Disclaimer: This is fiction. This in no way portrays actual people, events never took place. This was written for fun and to ward off the Ogey-bogey Man. Thank you.
The Story:
Truly, he was glad, nay relieved, when the last of the guests had left. He simply was not a man for parties.
Hunter returned to the empty hall with Nim, a silent and ominous shadow following just to his right. He sighed. �Nim, everyone�s gone. You don�t need to keep tailing me, you know.�
�Yes I do, my Lord,� Nim spoke quietly, calmly, and devoid of any emotion. This immediately caught Hunter�s attention. Nim shared a glance with him before going on. �I�ve met with my source in Cameron. It�s as we suspected, my Lord: there are reports of unrest in the neighboring kingdoms.
�Not many people believe the King has made a wise move, ignoring all else but a direct descendant as his heir to the throne. My Lord, there is talk of an assassin in your very inner circle.�
They stopped walking. Well, Hunter stopped and faced Nim. But instead of worry, anxiety, or even disbelief, Hunter looked relieved, satisfied, expectant.
�Oh?� he asked lightly, �Has it come to that already?�
�My Lord,� Nim hissed like an angry rattler, �I beg you, take this seriously! This is not just here say. This comes from solid sources, my contact even hinted more than one powerful hand in this!�
�Nim, I�m taking it seriously, honestly!� Hunter shifted his tired feet. He�d been standing and walking all night long without rest. He wanted that plush chair in the corner but he himself had stopped them so he couldn�t do more than speed up their talk. �It�s my life, after all. Besides, how many more guards are you going to put on me, Nim? You�ve already recruited guards at my side every time I go outside the castle!�
�You need more, my Lord.� Nim assured him confidently. �You need at least one person with you throughout the day, two the better. If it�s a traitor, then the more people around you the better. It will throw off their plans in case they want to get you alone.�
Nim paused, gathering his strength. He could be fired for even harboring the thought of Davey�s guilt. �My lord,� Nim said slowly, �have you had much thought about. . . about who you bed? When you sleep is your most vulnerable time,�
�Pfft!� Hunter grinned widely, full of the boyish innocence that made Nim worry at night. �That�s nothing! The only person I sleep with is Davey, and he loves me to the ends of the earth. There�s nothing in this world that would get between us.� He gave Nim a nod and turned to start walking away.
Nim, however, wasn�t fooled. He had seen the look glinting in his lord�s eyes. It was something he didn�t want to see. It was doubt.
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Jade spied them at last, making their way out of the empty hall toward the far end. He set his glass down on the table so hard it sloshed spiked punch on the white table cloth. This time he had him, and he wasn�t going to give up until he had what he wanted.
Keeping his eyes on his human slave and the one he was determined to have as his human slave, Jade missed the two pairs of eyes that tailed him. He watched Adam and Davey leave out the double doors, hand in hand if you could believe, and quickened his pace. To his disappointment, he was intercepted before he could even reach the corridor beyond.
�Hullo, Jade,� one hand caught him under his left bicep, the grip iron-clad.
�Fancy a stroll, do you?� another gripped under his other arm, pulling him to a stop.
Jade rolled his eyes but felt his heart quicken. �Ah, boys, just going to freshen up in my room, then. . .�
�Why, Tim,� The one on his right said, acting as if Jade hadn�t spoken, �I do believe that�s exactly what ol� Jade was going to do, don�t you?�
�Quite, quite, Lars,� The grumbling, rolling voice sounded like he was grinning. And, as Jade sadly looked at each in turn, they were.
�Guys, come on,� He whined pathetically, �how�s about letting me off just this once? Hmm? For old time�s sake? I wasn�t going to actually DO anything. . .�
�Ahh,� Tim rubbed his chin, the stubble scratching roughly from his calloused fingers, �Old times, old times! You remember, don�tcha Jade? When we were all caught in that sandstorm and had to take refuge in that cave? You remember when you offered to play us for the last jar of food?�
Lars shook his other hand to make a rattling with the objects he held. �Care to allow us the luxury of winning that jar back, old pal?�
Jade knew he was being detained on purpose, but could see no other way around the evil grins of the two men. So, he at least made an attempt. �Guys, honestly, I really don�t feel like doing anything but going up to my room and having a lie down. Been an awfully long night and. . .�
�Nonsense!� Tim roared happily. They were already leading him around to the opposite door, leading outside. �There�s plenty of time to sleep tomorrow! You owe your old pals a few games of Odds and Evens, don�tcha think so? Only polite seein� as how we came all this way to be with our old pal Jade!� Tim thumped him on the back good-naturedly. Jade met his eyes and saw the unmistakable threat behind them.
