested her other elbow on it, “no, I get that.”
“Is he a bad person?”
Leave it to Emersyn to ask the questions no one else would think of. “No. I don’t get that vibe. Sure, he’s done some bad things to survive, but overall,” she looked at the door, “he might be boy-scout material.”
“Is that bad? I’m not sure what that means.”
“He’s given us a lot of intel, and I mean game-changing information that will help us stop Tomas and all those that work with him.”
“Bless him. That’s great. So, he wants to stop them then.”
“Yeah, but—” but what? “I have to go; we’re just taking a short break, and I’m sure Noah will want to check in with you.”
“Oh, okay. Blaise, I know I don’t understand a great deal, but I’m always here if you need someone to talk to.”
“I know. I appreciate that.”
“Are you okay? Or as okay as possible right now?”
Blaise smiled and then nodded, “I’m all aces, Em.”
She heard the soft laugh, “I can’t believe you still say that aces thing. That was a lifetime ago.”
“It was, but it still stands. I’ll talk to you soon.” She hung up as soon as her friend said goodbye and then looked at her phone. Emersyn was probably her only friend. Others she worked with, she rarely socialized with. All she had in her life was work. Going from assignment to assignment and carrying out orders.
Going back out, she saw that Blair and Devin were going over the notes and map again. Griffin had really come through with viable information. She turned to see he stood by the window staring out it. His shoulders lifted and dropped a few times. She knew the signs of feeling confined indoors all too well. “Grab your jacket, and we’ll go out for some air.”
He turned, and she saw him exhale. “Yes.”
“Comm up, report anything off,” Devin told her.
She nodded and picked up two of the earbuds sitting on the charger.
Blair came over and grabbed one, and put it in his ear. “Blaise and Griffin are coming out for some air.” He stated. She held out the other one to Griffin, who frowned at it, but put it in his ear anyway.
Blaise wasn’t sure who was nearby. She’d caught sight of a few she recognized in the last few days but didn’t know them by name, just that they were on one Alliance team or another.
She imagined Griffin wouldn’t be without hidden guards for a long time. He’d always had guards, only this time, they were here to protect him, not imprison him.
“Copy,” a voice she didn’t recognize said in her ear.
Slipping her boots on, she motioned for Griffin to go out after her. He stepped aside, happy to comply. Blaise wasn’t sure of their exact location, but the air was so clean and pure, she didn’t care. It was so much better than being in the city. How did shifters even tolerate breathing in toxins every day? She would never be a city dweller.
“Think we can go for a short walk?” Griffin spoke from behind her.
She held up her hand and then depressed the comm button. “We clear for a walk?” She scanned the area.
“Nothing seems out of place.” The unknown male informed her.
“Don’t go too far,” Blair’s voice she knew.
“Will do.” She responded and then motioned for Griffin to lead the way. She was more comfortable following.
They walked in silence for a few minutes, she was okay with the quiet. A rabbit darted out of the trees, and Blaise had her hand over the gun strapped to her side. She left it there to see if it was just one and not something in the snow-covered bush that was causing the critter to evacuate in such a hurry. After a moment, she confirmed it was just the one.
“I don’t think Aiden is aware.”
She looked at him when he paused so she was beside him. “Aware?”
“That he’s been watched all these years.” He started to walk again. “He seems to think your kind—"
"Our kind." He was, just as much as her.
“Our kind are addle-minded.”
“That’s an advantage for us.”
“It is.” He rolled his shoulders, “I’m exhausted. With each face or detail, I have to live through the memory to go with it.”
“I can’t even imagine that.” She had her own memories that haunted her, but her childhood issues couldn’t compare with thirty years of being a prisoner of circumstance.
“This new version of my body cramps up so easily.” He paused and stretched.
She smirked, “yeah, the animal inside isn’t calm and relaxed often. You’ll get used to it. Runs and stretching help a lot—and communication.”
He looked down at her, “I don’t think we’re talking yet.”
“I would probably be crabby if I’d been trapped for the last fifteen years too.”
“Fifteen years?”
“Yeah,” she motioned to walk, “our animals are dormant for fifteen years, roughly—mostly males, females are a bit longer.” She turned down a road, figuring they would circle back around in a few minutes. “Yours has been forced to sleep for the last fifteen years.”
