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I pulled against the restraints, but it was no use. Raw panic surged through me, and I screamed out in frustration, the sound echoing off the walls.
“Such spirit.” Tomas grinned, a cruel glint in his eyes.
As the doctor moved closer, I clenched my fists and tried to focus on something, anything, that might give me the strength to resist. Memories of Evan's comforting embrace and the warmth of our love filled my mind, giving me a small sliver of hope. I wouldn't give up without a fight, and continued pulling against my restraints, struggling to find a way to free myself, screaming the entire time, a plea to anyone who could hear.
Then, as if in answer to my cry, the sound of an angry roar reached my ears, coming from somewhere far above. My heart raced, and a fresh flood of adrenaline surged into my veins, sparking hope in me when I thought all was lost. I recognized that roar—it belonged to Evan. He’d come for me. Tomas’s face twisted in fury, his eyes darting around the room.
“What the fuck is happening up there?” he demanded just as a man stumbled in, his face pale with fear.
“Sir, we're under attack! They've breached our defenses,” he said, sweat pouring down his forehead.
“Impossible!” Tomas growled, clenching his fists. “How did they find out she was here?”
The man swallowed hard, shifting his weight from foot to foot. He didn’t meet Tomas’s eyes when he said, “Jax… he isn't dead, sir. He got away.”
“What?” Tomas roared. I’d never seen him so angry before, and I curled in on myself, instinctively becoming as small as possible.
In a flash, his hand transformed into a dragon's claw, and with one swift, brutal motion, he swiped them across the man's chest, ripping through skin and tissue. The poor messenger gasped, his eyes wide with shock before he crumpled to the floor.
“Idiots! Useless fools!” Tomas kicked the body as he turned and paced the room. I’d thought he was terrifying before, but that was nothing compared to this.
I needed to find a way to use the chaos to my advantage. I had to escape, but the restraints still held me firmly in place. My heart hammered in my chest as I prayed that Evan would reach me before Tomas regained control of the situation.
“Your hero won't save you this time, Mariah,” Tomas said, fixing me with a venomous glare. “I’ll make sure of that.”
My heart lodged in my throat as he stalked toward me. “You think you're getting out of here? That Evan will save the day in the nick of time?” Tomas laughed, throwing his head back. “Not this time. Not until I see this through.”
He snarled and pointed his bloodstained claw at the gaunt doctor standing by. “Inject her. Do it now!”
The doctor hesitated for a second before grabbing a syringe filled with that ominous, glowing liquid. My breathing became shallow as he approached, needle poised to pierce my skin.
“Please, don't do this,” I said, fear gripping my insides and turning them to ice. But it was no use. Neither Tomas nor the doctor showed any sign of relenting. And why would they? This was their plan all along. To turn me into something else. To change me into something Tomas could use for profit.
As the needle came closer, something inside me snapped. In a last attempt to save myself, I let out a scream, the loudest I could muster, praying that someone, anyone would hear me. And then, just as I thought the doctor would inject me, the entire building shook. It was like an earthquake, the violent tremors feeling as if the ground itself would swallow us whole.
The doctor stumbled back as the unsteady floor made him lose his balance. He tumbled to the ground, the syringe flying from his grasp, clattering to the floor and rolling out of view.
Tomas cursed, then glanced between me and the spot where the syringe had disappeared, clearly weighing his options. I could only hope Evan’s attack would buy me enough time.
“Where is that damned syringe? Where did it go?” Tomas barked at the doctor, who scrambled to his feet. I struggled while they frantically searched the room, desperate to free myself before they had a chance to complete their twisted plan. If I could just get out of these restraints, maybe I'd stand a chance against them.
The sound of heavy footsteps echoed in my ears, drawing closer and closer. Tomas hissed. “Forget that syringe,” he said to the doctor. “Go get the backup supply and make sure it's safe. Now. Hurry.”
The doctor nodded frantically and rushed out of the room, leaving me alone with Tomas.
“Looks like our plans are being interrupted.” Tomas glared down at me as if this were all my fault. “But don't think you're getting out of this, my dear. We'll just have to improvise.”
As he spoke, his eyes scanned the room, finally landing on the syringe the doctor had dropped earlier. He retrieved it from the floor, holding it up triumphantly. “Ah, there you are.”
He stalked toward me with a sinister grin, and I couldn't hide the shudder that ran through me, as much as I wanted to stay strong. This was it, my last chance to escape before Tomas did something he couldn’t take back. With one final burst of strength, I managed to snap one of the restraints, but before I could free myself completely, Tomas grabbed my arm, yanking me off the table, then pressing my back against his chest.
“Nice try, Mariah, but you're not going anywhere,” he said as he brought the syringe to my neck. The cold metal poked at my skin, and I froze. If I made one wrong move, if he injected me with that…it would be game over.
“Please, Tomas,” I said. “Don't do this. I can be useful to you in other ways. You can use my blood. If this doesn’t work and I die—”
“Save your breath.” He scoffed. “It’s far too late for bargaining.”
I squeezed my eyes shut, bracing myself for the inevitable pain. But before he could depress the plunger, a familiar cry rang out, full of raw power and command.
