Sebastian (Bowen Boys, #5)(54)
“You do that and I will leave you there long enough to crisp your skin, and then pull you from the flames to fulfill your sentence anyway. Now get to work.”
Picking up the first of many shovels and picks, she loaded them onto the cart. She was just starting to put the straps around her waist to drag the cart to the works when she felt a small stirring in her mind. She had a sudden thought that he was going to change his mind when an image of herself, beautiful and full of life, flashed before her eyes. As she stood perfectly still, more images filled her mind. She watched in horror as those were replaced with images of her now. This looped around several times before she realized that this was something else that she would have to endure. A slide show of her destruction.
Tears poured from her eye as she made her way to the first pit and handed the man standing there a shovel. He stared at her for so long that she wanted to slap him, but then he started laughing. As she moved on to the next pit, the same thing happened. They were all laughing at her and would, she was sure, for the rest of her days. Darkness was no more. In her place was this monster.
~~~
Khan watched his brother sleep. Sebastian was going to be fine, but he needed to rest. Everyone was making sure that he did. He looked up when Wanera and his friend, Bill, came in.
“Is he still sleeping?” Khan nodded. “I had hoped to speak to you and him together. May I please have a word with you then?”
“Yes.” Khan didn’t know how he felt about this man. He’d not been the true cause of what had happened, but Khan couldn’t help but associate what he’d done, and what he’d do over again if need be, to Wanera and his group of men.
“I would ask that you help my friends while I go and try to speak to the master. I would like to be able to stay here and live among humans. I’m not…I don’t believe I could go back and be the same as before. Especially with Darkness there as my boss.”
Khan had told no one what he’d done. When he’d returned from the underworld, he’d told his mate that he’d had business to take care of. She had nodded, but he knew that she’d not believed him. He promised her that he needed to speak to Wanera and Sebastian first. She kissed him and told him to shower before he sat with anyone else, or they would know where he’d been.
“I don’t think you’ll have to worry about Darkness again.” Wanera looked at him, and Khan shifted on his seat, reaching for the things on the floor before continuing. “I have something for you. I found it when I was returned here.”
He handed him the large scroll and then the case that had been beside him when he’d ended up in Sebastian’s yard. Wanera took them and handed the case to Bill. Neither of them spoke as Wanera broke the seal and looked at it. When he rolled it back up and handed it to Bill as well, he asked the man to give him a few moments.
“He has released me.” Khan nodded, figuring that was what the larger man had done. “He said that I am to try and make my way in this world with the help of you. He said that I could learn a great deal from a man such as you.”
“I don’t know about that. I didn’t do anything that any other man wouldn’t have done when his family was hurt.” Wanera nodded. “Did he tell you what happened?”
“He said that you avenged your family and me. He said that I am indebted to you, as is he.” Wanera stood up and looked down at Sebastian. “He saved me through you. Had you not come—”
“You would have died.” Wanera nodded, still looking at Sebastian. “What will you do? How will you live here?”
“I was given my money that I had in my lair. I also have a great deal here that Bill has stored for me. He has been doing it since I started working, and says that I have enough to be nasty if I want.” He looked at Khan and smiled. “I’m not entirely sure what that means. Do you?”
“No. Sorry, I don’t.” Khan looked at his brother as he stirred on the bed and glanced at his watch. “His mate will be here soon to watch over him. Do you know how much longer he will sleep this off?”
“Soon.” That was all he said as he moved toward the door, but stopped and turned back to him. “Master has told me that I owe him my life. I will repay him.”
He was out the door before Khan could ask him how he was planning to do that. He looked at Sebastian when he said his name softly. Standing up, he moved to the side of the bed and smiled at him.
“It’s about f*cking time, you lazy bastard.” Sebastian sat up but winced a little. Khan helped him until he was sitting and leaning back against the headboard. He asked him if he wanted him to get Ama.
“Not just yet. I have to tell you something. I’ve already explained things to Ama about what happened.” Khan nodded. “It’s about that man Wanera. He gave me his blood and I’m connected to him.”
“We know.” Khan laughed at Sebastian’s look of surprise. “You’ve been asleep for nearly twenty-four hours, and in that time a great deal of shit has hit the fan. We’ve been to hell for you, buddy.”
“Hell? I don’t understand.” He looked down at his hand, and Khan hid his own under his leg. “It’s gone. The mark he gave me, the one that said…. Is he dead?”
“No. Not yet at any rate. But if he flushes the toilet again just to hear the sound and to watch the water, Mom might kill him for that. He’s been resting, too, but he healed a little faster.” Khan took a deep breath. “When you told Ama to go and save him, we went with her. There was no way I was going to let her go without some protection. It was a good thing, too. That bitch showed up. But so did someone called ‘Master.’ He told us to bring Wanera back with us.”