Born Taken (Broken Angel 0.50)

And as Vash closed his eyes and felt the current of energy run through him, he sensed the cold feminine touch glide against his shoulders. Nostalgic. For a brief moment, the feeling left him ruined. Raising his shoulders fiercely, he grunted through clenched lips. “Mother…”

“What the fuck are you talking about?” Killian asked.

But Vash couldn’t concentrate. Suddenly, the voice inside his head grew stronger. “My baby…”

The age soaked through every word. Turning, the fields disappeared. The blood and soiled earth morphed into a brightly lit room. He knew the place almost instantly, except he couldn’t put his finger on the exact location. He could see Cassian walking through the rows of women, safely locked away in their cryo chambers. Did the clones dream? Not even Cassian could answer that question.

They could sure as hell fuck.

Vash rolled his head and groaned. “My brother,” he grunted.

“Vash, we gotta keep movin’ if we want to find the slut,” Lucas said, grabbing the lumped tuft of fabric near his shoulder.

After a few blinks, Vash recalibrated himself. Though he could not understand the visions his mind played behind his sore eyes, he knew there was something more to all of this. Something Cassian wouldn’t dare tell the sugary bitch, let alone Vash’s pack. Still, they didn’t have the hours of planning to spare. In less than two weeks’ time, the parasite would worm through his socket. If he didn’t find a doctor, he’d surely die.

“Cassian forced a scrounger in my fucking socket,” Vash groaned. “I need a specialist worth a damn.”

“Fuck.” Killian clenched his fist.

Vash knew it was not going to be easy to find a doctor who could help him. Seeing a specialist required the patient to undergo a series of complex check-in instructions—a fingerprint identification check, saliva registration, and computerized questionnaire. It would be impossible to slip through the cracks.

“I know of a guy,” Lucas said.

“Speak,” Vash said.

“He’s in the city, but he does his dealings in the pipes for extra security,” he continued.

Vash squirmed when he thought of the pipes. The smell practically wafted into the center of his nose. The underground sewage drains of the cities were some of the worst places in the world. Covered in excrement, dying alphas, and black-market sellers, it was known as hell on earth.

“He’ll be there?” Vash asked.

Lucas gulped, and the look on his face seemed to suggest he could taste the sour aroma already. Nodding, he covered his mouth. “Parasites are easy to kill. He’ll just need a genetic kit from you and the woman.”

Vash ground his teeth against the inside of his cheek. Suddenly, it became quite clear how far they were from completing their journey. Without even thinking about the consequences, the alpha men had set out on the most difficult tasks in the world.

“You think the girl will squirm?” Killian asked.

Stepping forward into the red vapor of the waning day, Vash held his rifle with as much pride as he could muster. They’d find the girl. Breed her, too. And once they succeeded in knotting her good, they’d force Cassian’s hand.

“She’s a born captive,” Vash said. “She’ll be easier to train than a bitch in heat.”

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