Lover Mine (Blood Brothers 1) by BJ Brandon

that actually filled the man with tenderness inside
that hardened shell.
    "Send Rafe to talk to her. Maybe his
special gifts can reach across and calm her enough to get her to
talk. It will also give him something to do to keep him
occupied," Kayne chuckled, knowing his brother's
temperament.
    "Not a bad idea." Merc's agreement
eased Kayne's anxiety for his twin. "Just keep your head down,
bring the team home in one piece tomorrow, and don't do anything
stupid! We'll keep your mate safe."
    "My thanks, brother," was all Kayne
could say, emotions filling him as he pulled Chayle close to his
chest.
     

Chapter
Twelve
    The Master stood before the Saint
Andrew's Cross with the custom-made whip much like the age-old
cat-of-nine easily held in his left hand. Cold black eyes
watched as two minions strap Davis onto the Cross, naked and facing
him instead of presenting his back, as was the usual custom. This
wasn't as a simple exhibition or a lesson. He couldn't allow
failure from his followers because that would make him look weak
and weakness was NOT allowed.
    Davis finally groaned, waking from the drug
it had taken to knock him out so he could be stripped and hung from
his arms, chained by wrists and ankles. Once he realized where he
was and what was happening fear filled his eyes instead of
anger.
    "What the hell?" he yelled. "Master, why?
I've done everything you asked." Davis' whine grated on the
Master's nerves, sealing the man's fate like nothing else
could.
    "You of all people know I do not tolerate
failure," he whispered, but everyone in the room heard him and it
raised the hairs on the arms and neck of all standing around the
room. Some made a move to leave, but the Master stopped them with a
raised hand and one phrase.
    "Leave and you take his place when this is
done!"
    Everyone froze in place.
    "I did as you asked, Master," Davis begged.
"There was no way to follow them, no way to find where they
went."
    "Your failure to complete your mission is
unacceptable, no matter the reason. I cannot allow that to
continue." He raised the whip, slapping the space between Davis and
where he stood like the professional he was. The hiss and snap
caused everyone in the room to jump A small, thin line of blood
began to trickle down from across Davis' taunt stomach.
    "No Master - please, just kill me," Davis
continued to beg, his eyes now wild as the full reality of the
situation settled on the room. This man would only leave after the
Master had stripped ribbons of flesh from him. It wouldn't matter
where the flesh was taken, only that it caused as much pain and
prolonged his agony as long as possible.
    "Your death will show the others what is
expected. Now either take it like a man or scream like a child. I
care not!" the Master growled, bringing the whip down across the
other man's groin and upper thighs in a viscous strike that ripped
all the way to the bone.
    The screams and torments of the damned were
only part of the hell that the Master visited upon Davis as he
reminded his followers what he expected of all of them the next
time he sent someone out on a mission. Failure was NOT an
option.
    Each strip of flesh pealed from the man's
body fed the Master's need for revenge, the need to reclaim that
which that had been taken from him. The women belonged to him, he
had allowed them to survive only because of the need to test the
waters of his opponents, never expecting them to actually escape
the traps he had set for them each time.
    The whip sang through the air, satisfying
his need for a taste of blood and pain against animals no better
than those who served him now. Those who should not be allowed to
roam free instead of caged and tested, taught to serve their
Masters as was their design.
    Silence finally filled the room except for
the whip, and the Master slowed the whip, focusing on what was left
of the man hanging on the rack.
    "Take that thing down and dispose of it, and
clean this mess up." He turned, handing the whip to the