laughed.
“Tell me what you want me to do then.”
“Turn around and face the front of the cave.”
“It's going to be all right, Coral,” Craven said, and then did as they asked.
The impact knocked him forward a few steps. It felt as though he'd been thumped in the back. Instinctively, he reached a hand back to feel the wound. What he actually felt was a small dart still lodged in the muscle of his lower back. As he pulled it out, he could already feel his legs beginning to give. He tried to turn around, but his body wouldn't respond.
“Let,” he slurred as he collapsed first onto his knees, and then forward onto his stomach. “Let her go—”
Chapter 19
The room was empty except for the single metal chair to which Craven had been chained. There were no windows. To his left was a door which had been painted grey to match the walls. A bright fluorescent tube flickered above his head. He pulled at the chains, but they were much too strong for him to escape. The chair wouldn't budge because it was bolted to the floor.
Where was Coral? Whoever these people were, he'd make sure they paid for this with their lives.
“Cowards! Where are you?”
His words echoed around the room. There were no other sounds.
“I'm going to kill you all!”
For over an hour he hurled threats and obscenities into the void of the room. No one came. That was okay. He could wait.
It was two hours later. Craven had just drifted into a light sleep when the door flew open. He was immediately wide awake. “Who are you?” he demanded.
It was the tall shifter from the cave. This time he was alone. “I'll ask the questions. Why did you come to Lawler territory?”
“Take these chains off. Face me wolf to wolf.”
“Thanks, but I think I'll pass on that.”
“Where's Coral?”
“Who?”
“She was with me in the cave.”
“You mean the other intruder.”
“Where is she?”
“Damned if I know.” He grinned. “Or care.”
“If you've touched her, I'll kill you. Very slowly.”
“You really do have anger issues.”
“What do you want?” Craven's face was red with rage. He tugged again at the chains, but they didn't give even an inch.
“Why did you enter Lawler territory? Are you here to challenge our Alpha?”
“What? No. I'm just passing through.”
“Going where?”
“Nowhere. What does it matter? I don't have a pack or territory.”
“Why did you become a lone wolf? Are you searching for something?” He hesitated. “Or someone?”
“I've been looking for an ugly, cowardly scum bag. Now I've found you, I guess I can call off the search.”
“We can do this the easy way. Or we can do it the hard way.”
“Guess it's going to have to be the hard way.”
“Very well.
The tall shifter left the room.
It made no sense. Why keep him alive? Why had they asked if he was looking for someone? Unless they already knew the answer.
“Are you sure you don't want to change your mind?” The tall shifter returned holding the same dart gun they'd used to knock Craven out in the cave.
“Go fuck yourself!”
“I'll take that as a 'no'.”
*********
When he came around, he was in a room almost identical to the one he'd been in earlier. His hands were clamped high above his head; his feet were clamped to the floor. To his right, was a long wooden bench on which lay all manner of implements including: a saw, several knifes, scalpels, pliers, hypodermic needles, a baseball bat, and what looked like an electric prod.
“You could save yourself a lot of pain by answering my questions,” the tall shifter said. Standing next to him was a much older male who deliberately avoided all eye contact with Craven.
“Go fuck yourself.” Craven spat the words.
“It's time to teach you some manners, I think.”
The tall shifter said something to his associate, who then walked over to the bench. When he returned, he was carrying the electric prod.
“Last
“Tell me what you want me to do then.”
“Turn around and face the front of the cave.”
“It's going to be all right, Coral,” Craven said, and then did as they asked.
The impact knocked him forward a few steps. It felt as though he'd been thumped in the back. Instinctively, he reached a hand back to feel the wound. What he actually felt was a small dart still lodged in the muscle of his lower back. As he pulled it out, he could already feel his legs beginning to give. He tried to turn around, but his body wouldn't respond.
“Let,” he slurred as he collapsed first onto his knees, and then forward onto his stomach. “Let her go—”
Chapter 19
The room was empty except for the single metal chair to which Craven had been chained. There were no windows. To his left was a door which had been painted grey to match the walls. A bright fluorescent tube flickered above his head. He pulled at the chains, but they were much too strong for him to escape. The chair wouldn't budge because it was bolted to the floor.
Where was Coral? Whoever these people were, he'd make sure they paid for this with their lives.
“Cowards! Where are you?”
His words echoed around the room. There were no other sounds.
“I'm going to kill you all!”
For over an hour he hurled threats and obscenities into the void of the room. No one came. That was okay. He could wait.
It was two hours later. Craven had just drifted into a light sleep when the door flew open. He was immediately wide awake. “Who are you?” he demanded.
It was the tall shifter from the cave. This time he was alone. “I'll ask the questions. Why did you come to Lawler territory?”
“Take these chains off. Face me wolf to wolf.”
“Thanks, but I think I'll pass on that.”
“Where's Coral?”
“Who?”
“She was with me in the cave.”
“You mean the other intruder.”
“Where is she?”
“Damned if I know.” He grinned. “Or care.”
“If you've touched her, I'll kill you. Very slowly.”
“You really do have anger issues.”
“What do you want?” Craven's face was red with rage. He tugged again at the chains, but they didn't give even an inch.
“Why did you enter Lawler territory? Are you here to challenge our Alpha?”
“What? No. I'm just passing through.”
“Going where?”
“Nowhere. What does it matter? I don't have a pack or territory.”
“Why did you become a lone wolf? Are you searching for something?” He hesitated. “Or someone?”
“I've been looking for an ugly, cowardly scum bag. Now I've found you, I guess I can call off the search.”
“We can do this the easy way. Or we can do it the hard way.”
“Guess it's going to have to be the hard way.”
“Very well.
The tall shifter left the room.
It made no sense. Why keep him alive? Why had they asked if he was looking for someone? Unless they already knew the answer.
“Are you sure you don't want to change your mind?” The tall shifter returned holding the same dart gun they'd used to knock Craven out in the cave.
“Go fuck yourself!”
“I'll take that as a 'no'.”
*********
When he came around, he was in a room almost identical to the one he'd been in earlier. His hands were clamped high above his head; his feet were clamped to the floor. To his right, was a long wooden bench on which lay all manner of implements including: a saw, several knifes, scalpels, pliers, hypodermic needles, a baseball bat, and what looked like an electric prod.
“You could save yourself a lot of pain by answering my questions,” the tall shifter said. Standing next to him was a much older male who deliberately avoided all eye contact with Craven.
“Go fuck yourself.” Craven spat the words.
“It's time to teach you some manners, I think.”
The tall shifter said something to his associate, who then walked over to the bench. When he returned, he was carrying the electric prod.
“Last
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