Do this, or else.
Jade gulped and could do nothing but see where the night took him.
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Davey led him down the corridor and to his room. He knew Hunter would want to call it a night soon, and that Jade would call Adam back to his cell also, so he wanted to get as much time with his friend as he could.
�You live nicely,� Adam offered courteously as he took in the room.
Davey shook his head. �None of this other stuff is mine. I just use the bed and the mirror. Everything else is Hunter�s. I don�t think he even uses his own room anymore.� The Server moved to the window and looked down on a night filled world. Within a few hours, the sun would rise and a new day would be born. Already the dark blue over head was lightening and warming.
He felt movement beside him. Adam stood on the other side of the window, mirroring him. Silence settled between them like a blanket. Sensing his uneasiness, Davey looked up to catch Adam�s gaze.
�Davey,� Adam whispered, �I�m sorry. I�m. . . Lord, I�m sorry.� Those blue eyes that flashed by day now seemed to glow in the fading moonlight by unshed tears.
Davey frowned. �Adam, we�ve been over this too many times tonight. You did what you could. That tiger was going to come after me even if you had been there or not. You probably even saved me! Yes, you did. I�m sure of it now. Jade would have come too late if you hadn�t pulled me back those couple of feet. Adam,� Davey moved away from his part of the wall as his voice went low, �Adam, I could have died tonight. But you saved me. You saved me because you were there.�
The holy man was silent as he peered down at the pretty man before him. Those dark brown eyes were now wide and black, reflecting part of the moon and stars outside, and part of the lit candelabra in the corner. He had time to think: My Lord, is this one of yours? before the Server wrapped his arms around him in a tight embrace.
Adam stood stunned for most of a minute before he returned the gesture. He surprised himself when his left hand made slow circles on Davey�s back while the right gently began petting his hair. �It�s alright, Davey, it�s okay. I swear, I shall not let anything happen to you.�
Davey heard these words and burrowed his face further into Adam�s chest. He let out a sigh. �I know you wouldn�t.� His voice was muffled against the fabric of Adam�s tunic. �I know you�d keep me safe no matter what. You and Hunter, and Jade.�
Adam stiffened. He hadn�t expected that last name. Of course, Hunter was Davey�s chief protector, but Jade? Davey felt his mood and pulled back slightly. �Adam? What�s wrong?�
He took a moment to think, then shook his head. �Davey, that�s not such a good idea, trusting Jade so much. Yes, I know,� he held a hand up to stop the interruption frowning on Davey�s face, �he saved your life tonight. For that, he deserves his bucket of oats. But that doesn�t necessarily change his nature. Remember, Davey, remember who, what he is. For years he�s lied, cheated and killed to where he is now. Why do you think Tim and Lars are here? You know who they are?�
Davey shook his head.
�They�re famous bounty hunters. If Jade is the most famous outlaw, they are THE law. The only thing that leaves a space on their record is Jade himself. Once they catch him, their reputations will be secured and they won�t need to work another day in their lives. The bounty on his head will see to that.� Adam�s mouth thinned as he swallowed hard. His hands gripped Davey�s shoulders securely. �Davey, Davey, please be careful around Jade. There�s no telling when he�ll decide to turn on you. I had no warning, and neither will you.�
He let the words sink in. They didn�t go far, he already knew. There was that stubborn position of Davey chin that was becoming familiar to Adam as he continued to categorize things about this man. Davey knew what Adam was saying, knew it was true, but the holy man knew he wouldn�t believe it. Well, tactic two.
Adam sighed and looked out the window. �Davey, did I ever tell you about the Blue Bird of the Red Stone Shrine?�
Davey sat down on the windowsill, eyebrows arched in surprise. �No.�
Adam nodded and smiled grimly. �The Blue Bird of the Red Stone Shrine is very famous. Blue Bird is very wise and kind and thinks of nothing but doing others good. Blue Bird committed it�s entire life to protecting the very Red Stone Shrine it created over three decades ago.�
Davey�s eyes widened. �How�d it do that? I thought birds can�t live that long!� He nearly regretted those words, seeing the weary, sad expression falling on his friend.
