STOLEN BY THE HEARTLESS LYCAN

Chapter 2: Beating Heart

Cora’s pov

My throat tightened. My heartbeat skyrocketed, a staccato beat that rocked my teeth.

His eyes remained indifferent as he appraised me, “what’s your name?”

Swallowing, I gathered my wits, deciding that the best way to get out of this situation alive was to use my wiles and attempt at seducing him… Even though I might lose my head in the process.

I inclined my head, gaze grew half lidded as I made a show of checking him out, my lips stretched into a convincing smile, easy for a siren, even though my heart was pounding ridiculously fast and my throat felt like it was closing in on me.

“Whatever you want it to be, mister,” I said in a drawling, honeyed voice that oozed s*x apeal, stroking the bars in a suggestive way.

Papà hissed. “Cora! Behave yourself.”

“Cora? Is that it?” He asked.

I giggled. “Mhm. Short for Coralie. Is that what you want to call me?”

He was quiet, perhaps trying to figure out if I really fancied him, perhaps wondering why I wasn’t trembling at his feet and simpering over him like all his victims before me.

Suddenly emboldened, my hand slipped between the bars to brush his hair back, almost like I was unable to stop myself. If I’m going to die anyway, I wanted to know what his hair felt like.

His hand shot out and snatched my wrist. It wasn’t a hard grip, but his touch seared my skin, burning into me like a brand that mimicked the one on my neck. His gaze was as cold as ice. “Don’t touch,” he growled.

My expression fell, a pleading pout pulled at my lips, a look I had practiced to fall even the most powerful of men. Of course, I have never tried it on men of Creed’s caliber. “Please?” I whispered, knowing how much men love to be begged. “I just want to know what it feels like.”

His brows knitted at my voice but he released my hand, inviting me to dig my own grave.

I swallowed and attempted another flirty smile but the smile dropped from my lips as I felt his hair. Soft, thick, lustrous. I pushed it back, revealing dark eyes that were so intense, it rocked my core.

Holy Amphitrite… I suddenly wanted him to kiss me. To hold me down and screw my brains out as a parting gift, before offering me up to Thanatos.

His eyes darkened like he could hear each and every one of my carnal thoughts and the air between us turned thicker. Heavier.

“Forgive me for the state that she’s in,” papà continued, interrupting… whatever it was that happened between us. “She was rude to a client and I had to punish her for misbehaving.”

Right before my eyes, Creed’s gaze darkened with contempt, the muscles of his shoulders taut with tension at the sound of papà’s voice. I had the feeling that he didn’t like papà very much.

“Punish?”

He rose to his feet and turned to give papà his full attention and now that I was no longer under his gaze, I finanlly felt like I could breathe again.

Papà waved off his question. “She’s all yours. If you’re willing to let bygones be bygones.”

I could feel the animosity oozing out of Creed.

“You deceived me. Went behind my back and connived with my enemies and you bring this broken, beaten up thing to warm my bed for a night. You insult me, Orlando.”

“N- no! Of course not, sir!” papà jumped to his feet. “I offered proceeds from my venture with the Valentinos. You get a whooping twenty percent for every deal I make, free passage through our routes. My own daughter is at your beck and call. I’m offering you everything if you just overlook this one minor mishap.”

Creed shoved his hands in his pockets and stared at my father. “No deal, Orlando.”

Papà’s shoulders collapsed. Fear flashed in his eyes. “You can’t d- do this. Your father and I have been amicable all these years. I’m sure you’d want to follow in his steps and keep the peace.”

Creed laughed. It was a slow, mocking laugh that bounced off the walls in chilling beats. He walked towards papà and placed a heavy hand on his shoulder, a seemingly comforting gesture but papà’s gaze turned white with dread.

“That’s funny. Most people say I take after my mum.” His claws flared and he tore his hand into his chest in one second, ripping out his heart.

Papà’s heart was still beating as it rolled on to the red carpeted ground.

Silence ensued throughout the entire lounge, I held my breath as he turned to me, cold dead eyes, locking in mine. The only thing to be heard was the drip drip drip as blood dripped from my papà’s open chest to the ground.

And maybe it was because everywhere had gone silent but now I heard it. Screaming, the sounds of things crashing and breaking upstairs, terrifying monster growls and noises coming from the pleasure house above us.

I shrunk into my cage as Creed started to approach me. Gone was the false bravado, the fleeting connection I thought we shared.

Dead. I’m dead. I’m next. It’s about to be my blood dripping from his hands. My beating heart on the ground.

I became dreadfully aware of the fact that Creed never intended anyone to get out of this establishment alive. I will join my father in Hades tonight solely because I was my father’s daughter.

“Please,” I begged sincerely now, scrambling to the edge of the cage like that would stop him from getting to me.

The door suddenly flung open and a much younger boy walked in. Screams filted in through the door before he slammed it back shut.

He looked about eighteen with long black hair that touched his shoulders and a crazed glint in his gunmetal grey eyes. The most terrifying thing about him were the giant beasts that flanked his sides, nothing more than shifting shadows until they snarled and growled, rumbling the entire room as they prowled into the lounge.

