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Chapter Three

The three who drovethere were seated around the table when Pandora saw her new friend. “Ela, please join us. This is Regis, and if you pass the vibe check, you will meet Ira.”

The woman’s appearance drew gasps from the others, and Regis covered her mouth in shock. Rex looked stunned.

Ela tried to cover her wrists and her neck in short, quick movements. “I am sorry. They won’t heal, so I am stuck with them.” Her wrists and neck wore abraded bands that looked sticky with blood.

Pandora nodded. “Her ankles, too.”

Regis asked, “Where did that happen?”

“I was bolted to a table in a salon for passing Elite. The abrasions were a side effect of the motion.”

Regis was stunned.

“How did you get away?”

“The table broke. I beat the client unconscious and ran. It wasn’t until later that I was able to get the bands off.” She asked softly, “Do you have a medical kit or anything?”

Rex got up and said, “Come with me. I have a kit.”

Ela nodded and followed. She was six feet tall and pearly white. Her hair was cropped against her head, and her eyes were crimson. There were bite marks and scars visible on her collarbone. Pandora’s clothing just covered most of her, not all of her.

* * * *

Ela was seated at adesk as she apologized. “I am sorry if this is upsetting.”

The woman with her brought out rolls of gauze. “I have seen a lot of injuries, but few have made me this enraged. What happened to your hair?”

“They shaved it every two months. It kept growing back.”

“How long were you there?”

“Two years? I think. I am not sure.”

“You never got pregnant?”

“No. I didn’t let them have that. I could control that.”

“How?”

Ela paused. “I just did it. My name is Elaheh. Ela for short.”

“I am Rex. It’s short for Teagan.”

Ela grinned. “That’s fun. T-rex.”

Rex focused on winding gauze around the wounds. “You got it the first time.”

“I was a teacher.”

“What happened?”