"She's with him."
Nykyrian's lip curled into a snarl. He motioned for Darling, Jayne and Caillen to come with him. They would get Hauk, and before the end of the night, he would put an end to Aksel, one way or another.
*
Kiara strained against the manacles holding her hands above her head against the wall. She had to get free! She met Aksel's gaze from where he sat across the room with two of his men, gambling to see who would be the first to rape her. A knowing smile curved his lips before he doubled his bet.
Kiara looked away. Her heart pounded as she struggled against the chains. She had to get away from him.
Aksel looked up once m ore from his card game and again leered at her, seeming to delight in the way she fought helplessly against her binders. Kiara shivered.
She prayed for release, but she also prayed for Nykyrian not to come near this place to save her. One too many times, Aksel had told her what he wanted to do to her husband.
If he captured Nykyrian, Aksel would torture him to death.
Kiara couldn't understand such an intolerable hatred, and after being with Aksel, she was sure she would never ask him to find out why. The man was totally bended.
The door behind Aksel opened. Kiara looked up to see Driana entering, her face red and swollen. Driana met her gaze and Kiara saw the sympathy in the blond woman's eyes.
"Aksel, I need to speak with you. Alone."
Aksel curled his lip. "Can't you see we're in the middle of a game here?"
Driana moved forward with determ ined steps and upturned the table. She leveled a rifle at Aksel's head. "Tell them to leave."
Aksel's twisted laughter filled the room. "Sure. Boys, if you'll excuse us, my wife," he mocked at the title, "would like to say a few words to me."
Kiara swallowed the lump in her throat and watched as the two soldiers walked from the room, their own laughs trailing behind them as they said something in a language Kiara couldn't understand.
Aksel leaned back in his chair, arms crossed over his chest as he watched his wife, his confidence all too apparent. "What is it you want, dum pling?" Despite the endearment, Kiara didn't miss the raw hatred and threat in his voice.
"No one hurts my baby and lives," Driana snarled. "I'm going to kill you, you giakon. "
She clicked back the ham mer on the rifle.
Aksel moved so fast, Kiara barely saw his arms uncoil from his chest before he had the gun out of Driana's hands. "You stupid harita, " he said, jabbing the stock into her stomach.
Kiara cringed in reflex. Driana slumped to the floor, clutching her middle as she cried out in pain.
He pulled Driana up by the hair. "Where's Thia?"
Driana glared at him and even from her distance across the room, Kiara recognized the hatred burning in the blue eyes. "I gave her to her father."
Aksel's chest pulsated with his deep, angry breaths as he looked up at Kiara. "The hybrid?" he screeched.
Kiara winced at the tone, unable to believe a m an could make it.
"Yes," Driana said. "He was a better man and lover at sixteen than you'll ever be!"
Aksel lifted the stock up and brought it down across Driana's back with a dull, heavy thud. Driana screamed, falling to the floor. Kiara buried her head in her arms and tried to block out the sound of the blows that followed in rapid succession. Finally, Driana's screams stopped. Kiara raised her head and saw Driana lying on the floor in a pool of blood. Her stomach twisted. For a moment, she thought she'd be sick.
Aksel walked toward her like a prowling lorina. He tossed the blood covered rifle onto the overturned table.
Aksel's eyes were a stormy gray as he raked his gaze over Kiara's body and curled his lips back like the sight of her disgusted him. "Did Nykyrian ever tell you how they train assassins for the League?"
He was mad! Kiara stared at him in disbelief, unable to comprehend his friendly tone after what he had just done to his wife.
Aksel reached out a cold hand and touched her cheek. "They take you for three months and keep you isolated," he continued, disregarding her attempts to pull away. "You're sent into holo-rooms where they play your worst fears over and over again until you no longer fear anything."
His fingers traced the line of her chin. Kiara shivered, wishing she could do something other than stand before him in helpless expectation.
Having no other recourse, she spit at him. A smile curved his lips at her reaction. He wiped his cheek, his eyes never wavering from hers.
As if she hadn't done a thing, Aksel continued talking in that eerie, deadpan voice.
"They only feed you raw m eat and while you eat it, they play tapes of dying victims begging for their lives."
He held his hand out in front of her face. Kiara took a step back, the wall blocking her retreat.