He stopped as soon as he saw papà on the ground. “s**t, man. I didn’t think you’d do it. This was our first solid lead in years on the Valentinos.”

“We’ll find another one.”

“f**k you. Now I owe Conrad five grand.”

“I told you to wait for my signal, Maddox. You should learn to listen to instructions.”

He tucked his tongue against his cheek and regarded Creed, long dark hair like waterfall fell against the side of his face. “But that’s no fun. Come. Let’s round up the others and-” He finally noticed me and froze. “Sweet Christ,” he cussed. And then he turned back to Creed.”I’ll let you deal with this one. Hunter and Conrad are taking care of the sranglers downstairs. Hurry the f u c k up before Ellie gets too worried.”

With that, he left and my heart picked up it’s devastating beat.

Deal with this one. Take care of those ones… They’re going to kill us. My sisters downstairs. Me.

But still, I asked, probably because I was a glutton for punishment.

“Are you going to kill me, mister?” I asked breathlessly, feigning indifference. “Please make it quick. I am not too keen at the idea of being tortured and I would like a quick and preferably painless death.”

Whatever I said must have amused him because he tilted his head, his lips parting to reveal glinting fangs, just a tad bit longer and a lot more pointy than a human’s canine. “And here I was under the impression you’ve got me all figured out.”

He approached me and crushing the padlock in his bare fists, he wrenched my cage open.

“You’re free to go, songbird.” He said in his pleasingly low voice.

I didn’t quite register his words until after a few seconds.

“Really?” I asked unbelievably, looking up at him, something like adoration and disbelief filled my chest.

“Don’t make me repeat my words, Cora.”

I swallowed and tried to stand up and immediately remembered my predicament.

Sh!t sh!t sh!t!

After a few seconds and I made no move to stand up, his gaze went to my legs, limbs that splayed uselessly on the ground.

My cheeks burned with embarrassment. My nails dug into the inside of my palm as I clenched it tight.

This was my first chance at freedom in years. A chance to find my mother and be reunited with the rest of my family. Of course, Orlando Romani would continue to haunt me like this even in the grave.

“He broke your legs didn’t he?” he asked, as soon as he realized. He glared at my papà’s dead body with so much animosity. As if he would raise him from the dead just to kill him again.

Finally, he looked back at me. “What am I going to do with you? A helpless bird with broken wings.”

Nothing. He couldn’t do anything with me. I was utterly useless.

He’s going to abandon me. Going to leave me here and the thought of it made me more terrified than the thought of him killing me.

He shook his head and turned to leave and fear and dread made my teeth chatter. He’d walk right out that door and I’d never see him again.

Papà had many enemies. Enemies that will hear of what Creed had done and come to sift through the remains of papà’s broken empire. Enemies that will think I knew secrets about my papà’s business and dealings with their rivals. They will torture me until I sing like a bird or they’ll do far worse just for the hell of it.

Without my legs to get me far away from here and not a penny to my name, I was as good as dead. Leaving me here was a far greater punishment than having me killed tonight.

“Mister!” I cried out, failing to keep the fear and desperation out of my voice.

He froze at my voice. Glanced at me with bored eyes. He was obviously done here and was probably irritated that I was wasting his time.

I swallowed. “You’re not going to leave me here, are you?”

“What does it look like?” He asked blandly, disinterested like we were talking about the weather for the third time.

I hesitated, wondering how to word my request but he was already turning to leave again.

“Take me with you!” I cried out hastilty. “Please, take me with you. I- I’ll do anything, just don’t… don’t leave me here.”

It was painfully obvious that Creed wanted nothing to do with me. He had no plans to kill me or torture me. I’d take him over all of papà’s other enemies, at least until my legs heal and I’m strong enough to escape his clutches.

I saw him debate the idea for the next few seconds. He muttered a low curse, making his decision and I knew that if he decided to walk out this room again, there was nothing I could do to call him back. Nothing I could say to persuade him on the matter.

My eyes suddenly felt heavy as defeat sagged my bones. And then I heard footsteps.

To my relief, he walked right back to me.

He walked into the cage suddenly silencing my internal ramblings and picked me up gently- more gently than I thought he was capable of.

He glanced down at me, his eyes hardening. “I gave you the chance to flee, Cora. To get as far away from me as you possibly could. You’re the one who made this choice. You understand that I am never letting you go now, don’t you? As soon as I step out this door, you are mine, Coralie. I own every inch of you and you belong only to me now.”

In the back of my head, I knew that I was making a deal with devil; my freedom, my body and soul in exchange for a better captor, but I couldn’t think of anything past the brand of cologne he was wearing. He smelled so nice, woody and fruity like vetiver and blackcurrants. I’ve never smelled anything so nice in all my years of service.

“I understand,” I muttered, leaning my cheek against his chest, his scent lulling me to sleep.

Before sleep pulled me under, I listened to his heartbeat and realized that the rumours were true.

Creed Talaverra didn’t have a beating heart.