Soul of Desire

Chapter Eight

I woke up on my bed staring at the ceiling. My joy at being home receded rapidly as I considered the face of Jarrod Matthews, leaning over me. He worked for Gianni Soritolo the man who killed my father. The murdering underworld boss and psychopath also happened to be my uncle. The man sharing my room was one of his enforcers, a straight-up killer with no conscience.

“Jarrod,” I said greeting the man casually. He grinned down at me.

“Hey Luciana, how you been?”

“Living the dream, you know how it is? Keeping out of trouble?” I asked sitting up, I rolled my shoulders. The left one where Hart bit me throbbed. I rubbed it gently.

“Yeah, mostly. I don’t go out much anymore. Better to be keeping a low profile, you know. When you went missing, Mr Soritolo sent me to find you.” He replied cheerfully.

“I expected he would.”

“I found you living here months ago. Where’d you go? One minute you were there and the next, nothing. For three whole months, nothing. Suddenly you appeared last night. I also want to know, what the hell happened to your f*****g face?” He sat down in the chair at the end of my bed.

“I was abducted by aliens. No word of a lie. I swear it on my mother’s grave. Freaking Aliens. As to my face, they have claws.” I admitted tiredly. Jarrod sat forwards.

“On your mother’s grave. Jes-us! What in the name of god have you been smoking? Do you think for one minute the old man is going to believe that s**t?” He snapped, reaching out he backhanded me across the face. I sighed, shrugging the blow off like it was an inconvenience. Over the past three months, I had been struck by several creatures and Jarrod hit like a two-year-old compared to them. I glanced in the mirror and smirked at the still visible rake mark crossing my face. Definitely, hit like a toddler.

“If you are going to take me to him, hurry up. I am tired, and I want to get this over with.” I said climbing to my feet. I crossed the room to my wardrobe and pulled out a clean skirt and a new blouse. I wondered I was not more worried about seeing my uncle. A flash of heat curled through my stomach. I groaned. It was bordering on painful. I walked into the ensuite to change leaving Jarrod standing in front of the only exit. The pain rolled through again. I tripped falling to my knees, panting. It faded as suddenly as it began. I climbed back to my feet. I showered and stepped out onto the bathmat. I frowned at my towel hanging beside me. I sighed.

“First chance I get, I am building a drying grate. Towels are ruined for me.” I muttered reaching for the grey cloth. I changed quickly, pulling on a pair of three-inch black heels before turning to the man standing in my doorway. I fastened a string of pearls around my throat and reached for my jacket. Jarrod tapped his foot and looked at his watch.

“Are you done Luciana; I need to get you back now. He told us not to hurt you unless you resisted my direction.”

“Your direction, how diplomatic. Try to hurt me, Jarrod, come on. Show me how big a man you are? What’s wrong, are my cousins in the living room? You’d be drawn and quartered before you could take a step and that’s just me. Imagine the horrors they would have install for you.” I drawled with a smirk. I motioned for him to lead the way. His expression was furious. I followed, head held high and took in the sight of four other men sitting around in my living room. They each stared out different windows, they turned as I stepped into the room.

“Hey, Luca!

“Hi, girl.”

“Luca, how’s things kid?”

“Good to see you, Luca.”

“Hi, my guys,” I replied with a small welcome smile. I was happy to see them, even given the circumstances. I had grown up with these men, watched as they were slowly moulded from fun sweet boys into the vicious killers I knew them to be. Though each wore an expensive suit and carried an air of sophistication, they were no more than animals hunting for sport. Mike stood up, fixed his jacket and crossed the room to stand in front of me. He used two fingers at my chin to lift my face to the light.

“What happened to your face? Who did it? I’ll make sure they pay dearly for it Luca.” He threatened as he hugged me, he stepped back still holding my shoulders. I flinched as he touched the bite from Hart. Mike scowled and drew my blouse and jacket to one side. His face clouded over with rage.

“What the hell! You start talking Luca, who was he? Where is he? You don’t see the animal again; no cousin of mine is going to be abused by some man. Do you hear me? You listening to me? Jarrod, get some of the guys in here, pack up Luca’s things and put them in the car. She is coming home.” He practically yelled.

“Mikey, it’s ok. He’s gone, he’s gone. Breathe, love.” I said softly squeezing his hand. Mike calmed down.

