Page 45

Needed to stall them for as long as possible while I figured out how to remove these bindings.

“My name is Clayson Rifford. I’m the owner of the establishments you so often frequent.”

I had assumed as much, but hearing him say it sent a wave of dread through me. These were not the circumstances I’d hope to meet him under. He controlled the underbelly of Nethkar and I had been trying to learn his name for months. Trying to find out who he was so I could kill him.

He studied me and I willed my features to show nothing but an empty canvas, uninterested and unamused by him.

But my mind was screaming, frantically searching for some way out.

“I must admit,” he started, slapping his hands across his thighs as he stood from his self-appointed throne and began circling me. “I have been dying to meet you. So many stories have been told about your blood lust. Not many women could make my men fear them, but you, you have.”

Out of the corner of my eye, I could see his men inching closer.

“Though, I do not believe we have ever seen this face before,” he said, stopping in front of me as his head tilted to the side.

“Which is a shame, really. It’s quite beautiful, even with the scar.

” He reached out a hand, sliding the tips of his fingers across the raised surface of my scar and I forced myself not to recoil from his touch.

To not reveal a single ounce of the fear beating against my chest.

“That is by design,” I responded, locking my eyes onto his as a low growl materialized in my throat. “And I promise you, after tonight, the next time you see it will be when I slit your neck from ear to ear.”

We stared back at each other, a challenge dancing between us, silent threats lingering in the distance separating our bodies.

“How did you find me in this skin?” I asked, tilting my head to the side as he eyed me.

“Your drink of choice. That combination has only ever been ordered by the woman who hunts my men. I like my people to keep track of these things—for moments such as these.” A smirk flickered across his lips as he turned toward his men and gestured them toward me.

My stomach twisted as static rushed between my ears.

They’d been tracking me this whole time.

“Do you recognize any of these men?” he asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

“The scum of this city all look alike,” I spat.

He nodded. “I figured you wouldn’t. You have killed twenty-eight of my men in the last six months and these five are the ones that, for some reason, you let live.”

My eyes darted across them as my heart lodged itself in my airway.

I knew I had let some men live, but I had no recollection of what they looked like. I had never cared to pay attention to their features.

“May I introduce Jasper, Felix, Monty, Creed, and Alexi.” The five men took a predatory step toward me, vulgar smiles strewn across their faces as if they’d been waiting their entire lives for this moment.

Clayson leaned forward, his fingers curling around the armrests of my chair as he brought his face only an inch from mine.

“You may not have remembered their faces, but I can assure you, they will be the last ones you see as you take your dying breath.” Spit flew from my mouth and he recoiled as it splattered across his face.

The back of his hand collided with my cheek and I gasped as the cut already present split further from the contact.

I turned my head slowly back toward him as a stream of blood flowed from the open wound over my mouth and dripped down my chin. He pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and I watched as he dabbed at his face before tossing it to the dirt floor.

“I think I’ve had just about enough of you,” Clayson hissed, as he took a step away from me and adjusted the collar of his tunic. “She is all yours, gentlemen.”

An invisible hand clamped itself around the muscle beating wildly in my chest as I watched him stride to the dilapidated doorway. His eyes connected with mine over his shoulder as a murderous smile split onto his lips.

I knew the words he would say before they slipped off the tip of his tongue.

“Do not let her leave this room alive.”

My blood pulsed in my ears, the sound of a raging sea muffling the vile cackle I knew was coming from Jasper’s gaping mouth as they watched me writhe against my restraints.

My wrists burned and I could feel the trickle of hot blood dripping from my fingertips as the rough rope tore into my skin.

But I didn’t care.

I didn’t care about anything other than getting out of this fucking room.

“Did you really think you could steal from us for months?” Felix asked as his fist slammed into my face.

The sound of bones breaking roared through my head as a gasp flew from my mouth and white spots flooded my vision.

“Did you really think we would let you take our coin?” Another blow. “Murder our brothers, steal our wives, and we would do nothing?” Another hit landed in the center of my abdomen on the tail of Felix’s words and I could feel my ribs fracturing.

My throat clawed for the oxygen the punch expelled from my body.

“Did you really think we wouldn’t take something from you in return?” Alexi asked, stepping toward me as he pulled a knife from his belt.

I recognized that voice.

My gaze fell to his hand searching for a scar and finding it—a thick band of tissue wrapped around his wrist.

I pulled my eyes from it, dragging them to meet his, and grinned. “How’s the hand?”

“Well enough to do this,” he snarled, plunging his dagger into my thigh.

A scream tore from my lungs as my head snapped backwards. The serrated edge ripped through muscle and tendon as he yanked it out and my body convulsed. Blood poured from the gaping wound, soaking through my leathers as I panted through gritted teeth.

“Is that all you’ve got?” I spat as Alexi’s dagger sunk into my other thigh. A muffled scream sounded from between my clenched jaw, the room spinning around me as pain radiated through my legs.

I forced my head back up, meeting Alexi’s gaze with defiance blazing in my eyes.

Jasper leaned in close, and I flinched as his rancid breath brushed against my ear. “This is just the beginning, sweetheart. We’ve got all night to make you pay for your crimes. And out here, no one can hear you.”

My breath stuttered in my chest.

