Page 105 of No One’s Daughter

“You’d like that wouldn’t you?” He teased. “Sadistic little fuck. No, I think we’re going about this the right way. Besides, as much as I’d love to give you a beating, I’m told that unlike you, she’s answering our questions. Says she has no love for you and doesn’t give a shit about you. She’s telling us all of your dirty little secrets.”

A humorous laugh slipped through my gritted teeth. “It doesn’t matter what she does or doesn’t say,” I spat on the floor at his feet. “I don’t play when it comes to her. And I’ll make sure that when I get out of here that ugly face of yours will be left unrecognisable to the point where even your own mother wouldn’t fucking recognise you when I’m done with you for what you’ve done.”

“’When’ being the imperative word here. You’re never getting out of here. But don’t worry, we won’t ruin her… yet. Valerius has plans for her yet.”

I bit my tongue to refrain from answering back and engaging in this little war of words. That’s what he wanted. To get under my skin but he didn’t know me.

Silence was all he’d get from me from now on.

Night shifted to day and the questions kept coming. The flares of her pain had stopped. I hoped it was because they realised that hurting her wouldn’t get them answers, and if I played the part of believing they’d hurt her to get to me, she might be spared further assaults. It also affirmed my suspicions that they needed her for something far greater than this. They couldn’t risk accidentally damaging her beyond repair.

CHAPTER THIRTY SEVEN

Ailsa

I’D GET THROUGH this. I locked down my emotions to the point where I was unreachable. I was a shell of my former self now. I’d endured worse. I expected this from them. They wouldn’t break me. I refused to let them.

​Let them fucking try.

I may have been new to this whole world of supernaturals and being a vampire, but I wasn’t new to enduring pain, and my vampire body was a heck of a lot stronger than my human one had been.

The punch to my gut came so quickly I hardly registered the movement. But instead of crying—like they wanted—I smiled through gritted teeth. “Is that all you have?”

“Answer the question or we’ll hurt your traitor boyfriend.”

“Is that what you think,” I laughed, hysterically now. My breaths between each laugh came hard. “He’s not my boyfriend.”

He looked puzzled for a moment before delivering a punch to my ribs. “His stench is all over you.”

“Yeah, because he kidnapped me, you imbecile,” I said. Another hit, this time against my stomach. “I was his prisoner. I guess now I’m yours.”

He gripped me by the hair, so hard my head was forced back. “Guss that means you won’t mind if I use you like he did.”

The knot in my gut tightened at the vulgar thought and my heart rate rose.

But I refused to show fear.

Next thing I knew, the door swung open so violently it rattled against its hinges, and darkness seemed to spill into the room with it, thick and suffocating.

“Enough,” a dark voice warned.

Besian’s, I realised.

Fucking great.

I let out a humourless scoff, tasting blood as it slipped past my lips.

“Get out,” he ordered the idiot, not even raising his voice, yet somehow carrying more threat than any shout.

The idiot who had been looming over me hesitated for a half a second before scrambling to obey, practically tripping over himself in his haste to leave.

The door shut again, this time with a quiet click.

Silence followed.

Besian stepped further into the room, his presence swallowing the space whole. “Sorry about that,” he said casually, as though we were discussing a minor inconvenience. “I’ll make sure he’s killed for his behaviour.”

I blinked at him.