“I always liked your spunk Libby. Even when you were nothing more then a whiny toddler, you still had that spark, that will to win. I knew even then that you were special.”

Libby froze at his words. Her eyes were wild, the dark violet centers huge in her pale face.

He laughed, deep from his chest and she wanted nothing more then to put her hands over her ears to drown out the maniacal sound.

“Oh yes, Libby I’ve known you since before you could walk.”

He began to slither towards her, his long legs gliding across the rocks. “We have a history you and I… long ago. So imagine my surprise when I was asked by the DaCostas to place a mind block on a… Castille whore, I think they called you.”

He grinned up at her, and Libby realized she was slowly rising through the air.

An image of Frank once more slashed through her brain and she began to struggle again, not understanding his words, but as the need to survive rose to the fore, not caring in the least.

“When I learned you’d born a child, and one made with a jaguar warrior, I knew,”

Libby shuddered as his smile became even more pronounced and his features seemed to distort slightly, as if there were another person, or thing inhabiting his body. His voice was barely above a whisper and he smiled up at her as if they were old friends.

“I had to have him.”

“Where is he?” Her words were ripped from her throat, her muscles left raw and aching as she listened to her voice echo in the still cavern.

Cormac continued to lazily walk around her suspended body. “Oh Libby, he’s not here. Silly of you to think that he was. Nope, actually he’s far away from here.”

His voice changed then, anger coursing through his words and Libby flinched at the intensity of his anger as he continued, “As should you be.” He spit then, “Frank DaCosta brought me the wrong girl and for that he paid with his life.”

A sound began to build from deep in the belly of the cavern, slicing its way along each and every passageway until it burst through to where Cormac stood in front of her. Libby’s ears perked and her attention was momentarily taken from the tall man in front of her, to the narrow crevice that led from where they were.

Jaxon!

The roar of a jaguar was tempered by gun shots and she began to panic. Once more she began to struggle and curses flew from her mouth as the invisible bindings kept her securely suspended twenty feet from the ground.

Cormac began to slowly move away from her, his eyes black with amusement.

“Seems as if your jaguar has come to call,” He shook his head slowly, “Foolish animals they are.” His voice was almost a whisper, “They are not like us, Libby.”

She looked at him, her expression incredulous, “Not like us? We’re nothing alike, you and I.” He was a monster, as close to evil as you could get.

Soft laughter fell from Cormac’s lips, but his eyes narrowed as he studied her. His voice slithered across her skin as he whispered, “We’re more alike then you know.”

Abruptly he turned from her and Libby suddenly felt like crying, so great was the deluge of emotion that filled her body. She began to pant, in short staccato breaths, and they hung loudly in the air between them. She closed her eyes and concentrated, and a few moments later, was able to force out a sentence.

“I just want my son back. I’ll do anything…anything that you want.” She knew she sounded desperate, but she didn’t care. She was desperate.

The tall sorcerer paused, but didn’t turn around. His movements were slow, precise and controlled. Everything about the man was cold and calculated and the hatred that Libby felt as she gazed down upon him nearly choked her.

“Know this Libby. Your son is alive, because I wish it. As are you.”

Time slowed as his words penetrated her brain and their meaning became clear. He had the power. He had her son. A sob escaped her throat, thick with grief and her eyes were full of tears as she looked at the calm man in front of her.

“What do you want?”