The Royal Elite: Mattias by Danielle Bourdon Page A

stranger reached to cup her elbow, obviously intending to help her into her seat.
    “Excuse me, Sir. Madam. No one is allowed to leave the complex.” A male voice echoed through the garage.
    Before she could slide into the seat, Alannah paused to acknowledge the staff member approaching from the opposite direction. Dressed in typical black and white, flashlight in hand, he hailed them with a wave.
    “We're not leaving the grounds,” the stranger said. “Just a quick trip to the lake out back.”
    “I'm sorry. Mister Morano is requesting guests stay within the manor itself or in the main garden.” The staff member closed the distance until he was within a few feet of the couple.
    “All well and good for Mister Morano,” the stranger replied. “But I am not a prisoner here. I'll come and go as I see fit.”
    Alannah felt the stirring of unease once more. She wasn't so drunk that all her internal instincts had gone numb. Placing a hand atop the seam of the open car door, she said, “It's all right. We can go back to the terrace and sit there.”
    The staff member and the stranger stared each other down. While the employee was polite and considerate, he was also adamant. He said, “The terrace is a good choice.”
    “Unfortunately, that's not where I choose to go. Now if you please.” The masked stranger took a step forward, edging on the verge of a threat.
    Alannah picked up on the body language as easily as the employee did.
    “Again, I apologize for any inconvenience, sir. But Mister Morano--”
    The stranger cut him off. “Take about ten steps back. The lady and I are going to visit the lake and when we're done, we'll return. Should I decide after that to depart the property altogether, then I will.”
    It happened in the final words. As the stranger detailed out exactly what he would and would not do, he reached out for the Morano employee and yanked him into a choke hold. The flashlight fell from the employee's fingers, beam slashing violently through the dim garage, until it landed with a crack on the concrete floor. Moments later, the employee slithered to the ground, unconscious. Maybe dead. Startled, Alannah spun away from the car, instincts screaming to depart the garage as quickly as possible.
    “I don't think so,” the stranger growled near her ear.
    She got one good scream out before a hand clamped across her mouth. Another snagged her around the waist. Fighting the hold, she twisted her head and kicked backward with a heel, hoping to make contact with the stranger's leg. The 'gentleman' yanked her around and shoved her down into the seat, strong enough to accomplish his goal without much trouble. She went for his eyes through the mask, taking a deep breath to scream again, hoping someone had to be close enough to hear.
    Blocking her strike, he produced a length of duct tape that had obviously been pre-cut, waiting for use, and clapped it across her mouth. Another piece went around her wrists after he captured her flailing arms.
    “Try to escape the car again and I'll do you right here,” he said. Backing up, he shut the car door and walked around the front to the driver's seat.
    No one had to tell Alannah that the stranger's threat wasn't a sexual one. It was deadly, plain and simple. If she tried to escape, he would kill her now rather than later.
    Dizzy with fury and liquor, she sent up a silent prayer that Barrett would charge onto the scene any second and stop the stranger dead in his tracks.
     
    The very last door in the second hallway from the party had a plaque that read Staff Only across the front. Mattias barged in anyway, heedless of rules and regulations. Something soft and heavy on the other side impeded Mattias's progress, forcing him to put a shoulder to the wood and push harder. The door gave a few more inches.
    Peering around the edge, Mattias saw a body on the floor, face down. He could see just enough to recognize Barrett's dark hair and familiar clothing. Pushing inside, he