Chapter 104

Julian

Blood dripped into my eyes from a cut across my head and I blinked rapidly before it could blind me. It was bad enough that the chains wrapped around my wrists that held me spread eagled against the rough rock of the cell wall made moving impossible. I didn't want to be blind as well. I needed to see what they were going to do to me next so I could prepare for it.

If prepare was even the right word.

I had always been strong. And now that I was king my powers had grown but that wasn't a good thing right now because it didn't matter what they did I remained conscious. Passing out would have been sweet oblivion but in a way I was glad of the pain. It kept me sharp. And it kept me in control because the more I took, the angrier my torturers became. And if they were busy in here trying to break me then they weren't out there searching for Cassie.

Another swipe of what felt like a claw across my face opened my cheek up to the bone. I didn't even flinch. I could take whatever they did to me. The pain and the misery didn't matter. As long as they were safe and I had to believe the Ian would keep them all safe. He had in the past.

I could count on him. I always could.

"Leave." A female voice said loudly and my head snapped up.

"Here." Crouching down on her heels Megan lifted a bottle of water to my lips. I didn't drink. "It's not poisoned Julian." She rolled her eyes. "If we wanted you dead then you would have been killed." She offered the water again and this time I took a sip. It tasted ok. Fresh and cold.

"So your just going to torture me instead?" I said after several gulps.

She shrugged as she straightened. Looking around at the bare stone walls and floors with a look of disgust. "You are making this harder for yourself than it needs to be Julian. It doesn't have to be this way."

She said it like this was my choice. Like I had asked for this torture.

"If you just told him where Cassie is, all of this pain could go away." She turned to me and stared and there was something cunning in her eyes. Megan was up to something new. She was the master of deceit and no one should trust her. I didn't but -

"I don't know where she is." I said and that was partly the truth. I didn't know how long had passed since my twins had been born. I was hoping Ian would have got them out by now. "And even if I did I wouldn't tell you."

I expected anger from her but she just laughed. Tossing her blonde hair between her shoulder blades. "I actually believe you but she was here wasn't she? When we arrived she was here?" She cocked her head to the side. "I was sure I smelt her on you. Did you fuck her?"

I remained silent. Staring at her without breaking eye contact.

"Thought so." She shrugged. "I should be hurt and rant and rave but I really don't care if you fucked her one last time. You will be tied to me under the laws of our people soon. And at least I know one thing." She gave a little giggle that sounded more like the cackle of a witch. My head snapped up.

"She's not pregnant anymore." She grinned at me. And my heart skipped a beat. Megan didn't seem to notice. "She would have been huge by now if she was and you wouldn't have touched her. I know you Julian. I know how you like your women."

I didn't say a word. Megan didn't know me as well as she thought she did but I wasn't about to argue with her.

"And if those brats had been born you would not have stayed here. You would have gone with her and that means she-"

I growled. I didn't know how any one could stand there with such glee on her face and talk about the death of babies. Tensing my muscles I yanked on the chains. The rock behind me groaned.

Startled Megan took a step back. Holding her hands up. "You have to realise it's for the best? Our baby-"

"There has never been a baby. I have never-" I trailed off,

"There is this time Julian. I swear it and once-" she dropped her voice to a whisper. "Once our child is born and we are mated we can take back your throne and rule together."

I stared at her for a second in shock. She was going to double cross again. An idea began to form in my brain. I could use her to regain control. She was power hungry and desperate.

"All you have to do is let them know where Cassie is." She said with a smile. "Once she's out of the way we can-"

"I don't know where she is."

"I believe you , my love." She smiled and then turned towards the door and walked away. "Unfortunately no one else does. Please tell them before they break you too badly."

I watched as two men walked into the room. One with blood coating his hands and his wolf claws erupting from the tips of his human fingers. The other was neatly dressed in a suit and tie. I didn't recognise either of them but it felt like I should. They stared at me with too much hate for us to be strangers.

"You want to tell us where the little half breed bitch has gone?" The man in the suit cracked his knuckles with a grin. "No?" He asked with a cock of his head before I had a chance to tell them to go to hell. "I was hoping you wouldn't. I'm going to enjoy this."

And then his hands gripped my leg just above my knee and snapped it.