enough to try to get to her on their home base.
"Kayne, did you confirm the location of the drop today? Is the mission green?" Merc silently asked him, a touch of annoyance coming through their link.
"Of course. What's wrong?" Kayne waited but his friend refused to answer. "Merc, what has you so riled?"
"I went to check on the other female and she's not doing well. The doctors' cannot get her to talk. It’s just…" the annoyance and frustration that filled Merc bordered on rage. "She’s terrified of me so I cannot get anything from her but doe-eyed terror and curling into a ball."
Kayne knew what most people saw on the outside was the first impression, and with Merc that was a hardened giant with dark eyes and scary profile. Few got close enough to see the softness that actually filled the man with tenderness inside that hardened shell.
"Send Rafe to talk to her. Maybe his special gifts can reach across and calm her enough to get her to talk. It will also give him something to do to keep him occupied," Kayne chuckled, knowing his brother's temperament.
"Not a bad idea." Merc's agreement eased Kayne's anxiety for his twin. "Just keep your head down, bring the team home in one piece tomorrow, and don't do anything stupid! We'll keep your mate safe."
"My thanks, brother," was all Kayne could say, emotions filling him as he pulled Chayle close to his chest.
Chapter 12
The Master stood before the Saint Andrew's Cross with the custom-made whip much like the age-old cat-of-nine tails easily held in his left hand. Cold black eyes watched as two minions strap Davis onto the Cross, naked and facing him instead of presenting his back, as was the usual custom. This wasn't a simple exhibition or a lesson. He couldn't allow failure from his followers because that would make him look weak and weakness was NOT allowed.
Davis finally groaned, waking from the drug it had taken to knock him out so he could be stripped and hung from his arms, chained by wrists and ankles. Once he realized where he was and what was happening fear filled his eyes instead of anger.
"What the hell?" he yelled. "Master, why? I've done everything you asked." Davis' whine grated on the Master's nerves, sealing the man's fate like nothing else could.
"You of all people know I do not tolerate failure," he whispered, but everyone in the room heard him and it raised the hairs on the arms and neck of all standing around the room. Some made a move to leave, but the Master stopped them with a raised hand and one phrase.
"Leave and you take his place when this is done!"
Everyone froze in place.
"I did as you asked, Master," Davis begged. "There was no way to follow them, no way to find where they went."
"Your failure to complete your mission is unacceptable, no matter the reason. I cannot allow that to continue." He raised the whip, slapping the space between Davis and where he stood like the professional he was. The hiss and snap caused everyone in the room to jump. A small, thin line of blood began to trickle down from across Davis' taunt stomach.
"No Master - please, just kill me," Davis continued to beg, his eyes now wild as the full reality of the situation settled on the room. This man would only leave after the Master had stripped ribbons of flesh from him. It wouldn't matter where the flesh was taken, only that it caused as much pain and prolonged his agony as long as possible.
"Your death will show the others what is expected. Now either take it like a man or scream like a child. I care not!" the Master growled, bringing the whip down across the other man's groin and upper thighs in a viscous strike that ripped all the way to the bone.
The screams and torments of the damned were only part of the hell that the Master visited upon Davis as he reminded his followers what he expected of all of them the next time he sent someone out on a mission. Failure was NOT an option.
Each strip of flesh pealed from the man's body fed the Master's need for
"Kayne, did you confirm the location of the drop today? Is the mission green?" Merc silently asked him, a touch of annoyance coming through their link.
"Of course. What's wrong?" Kayne waited but his friend refused to answer. "Merc, what has you so riled?"
"I went to check on the other female and she's not doing well. The doctors' cannot get her to talk. It’s just…" the annoyance and frustration that filled Merc bordered on rage. "She’s terrified of me so I cannot get anything from her but doe-eyed terror and curling into a ball."
Kayne knew what most people saw on the outside was the first impression, and with Merc that was a hardened giant with dark eyes and scary profile. Few got close enough to see the softness that actually filled the man with tenderness inside that hardened shell.
"Send Rafe to talk to her. Maybe his special gifts can reach across and calm her enough to get her to talk. It will also give him something to do to keep him occupied," Kayne chuckled, knowing his brother's temperament.
"Not a bad idea." Merc's agreement eased Kayne's anxiety for his twin. "Just keep your head down, bring the team home in one piece tomorrow, and don't do anything stupid! We'll keep your mate safe."
"My thanks, brother," was all Kayne could say, emotions filling him as he pulled Chayle close to his chest.
Chapter 12
The Master stood before the Saint Andrew's Cross with the custom-made whip much like the age-old cat-of-nine tails easily held in his left hand. Cold black eyes watched as two minions strap Davis onto the Cross, naked and facing him instead of presenting his back, as was the usual custom. This wasn't a simple exhibition or a lesson. He couldn't allow failure from his followers because that would make him look weak and weakness was NOT allowed.
Davis finally groaned, waking from the drug it had taken to knock him out so he could be stripped and hung from his arms, chained by wrists and ankles. Once he realized where he was and what was happening fear filled his eyes instead of anger.
"What the hell?" he yelled. "Master, why? I've done everything you asked." Davis' whine grated on the Master's nerves, sealing the man's fate like nothing else could.
"You of all people know I do not tolerate failure," he whispered, but everyone in the room heard him and it raised the hairs on the arms and neck of all standing around the room. Some made a move to leave, but the Master stopped them with a raised hand and one phrase.
"Leave and you take his place when this is done!"
Everyone froze in place.
"I did as you asked, Master," Davis begged. "There was no way to follow them, no way to find where they went."
"Your failure to complete your mission is unacceptable, no matter the reason. I cannot allow that to continue." He raised the whip, slapping the space between Davis and where he stood like the professional he was. The hiss and snap caused everyone in the room to jump. A small, thin line of blood began to trickle down from across Davis' taunt stomach.
"No Master - please, just kill me," Davis continued to beg, his eyes now wild as the full reality of the situation settled on the room. This man would only leave after the Master had stripped ribbons of flesh from him. It wouldn't matter where the flesh was taken, only that it caused as much pain and prolonged his agony as long as possible.
"Your death will show the others what is expected. Now either take it like a man or scream like a child. I care not!" the Master growled, bringing the whip down across the other man's groin and upper thighs in a viscous strike that ripped all the way to the bone.
The screams and torments of the damned were only part of the hell that the Master visited upon Davis as he reminded his followers what he expected of all of them the next time he sent someone out on a mission. Failure was NOT an option.
Each strip of flesh pealed from the man's body fed the Master's need for
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