Empath's Angel - M J Marlow (easy readers .TXT) 📗

in rageand pain. He slapped her across the face, stunning her. She knew she was fighting for her freedom now, if not her life. There was no way he was going to have her again, not without inflicting a great deal of damage. He was laughing as she cursed at him in Polish as she tried to fight him off. “You never had a chance, pet,” Zachary laughed as he finally beat her into a daze she could not shake. He turned her overand cuffed her wrists behind her back. “Now, pay attention,” he said as he clamped his hand on her neckand yanked her back to face him, “while I tell you how things are going to be from this point on.” * Gabriel woke up the next morningand was surprised to see Ryan, Brianna,and Flynn all waiting in his room. He was choked up by their concern,and accepted their gifts in the spirit they were given. It was nice to have friends again, he thought to himself. It was nice to have people to care about. He had missed that after that bus accident had killed the wrestling team on their way back from a meet. The only reason he had not died with them was because he had the fluand his dad wouldn’t let him wrestle until he was recovered. Good old dad, he thought happily; always looking out for him. “Tough break,” Ryan frowned. “You’re going to miss the game tonight.” He laid his hand on Gabriel’s shoulder. “Glad you’re okay, buddy.” “We all are,” Kevin nodded. “Have the police found the man who hit you yet?” “I don’t know,” Gabriel told her honestly. “They’ve been keeping me pretty doped up since I got here.” He smiledand leaned back against the pillows. “Good stuff. Had me seeing pink rabbits hopping across the walls.” “Gabriel, I…” Geoffrey paused as he came into the roomand saw the group. “You certainly haven’t lost your knack for making friends, son. Only been here four weeks,and the prettiest girl in town is in your room.” He smiled at the kids. “Good to see you, kids, but I think my son should be resting.” “We just wanted to make sure he was all right, sir,” Ryan spoke up for everyone. “The nurse at the front desk wasn’t being very helpful.” He nodded to Gabrieland steered his brother towards the door. “Get better, buddy.” Brianna hung back a secondand leaned over to kiss Gabriel on the cheek. She gave his good hand a quick squeezeand left the room, missing the blush on the boy’s face. She saw her brothers talking to Emilia, who was with her brother-in-law. The man was so nasty, Brianna thought as she caught his cold eyes on her. What could Emilia see in him? She smiled at Emiliaand joined her brothers on their way out. As they left, she saw Emilia going into Gabriel’s room. Zachary remained in the hall, waiting. It was like he was afraid to let Emilia out of his sight, Brianna realized. Was he holding her against her will? That was something she would have to check on. She got into the van with her brothersand wondered why they were just sitting there. Then the darkness descended amid noxious fumes clamped over her noseand mouth. Their abductors took the crosses off of themand one of them went inside. He slipped them to Zacharyand left the hospital to rejoin his companions. Zachary slipped the crosses into his pocket, smiling. “Emilia,” Zachary asked as Emilia came out of the room a few moments later. “How’s your friend doing?” “He’s okay,” Emilia replied. “I need to go see…” “You don’t have any appointments today. I checked.” Zachary broke in. “Youand I are going to spend some time alone.” He saw the fear enter her eyesand frowned. “Is something wrong, Emilia?” “Your father wanted you to marry me,” she stated coldly, “but you’ve made me your whore instead.” “I have never been good at doing what my father told me to do, Emilia,” Zachary said softly. “I have no need for a wife yet,” he smiled as he moved a bit closer, his eyes warm. “I enjoyed what we shared in New York; what we are sharing now.” He pulled back, stunned, when she slapped him across the face. “Emilia?” “Leave me alone,” Emilia sobbed. “I don’t want you touching me.” “I’m sorry you feel that way, Pixie,” Zachary replied as he took her into the elevator. They went down into the sub-basementand he shoved her into a supply room. He saw the wariness in her eyes as he locked the doorand came towards her,and it excited him. “I really thought that you understood how things were going to be.” “Leave me alone,” Emilia cried. She tried to get past himand he slammed her against the wall. “Let me go!” she screamed in protest as he shackled her in place. The look in his eyes was terrifying her now. “Zachary, please…” “You belong to me, Emilia,” Zachary broke in, as he pressed up against her. He kissed her roughlyand smiled as he heard her whimper of protest. “Get used to the idea, pet,” he said as he slid inside of her. “You are mine!” Emilia kickedand clawed as he raped her. Images of what he had done to her in New Yorkand just last night came flooding into her mind. They gave her anger fresh energyand she managed to kick him away from her. She screamed for help as she tried to pull free of the shackles,and slugged her across the face. “Stop fighting me, pet,” he said as he clamped his hand on her chin, “and your little friends just might live out the night.” He pulled something out of his pocketand held three crosses up in front of her eyes. “That’s right, pet,” he said as he stroked her hair, “the Kennedy children are my guests.And they will remain so,” he continued mercilessly, as his thumb ran over her lips, “until you accept your new life as my whore