Lincoln Hospital

Chapter Nineteen

"Please, please let me go home!" The girl's terrified screams and pleas for help were the first thing Marcus heard when he opened the door to the basement. They had five captives that he was aware of, Dane sure had been busy. Dr. Daniels was in his element, giddy and eager every time a new girl arrived at the house that he could run tests on. He was determined to restart the black market ring they'd lost several years earlier. Marcus couldn't blame him; it had been a very lucrative time for them, indeed.

He, however, had different priorities. Such as getting to know his sister and avoiding that annoying Gabe Thornton who seemed intent on finding him to exact some kind of justice. So far, they'd been able to evade him. Gabe was carrying out his search alone and didn't have the best tracking skills. Still, it was a worry they needed to keep an eye on, just to be safe.

Dane was working over the newest girl in the corner of the basement. She was exposed from the waist up, her body on display in a vulnerable manner meant to demean and diminish any sense of self she was holding onto. Her long, beautiful chestnut colored hair was in a messy array around her face, the locks hanging down limply, a stark contrast to the brilliant shine they once held. Dane had made several gashes up her legs and was now beginning to focus on her midsection, ignoring her screams and cries for him to show mercy.

"Dane. We need to talk," he told him. Without waiting for a reply, Marcus headed back up the stairs, ignoring the girls held in captivity. Dane was getting out of control with his abductions. His work was sloppy and it was only a matter of time before his actions caused them to be caught. Marcus Drake was not a man that did jail. It was time he knocked some sense into Dane once and for all.

"What is it?" Dane asked as he came upstairs, rubbing his hands together to spread the blood. Marcus motioned for him to take a seat at the kitchen table.

"You need to scale it way back. You're getting far too careless and you're going to get us all caught if you're not more careful."

"What the fuck are you talking about? I'm careful. I'm not the one who's been caught before by the way. That's you. Like three times if I remember correctly."

"That's not the point. The point is that you're pissed off and it's starting to show in your work. So either smarten up, or get the fuck out."

Dane sat back as though Marcus had slapped him. Get out? Where the hell was he supposed to go? Marcus knew what he was. He knew what was inside of him and how he had to feed the craving for blood. He'd made him! Sold his soul to the devil and ruined any chance he'd ever have at a normal life.

"You're an asshole. You're just like me, if not worse. Yet I'm the one that has to get back in line. Un-fucking-believable."

"We were lucky we got away after that disaster with Layla. Do you really want things to get that close again? To have the cops breathing down our necks and everything we've done and are planning to do be exposed? Use your goddamn head, Dane."

Dane sat there seething, furious that Marcus was treating him like an insubordinate instead of a partner. They were in this together, he had no right bossing him around and telling him how to run things. If he wanted to take ten girls at once, that's what he'd fucking do.

Shoving away from the table he got to his feet. "If you're done lecturing me, I'm going out."

"Fine. Go. But mark my words, Dane. If you don't start using some sense, you're going to bring this all crashing down on us. Again."

Dane slammed the door to the house without saying a word. Getting in his car, he backed out of the driveway and tore off down the road, driving aimlessly. He was keyed up; the blood wasn't satisfying him like it usually did. He needed to up his game. Maybe he'd look into torture devices, see how far he could push the human body before it snapped. That could be amusing.