�Blue Bird,� Adam continued, �Blue Bird was my friend. He helped me find peace with God. Blue Bird stayed up late at night to tell me stories when I couldn�t sleep. Blue Bird fed me, clothed me, taught me how to live a proper and righteous life. Blue Bird. . . was the name of one of my oldest friends at the shrine. He became the head of the Red Stone Shrine when I was thirteen. I could no longer call him Blue Bird, but Father. He and the Brothers were the only family I ever knew. He was a very great man.�
�Was?� Davey asked softly. But he knew, he already knew what had happened. He didn�t need to ask. Adam needed for him to ask. He needed to say it more for himself than for Davey.
�Blue Bird, Father Blue Bird and the entire Red Stone Shrine Brethren were massacred all in one day. They were not evil, they did no wrong. They had no quarrels with anyone and they turned away no one who needed help. But they were killed anyway. I killed them, Davey, I killed them because I denied Jade of a slave he would eventually have.�
Adam pressed his forehead to the cold stone of the window in part relief. �If I had just given in and run away with him, my family would have been angry, but they would have been ALIVE. You understand that? There is no kindness in his heart. There is no mercy. If he doesn�t get his way, Hell itself won�t be enough to stop him. You must not give in to his requests. Stay as far away from him as possible, and never, NEVER be in his company alone. Do you hear me, Davey? Do you understand?�
�Yes.� Davey crossed his arms across his chest. This was getting too familiar. �Yes, I hear. I hear you, I hear Hunter, I hear everyone else in this place telling me never to be around Jade. You all think I�m stupid! You think just because I�m a cook that I�m just some silly kitchen wench with air in her head! Give me a break! I know he�s got a reputation, but can�t a person change? Can�t he be shown humanity in order for him to remember what it is?�
Adam was struck dumb. Okay, so he�d underestimated the Server yet again. He hadn�t been prepared for this argument from the man in front of him. He chided himself for even thinking Davey was naive to not be able to look out for himself. �Davey,� Adam said quietly, �Jade is a sadistic murderer who takes pleasure in breaking every rule he can, stealing the priceless and defiling the pure. There is nothing he won�t do, no one that can stand in his way. The reason why you�re being told this is because there are a lot of people here that care about you enough not to want to see you get hurt. I�m one of them. Just watch out, Davey, that�s all.�
He straightened, then turned and left. Davey watched him with glaring eyes until he was out of sight. Then the anger simply fled him. It was replaced by guilt and horror. Had he just told Adam off for caring for him? For being his friend and looking out for him?
Davey turned his head and looked out the light blue sky. He thought of a man named Blue Bird, a man who was now a corpse rotting in the hot blaze of summer on the floor of a temple with red stones.
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Hunter at last made his way down the corridor, back to his consort�s room. However, along the way, he met a pleasant surprise.
�Adam, is it?� Hunter had to step in front of the man in order to get him to stop walking.
�My Lord,� the somber slave gave a slight bow of his head that could have been answering and could have just been a royal greeting. But the eyes, God the eyes!, blazed up at Hunter with undisguised indifference. Lord, the eyes!
Adam waited for Hunter to speak. He waited nearly ten minutes, but dammit, he waited. He felt only slightly amused when Hunter remembered himself and flushed as he turned his eyes to the side. Adam decided to help. �Is there something his majesty wishes?�
Hunter flinched slightly. �Er, uhm, n-no. . . no need to call me that. You can call me Hunter if you like. I�m just a lord, not a king, or a prince or anything. You know, not that I won�t be someday, just not today, not right now. But I will, someday.� Hunter�s complexion mottled even further when he realized he was babbling. And to a slave at that.
Adam�s thin, wide mouth curved slightly into faint smile, making Hunter�s stomach do a back flip. How can he be so solemn, so severe and be so damn. . . breathtaking? When Adam shifted to the other foot, Hunter knew he had to at least say why he stopped the poor man.
�Uhm, right, right,� Hunter became flustered again. He cleared his throat. �Er, see, it�s about my brother. I�m sorry with the. . . well, with the lack of control on him, and I was told about your. . . well, what the damn fool did to you and your people.� At this, Adam straightened and lost the smile. His expression turned cold that was emphasized by the blue of his compelling eyes.
