Trapped (The Condemned Series #1) - Alison Aimes Page 0,65

Council, he was lost. “Pogue, perhaps you should—”

“He’s a dangerous criminal,” snarled Pogue, cutting off Winthrop and kicking Caine again, his beautiful body jerking forward with the force of the hit. “He’s brainwashed Cadet West.” Another kick. “He’s a danger to us and the Council.” Pogue bent over, sweat from his temple splashing onto Caine’s still body. “Tell us what you did with Pratt and Davies, Dragath25 scum, or you won’t like what happens next.”

She couldn’t see Caine’s face. Didn’t know if he was even still conscious. He hadn’t made a sound from the start of the beating. He wasn’t talking now, either.

“He didn’t do anything,” she yelled. “He’s trying to find them. Plus, he’s found a way to save the rescue crew. He’s a hero, and you bastards are going to be tried for attacking him.”

Pogue just laughed. “Wow. He fucked the smarts right out of you. You think it’s any coincidence he shows up right around the time Pratt and Davies disappeared? Check around and we’ll probably find he’s made their skin into some nice new Dragath25 accessory.”

“That’s sickening. Caine would never do that.”

“Oh yeah? We found evidence of his base camp near ours. Fucker’s been stalking us for a while.”

“He wasn’t stalking anyone. He was watching out for me. Protecting me.”

“Riiight.” Pogue’s voice was heavy with sarcasm. “Because you actually matter to him beyond a nice tight hole he can stick into when he has the urge.” His fellow soldiers laughed again.

She slammed her head back against the chuckling bastard holding her arms behind her back. Stopped his laughter quite nicely. On the negative side, though, it sent a vicious pain winding down her skull and neck. She had to blink slowly to stop the ringing.

“The bitch broke my nose,” her captor howled.

“Don’t like it? Let me go.” She thrashed in earnest, her ribs close to snapping under the punishing grip of her captor’s hold. The soldier grasping her legs had gone pale.

“Bella, calm down.” Caine’s low command sent relief spiraling through her. He was alive. And conscious.

He pushed to his knees, turning to face her. “I’ve taken a lot worse, believe me. Don’t give them a reason to hurt you.”

She let out a sob. Blood ran down the side of his face. His beautiful, strong jaw was already beginning to swell.

So far she was doing a crappy job of protecting him.

“I’m sorry,” she told him. “I should never have asked for your help. I should never have offered you that deal. You were doing just fine on your own. I…I’ve made everything so much worse.”

His expression grew hard. “Finding you was the best thing that happened to me. Don’t forget it.” His gaze shifted to Pogue. “Anyone who harms a hair on her head will be dead by tomorrow.”

Even on his knees, he was so sure and proud. So full of command and dignity. Her chest grew tight. He truly was an amazing man.

“You really think you’re some kind of hero, don’t you?” Pogue’s laugh chilled Bella’s blood. “You’re nothing but a scumbag convict. No one cares if one more Dragath25 prisoner dies.” He shoved the gun against Caine’s back and pressed the lever.

Hundreds of volts of vicious electricity poured through Caine’s body, all the more visible against the backdrop of the dark night. He dropped to the ground, his eyes sinking shut, his body shuddering under the assault.

“No!” She fought with everything she had.

Pogue lifted the stun gun off Caine and pointed it in her direction. “You need to calm down or you’ll be deemed as a threat to our survival and treated just like your enemy lover.”

“Fuck you!” She kept fighting.

“That’s enough.” Winthrop had made his way to the front now.

“Stay out of this, Winthrop,” growled Pogue “We may need to keep you alive, but you’re not in charge any more. This situation now falls under the realm of a threat to our survival. My territory.”

Winthrop’s hand flew to his neck as if to check that the Command Council brand was still there. His mouth opened, but no words came out.

“The bitch deserves what she gets.” Mitchell filled the silence, aping his leader’s example while still holding her in a painful grip. “If you lay with animals, you get treated like one.”

Only Ransom and Winthrop didn’t nod in agreement.

“Always said I wanted to see this particular one tied up and restrained.” Pogue’s smile was terrifying.

She forced herself not to rise to their bait. “This is still a Council mission.” Her gaze locked on Caine,