Enzo (The Wolves Den: New #1)

18. Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Seventeen

Deja was handcuffed to the bed. Handcuffed. It was a reflexive action; one he'd seen Deja use with Ven before. He placed an arm in front of Ven, keeping him from killing the men in the room. A man he hadn't met had a gun aimed at Deja's head. They couldn't risk an accident.

She was naked. Her clothes had been torn off leaving rags around scattered around her. Enzo was having trouble keeping his form. The animal in him wanted to come out and rip the head off every male in the room.

Earth men didn't understand the importance of a female. They were too abundant on this planet. Every male could have one if he wanted one. It wasn't like that where Enzo came from, at least not for his people. To be allowed to lay with a female was something males like him didn't take for granted. They knew there would be no mate or children, so to have one willing to take care of their needs meant a lot to them.

Enzo had few rules; he was a warrior born and bred to kill. One of those rules was you never hurt a female. That hadn't changed when they came to Earth.

Matt laughed when Enzo stopped Ven from advancing.

"That's your secret weapon. The man you talk about like he's a hero. He'll be pushing up daisies by the end of the day, but the other one looks like he'd make a good seller or should I use him as an enforcer."

Matt stepped away from Deja, moving closer to Enzo. "Get a good look at her because she's mine. She knows the deal. I plan to marry her, get her pregnant a couple of times, and if she's good with the kids, I'll let her live. You, on the other hand, will die today."

Matt moved back to Deja's side. His hand snaked out, and he hit her across the face. Enzo and Ven snarled. The men in the room looked for animals before turning to look at Enzo and Ven.

"They sound like animals!" Matt gave a good impression of Enzo's snarl before he punched Deja in her belly. "Just making sure you're not carrying that bastard's seed."

Enzo placed his hands behind his back since his fingers were now claws. Ven did the same. Enzo let out another snarl, this one telling Ven to stand down. Matt hit Deja again before he bent over and pinched her nipples, making her cry out in pain. Enzo vibrated with rage; the only thing that kept him still was the gun trained on her.

Death lit Enzo's eyes when Declyn slipped into the room. He crossed to the male holding the gun on Deja and prepared to break his neck the moment he got the go-ahead from Enzo.

Matt straightened up. "I grow bored. It's time for you to die."

Enzo agreed and gave a roar that startled the males in the room but sent the Kur'iks into action. Declyn broke the neck of the male holding the gun on Deja and dropped the body. Ven launched himself at Don, tearing him in half with his rage. Enzo walked over to Matt, who was holding Deja in front of him like a shield.

Enzo allowed one nail to become a claw and slid it carefully against Deja's skin and under the cloth which kept her from talking. He ripped it apart.

"Camire, sorry it took me so long to get here." His eyes were dull. The pain of seeing her hurt muddied his gaze. "We came as soon as we knew where you were."

"How sweet. I plan to walk out of here, and I'm taking Deja with me. After I'm free, I'll give her back, maybe in pieces."

"Matt, are you crazy? All your men are dead; look around the room."

"There are more downstairs. You know I don't like to be alone." He raised his voice and commanded them to come upstairs.

"Sorry," Cole said, walking into the room. "They can't hear you because I killed them."

"This is who you picked over me!" He shook her in rage.

Enzo's growl made him stop before he pulled her closer, making sure she was in front of him.

"Don't get too upset. I gave each man a chance to leave and make a new life for himself. They weren't interested." Cole gave him a smile while he looked over the dead in the room.

"Declyn's downstairs. He has Xander and Caden on clean up."

Enzo nodded; no one would find the bodies or evidence of blood.

Matt looked around. In his pride of never being taken down, he ignored that whatever he was dealing with wasn't human. All he needed to do was get out of here. Then he'd report them to the authorities and watch as they took them down. After that, he would still get Deja, but she would pay for what she cost him today.

"Take her and let me leave. I've come to my senses; she's not worth the hassle." He stared at Enzo waiting for his answer.

"All right." Enzo stepped aside, allowing him access to the door.

"I'll be back for you," he whispered in Deja's ear. "After the government has exterminated your alien friends."

Enzo reached out and scratched Matt on his way out. "Fear," he murmured as Matt stumbled to the stairs.

