Seeing him lying there tethered like a wild animal did not give her any joy. How often had she begged Kanan to let her go, just so she could use the bathroom? How many times had he laughed at her and turned his back? She couldn't count that high. Calla tried to fight back the rising pity that she felt for the man with Daniel's face. It was cruel and keeping him locked up like that was wrong. "Don't go anywhere."

"Funny! Hoo-wah!" He shouted after her as she walked out the door. "Yap, dats a good one." A few moments later, she returned to him exactly as had told her to do, with Danny's gun in one hand and a nice shiny key in the other.

"I will protect my children," she told him as she took tentative steps toward the bed, "don't try to attack me." She stooped and unbuckled the leather strap at his left ankle.

"Children?" He asked as the strap and lock on his left ankle gave way and his leg slipped off the bed. "Twins?"

"Yes." The strap on the left wrist slid open and the lock let out a little popping sound as it came lose. His arm fell to the bed with a thud, dead weight from being tied so long. She knew exactly how that felt, the ache in his shoulders and at the small of his back.

"You never answered me. They mine?"

"Shut up." Calla hissed through clenched teeth. "I am being kind to you, be respectful to me or you will lie on shitty sheets for the duration of your stay."

"I promise that I'll be a real gud boy." David said in what he hoped was a sincere tone. With the key in her hand she stood just out of the chain's reach. "You are the one with the loaded gun."

Calla took a few steps back toward the foot of the bed to undo the strap and lock at his right ankle. As the lock fell away from the chain, Calla jumped out of the new reach of his legs.

David couldn't kick at her if he wanted to, his limbs were asleep and his back was screaming in agony from being stretched out so long. There was still another chain left, just one. For just one moment, he dropped his voice a notch and ditched the accent. "I'm not going to hurt you." Came the voice so slight it was almost a whisper, her eyes went wild.

"Don't do that." She warned as she leveled the gun at his chest. The man on the bed did not respond, he only laid there patiently waiting for her to unlock the last restraint. Calla pressed the key into his restrained right hand and quickly made her way around the bed once more so that her path to the door was clear. "Go on, free yourself." Half-dead fingers fumbled with the buckle and then the lock. Nevertheless, David managed to free himself of the last chain keeping him on the bed. "Get up." She demanded as waved the weapon at him. "Go on, get up."

"Give me a minute," he said in that low Midwestern tone, "my legs are asleep." He raised his blue eyes to meet hers. "Lead the way." David invited.

"You know the way, after you." Calla herded him through the basement, up the stairs and to the bathroom on the second floor being very careful to stay several feet behind him as they went. "In there, go on."

"Don't you want to watch?" His tone was sarcastic as he turned around and leaned toward her. "You know just to make sure I don't escape or anything."

She pushed the muzzle of the gun between his ribs. "I'll be right outside this door."

"Have it your way, babe." David disappeared into the bathroom. Being free of those damn chains was so good; he kept rubbing his sore wrists and ankles as he sat on porcelain throne doing his business. How long did she think she could keep him locked up here? At least until those kids were born that much was certain. He was free for the moment and that was all that mattered. "You know," he shouted at the bathroom door, "while I'm in here, I could use a shower."

On the other side of the door, Calla closed her eyes and wondered what to do. He did stink, that much was true. It would be nicer for her if she laid next to a clean smelling man tonight. He could not go anywhere; there was no way out of the bathroom except the door. "Go on. I'll wait." The toilet flushed and the water turned on, she waited in the hallway for him to come out, ready for him if he should try to assault her.

Fifteen minutes later the bathroom door opened and David assaulted her, but not in a way she had foreseen. The bathroom door swung open and a heady burst of steam emerged. From inside the thick wet cloud, came her beloved Daniel. He wearing nothing but a towel around his waist. His bare skin glistening with beads of water, his hair wet slicked back. Calla's legs gave out from under her and she crumpled to the floor as she tried to stagger away from him. "No," she whispered with tears in her eyes. "You're not . . . Daniel?"

"What's wrong, baby? You look like you've seen a ghost." David crouched down and held his hand out to her but all she did was stare up at him. This response was better than he could have hoped for while he was hatching this half-baked plan in the bathroom. Scooping her near weightless body up in his arms, his newly shaven cheek brushed against hers. "Why don't you give me that? You don't need it." With no resistance offered, he took the gun from her hand. "Such a good girl." David began to carry her down the hall.

End Excerpt for Aphrodite's Daughter-Dark Illusions by Ebony Clarke