Sighing heavily, he pinched the bridge of his nose. “You expect me to ignore the fact that I can conjure shadow, Gil over there can boil water with his mind, and Trevor hasn’t aged a day? You can’t lie to someone who has already enjoyed the effects of your power for decades.”
An ice-pick headache struck from nowhere, making me hiss. A deep, hollow weakness crept through me as the last dregs of frost slowly melted, leaving me with a wave of nausea.
No...stay. Don’t abandon me again.
Glancing at Lucien, I yelled in my mind.If you’re going to wake up, now’s the time.
I needed him.
I needed to feel his heat, his fire—to feed off his energy and try to stabilise mine.
A flurry of movement ripped my gaze to the door. The five men who’d been watching Roy and me talk moved aside, allowing two scientists to enter. Dressed in white smocks and pushing trolleys full of medical equipment, they didn’t look up.
My heart skipped and Lucien chose that moment to switch from mostly dead to violently awake. He thrashed in his binds—the chair creaking and groaning as he fought to get free.
His eyes found mine.
I shrugged sadly.
And Roy Swift clasped his hands in glee. “Oh look, you’ve finally decided to join us. In that case...let’s get started.”
Chapter Eighteen
I SNAPPED FROM ONE NIGHTMARE TO ANOTHER.
Fury ignited as my gaze landed on Rook—strapped and imprisoned. I fought against my own restraints. White-hot agonyexplodedthrough my body. Every bone that the fire had fractured back in Brimstone screamed. My ribs stabbed my lungs like giant splinters. Lashes of marrow-deep agony pulsed in my left femur, right forearm, and far too many cracks everywhere else.
A guttural groan tore from my throat as I forced myself to stop moving. Cold sweat broke across my skin as black spots danced across my vision. The pain was so intense it threatened to drag me back under.
Stay awake. Stay awake. Fucking stay awake!
I blinked hard, fighting the crushing waves of agony.
“Rook.” A wet, painful cough ripped through me, tasting of smoke. Blood trickled out the corner of my mouth. “Are you okay?”
Not waiting for her to answer, I snarled, “Get these cuffs the fuck off me!” I didn’t care about the pain as I thrashed and kicked, calling on the fire to help.
But once again, it didn’t answer. I had nothing left. Back to being pathetically, ridiculouslyhuman.
That made fury pour on top of fury. I struggled harder, causing the heavy chair to rock on the thick carpet.
“Now, now, don’t hurt yourself any more than you already are.” A man stepped closer. “Just calm the fuck down for a second.”
I stopped fighting—not because he told me to, but because every cell in my broken body locked onto Rook beside me.Did theyhurt you?
She shook her head, her hands balled on the armrests.I’m fine. I’m so glad you’re finally awake. Her filthy nightgown still covered everything important, and I saw no new bruises or cuts—just the ones I’d caused when I’d lost control back in the lobby.
I relaxed a little only to tense all over again as my eyes locked on the leather straps holding her down.I’m so sorry I left you alone. I’m sorry I couldn’t control it.
She sniffed as tears stuck to her eyelashes.Tell me you have a plan on how to get out of here?
I flinched and looked away because...what the fuck could I do when I had nothing?
Unable to look at her, I glowered at the man who’d spoken. “This has nothing to do with her. Let her go.”
He nodded with a sigh as if he’d expected me to say such a thing. “While you’ve been in la-la land, your girlfriend and I have had a nice little chat, haven’t we?” He glanced at Rook and that same snarling, primal possession rose.
Girlfriend?
