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I panicked and jumped to my feet to run, but a hand knitted into my hair. The beer bottle fell from my hand, shattering on the floor, beer spilling everywhere. I cried out as one of Marcus’ friends yanked me back into place by my hair, shoving me down to my knees. They had to have approached me when Marcus had me distracted. Marcus’ gaze glided from me over to Melissa.
“Melissa, run now!” I screamed.
She blinked in her drunkenness, eyes popping as the situation sobered her. Before she could react, Marcus grabbed her by the shoulder and hair, jerking her against him as she struggled and fought. He yanked her head back, burying his face into her neck, biting down onto her jugular.
Her screams filled the room.
16
The world shifted beneath my feet, and I gagged, my body reeling as the sound of Melissa's neck snapping reached my ears. Marcus tossed her aside, her body falling into a heap on the floor. I froze in terror, unable to take my eyes off her.
Please, don’t let her be—
There was no movement, not even the subtlest hint of breathing. Her eyes stared into nothingness, and in my hysterics, I screamed.
Marcus stood over her, and I watched in horror as his eyes shifted in my direction, his hand smearing her blood across his lips. “I’m gonna enjoy taking you before Damien has a chance to.”
I met his gaze, a combination of fear, anger, hatred marring my face. I wasn’t going to bend to him any longer, wasn’t going to play his sick games. I sure as hell wasn’t going to sit and let him do what he wanted without a fight. I’d either get free or die trying. Both options were better than returning to that chamber.
The hand that restrained me loosened, likely distracted by the pool of blood forming around Melissa’s body. I pushed myself back, aware of him as his hungered gaze remained fixated on her, and I scrambled and scuffed my way across the floor.
Marcus’ eyes remained fixed on me.
Shit. Shit!I pushed myself to my feet, my eyes darting around the room, looking for any means of escape.
“Get her!” Marcus roared behind me, and I knew it was now or never. My breath rushed from my lungs, my bare feet smacking against the concrete as I bolted for the nearest door.Please, let it be the way out.
Someone tackled me hard from the side, knocking the air from my lungs as they pinned me against the wall. I collapsed against it, gasping for air.
Marcus chuckled as he stalked toward me. “Ugh, you’re a spicy one alright. It makes it more fun, though. I can’t believe you still have this much fight left in you. Maybe I do need to bring you back downstairs. Clearly you haven’t had enough. I’ll enjoy breaking you, and when I’m done, I’ll give Damien a chance to find you before the darklings do; let him see what remains of you.”
The blood drained from my face at the thought of those chains on my skin again, but I met his glare. No. I would do everything I could to make sure I never went back to that room.
He plastered his hand against the wall near my face. “That’s ok. It just means it’ll be all the more fun to watch you fall apart. No sense in ending the fun so soon. We’ve got all the time in the world.”
Before I could retaliate, that familiar icy feeling crept up my spine. It was the same as I’d felt in the woods, and there was nothing I could do to resist or fight it. The room darkened, voices echoing around me, speaking to me, yet I couldn’t make out what they were saying, or the strange language they spoke. They were poetic, lulling, enchanting. Hands released me, but I had no control over my legs, over any part of my body, as I lost my senses.
“You wanna see your lover, don’t you?” Marcus’ voice grew closer as reality shifted. Fingertips trailed up my cheek, pushing my hair out of my face and behind my ear. “I’m sure you miss him dearly.”
“I’m right here, Cas.” Damien’s voice drifted into my thoughts. My vision returned to find him standing before me, within reach. I blinked, my focus slipping in and out. My heart swelled at the sight of him. How I’d longed to see that beautiful face again, even if just one last time. I wanted to touch him, to hold him, to know he was ok.
My hand reached for him, but it halted. In the back of my mind, I couldn't shake the feeling that something was... wrong, unnatural. My mind buckled under the altered reality, yielding wholly to what stood before me.
His hand came up to my chin before gliding down my neck, over my collarbone, farther still until he wrapped his arm around my waist, pulling me into him. My body slumped against him of its own volition.
Damien leaned in, whispering into my ear. “You aremine.” His voice seemed muddled, overlapped with another. I didn’t know who’s it was, and the realities began to mix and melt together.
He jerked my face up before pressing his lips to mine and I lost any sense of where I was or what was happening. My mind had given in, no strength left to fight. I couldn’t move, couldn’t pull back from him. But why would I?
Something faint in me screamed to push back, but I couldn’t bring myself to so much as try. My eyes flickered, barely open as he kissed me. For a moment, like a flash, I saw Marcus replace Damien as he held me, his mouth moving against mine as I hung in his arms.
He kissed down over my face, over my jaw, down to my neck. Then something sharp drug across my skin.
His fangs.
“I. Will. Break. You. And you will know who it was that ruined you.” It wasn’t Damien’s voice that spoke now, though he stood against me still.
It was Marcus' voice I heard.