“Guess I see his point with the anger, but he could give a guy a break. Trying to function when your leg muscle is rock hard, or arms don’t bend all the way because of muscle expansion—isn’t pleasant.”
Blaise grinned, “hopefully, you get used to it soon.” She looked him up and down, and then looked away before her cat got any ideas she didn’t need to think about.
“Do you think I’ll ever shift?”
“Hard to say.” She tensed when she heard a vehicle coming up on them. Turning she saw it was an old stake truck with crates on it, the tarp was falling off. She started walking again. “I don’t think you’ll shift all of a sudden without warning if that’s what you’re afraid of.”
“That’s—” he collapsed on the ground beside her.
“Griffin?” She dropped down and then felt a pinch in her neck. Quickly she pushed the comm button, “stake truck, yellow—” everything blurred.
“I’ll find you, Blaise.”
She blinked, was that Tripp? Tripp was here.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Her head was pounding. Had she taken a hit? She didn’t remember fighting. Why did it feel like she was sleeping in a moving car? She never slept in a vehicle, too many things could go wrong if you weren’t alert all the time. Stretching her arm, she froze when it touched cold metal. Opening her eyes, she blinked, it was pitch black. She squeezed them shut again so she could tap into her cat and use her vision in the dark. “What the—” She turned her head to see Griffin beside her, almost on top of her, and he was out cold.
He had fallen on the ground… “Shit.” Someone had gotten the drop on them. Her, mostly her. It was her job to keep him safe, and she’d failed. She reached over and checked his pulse. It was strong enough. “Griffin.” She shook his shoulder, “come on, fight through it.” How did tranqs affect half-breeds? His bear should be burning it off fast like her cat was. She closed her eyes to check on her animal. Oh yeah, she was there and very much looking forward to finding the soon-to-be-dead person that had tranq’d her. Blaise checked and confirmed that her guns and knives were gone. “Shit.”
“Blaise? She should be awake by now.”
They hadn’t taken her comm. Probably thought they were just out for a stroll. Alliance teams were always on guard. Pushing the comm, she swallowed the bile down, “I’m here.”
“Took you long enough.” It was Tripp Carson. “We’re following the tracks.”
We? “The prince?”
“Is back at the hotel with Blair and two others.”
“Kay.” Her mouth was so dry.
Griffin jolted awake and tried to sit up. Whatever they had them in wasn’t big enough for much movement. He dropped back down and held his hand over his forehead. “Where are we?” He groaned.
“Metal can.” She had no answers for him other than that.
“We’re moving.”
“Tripp is tracking us.”
“Good. Tell him to hurry. As soon as I don’t want to puke, I’m going to freak out. I don’t do small, dark spaces.”
“Talk to your bear, Griffin. Shifting could crush Blaise.”
He lowered his hand, “how do I—” he pointed to his ear.
“They can hear you through mine because we’re mushed in here so close.”
“I don’t know how to talk to my bear, Noah, or I’d already have communicated we need to get out of here.”
“Just breathe through any thought of rage,” Noah advised.
“Yeah,” Griffin didn’t sound pleased, “I’ll work on that.”
“We’ve stopped.” Blaise put her hand against the metal to check for vibrations. There weren’t any.
“We’re still miles behind you. It took us a few to scramble to come after you.”
Blaise grimaced at that news, “move fast if they—”
“Shh, I’m trying to hear.”
She looked at Griffin, “shifter hearing is good, but—”
“I know. I’ve always had it.” Was his response.
Blaise closed her eyes and held her breath, trying to see if she could hear anything. She couldn’t. “I don’t—”
“Tripp, can you hear me?” Griffin glared at her as he spoke.
“Uh, yeah.”
“Okay.” He turned his head, “so she can as well.”
Someone chuckled into the comms.
“There’s nothing to hear.” She seriously doubted he could hear something if she couldn’t. All she could hear was their breathing.
“As much as I love your voice, you need to refrain from using it for a moment. They’re talking about whether to leave us until the others arrive or let us out, and I’d like to know the outcome of the discussion.”
Blaise frowned and looked at him. Did all bear clans have hearing like this? Who did she know that was one? She had questions.
