My eyes flutter open, and I find myself in an unfamiliar place. Terror courses through me as I take in my surroundings – cages lining the walls, each holding a variety of creatures: humans, werewolves, lycans, mermaids, and more. The air is heavy with fear and desperation, and I can feel the palpable sense of despair emanating from my fellow captives.
An ache in my arm draws my attention, and I discover my wrists bound tightly to the ceiling. Panic surges through me as I try to piece together how I ended up in this nightmarish predicament. Memories flood back-the encounter with the strange man, the drugged haze that clouded my senses, and then nothingness. He must have brought me here, but for what purpose? The question gnaws at my mind, but in this moment, I can only focus on finding a way to escape.
I consider reaching out to Marie for help, but the memory of the gunshot wound I sustained earlier gives me pause. The silver residue from the bullet likely rendered her unconscious, leaving me to fend for myself. With a grim determination, I begin to pull at the restraints binding me, but the searing pain of the silver burns my skin, making every attempt at escape excruciating.
Suddenly, the sound of footsteps echoes through the room, and I freeze, my heart pounding in my chest. Someone is approaching, and I can only hope that whoever it is, they hold the key to my freedom. But as the figure comes into view, dread coils in the pit of my stomach, for I know that my ordeal is far from over.
“You can try all you want, but you will never be able to break free from them,” Ember declares, approaching me with burning hatred in her eyes. The realization hits me; she’s behind my kidnapping. No one else in the lycan kingdom would dare to take such a risk.
“Ember,” I say bitterly.
“Do you like your new home?” she inquires, circling around me. I remain silent.
“You don’t have to answer, as your response wasn’t needed.” Ember continues her mocking circuit.
“Why am I here?” I finally ask, turning to the side to catch her before she walks away.
“Because you stupid bitch refused to die,” Ember snarls in my face. My brows furrow at her words. What is she talking about?
“Of course, a dumbass like you won’t know what I’m talking about,” she says, then the realization hits me, and my eyes widen.
“The gunshot,” I say, shocked that Ember was behind it. She was the last person I could’ve guessed responsible.
“Yes, it was stupid of me to think a silver arrow laced with wolfbane would kill you.” Ember stops circling and brings her face close to mine. “This time, things would progress slower but still give the same end result.”
“What do you mean?” I inquire, a sense of dread settling in.
“Adam, would you like to join us?” she calls, and the man from earlier enters the room.
“Why don’t you show our lovely Amelia here what I mean,” Ember instructs before walking away, leaving me gripped with fear. Her words hang in the air ominously, and I realize I’m at her mercy, with no upper hand in this situation. Quickly, I weigh my options and decide to leverage the one thing I know for sure-Nickolas’s desire for my safety.
“Whatever you have planned, I advise you to change your mind. Nickolas won’t be too happy if something horrible were to happen to me,” I assert, struggling with the silver bonds around my wrists, the burning pain intensifying.
Ember halts in her tracks and bursts out laughing loud and hard, a mocking laugh. Meanwhile, I hear a metallic clang a few feet away, and dread floods my veins as I realize what it is-a blade.
“Ember!” I shout, desperation lacing my voice as I try to get her attention so I can plead with her to reconsider her orders to Adam. But she ignores me and panics, claws at my throat as Adam begins sharpening his blades, his intent clear.
Think, Amelia, think. I can’t unmask my scent because of Nickolas’s spell, but there must be something I can do. And then it hits me: a risky gamble, but one I must take to save myself.
“I know you are doing this because I had a miscarriage, and you are worried about what would happen next time if I don’t. You have nothing to worry about. The king and I have never slept together. I am not a threat to you, Ember.” I quickly rush to say.
“What?” She stops laughing and spins around to face me. Shock is evident on her face from what I just said. The man also halts from sharpening a blade.
“I swear to you I am still a virgin,” I say, my heart beating fast as I pray, she believes me.
“You are lying,” Ember growls.
“I swear on my life. The king has never touched me.” He has, but not in that way. Ember doesn’t say anything for a minute, and when she does, my breathing seizes.
“It doesn’t matter, still kill her, Adam,” she tells him before turning back around. Before I can even utter her name again, she’s gone.
“Please, you don’t have to do this. Please,” I plead, losing my resolve, pulling my hands through the restraints, but they don’t become free.