“What do you mean ‘he’s gone’? Did he leave town?” David asked coming to stand with Mike. Henry and Joseph joined the first two.

“No, he’s ah. He’s dead. I-I killed him.” I admitted hoping they would believe my lie. I thought about Kruk and Oleom, so they would see the sorrow of the act in my eyes. My four cousins shuffled closer, they bent their heads and rested them against mine as we had growing up. After one of them was forced to make a kill for their bloodthirsty fathers. My parent was the only one to refuse my initiation and his brothers killed him for it. The boys each squeezed my hand. Jarrod cleared his throat. We all stood straight. Mike motioned for me to walk with them out the front door. I took a deep breath as I hooked my handbag over my shoulder. Henry held my hand, leading me down the stairs cutting through my tiered garden. Jarrod held the door. Reaching out one hand, I struck him across one side of his face. The man staggered back at the force of my blow.

“Let that be a reminder to you, never touch me again. You may work for my Uncle, but I am Luciana Soritolo Hex and you will show me the respect my name has earned, or I will kill you and fly your skin like a flag.” I hissed as I slid into the back seat of the limousine parked at the footpath. 

“I will give her a knife,” Mike said, his chilling gaze resting on the man as he climbed in to sit next to me. I crossed my ankles, smoothing my full-length pencil skirt. Jarrod refused to look at anyone. He sat ramrod straight and did not so much as move.

“You look good Luca. Did you do something with your hair? It looks darker.” Joseph said with a grin. I forced myself to concentrate.

“Thanks. No, I don’t know what is going on there. Maybe it’s getting darker as I get older. Honestly, I wasn’t a fan of my red hair. Now though, it’s nice.” I said as we pulled up at the airfield a short five minutes later.

“When you left, so did all the happiness. I feared Gianni killed you. Mike stormed into his office and demanded to know if he’d murdered you. I missed you.” Henry whispered, leaning over to kiss my cheek.

“Don’t worry about me. I’m harder to get rid of than you think.” I leaned my head on his shoulder. I’d missed my cousins too. My smile died as Jarrod helped me from the car. Mike took my hand from the enforcers, leading me up the staircase and into the jet. I moved to the bathroom at the end of the plane. I looked in the mirror as I pulled make-up from my bag. Tucked away in one pocket was one of the beads from Nix’s hair, having fallen from the end of his ponytail. I picked it up weeks ago, keeping it. I smiled putting it back carefully. I made short work of my make-up. I was ready by the time Henry announced, we were taking off. I opened the door and walked to my seat. I leaned back against the supple leather and forced my body to relax. I closed my eyes and thought about the mechanics of building a drying grate. The coding from the Helligan would make the construction of it a breeze. I told myself silently. My cousins left me alone to stare out the window. Once we reached altitude, the flight attendant handed me a glass of champagne, I sipped it slowly throughout the two-hour flight back to New York. Memories of Nix trying to invade, I pushed them away to stop myself from breaking down into a blubbering mess. Where I was going, I could not afford to allow my emotions free range. My memories needed to be locked away if I was going to have even a slight chance of survival.

I expected to be anxious as we drove through the high gates of the estate in upstate New York. The same place I escaped from several months before my abduction. Curiously, I was not. The only emotion I felt was depressed. I missed Nix. It was scary how much he had come to mean to me in such a small amount of time. I wondered how he was and what he was doing. I wanted nothing more than to feel his arms around me. That wonderful purr sounding beneath my ear and his soft fur sliding over my skin, the sensation of the pads of his claws tracing the outline of my tattoo. Blue eyes glowing in the darkness-.

“Luca!” Startled out of my reverie I realised Mikey was holding out his hand to me. I gripped it and slid out of the car cursing my inability to turn off my mind.

“Sorry, I was building an engine in my head,” I told him quietly. He chuckled and shook his head.

“Do not let Father hear that you’re supposed to be a lady and don’t worry about Jarrod. I’ll deal with him later.” He whispered back.

“He’s a monster Mike and I wasn’t kidding about the skin flag,” I said making an ugly face before turning towards the mammoth front doors of the mansion towering over me.

