Chapter 1
June, 2006
Chicago
A low growl of warning shattered the silence of the room. Jace's hazel eyes rose to the man turned beast on the other side of the bed. Tawny hair unwashed and unbound around the man's shoulders. Tired, but alert, cold grey eyes under heavy brows. Golden hairs on his cheeks and chin dulled by the subdued light of the room.
"We have been through this every four hours for two days, sir." He grunted in a hushed tone. "Change her IV, check her vitals, and her stitches."
The beast snarled his usual response. "Did I ask?"
Jace sighed and shook his head in the same way he did at the question. "No, sir." He was keeping the girl sedated. Letting her heal peacefully and unaware of how much pain she should be in.
His fingers gently pulled the sheet back from the girl's back to reveal the reason for his concern. Two long, jagged lines crossed her back from her shoulders to her opposite hips. The stitching had been a nightmare. But he had managed to get it done in two hours. While she was already getting an IV of fluids and blood. Not an easy feat outside of New York City.
The man seated on the bed beside her. Her small hand engulfed in one of his large mitts. Not one of his army dared to discourage him. Every one of them knowing what he was thinking: Olivia. Their leader's baby sister who had been tortured and killed in much the same way this woman would've been.
For seven years The Devil had searched for and destroyed every man involved in snuffing out his fourteen-year-old sister's life. The only ones he couldn't touch were his own brother and father. At least until two days ago.
The cold eyes narrowed as another growl emitted from him. Jace removed a little of the gauze covering the stitches in the center of her back. Another growl. Another sigh. The assessment of his patient done, Jace gathered his medical supplies into his case.
His steps echoed through the room as he crossed to the door. "You may want to shower and change at some point. Also the little girl is asking for you."
A small flicker of emotion lit the grey eyes before returning to the elder sister on the bed. His thumb making small circles on the inside of her forearm above a bandage around her wrist. His thumb traced a round scar. Cigarette and cigar burns littered most of her arms and legs.
An exam had determined that she was still a virgin. Oskar wouldn't have okayed the exam if there hadn't been a question as to if this young woman was the child's mother not sister. The two looked so alike.
"I'm not leaving this room until she wakes." The first sentence he had spoken since he had taken this spot on the bed. "Thank you, medic."
Jace gave the man a nod of respect before leaving the room. The gentle click of the latch engaging let Oskar know he was alone with her again.
Take all the time you need, sweetheart. Heal and sleep. I'll protect you and watch over you.
His silent vigil over the young woman hadn't really been on his mind when he had stepped into that mansion. Rescuing her hadn't even come into the equation. He hadn't known she was there. Until he had heard her scream.
It wasn't fear or even pain in her scream. It was rage. She was spitting and cursing. Halfway down the hall as he followed her voice with Vance and Roy at his flanks he realized why she was angry. She knew she was going to die. There was no fear in her voice because of it. She was pissed because she couldn't take one or all of them with her.
Unlike others the Draugar had saved. This woman was fighting with the only thing she had. Her rage. "That's cute. Three sadists with two inch cocks."
Their progress slowed as they got closer to the door. The sound of the woman being hit several times pushed him to act fast. Vance took the other side of the threshold to assess where the targets were. He signaled silently.
"You hit like a girl." The words were slurred and wet.
"Shut up, bitch." Was said from the opposite side of the room from his position.
Oskar's blood ran cold. Walter, Oskar's younger brother. The only one of the men who had killed Olivia seven years ago that Oskar couldn't touch. A vow to his mother protected her daughter's murderer.
"Oh, poor little boy. Did I hit a nerve?"
Her scream this time was of pain. The familiar metallic scent of blood wafted from the room. His eyes met Vane's. His were wide with horror. His mouth hung open for a moment before murder lit his black eyes.
Oskar gave a nod that he was ready. Ready to do what he should've done years ago. Vane pivoted through the doorway to continue up the length of the wall. Oskar did the same with his wall. Knives in their hands. Roy behind them to bar the door. A team of six waited at the either end of the hallway.
His heart stuttered and stopped at the sight of the woman dangling by her wrists. The cord had already started to work the tender flesh. Blood was pooling on the floor with a drain in the center. Around the room were tables of tools for torture.
George, Oskar's father stepped back from the unconscious body. Naked and covered in blood. The pain had been more than she could stand. "Come to join us, son?" George asked holding out the knife in his hand. Her blood and tissue covering it. His other hand moved to his cock for a stroke.
Holding his father's eyes, Oskar moved forward. His own blade ready in his hand. The only two men on this planet he wasn't allowed to touch and they were being served to The Devil on a platter.
His words were a prayer as his free hand wrapped around the knife blade and pulled his father hard toward him. The bite of the steel didn't register. "May Mother forgive me." His knife hand moved fast. Driving the knife to the hilt into the side of his father's throat.
Chaos erupted as his dead grey eyes landed on his brother's. Roy and Vance moved as he squared up on his brother.
"Oskar. Think of Rosalinda. She's due in a month."
"I am." Oskar growled as he stalked his brother around the room slowly.
"Mother. What will Mother say?" Walter begged. "She won't forgive you."
"I don't care." Oskar stated as he got close enough when Walter's back hit the wall between two tables. Repeating the same deathblow. The knife used on the woman fell with the lifeless form.
