Burning

Chapter SEVENTEEN

Irony bristles scraped the inside of his cheek. Trying to spit them out only made them grind his snout deeper into the carpet. Two- or three of them? One to each arm and a knee in his back. Christopher felt a little woozy trying to recall the recent events. Something shocking. Gabrielle was alive. Mariah had lied to him for two years. The same fire crawled up his spine and he heard curses before blacking out again.

The second time, or third, or even forth time he came to with the tightening on his throat loosened enough that he could fit his fingers beneath the hands holding him down. He fell forward, clawing at his neck, gasping and coughing. He shuddered and tried to tell them to let him get up. No one was holding him down anymore because he barely could lift his head. Chris stared up at the ceiling. Carved wood telling the tale of forest creatures and fairies like some Celtic script. He'd never realized how expensive this place must have been.

A feminine voice laughed.

"Just like I taught you." She lightened her grip and he struggled with a growl. "Knock it off. If you keep making a scene they're going to put you in chains. You want that?"

"Hallow."

"Oooo you are angry." She pressed his face into the carpet. "I'll ask you again. Do you want to be in chains, or maybe you want you go catch up with a certain human girl? Play along or I can't help you."

He forced himself to focus on the fingers cutting into his palm.

"That's a good puppy, Sugar."

"I'll never forgive you for lying to me."

For the briefest instance he thought maybe there was a flicker of disappointment, but it was just annoyance. "Why would I care? Go clean yourself up, unless you want to scare her. Here." She shoved an emergency bar someone else handed her into his lap. He was horrified to see he was nearly completely nude. How many times had he changed?

"Why would you give him that? Don't give him any food- he'll be easier to move like this. We can run a line into him when he's chained."

"He's not going into chains." Chris recognized Sean's voice, he sounded giddy. "You told him to do that?"

"Yeah of course." Mariah snorted. "Pup's got a little issue with blood sometimes so I wanted to show ya'll how far he's come. Didn't think words alone would do it."

Chris' head stopped spinning enough to take in the crowd that had formed. Chris realized they were surrounded. Matt, Sanjay and Angela's interviews must have ended. How long had he been out?

No Gabrielle in sight. He wasn't sure if that made things better or worse. Almost all of the visiting pack members were looking amazed. The local betern though seemed to know Mariah was putting on a show. Henry was frowning at him and Jeremy looked ready to spit.

Chris tried to unstick his teeth and forced his head around but only made it part of the way before becoming dizzy. He threw an arm out but it gave and his cheek hit the carpet. "I don't want your help." He grunted with the effort of sitting up again and attempted to get to his feet. Henry put a hand on his shoulder and pushed him back down. His knees gave out easily. His tailbone was sore. Mariah had a red ooze blossoming on her shoulder. He looked down. His chest still had a patchwork of thin, angry pink lines but nothing bad enough to still bleed like she was. Whatever he'd done was bad enough not to be able to heal easily. Good. She may even have a scar.

"He attacked you and he is clearly unrepentant about it. You have to chain him up."

"I'm sorry I have to? For your sake I hope you aren't telling me how to deal with my apprentice, Jeremy?"