I was pretty sure we were in New York City, or close enough. We’d traveled in their vehicle for about two hours, and I’d heard a lot of traffic noise on the way in.”
“I hope they get here soon. If we’re sold, they may never find us!” Her voice choked up into a sob.
“I’m here. You’re not alone.” I fought to stay positive for her, but talking hurtreallybad now. I kept my sentences short. “Brainstorm ideas. Don’t panic.”
“But— Wait! We still have our phones! Well, I do. I can feel it in my back pocket.”
“Good. Call them. Simple.”
I musta sounded more reassuring than I thought because she instantly sounded more cheerful.
“And Sanctuary phones have a tracker app. As long as mine stays on, they can find us. Assuming one of them thinks to use it, that is. We can also call or text them if one of us can get our hands free.”
“Right. Scooch over. I’ll work your hood off.”
“Then I can blink out of my restraints and untie you and ’port us out of here. We can rescue ourselves.”
Never, I thought as I heard her chains rattle.I’ll never be able to take off her hood. My hands are so numb, I can’t even feel my fingers. I could use my teeth, I guess.
Then a man’s voice murmured in the distance and a deeper one rumbled in reply. I couldn’t make out the words, but they were drawing closer.
“Shh!” I hissed. “Someone’s coming!
She stopped moving and we both fell silent, listening.
7. I’ll Kill Him Slow
Kerry
Once I got to the pens, it didn’t take long to find who I was looking for. A man with long gray hair and longer, whiter beard stepped out of the gloom.
“Harker? Is that you? I thought you were dead.”
“Yeah, it’s me. Good to see you, Kas.”
“You looksehr gut!”
“I got a better offer and upgraded.” I shook my head, hardly believing I was here and doing this again. “I need some party favors for this weekend. What do you got?”
“It’s a day after the full moon! But you’re in luck. TheJungenbrought in two nephs just tonight.”
Oh, thank everything Holy they weren’t sold before I got here.
“One is as lovely as a rose,” he said, “and the other is both pretty and a fighter. She’ll be entertaining.”
“Good!” I grinned because I knew he expected me to. “Wait. They ain’t spoiled, are they?”
“Don’t insult me. You know what happened to the last man who violated the merchandise.”
“Yeah, he’s still looking for his nuts.” I didn’t have to fake my grin this time.
Like I told the guys on the way here, Kasparian had some honor. He may have been a neph who paid others to kidnap living beings that he then trafficked, but he was dead serious about the condition of ‘the merchandise’ while it was in his keeping. If you damaged the goods, he made you pay, and his prices were steep.
Needless to say, there weren’t many repeat offenders.
He led me downstairs to the pens, which were rough wooden rooms with cots, a faucet in the wall over a drain in the floor, and a toilet. The female pen held my two friends, who wore yellow hoods over their heads. Gigi huddled in a corner, her hands and feet bound in iron clamps and chained together. Mira was nearby, hogtied with duct tape and rope. Their clothing was dirty, but not torn, and neither one was bleeding.
“The fierce one.” Kasparian pointed to Mira. “She tore through the chains like they were tissue paper.”