I knew he wasn’t lying.

“Not so tough now, are you?” Creed snarled as he grabbed a fistful of my hair, wrenching my head back. “Where’s that fire of yours? Don’t tell me it’s gone so soon.”

I laughed, the sound harsh and bitter as I spat a mouthful of blood into his face. “Right here, you bastard.”

Creed’s first slammed into my jaw, snapping my head to the side.

Blood pooled in my mouth, but still I grinned up at them—my teeth stained crimson.

Monty’s boot connected with my ribs, and I felt something snap inside of me. My chin fell to my chest, gasping for air as Monty crouched in front of me.

His cold eyes pierced into mine as he spoke. “Tell me where my whore of a wife is.”

“Go to hell,” I rasped, my voice raw.

Monty’s hand flew to my neck, his fingers closing around my throat and tightening, cutting off my air. I thrashed against the ropes holding me down, searing pain roaring against every movement as black spots danced at the edge of my vision.

Just as darkness threatened to devour me, he released my neck and I gulped down air. Each breath sent a stabbing pain through my shattered ribs.

I watched as a light flared in the corner of the room, the glow of fire making the shadows dance for us as my body screamed in agony. Alexi stepped from the shadows, a cruel gleam in his eye as my gaze fell to his hands.

My heart seized as raw terror ripped through me.

His fists were wrapped around a glowing brand, the end shaped into a vicious, jagged blade.

That was the first moment I considered begging.

Considered pleading for my life.

I couldn’t be burned.

Not again .

The memory still hadn’t faded and I didn’t know if I could survive it a second time—even without the Svech.

Tears pooled in my eyes as Alexi took a step toward me and I prayed to whatever Gods would listen not to let them do this.

But they didn’t answer.

They never answered.

I should have prayed to the devil instead.

The stench of burning flesh filled the air as an inhuman shriek tore from my throat, my body arching against the restraints as the brand melted into my stomach.

White hot agony exploded across my abdomen for a second time and I thrashed wildly, my screams shredding my lungs as they echoed off the walls.

Pain consumed every atom in my body, tears streaming down my face as I clung to consciousness.

A sob wracked over my limbs as I watched Alexi reheat the tip of the brand from the ball of fire flickering from his palm, the sharp tip glowing molten orange.

“Where is the bitch?” Monty snarled as Alexi closed his fist, snuffing out the fire and pinned his eyes back on to mine.

“I will . . .” I panted. “N-never tell you.”

The searing tip plunged into my side and an animalistic howl ripped from my chest, every nerve ending on fire with blistering torment. He pulled it from between my ribs and I slumped forward against the restraints as smoke curled from the charred hole in my side.

“Now that we have worked the fight out of you, the fun can really begin,” Jasper said, smirking as his blade tore through the fabric of my tunic. He ripped it open, and silence fell as my scars stared back at them.

I met his gaze as a sneer curled onto my lips. “Do your worst. I’ve survived horrors that you pathetic excuses for men would crumble in the face of.”

Creed’s face twisted with rage as he shoved a cloth into my mouth. I gagged as he lodged it deep into my airway.

“I think I’d rather have you silent for what’s next,” Creed snarled, slashing through my leathers and ripping them from my body. The freezing winter air stung against my wounds as they pawed at my naked skin and I stilled.

I could feel every scrape of their rough hands.

I could feel everything, yet nothing at all.

In that moment, I was nothing more than a whisper of smoke floating in the ether.

It was as if I had left my body behind, soaring above it as I watched their hands roam over my exposed flesh, their calloused fingers pushing between my legs, clawing at my breasts—digging into the burns and wounds that marred my body.

I watched, hovering above myself as Felix cut the binds at my ankles to spread my legs apart and positioned himself between my thighs, his hands slipping on the blood pouring from my wounds.

My body was no longer my own as I watched him enter me. I couldn’t feel it, couldn’t hear the sobs that were rolling from my gaping mouth.

When the women of Nethkar had told me their stories, I had always sworn to myself that I would fight. That I would die before I ever let a man take what he wanted from my flesh—steal that part of my soul. But as I watched myself sit frozen, unmoving against their assault, I realized the truth.

You never really know until you are in that position—the things your body will do to insure its survival.

I was going to die tonight—I knew that.

Maybe this was it.

The last thing I had to give to fix what I had broken.

My penance.

There was a quiet reverence to the pain flooding my body and I let myself slip into it. A moment of clarity hung over me that maybe, just maybe, my redemption could be found in the depths of their violence.

I had spent so many nights wishing I was dead, praying that the void would consume me and I would disappear into nothing.

But today . . . today I felt joy.

I felt the love of my family in every color, in every smell that flowed through a house that was mine.

Mine .

And I think I wanted to fight for that.

If nothing else, I think that, maybe, I wanted to fight for myself.

A sob tore from my chest as my senses—my soul—crashed back into my body with excruciating force and I thrashed with every ounce of strength I had left against their hands.

A harrowing scream erupted from the very depth of my being, and I prayed with every fiber of faith I had that someone, anyone , would hear me.

Then, somewhere in the distance, a howl echoed into the cold winter night and I knew what that meant. Tears began to stream from my eyes.

Cyloe had found me.