The Belial Stone (The Belial Series #1)(73)

Focusing on her breathing, she let the anger build, until the feelings of despair were replaced. She heard heavy footsteps heading towards her. They stopped just outside her door.

A key turned in the lock and the door flung open. She glared up into the face of Gideon.

“Good, you’re awake. I was worried.”

“Yeah. I’m sure you’ve been real torn up inside.”

Gideon reached down and pulled her to her feet. Laney’s instinct was to fight him, but she knew right now that would be useless. It would be smarter to go along and wait for an opening.

“You know, Dr. McPhearson, even though I want you dead – and I really do want that – I must tell you I admire your spirit. I'm a big fan of the human spirit.”

“Can’t say I’m such a fan of the angel spirit.”

Gideon paused. “Well, you really have been busy.” He gripped her arm tighter.

She bit her lip to keep from crying out.

“Let’s just keep that information between ourselves, shall we?” His grip tightened again and she nodded.

“Excellent.” He started to pull her down the hall. “Not, of course, that anyone would believe you. But best not to take the chance. You know, this might even turn out to be a good thing. You knowing who I am, that is. You can imagine how difficult it is to keep some things to myself. And you did remove the one person I could share this with.”

She refused to give into the tentacles of fear that were beginning to travel through her system. “Where are you taking me?”

“The Senator is waiting for you.”

“Why am I still alive?”

“Well, you’re no good to us dead,” Gideon replied, his voice upbeat.

He led her down a hall decorated in a Western style with Native American prints, exposed wooden beams, and animal heads mounted on the wall.

“What good am I to you alive?”

“Why, you’re leverage, my dear.”





CHAPTER 63



Gideon knocked briefly on a door before tugging Laney into a well-appointed home office. The giant picture window behind the hefty oak desk provided an incredible view of the rolling mountains in the distance. Awards and pictures of the Senator crowded the walls. The office of a man who loved himself a great deal.

Drawing her eyes from a picture of the Senator and a former President, she focused on the man behind the desk. She barely recognized him, despite the fact that he sat surrounded by pictures of himself

His face was haggard, with the beginning of deep jowls forming. His eyes looked smaller as the skin above them had begun to sag. Even his hair looked thinner. Or maybe it was just evil taking its toll. Well, he’s definitely a beneficiary of Photoshop.

The Senator didn’t even glance up at her. He sat leaning back in his desk chair, his glasses perched on the end of his nose and his shirt sleeves rolled up. He continued reviewing the papers in his lap, occasionally making notes. After a few minutes, he looked over his glasses at her and then Gideon. His look was glacial.

“Gideon, why is she still restrained?”

“Senator, she’s a security risk.”

Kensington scoffed. “Oh please, she’s a college professor. What’s she going to do, lecture me to death? Remove the restraints.”

Yeah, Gideon, remove the restraints, Laney thought.

“I don’t think that is a good idea.”

“I am still in charge here, Gideon. Remove them.”

“Very well. But it is your neck,” he replied softly.

The Senator glared at Gideon’s back as he cut the ties. Free, Laney rubbed her wrists, trying to restore the circulation. Gideon gave her a wink and a pat on the shoulder as he left the room.

She breathed a sigh of relief as she watched him leave. Granted she’d only met two fallen angels in her life, but she had to think that even for those guys, Gideon was a few feathers short of a full wing.

The Senator continued to ignore her, which was fine by her. As far as she was concerned, he was a small threat. Gideon was the one to worry about. And this might be her only chance to escape.

They were on the first floor. If she incapacitated the Senator quietly, she might be able to make a good run before Gideon even knew she was gone.

Removing his reading glasses, the Senator addressed her for the first time. “Dr. McPhearson, you have caused me a great deal of trouble. You and your friends have endangered my work here.”

“You mean the enslavement of hundreds of men? Gotta say, I’m not feeling real bad about messing that up for you.”

The Senator continued as if she hadn’t spoken. “I do not think you appreciate the enormity of the task I have undertaken. I am personally ensuring the future of this country. The United States is at crossroads. We are beholden to oil-rich countries and without a means to sustain our current lifestyle. Unless we find another source of energy, our standing in the world will fall. More than that, we will become the lapdog of other, more oil-rich countries. My work here will ensure that does not happen. What I am doing will save this country and ensure its future.”

“At what cost, Senator? How many lives will you destroy?”

The Senator waved away her words. “No lives of value have been lost.”

“No lives of value?” she sputtered. “You’ve abducted hundreds of men to work as slaves at your site. And how many of those men have been killed?”