“Best refrain, Blaise.” Tripp sounded too amused. Being mated had given him a sick sense of humor or something.
“They’re leaving us in here.” Griffin’s voice was much deeper than it had been. “How much room do you have?”
“Uh,” she attempted to turn and couldn’t, “I’m almost curled into a ball.”
“Make yourself as compact as possible. I am not staying in this.” There was a low growl in his voice.
She pulled her legs up and watched him run his hands along the corner of the box. Shifting he pulled off his boot and then awkwardly reached the other and took it off too. With each movement, she felt like she was pinned against the cold surface.
“Griffin…”
“I have to get out of here.” He growled. “I can’t deal with small spaces. Darkness closes in on me and then the memories swamp me. And every time I breathe you in, I want to slay dragons and kill something.”
Blaise was stunned, she had no words. It may have been the nicest and most bizarre thing anyone had said to her.
“Would you slay dragons for me?” A female’s voice came through the comms.
“Unicorns too, babe, but focus on driving, we need to get there, or we’ll miss the bloody parts,” Tripp answered. The woman had to be Amari.
Griffin’s breathing became louder and then she heard the metal creaking against the pressure from his legs.
She pressed her back into the metal, giving him more room to move. She wasn’t sure if he was able to do it. Her cat sure as hell couldn’t get them out of this, but from the sounds of the box, his bear was determined.
“I can hear what he’s doing to the metal from here. Go team bear.” Tripp said, “give it all you’ve got before they hear you.”
A low growl came from Griffin, causing the hair on the back of her neck to stand up. A shiver went through her and Blaise realized it was her cat responding to his bear. How messed up was her world?
A snapping sound told her that the seams of the crate had given way to his brute strength. He slid out of the box so fast, she was crushed into the side of it in the process. A large hand reached in and grabbed her ankle and pulled her free of the cold box.
Squinting, she tried to adjust the bright light. A movement out of the corner of her eye, had her grab for a gun that wasn’t there. “Watch out.” She slid off the truck to the ground, ready to take on the man that was rushing at them.
Griffin spun around and caught the assailant by the throat as he launched himself at them.
Blaise paused and noticed that he was much larger, even more so than when they had been at Raquel’s when he’d gotten upset.
The man struggled against the hold, then dangled in mid-air, his body swinging like a ragdoll as Griffin walked toward a tree. When he reached it, he slammed the guy back against it, once, twice, and then released him. The man dropped to the ground and didn’t move.
“One down,” she reported.
“Good work,” Tripp answered.
“Save some for us, please,” Amari pleaded.
“I didn’t do it, Griffin just beat him against a tree.” She smirked. It was entertaining and beyond what she could ever hope to do.
“Griffin, keep the bear in check. We don’t have time for a run through the bush to find you.” Noah’s tone was emotionless.
“Mmm,” was the only reply Griffin gave.
Blaise looked around, “small cabin, no other cars,” she reported. “I don’t know how many more there are.”
“Two,” Griffin growled and then started walking toward the cabin.
“Well, shit,” Blaise took off after him. He wasn’t even wearing his boots. “Uh, we’re going in the cabin after the other two.” She looked around as she went for anything she could use as a weapon. If he burst in and they tranq’d him, she’d be on her own against the other two.
“Drop me here, and I’ll keep watch for company,” Noah said.
That meant they had to be close. If they got her too, at least Tripp and his mate would storm in and save them both from being dragged off—again.
Griffin ripped the door right off the cabin and went inside.
As she reached it, she heard a large crash and darted into the building ready to fight. Griffin stood holding a wooden table in two hands and the men lay on the floor unconscious.
“That’s one way to do it.” She hurried over. “Go grab the other one; we’ll tie them up. Tripp find out what we’re doing with them.”
He chortled, “standing order is to put them down if they’re a threat.”
Blaise grabbed the curtain; maybe she could tie them up with it. “they’re not much of a threat right now. We should tag this location, so Illias can find out who it belongs to.”
“We can do that,” Tripp told her.
“We don’t want to know how they knew where we were?” She had no qualms about putting them down for good, but she wanted answers too.
“Same rats that have been betraying us all along, I imagine,” Amari said in a venomous tone.
