“When we arrived at the site, they kept us blindfolded until we got inside the building. They never put me on the stage. Gabriel always sat me beside him and ordered me to watch, as a kind of threat. He kept telling me I was lucky I belonged to him. That it could be me if I didn’t keep him satisfied. That I should be honored to be with him and not sold to another man who wouldn’t be as kind and attentive as he was.”
She was turning that odd grey color again.
“Ian, maybe she should take a break. Maybe get some fresh air?” I said concerned that Juliana may pass out soon.
“It’s okay. I’d prefer to just get this over with in one shot.”
“Your call.”
“So… I kept thinking if Gabriel was being ’kind’ I definitely didn’t want to know what the others could do to me. And I could not even try to imagine what happened once they sold the others. I think that would have driven me over the edge.”
My heart broke for her and the pain she had suffered. I moved closer to her and wrapped my arm around her shoulders.
“You’re safe now. We will keep you safe.”
She stiffened at my touch, but after a moment she relaxed into it. Progress?
“You can tell me I’m safe all day, but I don’t think I will ever feel safe again.”
At a loss I turned my focus to Ian, thinking he may be helpful in some way, but he asked, “How long were you in the van?”
“Um, actually not that long. Maybe fifteen minutes or thereabouts.”
“Okay, think back to the auction room. Tell me what you saw there.”
I sneered at him. He just shrugged as Juliana closed her eyes for a few moments.
“The room was big, mostly empty, except for the one-way mirrors they had set up along one end. This way the bidders could see us, but we couldn’t see them. In front of the mirrors was a kind of runway, with chairs lined up along one side. This is where Gabriel and I sat, along with his Chiefs. Like an appalling fashion show. The bidders each had one of Gabriel’s men assigned to them. When they made a bid Gabriel’s man sent a message to Gabriel. When an amount satisfied Gabriel, he’d name one bidder a winner. I never saw the person being bid on again.” She stared into space for a few moments before giving Ian a sheepish grin. “That doesn’t really describe the room, does it?”
Ian smiled, cleared his throat, and looked to me.
“It’s okay. You obviously wanted, or needed, to get that out,” I said.
“Yeah, I guess. Anyway, other than the mirrors and runway the room was nondescript. Beige walls, those fiberboard ceiling tile things with the ever-present water stains, fluorescent lights, and no windows. It reminded me of a conference room in a hotel or even a larger office building.” She shrugged. “Not a very good detective, am I?”
“You were stressed and abused. It is understandable that you cannot remember every detail, no matter how well you were trained to do so. You have been helpful. I thank you. Qadira will see you back to the hospital wing. We will see about getting you a more permanent room.”
As Juliana and I walked back to the makeshift hospital ward she asked, “Is he always like that? I don’t want to say he’s unfeeling, but I get the idea he doesn’t understand what me and the others have been through, you know?”
I took a moment to think about it and I would have agreed with her a couple of years ago, but now I know otherwise. “He understands, more than we think… he just doesn’t show it.”
“And he speaks so proper, I guess is how I’d put it, but it comes off a little stiff.”
“Yeah, his parents were strict, so he doesn’t use contractions often.” It was a lame explanation, but I was not about to tell her that chances were Ian’s form of speech was more than likely due to him being really old. Ian had not disclosed the fact that banshees are as close to immortal as can be, so I wasn’t about to divulge that information.
I walked her to her little corner and made sure she didn’t want or need anything before I left to go clean up the kitchen.
********
“Dammit!” I yelped, jumping back as the plate hit the tile by my feet, shattering. I crouched to clean up the mess, berating myself. “This is the second one tonight! At this rate we’ll have to eat off the counter tops. OW! Son of a b—”
“What is going on in here?” Ian asked, stepping into the kitchen.
I turned to face him, my injured finger in my mouth to stop the blood flow. I could tell he had fed recently. His skin was bright and flushed. His blue t-shirt clung to his chest and arms showing the muscle underneath it. His jeans were loose, but not so loose as to hide the strength of his legs.
“Have you hurt yourself?”
He took my hand to examine the wound. A little pearl of blood appeared. I tried to tug my hand from his, but his hold tightened.
Our eyes locked as his lips closed around my finger. A flash of heat passed through me. I could feel my face flush as his eyes traveled to my lips. He took a step closer to me and slid my finger from his mouth to examine it once again.
“All better.”
“Uh-huh…” He turned and left the room without another word. “I don’t understand that man.”
“Talking to yourself?” He returned with a broom and dustpan. I watched as he swept up the remnants of the plate. After he emptied the remains into the garbage, he sat on a stool and patted the one next to him.
“What did you think of Juliana?”
“I think she is telling us the truth. Or at least what she remembers of it.”
He nodded. “It is a shame she cannot tell us more of the day-to-day operations.”
“Yeah, I guess it’s kind of hard to pay attention to the inner-workings of the gang holding you hostage and torturing you.”
“You have misunderstood my meaning. I did not mean to belittle what happened to her. I only meant—”
“I know what you meant, Ian. I wasn’t accusing you of anything. You were kind with her during our talk.” I leaned over and kissed him. “Besides, I agree, I wish she knew more, but maybe the information will come out the more she relaxes.”
“Perhaps.”
“I feel like a run.” I looked outside to see it was raining. “Ugh, I can finally run on the beach and it’s pouring. Care to join me in the gym?”
“I have a better idea,” He said as he swept me into his arms and headed for the stairs.
I’d run later… or not.
Chapter Eight
Seth joined me for an early morning beach run the next day. When we got back, I made a huge breakfast for the food-eaters of the house. I brought Juliana her plate and sat with her as she ate. We talked for a while even after she ate. We told each other a little about ourselves, nothing too personal though. We both had trust issues.
A woman after my own heart, she was a cross country running star in her hometown. She’d won a couple of half marathons and come in second in a full marathon. She told me about her job as a P.I. and how she enjoyed the thrill of tracking down a bad guy or missing person. She missed her work, and running, so I introduced her to the in-house gym. I was not letting her back outside alone until we could trust her, so this was second best. She forgot herself for a second and hugged me.