He turned in time to see Roy and Vance beat Varcus down to his knees. The rapist/murderer Oskar's real target tonight. "I didn't touch your fucking sister, Oskar. I swear. I was here."
Oskar glanced to Vance and then Roy who where holding the man on his knees. Head bent with powerful hands on his shoulders. "I didn't say anything about Olivia, did I?"
"Not that I heard," Vance answered. "Tank?"
"Nope."
Oskar reached over his shoulder to withdraw the sword he had specially made. Revenge in Japanese on the blade. "Sounds like an admission of guilt, Varcus. Perhaps you should've stayed home that day."
In a smooth motion his arm came down and the ugly head of Varcus Porcceli dropped from his shoulders with a heavy thud. Vance and Roy released the decapitated corpse. Vance withdrew the knife at his back to cut the woman down.
"No." Oskar ordered holding out his hand for the blade. "I'll do that. Get a blanket to wrap her in. Then remove the corpses of my father and brother."
The hilt of the blade hit his open palm. "You're bleeding, Major."
"The fingers are still attached, Corporal." Oskar replied stepped to the woman's naked front. "Blanket?"
Heavy steps retreated then more entered a minute later. The soft blanket was placed in Oskar's ready hand. He hadn't moved. Hadn't thought. Only stared at the young woman.
Chestnut hair with highlights of red. Long lashes against golden skin. Bruises around her eyes and at the corner of her cut lip were forming. His eyes had roamed all of her. Not leering necessarily. This wasn't his type of game. But assessing. His male brain noticing things about her that he wasn't sure he should.
Reverently he wrapped the blanket around her body and reached up with the knife to cut her free in two motions. Unsure how long she would remain unawares. Scooping her up in his arms to carry in her bridal style out.
Her blood was already seeping through the blanket onto his forearms as he reached the head of the hall and left through the grand entrance of the mansion.
Outside five vans were waiting. The feet of his relations were protruding from the back of one to his left. Trigger stepped to his side as he crossed to the first van where Jace was motioning from the back. "What of the rest?"
"Find the evidence of what Varcus was then burn it." Oskar growled. "Probably in the room she was being held in." He reached the van where Jace was ready with everything needed for field work. Formerly a medic in the squad Oskar had led for ten years. He had gone to medical school and gotten his doctorate in medicine. He used it with the FBI to assist in human trafficking cases.
"Where is worst?" Jace asked bent over while standing next to a portable mattress. His arms out to take the woman. That was when her eyes fluttered and a word left her lips in a hoarse whisper.
"Hope."
He ignored Jace's outstretched arms. Climbed into the back of the van with the woman cradled close to his chest. Jace stabilizing him by his shoulders as he knelt by the mattress. "Never been called that before." He joked dryly as he positioned her on the mattress. "We need to turn her over."
"Sister." She whimpered. Her arms moved to the mattress. Her elbows pressing into it pushing herself up weakly. Her voice weak with pain and exhaustion. "My sister. Hope. Mrs. Cagney. They know. They'll do the same to her. Please. Whatever happens to me. Protect her. She's only six-years-old."
As she spoke she struggled harder to get up. Even in her weakened state she was still fighting. "Where?" Oskar asked not expecting an answer. Her eyes were wild with fear and adrenaline. Chances were she wasn't really seeing anything.
"Cherry Hill and Crescent. Apartment six B." The woman whimpered. Jace was preparing a syringe of something. He gave Oskar an apologetic glance before sticking the woman in the shoulder with it.
"Ow." She whimpered turning her head a little to look at the doctor. "Not nice."
"I'm sorry, miss, but you need to sleep." Jace muttered.
Her hand shot out and gripped Oskar's more firmly than he thought she could. Catching him off guard when she pulled him closer. "I-I" the drug that was administered started to take effect immediately her hand slipped from his hand. Gently he caught her forearms and let her fall backward softly onto the mattress. Her eyes continued to flutter as her mumbling continued. The last word was simply, "Please."
"Her back is where it's worst. I'm not sure what was done. Save her if you can. I'll take a team and meet you at the rally point." Oskar ordered.
His foot hit the back of the van as Jace called him back. The woman was on her stomach with her back uncovered. "Oskar, she needs a hospital."
"And if she's wrong? If the little girl is unknown? Her arrival at a hospital will trigger a panic. I want us to remain as silent here as possible." The sting of gasoline touched his nose as he spoke.
Jace snorted. "Yeah real silent, Major. I can't promise anything." He reached into his black case open next to him like a tackle box. Withdrawing an IV insert.
Without a word Oskar marched to the van behind the medical one and shouted for five to join him as he reached the driver's side. His eyes flashed to Jace in the lit back of the van in front of him. An IV was already hanging from a special installation to the van.
The doors slamming shut around him brought him back to himself. "The woman has a sister. Six-years-old. Claims she may be in danger. Could be nothing." He told Roy next to him.
"If it brought her out of unconsciousness. I would say it is worth investigating." Came the answer from Roy.
"You are aware it is nearly three in the morning, Major?" Connelly asked behind the driver's seat.
"Then we better be prepared for a scared woman and child. The woman's name is Mrs. Cagney." Oskar clipped out as he started the engine and steered the van around the one in front of it.