There was a whimper coming from Matt and a scream before Xander came into view and put him asleep.

Enzo broke the handcuffs chaining her to the bed and took off his shirt and covered her with it.

"What happened to you?" she demanded, seeing the bandages and the blood that covered the bandage.

"No, Deja, this is about you and what that monster was doing to you. I couldn't protect you, and I'm sorry." He pulled her into his arms while her body shook against him.

"You protected me. Both you and Ven, and you brought some of our friends to help get the job done. He beat me, but I'll recover, and it could have been so much worse. You got here in time. How did you get here?"

"Safire came to look for us when she heard your message this morning."

"I'll call her when we get home. I think we'll have to skip dinner today. What did you do with Matt? You didn't kill him."

"I can kill him if you want, but I thought it was a little too nice and neat if his body went missing. Instead, I infected him with a naturally occurring enzyme in my body, and I reinforced it by giving it an order: fear. For the rest of his life, he will have unnatural fears that will drive him crazy."

"Won't they find the enzyme within his body?"

"No, your technology isn't close to being able to spot something like this. The enzyme will look just like one of his own unique to his body, but it will keep replicating until he knows nothing but fear."

"Do you think that's a little harsh?" Deja looked at him, her brown eyes beseeching him.

"I think he planned to rape you. That's what I think. He planned to get you pregnant, tie you to him, and maybe kill you after the kids. No, I don't think it's a little harsh. I want to do so much more to him and I could, but I won't take the chance the authorities may realize they are sharing the earth with my people." Enzo's eyes were blazing, and his body was shaking.

He's this way because of us.

He came for us because he cares.

They all care.

Deja laid her head on his chest. It was past time he knew what she'd done.

"I have something to tell you." It was now or never.

"Tell me when we get home, camire."

"But..."

He placed a finger in front of her mouth. "You think you have some big secret that will cause me to reject you. Nothing will make that happen."

Enzo helped her to her feet; she looked around for her tennis shoes only to realize they were gone. Matt never intended for her to leave this house, not until she gave in to his demands.

Deja dropped her head. The mistakes she made in her life went through her mind. Did she deserve this for falling for a good-looking man with a smooth tongue? She should have known better. Maybe she could have tried harder. Why did it feel like she was trying so hard but getting nowhere? The poor mouse on his wheel made an appearance in her brain. She sucked in a deep breath. Her past held both mistakes and triumphs. She had to believe that it was a hallmark of life.

She leaned into Enzo's side as he walked her down the stairs. He took them into the living room Matt barely used, and they sat.

She looked up at him, not able to ask the question.

"We're waiting for Caden and Xander, then we all leave together."

She nodded. He said they would take care of the bodies upstairs and get rid of the blood. Ven tore Don in half while Declyn had simply broken Jim's neck.

Why was she so calm? Come on, she spoke to the voices in her head, I need you to get upset, cry, have a fit. Do something to reaffirm that human life matters.

I had a fit the day Don was set free for the murder of that teen.

I screamed the day he beat that eleven-year-old boy.

I cried the day I saw Matt with that sixteen-year-old girl.

I watched you beg and plead with them to do something different or at least run their drugs differently so they wouldn't hurt the innocent. They laughed at you. Now you want me to cry for them. Well okay, I will. I'll cry for the lives that could have been but never were.

Deja listened to the monster inside of her and realized that in life it was easy to call what you didn't understand a monster. When in reality, sometimes the monster is the boy or the girl next door.

When Xander and Caden came downstairs, Enzo reached for her.

"Stay by my side...forget that." He picked her up and walked to the door with everyone following behind them. "Stay quiet."

She nodded and let herself relax in his arms; she needed the reassurance of his heartbeat in her ear. They walked down the street, passing several strangers who didn't react to their presence at all. He placed her in the car, then Ven came and stood by her side until Enzo got in. Ven slid in the back, and before she knew it, they were leaving the neighborhood.

"You have a way of hiding your presence from others, don't you?"

"We do, and if we're careful, we can hide you also," Enzo answered, giving her a brief look.

Maybe she should break down, maybe she would break down, but she didn't get any sleep last night, so for now, she was going to nod off while she knew she was safe.