“Neither was I, Luca.” Mikey’s faint laugh followed me up the three front stairs. I fought not to fidget with my hair as I crossed the marble floor. The long strands were pulled up into an elegant twist at the back of my neck, with a long rope braid hanging elegantly over one shoulder. I stopped before the office doors. Harold my uncle's bodyguard knocked once and opened the door for me to step through. My cousins stayed outside. I walked in quickly. Uncle Gianni sat behind his desk. His full head of dark brown hair was cut short, elegantly. It was run through with several strands of grey. He looked up, pinning me with hard dark brown eyes. They softened when they saw who it was that intruded.

“Luciana! Where have you been? First, your father, my brother’s death and then you disappeared. We were so worried about your safety. Jarrod called and said he found you three months ago and then reported, your disappearance again. We were beside ourselves.” Gianni cried springing to his feet as Rosa my aunt hurried in from the balcony. Ah, we had an audience. I hid my smirk.

“Luca! Oh, my darling, I have been so worried!” She sobbed hugging me tightly. My four cousins filed in slowly.

“Well done boys, well done. You returned our dearest girl to us, to her home.” Gianni continued to gush and play for the benefit of his wife. I never knew how such a loving and caring woman like Rosa could have married a monster like Gianni.

“I am sorry to have worried you Aunt Rosa, Uncle Gianni. My father’s death affected me deeply.” I replied softly. Rosa nodded, she turned eyes swimming with tears to her husband as she pressed kisses to my temple and hair.

“Of course, it did, darling! Your father’s death was a horrible tragedy. It must have scared you, to think someone could break into this house and commit such a heinous act. Oh, my darling, you must have been terrified. You do not have to fear anymore. Your uncle has hired more men, each of us will have security until Gianni feels our family is safe again. There, isn’t that good news?” She asked cheerfully, brushing away her tears. I nodded.

“Yes ma’am, it is wonderful news,” I replied automatically. I smiled brightly and hugged the woman back. She relaxed leaning her head down on mine.

“Our family is complete once more! Tonight, we will celebrate with dinner. First my sweet angle, I need to talk to our Luciana about her security detail.” Gianni drew his wife away from me.

“Oh, of course, my love. I will make sure the maids lay a dress out for her.” Rosa kissed her husband and my cousin, Mike, before closing the door behind her. I caught my uncle's hand inches from my face when he swung it at me. The boys flinched, though stayed rooted to the spot.

“Try it again old man and I’ll break it off.” I hissed suddenly furious. Gianni paused a sudden smile broke over his face.

“Oh, you initiated yourself. Well, well what an extraordinary turn of events. Who was it? Go on tell me everything.” He chuckled propping one hip on the side of his desk.

“The names were Oleom and Kruk. They underestimated me and did not live to speak of it. I am not proud of their deaths, though I am proud of myself for surviving.” I admitted.

“I believe one of those men harmed my cousin, sir. She has extensive bruising to one shoulder and several rake scars across her face. The makeup she is wearing artfully covers them.” Mike reported. Gianni pulled the side of my blouse exposing my shoulder. He frowned.

“What caused them to attack you?” He was mildly curious.

“Barry Craig was the owner of a building I was contracted to clean in the evenings. Barry was going to r**e me. He was killed by a man who was referred to as a pirate. Oleom and Kruk were men belonging to this pirate. I managed to escape but I was drugged. I do not know how to find them again.” I admitted, my lips quivered when I spoke of Barry. Rage coloured my uncle's face, he struggled to compose himself. No matter what I or my father had done. I was the only female child in the family and the treasured niece of his wife. A daughter she was unable to have.

“You were not seriously harmed?” He managed to choke out. I shook my head.

“No sir. The pirate arrived before Barry could do anything worse than rough me up a little.” I whispered. He nodded.

“Very well, go upstairs to your aunt. You will not speak of these things to her, you know how sensitive she is to unpleasantness.” He ordered dismissing me. I turned and left the room, I knew Gianni would extend his recourses and look for the pirate. He would not find him. It was a pity. Nix would have ripped the man apart and fashioned a belt with his spine. I thought with a grin.

It was late, everyone retired for the night. I sat alone on my balcony staring up at the night sky. Tears rolled down my cheeks. I clutched Nix beads in my hand, holding them to my heart.

“I’m sorry, they did not give me a chance to say goodbye. I love you Nix.” I whispered into the darkness. Allowing a sob of despair to escape.