without any further argument.” “Please…” “No false promises, Emilia,” Zachary broke in, his thumb over her lips to keep her frozenand silent. “I’ll go with you,” Emilia said softly, her voice quavering. “Now, if that’s what you want. Please don’t hurt my friends.” “That’s all I needed to hear,” Zachary smiled. He raised Emilia’s chinand bent down to claim her lips. “I am so glad you have agreed to resume our relationship, pet.” * Stephenand his party arrived in Philadelphiaand made their way to the Sobieski castle. The mood was heavy as they discussed what they had to do in order to get Zachary. Stephen was brought up to date on his wife’s condition. She was well. Zachary had left town for a few days,and was believed to be with hismistress, Bridget Maxwell. They were planning something big,and all of them were quite aware that Emilia was going to be a big part of whatever evil they were plotting. “They have reserved staterooms on the Celestial Queen,” Captain LawrenceAndrews, Emilia’s maternal grandfather, said as he turned from the liquor cabinet. “Aren’t even bothering to hid their identities.” He took a healthy swig of the liquid. “It leaves the end of next week.” “We are going to have to make certain that the Sheik of Pashtuand his party are aboard as well,” Piotr decided. “In the staterooms on either side of theirs, if possible.” He looked at Stephen. “We should have been in a better position to help her, Stephen…” “I don’t blame you, sir,” Stephen broke in. “My brother appears to have learned quite a few tricks from our father. I had hoped…” He sank down on the couchand put his head in his hands. When he finally looked up, his eyes were hard. “Damn him! How dare he think he can use my wife – MY wife – like a prostitute!” His fists clenched in anger. “He is going to pay for this.” “Calm, boy,” Piotr said as he noted Stephen’s reaction. “Losing control now is not going to help our Emilia.” He looked over at his granddaughter’s other grandfather. “Who else do we have on your vessel, Lawrence?” “Your son-in-law, Doctor Brett,”Andrews told him, as he ran his mind over the staff; “four of Novak’s boys; seven of the Kaminski family;and,” he continued as he looked at Stephen, “the Sheik of Pashtuand his fourteen attendants.” “A veritable army then,” Piotr nodded, satisfied. He actually smiled for the first time since the meeting had begun. “Your brother is not going to know what hit him, Stephen.” “Good,” Stephen said stiffly. “It’s about time he realized what that feels like.” He looked over atAndrews. “I’d like my people to be in on helping you prepare the vessel, Captain.” “Of course, son,”Andrews nodded. “I brought the schematics of the vessel with me. If you’d care to look them over…” Stephen followedAndrews out of the lounge, eager to be at work. Piotr watched the boy goand turned to Stephen’s lieutenant, Yusef ben Aden. The sternness from both of their faces easedand they shook handsand shared a drink, like old friends. “My sister?” “Maryam is quite well, Piotr,” Yusef told him, smiling. Maryam, his newest wife, was Piotr Sobieski’s youngest sibling. “She will be leading the women we bring on this cruise.” “No children then,” Piotr frowned. “What is taking you so long?” “We have only been married three years, Piotr,” Yusef laughed at the man. “Maryam has been busy with designing, staffing,and supplying the teaching hospital on Pashtu. I am more than willing to allow her time…” “Three years, Yusef?” Piotr cocked an eyebrow, amused. “I think you’ve waited long enough.” He allowed himself one more moment to enjoy his friend’s discomfortand then went quiet. “Tell me that helping this man is the right thing for my granddaughter.” “They belong to each other, Piotr,” Yusef told the man. “He betrayed his own father to keep her safe. It is his child she carried in her womb before that bastard Randall caused her miscarriage.” He had watched Stephen over the yearsand knew his instincts were on. “They need to be one, or people like his brother will continue to flourish. Your granddaughter will always attract such men, seeking to use her.” “We can protect her…” “Can you?” Yusef broke in, looking at his friend sternly. “Then tell me why she is in this danger?” He held his hand up as Piotr started to defend his family. “You do not need to tell me how formidable your family is, my friend. I have seen the Sobieski in action. I know how capable you are, when you are active. But you are facing someone here who seems to have an innate talent for getting past your guards.And right now, he is winning.” “Very well, Yusef,” he sighed heavily as he finished his drink, “the ball, as they say, is in your court. Let us see if the Pashtu can accomplish what we Sobieski have not.” * Emilia was beginning to get antsy with all the protection. She was not allowed anywhere out of the house without at least one of the men Zachary had left behind with her along. She was certain they even followed herand Jason, who had made it his personal crusade to make sure she was safe, when they took the dogs out for a walk. Two weeks had passed since the attack at the hospital. She was surprised when Zachary still had not returned to townand she was free to do as she wished, under the watchful eye of his men. “When will it stop hurting, Jay?” Emilia sighed as they sank down on a park benchand let the dogs,and themselves rest. “You loved Stephen, Emi,” Jason told her firmly. “It’s going to take a while for you to healand move on with your life.” He looked down into her eyes, as he cupped her chin in his hand.