Insanity slithered through his brain like aninsidious, parasitic worm. It urged him to do things he would neverhave done before, to kill himself, or to burn the world. The fewmoments of clarity he received were so full of anguish that heshied away from them to retreat into his haze of madness once more.Through it all, he remembered Maggie with her arms aroundanother.
HisMaggie.No, not his, notanymore. She’d chosen another.
Die! Die! Die!Often, he plotted tokill his jailers and break free of here. At other times, he triedto will himself into the peaceful oblivion of eternal sleep.Breaking free or dying had proven impossible, so far. He wouldsucceed in one or the other soon.
Craning his head, he listened to thefootfalls coming toward him. Two of his captors were approaching.It didn’t matter how many there were; he’d murder them all if thatwas what it took to escape this place.
Today. He would break out today, andhis destruction of everything he could get his hands on would startwith those who had imprisoned him. At least then, they would beable to feel a fraction of the pain ravaging him. Saliva filled hismouth as he contemplated sinking his fangs into numerous throatsand draining his victims dry. They’d given him blood in here, buthe needed to hear shrieks of pain. Those screams would ease him;they had to.
Every day, every second of every minute, hiscravings for blood and death consumed him. Nothing kept them at bayanymore. Sometimes, he’d surface enough to question if he werelosing his mind or becoming a Savage. Then, he’d realize it didn’tmatter; the madness would turn him Savage.
The one thing he wouldn’t do when he wasfree of here was go near Maggie; he couldn’t. More animal than mannow, he still retained enough of a thread to his old self to knowhe could never harm her, though she had been the one to destroyhim.
Some of his jailers were his siblings. Maybeif they hadn’t already turned on him, he wouldn’t go after them,but they’d betrayed him by locking him within this pit. He wouldstay away from the rest of his family too. They were the past, andhe had a much different future.
Stepping away from the window, the chainsshackling his wrists and ankles rattled as he paced his cell. Hecraned his head to see who they would send to him now with one ofthose disgusting blood bags. He needed a vein, arealone.
Then, the smell hit him. Sweet asbutterscotch and far more enticing than any blood bag, it floatedon the air to ensnare him.Maggie!
Aiden’s fangs burst free, he lunged at thedoor, but the shackles yanked him back. The chains rattled but heldfirm when he jerked against them, and an overwhelming hunger searedhis veins.Shewas the only thing that would finally easehis hunger.
Have to have her!
He stopped pulling at his chains as horrordescended to shove aside the madness enshrouding him.HisMagdalene was here, and he was… he was… a monster.
Aiden recoiled from the door and slid intothe shadows at the back of his cell. She couldn’t see him likethis!
It wasn’t that he was filthy, he’d donenothing but plot death and ride the waves of lunacy since cominghere, but he’d washed often. Animals didn’t tolerate the stench oftheir filth. He ran a hand over his face. He may have showeredoften, but he hadn’t shaved. A beard covered his face now, probablymaking him appear wilder than he was. His eyes were red; he didn’tneed a mirror to know that, he could feel it. He’d lost all controlof the demon part of him when he lost her.
She’d dealt with enough insanity with hermother; she couldn’t see it in him too. She deserved better thanthis, better than him. He’d let her go to live her life withanother man; why had she come here?
A fresh stab of agony pierced his heart ashe recalled seeing her embracing another man. He couldn’t hate herfor her decision. He wanted only happiness for her, no matter whosearms she found it in. Bringing her here, making her feel guilty, orintimidating her was not what he wanted for her. He’d made thatclear at some point. He couldn’t recall when he’d told hisimprisoners not to get involved, but he was certain hehad.
One of his jailers must have brought herhere, either to try to help him or to torment him more than theyalready did by keeping him locked away.
“Get her out of here,” Aiden said beforethey reached his door.
“Aiden, listen—”
“Get her out of here,now!” hebellowed, cutting off Ethan’s words. He’d tear his brother’s heartout for bringing her here.
Ethan turned as if to stop her, but Maggiestepped into view of the window. Even in the shadows surroundingher, Aiden could see the unusual shade of her eyes and theloveliness of her features. His fangs pierced his lips when he bitback a choked sound. He stretched a hand toward her before jerkingit back to his side.
“Get her out of here,” he hissed again.
Maggie went to grab the window, but Ethanseized her hands before she could. “Don’t touch her!” Aidenshouted, and Ethan released her.
“Aiden,” Maggie said. Ethan held out an armto keep her from coming any closer. “Where are you?”
Maggie searched the shadows at the back,left-hand corner of the cell. It was where his voice had come from,but she couldn’t see him.
“Aiden?” she croaked. “Please let me seeyou.”
“Get her out of here, Ethan,” Aidencommanded.
“Let her speak,” Ethan replied.
“I don’t want her here! Not like this.”