Hunter wore a similar expression and found he was able to even look Adam in the face, just not fully in the eyes. �I just wanted to tell you, I won�t stand for his foolishness. Not here in my kingdom. I�ve given strict orders to Jade that if he does any harm to anyone, I shall let him be led away by bounty hunters. But, there�s still you. I�m working on a plan to get you your freedom, Adam. It might take a few days, but if I offer Jade enough, he�ll be forced to let you go.�
Adam stood as frozen as a statue. Had he just heard what he thought he heard? Yes, he had. Hunter was trying to get him his freedom? Why? Adam had seen too much of Jade�s version of life. He knew not everyone was as honest as his brotherhood had been. He had to stop his eyes from narrowing. �My Lord, that is truly generous. May I ask, with all due respect, what brings about such kindness?�
Hunter frowned, puzzled. Why? Did Adam just ask why? Should he be glad to get free of Jade? �Uh, well,� Hunter gave it a thought, forcing his tired mind to work hard just this last once, �see, Jade. . . well, he�s made you a slave. Making you do things you don�t want to, making you stay chained up and all. Davey says you don�t eat enough. I think he�s right. Wouldn�t you rather be free? Just to do what you want, whenever you want?�
Adam�s head tilted to the side. �Whatever I want? My Lord, do YOU get to do whatever you want, whenever you want?�
Hunter briefly looked like a wounded puppy. �No, I guess I don�t. . .� He rubbed his chin, then brightened. �But sometimes, when I make this face,� he planted his fists on his hips and glowered with the full force of his eyebrows, �people actually listen to me and then I can do stuff like sleep in five more minutes with Davey, or get out of one meeting for at least one more hour. Sometimes it works.� He shrugged and smiled helplessly.
It worked, Adam admitted. He was liking the simpleness of this man already. No wonder he and Davey were such a great pair. They met on more than just one level. Adam let some of his guard down. He smiled openly. �You know,� he said quietly, �earlier, Davey was saying. . .�
�Hunter, you hound.� The voice was not pleasant, not teasing. It was downright accusatory. Hunter turned and they both watched Lady Armenia stroll down the hall toward them. She flexively opened and closed a dark lace fan, this gesture striking an alarm somewhere deep inside Hunter. Adam simply watched her closely. If the devil herself planned to kill Hunter in the middle of the hall with only a slave as witness. . . things wouldn�t look good for him. Royalty�s word against the manual labor. He tensed his body, just incase Hunter might not move fast enough.
�Huh?� Clearly, he was right. Hunter was simply too daft to realize when he was being threatened.
�I said,� Armenia stopped two feet from Adam, the same distance as Hunter, �you are a hound. Can�t you get enough?� She looked at Adam disapprovingly. Adam caught the reference and automatically stiffened. He turned angry eyes at an oblivious Hunter.
�Huh?� Hunter repeated. His arm reached behind him to scratch the back of his neck. What was the woman trying to say? Get enough of what?
Armenia smiled inwardly; outwardly, she looked Adam up and down, then eyed Hunter just as critically. �Honestly, husband, you�ve already got the cook in your bed. Must you share bed partners with your own brother?� She turned then, nose tilted upward in a smug fashion, leaving Hunter with his jaw to the floor.
�What-? Huh?� Hunter looked at Adam and caught the glare before the man looked downward. Every fiber, every inch of him screamed anger, violence, unbridled rage. Then Hunter got it. He understood what Armenia had done. He could have strangled her there and then. Instead, he took a step back.
�W-wait, just a second,� he held up his hands in protest to Adam, �hold on there, that�s not. . . I mean, this isn�t because. . . God, I could kill her.�
Adam looked up then. As his fierce sapphire eyes met Hunter�s, the Lord fell silent. There was just no talking his way out of this, he realized.
�You,� Adam finally managed, �you think. . . you think that just because you buy my freedom, that, what, I�ll be your bed slave as well? That I will be so indebted to you that I will allow you to do what Jade does?� He smiled then, and it wasn�t pretty. His eyes whirled dangerously and his fists shook at his sides. In the silence around them, Hunter could hear a dripping sound. He saw Adam�s nails were cutting deep into his palms, dropping blood to the carpet. Shit.