“Do you like money?” I begin to ramble, desperate for any way out. “I come from a rich family; I can get you money. Do you like money? Please don’t kill me.”
“I don’t fucking need money.”
“I doubt what she’s paid you could compare to what the lycan king would pay for me. Sell me to him. He is rich. He will pay a lot of money for me, money you couldn’t even imagine.” I continue, not giving up hope.
“And die before I see that money. Not a chance in hell.” Adam moves away from the table, blade in hand. I continue to thrash in fear, struggling to find another way to escape.
“There has to be something we can work out,” I plead desperately, thrashing against the silver bonds that bind me.
“Stay still,” Adam commands, his grip firm as he grabs my waist and drags the blade down my chest to my waist, slashing my shirt open and tearing it completely from my body. I gasp as the fabric gives way, leaving me exposed in just my bra. The sting of the blade against my skin sends waves of pain coursing through me, and I clench my fists tightly, trying to endure it.
“You don’t have to do this,” I plead, my voice quivering with fear as I watch him approach the table I hadn’t noticed before. The metal surface gleams ominously under the dim lighting, dark liquid oozing from its edges. My heart pounds in my chest as I take in the sight of the weapons laid out upon it.
Blades glint menacingly, whips coil like serpents ready to strike, and a bat rests ominously among them. Each instrument of torture and destruction sends a chill down my spine, a stark reminder of the difficult situation I find myself in. The shadows cast by the dim lighting only add to the sense of foreboding that hangs heavy in the air.
“Now let me hear those lovely screams of yours,” he grins maliciously, the sound of the whip cracking against my flesh echoing through the room. I bite down hard on my lip, trying to stifle the screams threatening to escape as pain sears through me with each lash.
The whip strikes again, this time across my back with such force that it feels like it’s cutting deep into my bones. Tears blur my vision, stinging the back of my eyes as I struggle to endure the relentless assault. And when the whip finds its way to my face, the sharp sting of the leather against my skin is almost unbearable.
I plead for him to stop, my cries falling on deaf ears as he continues to rain down blows upon me without mercy. In that moment, I realize that I am not going to convince him to show me mercy, no matter how much I beg. With a defiant resolve, I lock eyes with him.
“Remember I begged you when my soul comes back for revenge,” I spit out between clenched teeth, the threat hanging heavy in the air. His eyes widen in shock for a fleeting moment, but he quickly shakes off his surprise, his grin widening as he continues his brutal assault.
He shows no mercy, whipping every inch of my flesh until there is no part of me left untouched. I clench my fists until my nails draw blood, the metallic tang of it mingling with the salt of my tears as they streak down my face. I cry out in agony; each screams a testament to the torment I endure at his hands. But to him, it’s all just part of the sick game he revels in.
“So much better,” he grins sadistically, throwing the whip aside as he works on the chains that bind me to the ceiling. The moment I’m free, I collapse to the floor in a heap.
Every fiber of my being screams with pain, my body drained of all energy from the blood loss and the relentless assault I’ve endured. I grimace, feeling Adam’s cruel grip on my hair as he begins to drag me across the cold, unforgiving floor. I try to protest, to utter a plea for mercy, but the pain is too overwhelming, stealing away my voice.
I hyperventilate, each labored breath sending waves of agony coursing through me as my battered skin scrapes against the unyielding surface beneath me. Every movement is torture, and I can feel my strength waning with each passing moment.
Finally, Adam comes to a stop in front of a cell, and with a cruel sneer, he releases his grip on my hair to open the door. I lie there, broken and defeated, unable to muster the strength to resist as he shoves me roughly into the dank, dark confines of the cell. The metal door clangs shut behind me.
“Tomorrow, we continue.” He says before disappearing into the shadows.
The cold, damp cell surrounds me as I lie on the floor, my body battered and bruised. Blood pools around me, staining the ground beneath. The echoes of my screams still linger in the air, haunting me as I stare blankly at the ceiling. I can’t help but blame Nickolas for my situation. I wouldn’t even be a threat to Ember if it weren’t for him. Tears stream down my face, mingling with the blood. I think about what my life has become since the day I met my mate. I really wish I would even die right now because I don’t think there is anything left to live for.