The Year of the Tiger (Book 3 of The Almair Series) (Completed)

Chapter 34

I regarded him with a half closed expression. I knew that I was supposed to be very angry with him, but I wasn't. I couldn't bring myself to.

He sat in the middle of his own filth, the smell of urine and feces strong. His brown hair was all over the place, and he had a day old beard on his face. He had this crazed look in his eyes, and it looked like he was a madman.

He was silent and stared at me, his arms holding his knees. He knew that there wasn't an escape route, and he knew that I wasn't going to let him leave. So, he was going to stay seated and watched as if he was the prey, and I was the predator.

"Do you know why I am here?" I asked. My voice was cold and hard. There was no room for sympathy, no room for pity. I had to get some information. I had to get the location that Ryan had said he couldn't give me, not yet.

Marcus stirred as if I had woken him. He blinked once then twice as if he was trying to see me, to focus on something that was there and real. He stayed silent, not answering me but stared.

I huffed and walked further into the cell that he was placed in. I heard and felt no one else. I knew that we were alone, and no one could stop me if I killed him until it was too late. "Well?" I asked, still walking forward.

Marcus shifted but didn't stand. His eyes stayed on me, and I could tell that he wished that he was far away from my unforgiving wrath. "To kill me," he said, finally. His voice was hoarse and scratchy like he hadn't talked in a while.

I leaned over him and sneered, ignoring his stench. "Now, why would I do that?" I asked, cocking my head. "You are already dying in your own stench."

Marcus scowled but didn't reply. He leaned back, putting his hands on the floor behind him. "Then, why are you here if you are not going to kill me?" he asked.

"Where is she?" I asked, ignoring his question. I knelt in front of him, being mindful of the pile of shit that was on my left. My stomach churned at the smell of it, and all I wanted to do was throw up.

Marcus shrugged. "How am I supposed to know?" he asked. "I don't even know who you are talking about."

I snorted and rolled my eyes. "Bull shit," I said, scowling. "You know who I am talking about. Do not even try to deny it."

Marcus shrugged his shoulder. "Enlighten me," he said. He was trying to buy some time. He knew that he had been caught doing something that he shouldn't have been doing. He knew that I was ready to attack him and kill him if he crosses me.

"Your "daughter,"" I said. I leaned back on my haunches and folded my arms across my chest. "Or, should we say Shardul's daughter?"

Marcus scowled. "That bitch should have had an abortion and not lie to me. Damn, woman told me that she was mine."

"You should have let them go. You knew how Shardul felt about her, but you decided to go and take her anyway. You knew that they were madly in love. Is that correct?"

"The-"

"Is that correct?" I asked again, interrupting him.

Marcus looked down. He seemed to grow older, his face turning grayer. "Yes, that is correct," he grumbled. "I should have just let them go."

"Why didn't you?" I asked.

Marcus looked up and narrowed his eyes at me. "And why should I tell you?" he spat, baring his teeth at me.

I stood frowning. "I don't have time for this," I said, annoyed. I knew I wasn't going to get any information out of him, so I didn't know why I was even trying.

Because you want to save him from himself, a small voice whispered. You know that he has a good soul.

I cocked my head and studied him, knowing that the voice was right. Even though he was insane and could kill his "daughter," he was still innocent.

I shook my head and sighed before starting to turn around and walk the way that I came. I had to figure out where she was taken because Ryan couldn't tell me, and I knew that he wanted to.

"I was in love with a Wolf," Marcus said just as I almost opened the door to the room he was in. He watched as I turned back towards him, his eyes wide and fear in them.

"Pardon?" I asked, turning fully back towards him. "Did I hear you right?"

Marcus nodded his head and looked down. "I was in love with a Wolf," he said again. "And Shardul ended up killing her."