Darkness (New Species #12)(37)

“You’d tell him everything.”
“No.” Fury shook his head. “I’d break his heart by remaining silent. I gave you my word.”
“He’s your best friend.”
“You’re my brother.” Fury hesitated. “Even if you won’t admit the link, I’d stand by you and that means protecting your female too.”
“She isn’t mine.”
Fury shrugged. “She’s the first thing you’ve really given a damn about and put your ass on the line for. I owe her for that alone.”
“She isn’t mine,” Darkness repeated. “You’re making too much out of it.”
“We’ll see. Just keep in mind that we do know a Senator and could obtain her real name if she didn’t give it to you. That means we could locate her and have her brought back.”
“Why would we do that?”
“In case you decide letting her go was a mistake.”
“It was for the best.”
“For who?”
“Both of us.”
“Let’s go to Medical.”
“You have a plan?”
Fury shook his head. “I’ll just say I want to see Boris and you follow me in. I’ll offer to give the officer guarding him a break.” The male frowned. “You may not have an hour but we’ll see how much time we can get. Work fast and try not to kill him.”
“I’ll do my best.”
“You know you’re going to owe me for this.”
Darkness clenched his teeth. “What do you want?”
“Answers.”
He nodded abruptly. The time had come for them to talk about the past. “Afterward.”
“Of course.”
Chapter Thirteen

Darkness approached the cell that held the human. Boris lay in a hospital bed, the machines monitoring him making no sound as the male slept. Fury stayed near the elevator. Darkness unlocked the door.
Boris stirred. “It’s about time. I need more morphine. I’m in pain.”
“You won’t be getting any relief from me.”
Jerry Boris’ eyes opened and he stared in horror at Darkness. “HELP!”
Darkness paused by the end of the bed and smiled coldly, making certain his fangs showed. “No one can hear you. I’m glad you remember me because we’re not done yet.”
Boris’ fearful gaze darted frantically around the room, probably searching for the officer who was usually stationed outside his cell. It was easy for Darkness to read when the male realized no one was there to help him. Tears filled the human’s eyes. No pity surfaced inside Darkness.
“What do you want?”
Darkness gripped the bars of the foot rail and rattled the bed a little. The male cringed and tried to pull his legs up as far as possible. “Let’s talk about the FBI.”
Boris panted and some of the blood drained out of his face. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Yes you do.” Darkness released the foot rail and straightened, inching around the bed. He studied every visible inch of Jerry Boris. “I was disappointed with our last conversation.”
“I told you the truth. That cat girl is exactly where I said. You had to have found her. I bribed one of the guards on that estate and he verified she was there and that she was alive.”
“I’m not here about the Gift.” Darkness reached behind his back and withdrew a nail file he’d tucked into his waistband. He lifted one hand and used the tip to run along his thumbnail. “I was disappointed you survived.” He paused and examined the metal point. “No one here likes you. I’m sure you don’t have friends at Fuller either.”“You’re going to kill me.” Jerry’s voice broke. “You said you wouldn’t if I talked.”
“I said I wouldn’t as long as you gave me the information I wanted and didn’t lie.”
“I told you the truth!” The male scooted to press his body against the side rail opposite Darkness. “I told you everything I know.”
“You didn’t mention the FBI. I’ve been busy since we spoke, looking into everything about your life. They sent agents to attempt to take True’s mate. You remember her, don’t you? Jeanie doesn’t like you either.”
“I don’t know why they wanted her.”
Darkness lunged and grabbed the male’s hand. Boris fought but not effectively enough to jerk out of his hold. “What did I say about lying to me?”
“HELP!” Jerry screamed again. The high-pitched sound was painful to Darkness’ keen hearing.
He used the nail file tip to press just under the male’s index fingernail. “Don’t you hate dirt under your nails? Allow me to help you with that.” He jabbed the point into the tender skin.
The male screamed again and flopped on the bed. Darkness glanced at the heart monitor, watching the numbers spike. He grinned and leaned in. “Tell me about the FBI, Boris.”
The male whimpered.
“This is me being congenial. Do you want to see me pissed off? I could remove each fingernail and then start on your toes.” He removed the metal and released the male’s hand, wiping the bloody tip on the sheet. “Or perhaps one of your eyes. It’s not as if you’ll ever see daylight where you’ll be sent, if you survive this conversation. Keep telling me lies and you definitely won’t.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Darkness chuckled. “Let the fun begin. I like hearing you scream, little man.” He leaned over and grabbed the male’s head. “Right or left eye? Do you have a favorite? I hate both of them so I’ll allow you to decide.” He waved the nail file in front of Jerry’s nose. “Take a good look at me, human. Do you think I won’t do it? I’m no longer amused.”
Sweat broke out on the male’s forehead and panic showed in his eyes. “Please, don’t do it.”
“I want you to tell me everything. I already know some of the details,” he bluffed. He shifted the nail file and ran the tip over the male’s cheek and down to the side of his mouth. “Lie once and you lose something. It’s going to be painful. I would have brought a knife but you don’t deserve being cut up quickly. I want you to feel everything.”
The male whimpered again. “What do you want to know?” 
“I want the name or names of your contacts in the FBI. I want to know why they give a shit about you. I want details. Why would anyone want to retrieve you from us? That plan failed, by the way. There is no rescue for you, Boris.”
The male swallowed. Darkness dug the metal tip into the man’s skin, opening a small cut on his chin. Jerry cried out. Darkness paused.
“Talk.”
“My brother-in-law,” he blurted. “Robert Mason. I was married to his sister. He’d try to help me.”
“Why?”
Jerry grabbed hold of Darkness’ wrist but failed to tug his hand away to remove the nail file from his face. It was a useless attempt since the human was weak. It angered Darkness though. He released the male’s head and applied pressure on two of Boris’ fingers until he felt bones break. Jerry screamed and lost his grip on Darkness’ wrist.
“Don’t touch me again,” Darkness warned. “I’ve seen what you like to play with when you’re alone. Keep talking and don’t stop until I have heard enough. Otherwise, I’ll take one of your eyes.”
“Robert knew I worked for you.” Jerry rushed his words. “He knew what happened while I was the director at Homeland. He sent some of his people to arrest Jeanie Shiver because I told him she was a lying cunt trying to help New Species get me fired from Fuller. I told him the NSO held a grudge against me because I had tried to prove they were incompetent to run Homeland.” He sucked in a breath. “I warned him you assholes would make me disappear. And I did but he knows I’m here.”
Darkness eased the pressure on the nail file against the male’s face. “Keep going.”
“I don’t know what else you want me to say. Robert is family. He’d do anything he could to help me. He knows you bastards had it in for me.”
“You extorted blood money for information to rescue our people. That’s on you.”
“You owed me!” Jerry cradled his injured fingers against his chest.
Darkness snarled. “You’re owed death for what you’ve done. You allowed Species to needlessly suffer while you played games and tried to shift the blame to a female who only wanted to help rescue my kind. That makes you a piece of shit.”
“Robert will get me out. He’ll have a federal judge order you to hand me over to his custody.”
Darkness straightened. “It’s just paper here. Your laws don’t apply.”
“He’ll get me. He knows where Fuller is. I told him.”
That news irritated Darkness. Fury’s soft growl was proof the Species had overheard their exchange. “Too bad you won’t be sent there then.” He lunged and gripped the male’s neck. It was tempting to snap the bone. One good squeeze and a twist would end the male’s life. He might need more information later though. He tightened his hold enough to choke off the human’s air supply, watching his face change color and his eyes bulge.
“Darkness, enough.” Fury spoke softly but his voice carried.