Chapter 8

Later that evening, Claudine woke up in a strange room. A large, luxurious space, filled with the scent of expensive cologne and the trappings of wealth. A glass of water sat on the bedside table. This was definitely Hades’s part of the house.

Her mind raced, her body aching, her head throbbing. Her hair, she realized with a jolt, had been shaved. It was short, brutally short, but… better than what Gregory had done. She still didn’t know what these men planned to do to her.

Escape. She had to escape.

She looked around the room, her eyes darting frantically. No cameras. But the door was locked, the windows high and barred. She peered outside. Men everywhere. It was already evening. She needed to get out of this estate, by any means necessary.

Her thoughts drifted to her past, to the time she and Drey had planned to expose the Vancouvers. She’d just received a scholarship to study law in Los Angeles. But then Drey had died, the Simpsons had turned against her, and the FBI had become her only lifeline. They’d helped her, yes, but she was bound to them for life.

She’d eventually gotten her law degree, but to stay under the radar, she’d taken a job teaching children. She loved kids. It was a safe, inconspicuous life. But just over a year ago, she’d reconciled with the Simpsons. They were her only family, besides her aunts here in Russia. She needed to get back to them.

An idea, desperate and risky, began to form in her mind. She’d told them she was pregnant. She would make them believe she was having a miscarriage.

She downed the glass of water in one gulp, her body shaking with a mixture of fear and determination. She began to pace the room, her thoughts a chaotic jumble. She was wearing a short, blue Tinkerbell nightgown. Who owned these things? And why were they so… revealing?

Finally, the plan solidified. She grabbed the glass, her hands trembling, and smashed it on the floor, trying to minimize the noise. She picked up a shard, the sharp edge glinting in the dim light. She sucked in a breath. This was even more insane than getting shot.

She pressed the shard against the inside of her thigh, her hand shaking. Just a small cut, she told herself. Enough to draw blood.

She screamed, the pain sharp and immediate. She staggered backward, her body colliding with a bookshelf. Books and trinkets crashed to the floor. She stepped on another piece of glass, her scream turning into a high-pitched wail.

She grabbed some of the fallen objects, her eyes landing on a small, fancy-looking teddy bear. She kissed its head, an unspoken apology, a small, involuntary gesture of comfort, and placed it back on the shelf. Then, she knelt, trying to gather the remaining glass shards under the bed. Blood was already trickling down her legs. She took a deep breath and began her performance. Screaming, crying, pleading for help.

The door burst open. Artemis rushed in, her face a mask of confusion. “What’s happening?”

“I’m… I’m having a miscarriage!” Claudine gasped, clutching her stomach.

Charon, Hades’s right-hand man, strode in, followed by Hades himself. He took one look at Claudine, ran a hand through his hair, and barked orders.

 “Get her to the car. Now. Charon, get my things. We’re leaving.”

~~~~

The car ride was a blur of pain and panic. Claudine did her best to act like she was in agony. Artemis had tried to clean the blood, but Claudine had resisted, wanting the evidence to be clear. They’d bundled her into the back seat with Hades, his guards and other cars following close behind. She prayed this was her chance to escape.

But as Charon sped through the streets, Claudine realized they weren’t going to a hospital. They’d passed one already. This was Russia. Her home. She knew these streets. Charon was heading for the highway.

Where the hell was Hades taking her?

She started to cry, her fear turning real. “Where are you taking me? Please… I need a hospital!”

Hades chuckled, a low, chilling sound. “At first, I didn’t think I had any use for you,” he said, his voice soft but firm. “But you’ve… intrigued me. So much.”

“Please…” she begged, her voice trembling.

He reached out and grabbed her neck, his fingers tightening slightly. He shoved her against the car door, the world outside a dizzying rush of lights and shadows. With his other hand, he tore open the front of her Tinkerbell gown, exposing her shoulder. He leaned down and kissed the dragon tattoo, the one covering her gunshot wound. She hissed in pain.

He released her, his eyes burning into hers. “You’re mine now, stuck with me baby girl.” he said, his voice possessive. “My tool. You’re good at manipulating men, aren’t you? You’ll be mine to use. And as long as you’re with me, you’ll prove your loyalty. Every day, my little seductress.”

“Please,” she choked out, her voice barely a whisper. “Let me go.”

He shook his head, his grip on her neck unwavering. “No. I know they’ll try to contact you again. The people who sent you. And this time, I’ll be ready.”

She was shaking, begging him to take her to a hospital.

He laughed again, a cold, mocking sound. “Really? Do you think I’m that stupid? You fooled me once, Mia. Never again. You’re never leaving my sight.”

He paused, then added, “That little teddy bear in the room… the cute pink and purple one you knocked over? It had a camera inside. I saw you, baby girl. I saw you cut yourself. I saw your little performance.”

Her world tilted. She deflated, all hope draining from her. She was trapped. Bound to this man for life.

“What do you want from me?” she asked, her voice flat, defeated.

“Relax,” he replied after a short pause, his voice almost gentle. “Be calm.” He reached down with one hand and hiked up her gown, the see-through fabric bunching around her waist. With his other hand, he held her still, preventing her from moving. He used a napkin to wipe away the remaining blood from her thighs, his touch clinical, almost… intimate.

Then, he bent his head lower, his eyes locked on hers. He extended his tongue and licked the blood from her inner thigh. He moved his head further down and sniffed her vagina. Then he moved his head even further, his nose dipping into her, inhaling her scent.

She cursed herself for being aroused. For being wet. For wanting him.

“Mia,” he whispered, his voice a caress.

She jerked, her anger momentarily eclipsing her fear. “I’m not Mia! Can you just quit.” she spat, her Russian accent slipping through.

He chuckled, ignoring her denial. His left hand still choked her neck, applying just enough pressure to remind her who was in control. His right hand spread her legs wider on the leather seat, his palm pressing firmly against her damp heat, massaging her folds. He moved closer, his breath hot against her ear. “You belong to me now, you sexy little witch.” he whispered.

She fought the urge to grind against his hand, her body screaming for release. “I hate you,” she muttered, her voice thick with unwilling desire. “I swear, I hate you so much.” Her Russian accent was more pronounced now, betraying her. Her whole body was betraying her! She was about to cum from just his touch.

But he didn’t acknowledge the Russian accent, that’s another secret to uncover. He just kept touching her in ways her brain couldn’t keep up with, enjoying the sight of her coming apart. “There’s my little tiger,” he murmured, his voice laced with triumph.

His little tiger? She thought, her mind a chaotic battleground. How could he still have this effect on her?

She tried again after her breathing had steadied. “Where are you taking me, Hades?”

“You really need to relax, baby girl,” he shrugged, but his smile widening. “It’s going to be a long flight. We have a wedding to attend by tomorrow morning. I’m sure you love weddings.”

He wiped a tear from her cheek, his touch surprisingly tender before turning his attention back to the road.

She stared at him, dumbfounded. A wedding? She wouldn’t survive another day in this man’s clutches. But… maybe… maybe she could use this, turn the situation to favor her. She was a Kalashnikov. She wiped her face clean. Laid back into the seat and muttered out in a strange piercing tone.. so frightening it caught him off guard . “Yes Hades, I love weddings. Who’s getting married?”