The Protector (Complete)

Chapter 13

A sharp pain startled Greta awake.

"Don't touch her face," the deep voice said in quick Czech. "Bruises on the face are hard to hide, and she won't fetch a good price when we try to get rid of her."

"She won't wake up."

Greta groaned as the words were accompanied with a shove of a shoe in her side. Her eyes were still closed, but she could sense one of the men moving closer to her. His breath was hot on her neck.

"If you don't wake up, I will beat the children."

Even if she hadn't been awake, Greta was sure the threat would have somehow filtered through her brain and jerked her to the land of the living. She moved so quickly, her head hit the man who had leaned down to whisper to her.

Several unprintable Czech words filled the room.

"Her face, Kal" a new voice warned.

Greta's eyes flew open at the warning. The tall, dark man stood over her with his fist raised above her head. He didn't look happy, and she attributed most of the anger probably coming from the broken nose. No, he didn't look happy. In fact, he looked like he wanted to kill her. She scooted away from the possible harm, only running into another body.

"Dirty human," the man behind her said as he pushed her away from him.

She knew the man behind her wasn't done with her yet, so she curled into a ball when she felt the first man kick her. A few more feet accompanied the first one. Her hands protected her head and neck, but her back and legs were free for the beating. They may not have wanted to damage her face, but apparently the rest of her body was just fine.

"Stop now."

Greta breathed a small sigh of relief at the reprieve from the beating. She thought about telling the man in charge that he could have stepped in sooner, but she didn't think sarcasm was the best route at the moment.

"Pick her up."

Greta felt two rough hands slip under her arms. She was pulled to her feet. A rough hand took her chin and lifted her face up. It was Anton, the man whose fist had been so recently posed to strike her. He was obviously in charge. The fact frightened Greta.

"You took my prizes from me," Kal whispered in English.

"I..."

Kal squeezed Greta's chin tightly, stopping her words. "I have not given you permission to talk. I don't appreciate humans overstepping their boundaries." He waited, wondering, even hoping, that Greta would attempt talking again. He would have loved to show Greta his superiority over her. To his dismay, she remained quiet. Her eyes never wavered from his, and that small amount of defiance chafed him, but she remained quiet.

It took him a second to get over his disappointment. He cleared his throat. "You will answer my questions. If I even think you are lying, you will be beat as will the children. Do you understand?"

Greta felt her eyelashes flutter as a shiver attacked her body. "Yes."

"Have you had any contact with Weston Prep or anyone from Weston Prep?"

She thought for a moment. "Yes," Greta whispered, for she had had contact with Weston Prep because she worked there. Since Kal hadn't given a timeline for the contact, she just went with the broad answer.

Kal pushed Greta away from him and glared at two of his men. "I was told she had no contact."

One shrugged a shoulder.