GAME ON - GoM 2

1

"The world we knew won't come back
The time we've lost can't get back
The life we had won't be ours again..."
Three Days Grace, Never Too Late

Of course it was a trap. Alex had no doubt about it as she floored the Hilux down the road by the lake, windows rolled down so the wind would help her clear her head. But trap or not, she couldn't afford gambling Claire's life on her certainty.

On the bright side, she soon found out that Claire had never been captured, so chances were the girl was safe with Thames. She almost smirked as a red-eyed thug in black suit grabbed her arm to take her downstairs. On her way to the stairs, she overhead a runt ranting to Markus, saying it was frigging obvious they should've sent more than three men after the little bitch.

That's my Ninja Girl, she thought. So now the only mystery was why Blake wanted her alive.

The demon took her to the cellar in the basement, right under Markus' office. It was a large room with old brick walls, a cupboard with glasses, shelves for dusty bottles and even some oak kegs. It looked like a part of the original part of the construction that George had left almost untouched when he'd restored the house. Two long narrow windows opened to the east close the ceiling. A couch and two armchairs around a coffee table with a lamp foot were the only furniture.

Blake was there, sitting on one of the armchairs, reading in the golden glow of the lamp, a glass of wine full of something red in his hand. Another demon in black suit stood two steps behind him, the epitome of a murderous thug. Blake looked up when Alex was brought in and got to his feet, flashing a pleased little smile.

And he smiled wider as the demon almost dragged Alex toward the other side of the cellar. She swallowed a curse, seeing the one-foot-long iron bar hanging from a chain that came down from the ceiling, with a thick leather shackle on each end. Those sons of bitches! It was meant to keep her hands apart, depriving her of any way to channel. She halted and shook her arm free from the demon's grip to turn to Blake.

"Really," she growled.

Blake tilted his head, smiling wider. "Dear Miss Corban, no matter how much you despise my kin, don't make the mistake of taking us for fools. I wouldn't want you to bring your pretty hands together in prayer. At least not until we come to an agreement."

He was still talking when the demon grabbed her again and forced her to the chain, her back to the wall.

"Easy," Blake warned.

Alex kept her glare on him as the demon fastened the shackles around her wrists. For some weird reason, she wasn't as afraid as she knew she should. Torture, pain and death weren't in her mind, even after seeing what they'd done to Harry Bormstone. Blake had just stated he wanted something from her, and she refused to acknowledge that it could be a little fun before dinner—and there was no telling what "fun" could mean for the Duke of Hell.

"Her phone," Blake said. The demon took it from the back pocket of her jeans. Blake nodded ant the demon gave it to Alex. "Now, dear Miss Corban, call your dog friend and tell him something to keep him from looking for you. That is, if you don't want to see him graduate as my boys' pet."

Alex bit her tongue.

"Now, dear. On speaker."

She dialed Tom. After all, Blake had a point: better keeping Tom away and safe. If he suspected anything, he'd rush to Markus' place only to get killer—if he was overly lucky. So when he picked up, she swallowed the lump in her throat and forced herself to sound casual.

"Hey, I'm running some errands before picking Claire up at the church. So you go ahead and go home. I'll be there in a couple of hours tops."

Tom hesitated. "Okay. Everything fine with Claire?"

Was this the last time she'd hear his voice? Her eyes welled. "Yeah, yeah. It was just one of our usual arguments, y'know."

"Alright. Call me if you need me to meet you guys there."

"Sure." The demon snatched the phone from her hand as she murmured, "Love you, Mr. Sutton." She looked up at Blake. "Sooner or later they're gonna notice I'm gone."

"I don't intend to keep it a secret. But you and I need some quality time before your merry gang knocks on our door and my boys take care of them for good."

"You filthy sack of shit."

She didn't see it coming. The demon backhanded her so hard that she tasted blood in her mouth.

"Watch your tongue, bitch!"

To Alex's surprise, Blake's eyes glared red and the demon bent over, a hand to his throat, gasping for air as blood dripped from his mouth.

"No one is to touch her," Blake snarled, and flashed a tight smile at Alex. "My apologies, dear Miss Corban."

"Says the scumbag holding me in chains."

Blake's smile turned patient. "Save your strength, dear. There's some things I have to take care of now. I'll be back soon and then we'll talk business."

Alex kept glaring at him ashe headed out of the cellar, followed by his two thugs.