Adam took a step forward. Then another. When he didn�t stop until he was up against Hunter�s face. Hunter wanted to move, but that just showed weakness. He was lord of this castle and he couldn�t afford to be cowed by a slave. �You think I would come ready and willing to your bed, just as Davey does? If that�s the price of your freedom, then why on earth is it any different than what Jade offers? At least with him, I�ll know I�m getting screwed form the start.� He snapped off his final words and moved quickly around Hunter.
He watched Adam walk briskly down the hall, not turning back once. He wanted to stop him, wanted to call him back. It was all a mistake, just a misunderstanding. But, truthfully, he was rather frightened of the man. This was a side of the man no one had ever seen, he knew. If Jade had seen the cold fire in his eyes, the anger radiating off the man like heat, he would have turned tail and ran when he came to the man�s temple shrine. Not even Jade was a match for him.
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�Did you see?� She whispered into the shadow she just stepped into.
�Yes. . . I saw.�
�See how right I was? He�s going against your advice and adding another to his bed.�
Silence. Then, �As it should be, I suppose. I will simply add a few more precautions to the works. If he should suspect something amiss. . .�
�Don�t worry, Nim. I am his wife. He will not charge you, and he can�t possibly throw me into a jail cell, not when his best interests are in question.�
�I. . . I just couldn�t believe it. Not even after he admitted to it. He�s. . . he was such a good lad. Honestly! What could have made him choose a man for a bed partner? And DAVEY no less! That boy. . . I told that mother of his that he just wasn�t right from the start, what with no father to teach him manly ways. But, she insisted. And now, this! And. . . this slave? Did he know what Hunter wanted of him?�
Armenia gave a small snort. �He was just as surprised as you are. See how he�s walking off in a huff? Bet it didn�t bide well to be a lay for a lord. Couldn�t say he gets any better from that monster, Jade.�
Nim took his eyes away from his friend and employer for over twenty years and simply shook his head. Hunter! He thought sadly, why? Why do this? Having sex with a man, letting assassination plots form under your very nose. . . Nim knew if he couldn�t get Hunter to see reason, he�s have to do something that would never have crossed his mind on any other night before this one. Maybe, just maybe, he�d have to take out the assassination plot himself, without Lord Hunter knowing.
They waited until Hunter reluctantly turned and went into his consort�s bedroom, glancing forlornly at the now empty hall behind him. When he was gone, Armenia allowed Nim to walk her to her chambers, not far off, and told him goodnight. For there was much to plan on the morrow and tonight, Ah!, tonight, Armenia had one last dance left in her and she planned to do it in front of the mirror where she could simply imagine the sparkling crown atop her head, and the golden scepter in her left hand with her husband�s eyes as jewels.
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�Ah, okay, that was a good game, guys. Really! Haven�t had much fun since I last saw you two! We gotta do this again sometime! *cough, cough* No, really! Must. . . must get going to bed now. Ad-. . . *cough, groan* Adam will be waiting for me. . .�
Through the fuzziness of his blurred vision, not helped by the fact that his left eye is swollen shut, Jade could just see the vague outline of a face come close to his own. The lines of this face close to his were strangely wavy and not very happy, even though he was sure the person was smiling. It was an angry sort of wavy, if it was possible.
�You�re not getting it Jade, mate,� Tim�s grumbling voice spoke just above him, amused as hell, �we�ve got your number. We�ve got eyes on you no matter where you go. That brother of yours is paying us to watch you. But guess what? Betch can�t guess. Can you? Ah, see? We�re smart ones, Lars and I. See, you, my most sadistic friend, are going to leave this place sooner or later. No possible way a bloke like you can stay in one area for very long and not upset the natives. And when you do. . . Lars, tell our pal what�s gonna happen.�
Tim�s face disappeared and Lars� replaced his. �Jade, pal, we�re gonna string you up, hog tie that is, and deliver you to the highest bidder. Huh? That sound like fun? Bet it does! Whooowee! You just wait, Jadey, you and us, we�re gonna have some fun, ain�t we?� Lars happily slapped Jade�s cheek, none too friendly. But even as he was beginning to wince, Jade receive one last kick from Tim.
�Nighty-night, Jadey.� Tim called, already walking out of the stables to follow Lars, �don�t let twisted dreams of raping some poor innocent deprive you of your beauty rest!�
Their cruel laughter rang through Jade�s mind like a knife. He groaned and whined until he could feel his legs again. This was bad. This was more than bad, this was just. . . shit. No, really, he was sure that was a pile of the stuff just feet from where his face lay. For this, he was grateful not to have landed there. The smell of excrement clinging to his defeated self wasn�t very encouraging.
