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Chapter Twenty
Claire
All the muscles in my body protested against the invisible restraints that had been placed upon them. I knew Sven had to be working hard to keep the bonds this tight, and I only hoped that he would grow weary of the work soon so I could return the favor. For as much as I tried to work my magic beyond the bonds, it failed me at every turn.
I cursed my earlier stupidity. I should have boiled his stupid brains in his oversized head when I had the chance.
Curse my idiotic ideals.
“Darla here was promised to another, but there’s no reason we can’t bond you to someone,” the warlock said, as he towered over me.
My senses weren’t completely frozen. Something that was turning out to be pretty unfortunate, given that I could smell something like stale onion and tobacco on Sven’s breath. I would have flinched against the scent if my muscles weren’t frozen.
“I’ll enjoy watching you go mental for this fucker and begging him to rut you.” Sven then laughed, a stupid sound that sounded like something between a snort and a honk.
He moved back, sizing me up.
“I have an arranged bond myself,” he said, and had I been able to move my lips, I would have reminded him that what he was attempting wasn’t an arranged bond. At least in an arranged bond, both parties were aware of what was happening and signed off on it, even if they had been coerced by someone to do it. What he was doing to these girls was nothing short of rape and trafficking.
“Bitch gave me a litter years ago and now all she does is sit at home and bitch at me,” he continued. “So, unfortunately, I can’t mate you.”
He looked me over from head to toe, and my gag reflex rebelled against me. I swallowed it back, wishing I could grimace.
“But he can.”
I wanted to scream at him that it was pointless. That I already had a mate, something that he had facilitated that night in the other cabin. Which was probably for the best because I wasn’t sure what other punishment he might try to dole out if he knew that his form of torture wouldn’t work on me.
Darla was still out like a light next to me. I was on my own. I hoped that what little magic she’d sent out into the world before he’d silenced us both would alert Jack.
The warlock shifted toward the open door, stuck his head out, and emitted a shrill whistle. The sound would have made me jump if I’d been able to move.
Several moments passed before I heard leaves crunching and then two loud thuds as a large, menacing, bald warlock stepped into the doorway. He was broad and thick and seemed to have a permanent sneer plastered on his face. Finally, his gaze settled on me and he leered as Sven slapped him on his back with a force that would have sent another man sprawling.
“Meet your new mate, Barlow,” Sven said, conducting a strange flourish in my direction. Barlow stared me down before grinning, an ugly grin if there ever was one. He reached down, palming his fly and unzipping it. His cock sprang forward, but I kept my eyes trained on Sven, who merely laughed.
“Eager bastard,” he quipped.
Sven left his side and moved to a bag that was sitting in the corner.
I did my best to follow Sven with my eyes, my head badly wanting to crane to track him. Reaching into the bag, he withdrew a vial and a syringe. My stomach lurched, remembering another time when this same warlock had withdrawn a similar syringe.
I held my breath as he pushed the tip of the needle into the vial and flooded the syringe with the drug inside. Pulling it out, he directed a slithering smile my way before walking toward me. What came next was so sudden, I didn’t have time to prepare myself. His hand shot forward, jamming the syringe into my neck. A garbled sound came from my throat. My tongue and lips were still frozen, preventing me from crying out or cursing. He then slammed the plunger down, filling me with the drug.
Pleased with himself, Sven stepped back and surveyed his handiwork. He muttered under his breath and then I felt the immobility that had seized my body release. I crumpled immediately, as if I’d been a balloon that had suddenly been popped.
Black work boots filled my vision as Barlow closed in on me. Above me, I could hear him fumbling with his trousers. I didn’t dare look up. I was woozy after being released from the freezing spell.
I searched within for that devastating power I’d used once before, but I was too far gone to access it.
“Now, I know she’s to be your mate, mate,” Sven said, chuckling at his dumb joke, “but I hope you won’t mind me getting a bit of action in after you’re finished with her. I’ll only take her mouth.”
Like hell he will, I thought.
They weren’t moving. I knew what they were waiting for. They were waiting for the presentation to begin. Waiting for me to beg Barlow to rut me. He was, after all, the only unmated warlock in the room. That was how this was supposed to work, as I understood it. It was the reason Jack assumed I’d presented for him.
I held my head down. I was still on my knees, pulling on every bit of magic within me I could siphon.
“I thought you said this drug had a shorter reaction time than the ones we’d been using,” Barlow said, annoyed. “Why ain’t she rippin’ off all her clothes and begging me to rut her?”
