Prompt:
That last scene in Catch a Tiger by the Tail but from Sloane’s point of view…from the minute he wakes up to when Sparks leaves.
Part 2
Sloane’s Felid side was momentarily distracted by Cael’s arrival, and his inner Therian half struggled between wanting to tear apart those responsible for this, and wanting to comfort his mate’s brother. Sloane’s instincts were on high, and it was moments like these that reminded him of the beast inside him. Not that he could ever forget, but there were days when his Felid half was peaceful. Then again, those days were usually the ones spent with Dex at his side. His Felid half was so content then, slumbering peaceful, waking only to stretch, twitch his tail at the occasional box, or yearn for a belly rub. The most Sloane heard from him was that blasted purr that would find its way out even in his Human form.
Cael was frantic. This wasn’t like being out in the field. This was his big brother that was missing, and not like the other times he’d been taken. This was different. It felt different. They didn’t have a clue who could be behind this. Cael had so many questions, but Sloane had no answers. He wanted to comfort, but he wanted to find Dex most of all. Ash stepped in, pulling Cael into his arms, murmuring comforting words as he stroked Cael’s hair.
Sloane left Ash to it, unaware that he’d called in the whole damn team. One by one they arrived, and the more questions they asked, the more on edge Sloane got. He didn’t have any goddamn answers. He appreciated their support. Knew they were here because they cared about Dex. But he had nothing. Cael was beside himself, and Sloane paced while Ash tried to calm him.
“How can I calm down? He’s gone, Ash!”
Calvin and Hobbs were the last to arrive. Their reaction to the state of the living room had been similar to the others. Disbelief followed by worry. Calvin stepped forward. “What’s going on?” Calvin asked.
“Dex is gone,” Sloane replied, his hands going to his head. “I can’t believe this. Look at this place.”
Calvin walked over to Cael. “What do you mean he’s gone? Gone where?”
“We don’t know,” Cael replied worriedly. “Sloane woke up, and Dex was gone.”
“Something’s wrong.” Sloane ran a hand through his hair. His Felid was pacing again. It wanted to do something. It wanted Dex back. Sloane wanted Dex back. “I can feel it. In my gut, deep down, like… I just know he’s in trouble. God, what if he’s hurt or….” Sloane shook his head as Ash grabbed hold of his shoulders.
“Stop. We’ll find him. Whatever’s going on, we’ll figure it out.”
“Did you see the guys who did this?” Calvin asked. He looked like he wanted to inspect the place, but didn’t dare touch anything. None of them did. The whole place had just become a crime scene. His living room was a crime scene. The place where he lay on the couch with his head on Dex’s lap, teasing, playing. Where they watched movies together, watched TV, talked for hours about random things, where… he made love to Dex.
Sloane took a deep breath and released it slowly. “That’s what’s most fucked-up about this. I didn’t hear a thing.” His vision blurred, and he breathed in once again. “I didn’t even feel it when they took him out of our bed. He was in my arms.” Sloane blinked away his tears, anger swiftly taking over. “How is that possible?”
Rosa stepped up to Sloane, looking him over. “My guess is someone injected you with something. How else would they be able to do all this without you waking up?” She checked in between his fingers, inspected his arms, then neck, before she motioned for him to lean in. Gently turning his head, and checked behind his ear. She cursed under her breath. “They injected you with something.”
Sloane’s blood ran cold. “They took him from my arms, and I didn’t feel a goddamn thing. When I get my hands on whoever did this, they’re going to regret ever stepping foot in this house.”
“You’re going to have to find them first.”
They turned to find Sparks at the front door. She was dressed in a black leather catsuit with a host of weapons tucked in her thigh rig and utility belt, along with a crossbow attached to her back.
“What did you do?” Sloane growled as he stormed over to Sparks. “You had something to do with this, didn’t you?”
Sparks calmly walked past him and into the living room, then took a seat on the coffee table.
“I had hoped to be further along in his training before this happened, but unfortunately, the timeline seems to have been moved up.”
“What are you talking about?” Sloane demanded. He flexed his fingers and did his best to keep his Felid half in control. Right now it wanted to sink its claws into Sparks. “Where’s Dex?”
“I don’t know.”
The last of Sloane’s resolve snapped. He thundered over to Sparks and threw out a hand, his fingers closing around her neck. “Don’t lie to me!”
“If I knew, I would tell you. Dex has been taken. I don’t know where or by whom exactly.”
“Exactly? What does that mean? I swear, if you don’t start giving us some fucking answers,” Sloane’s claws pierced his skin, but he barely flinched at the pain, “I don’t give a shit who you are or who you work for, I’m going to start causing you some pain,” Sloane snarled.
Sparks looked up at Sloane, as if she were searching for something. Sloane waited, his patience all but nonexistent, when Sparks finally spoke up.
“Dex was taken by those responsible for his parents’ murder.”
Sloane froze. That wasn’t possible.
“Wait, what?” Calvin shook his head. “Dex’s parents weren’t murdered. They were caught in a shooting that broke out in the movie theater they were at during their date night. Right?”
Sparks tapped Sloane’s hand, and reluctantly he released her. She had information. More than she was letting on. For now, he’d cooperate. He needed to find Dex.
“That’s what everyone has been led to believe, but the truth is, Gina and John Daley were there to meet with someone. Before the meeting could take place, they were killed.”
Cael sank down onto the floor across from Sparks. “I can’t believe this. They were murdered?”
Calvin seemed to have trouble processing. “Why would they take Dex now? I mean, his parents were killed when he was just a little kid.”
“That’s a good question. We believe Gina Daley had something in her possession before she was killed. Something important. It was possible she was going to pass this information on to whoever she was meeting. However, there was nothing on her at the time of her death.”
“That doesn’t answer why now,” Ash said. “Why, after all these years, are they making a move on Dex now?”
“We’ll have to ask Shultzon.”
Sloane threw his hands up. “What the hell does Shultzon have to do with any of this?”
Sparks stood, her steel blue eyes meeting Sloane’s. “Shultzon is the one who ordered the hit on Dex’s parents.”
Sloane stared at her. How…. That son of a bitch. Every time Sloane believed the man couldn’t be any viler, something new came to light to prove Sloane wrong. Shultzon had Dex’s parents killed? The entire room was silent, and only then did he realize all eyes were on him.
“I hope your team is ready, Sloane,” Sparks said as she headed for the door. “You’re going to have to be if you want to get Dex back alive.”
Catch the final installment Part 3 in next week's THIRDS Thursday 4/14/16!
Copyright © 2014 Charlie Cochet. THIRDS published by Dreamspinner Press.