He waited nearly twenty minutes before attempting to sit up. Standing would be quite a task, but that could wait for later. Right now, he had to first sit up. It wasn�t easy, and when he finally managed it, the world spun so fast he nearly landed in the pile of shit he had successfully avoided earlier.
Just when the water bucket in front of him stopped duplicating magically, he heard footsteps coming from the stable entrance. �No, no!� he said, almost desperately, �I heard you the first time! No. . . no need for another example!� he was set by another hacking cough that made him spit blood on the straw between his spread legs. �See? Coughing up my own blood. That�s example enough for me!�
�Jade?� a voice asked. It was partly amused but, thankfully, it was neither Tim nor Lars. A single torch fluttered dimly to the side, allowing Jade to see the red of his blood, the yellow of the straw, and the brown of the dung. It also showed him the strong jaw and the dimly sparkling blue eyes of his slave.
�Adam!� Jade sighed in relief. �Come, come! Help me up b�fore those bastards come back.� Adam didn�t hurry forward. Instead, he simply stood there and looked at Jade with scrutiny. Unbelieving, Jade continued to hold out his hand to Adam, waiting expectantly.
What was wrong with Adam? Didn�t he realize he was now Jade�s slave? He was Jade�s to command. If he didn�t do as he said, Adam would be in for a world of hurting, he would. So why was he just standing there, staring at Jade like he had an actual choice in the matter?
Jade was about to start with the threats when Adam sighed and moved forward. He grabbed Jade�s hand and hauled him up, none too gently. �Careful!� Jade hissed. He groaned as he felt his chest. He could have sworn the two hunters had used a mallet somewhere during their �game�. His poor ribs were paying the price for that.
Adam grunted and put Jade�s arm across his shoulders in order to help him walk. �You know,� he said bitterly, surprising Jade, �I just had an offer for my freedom, not ten minutes earlier.�
Jade�s heart nearly stopped, then he got a grip on himself. What the hell was he thinking? Adam was HIS. HIS sex slave. It wasn�t a volunteer opportunity. How could he get an offer for his freedom? Then Jade had a terrible thought. Tim. . . Lars. . .
Jade swallowed saliva tinged blood. �You. . . get a better offer?�
Adam snorted. �Better?� He eyed Jade sideways. �Would I be here, helping you if it was better?� His eyes narrowed. �Besides, I still have to repay you for the favor you did me earlier.�
�Saving Davey was mostly to get him in my bed without the pesky bandages, you know.� Jade bit his lip as Adam didn�t bother to avoid slamming his other arm on the threshold of the stables.
�I know, but it wasn�t that.� Adam�s hands on him tightened painfully. His next words whispered in hate, dripping venom. �It was making me Father of my calling. You closed up the ranks for me, Jade. Allow me to repay the favor by being your murderer.� They stopped, just before they reached the castle entrance, just past the light of the stables. Adam drew back one hand and began reaching up to Jade�s neck.
Jade had a moment of panic. He was in no shape to defend himself from Tim�s and Lars� attack. If Adam meant to kill him here and now, there was nothing he could do. Adam�s other hand moved up to join the first and now Jade was trying to hold himself up while avoiding strangulation by his own weight.
�Jade! Jade!� a hurling cannonball hit Adam on the side and sent him sprawling. A familiar shape stood over him. Another dark figure rushed over and caught Jade before he could hit the ground.
�Alright there, Jade?� Adrian asked breathlessly as he cradled their boss as gently as he could.
�He almost had him.� Mal said, eyes glittering dangerously on Adam.
But Jade shook his head. �No, not tonight, not by either of you. I�ll teach him a lesson as soon as I heal. That bastard tried to kill me. Mal, those chains up in my room yet?�
Mal grinned ferally. �Just had them tested before we came out looking for you. Tim and Lars said you�d be out here.�
�Good,� Jade said, straightening and glaring at Adam with his one good eye, �cause this fucker�s going to get real acquainted with them from now on.�
Adam simply sat there, chiding himself for not offing the shit-smelling monster while he had the chance. Now, he knew his mission to kill Jade was going to get a lot harder.
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