Page 35

Priest

W ith a groan, I come to. I wince when the light hits my sensitive eyes and I narrow them quickly, looking around.

My men are spread out in front of me in a row, all chained to the floor.

Their iron shackles surrounding both wrists, connected to a chain bolted to a ring in the floor.

They watch me warily and then their eyes flick behind me.

Nodding to show I understand, I slowly push up.

Chains rattle, drawing my gaze down to my own bound hands.

I growl and yank on them uselessly. Panic wells as old memories slam into me.

“Mi Alma.”

His voice brings me back as I look to Maxen, my rock.

He stares at me, offering comfort in the only way he can.

Calming, I stop tugging on the chains and concentrate on breathing.

My head is pounding and my mouth feels like cardboard.

I slowly look over my men to make sure they aren’t hurt.

Jax has a trickle of blood at his neck, Maxen has a black eye and Thorn’s hairline is cut.

Drax has a cut cheek. So altogether not bad.

I push myself into a standing position and turn as much as the chains will allow me to.

There, watching everything, is a man with the hood of his cloak pulled up. I’d guess he is the man from before.

“So, you’re the one they are looking for?”

Yep, the one from before. His voice grates on my sensitive nerves and sends pain shooting through my head.

With a flourish, he pulls the hood down, revealing an average looking man with salt and pepper hair.

I don’t bother talking but my eyes run over the room, trying to find a way out.

Two more men stand at the only door in and out of what I'm guessing is a basement.

The stairs leading up look old and decayed and the smell of damp and musty air has me nearly sneezing.

A small window is letting in the light in the corner, so we can't have been out that long unless it's been twenty-four hours.

“You will answer me when I speak or there will be consequences.” His voice is full of unwavering condescension, like he expects me to cower and beg. I straighten my spine and meet his gaze boldly before smiling slowly. He snarls before his face wipes clean.

“As you wish.” He steps towards me, watching for any sign that I will give in. I keep that same sarcastic smile in place and brace myself for the pain I know is coming. I’m betting this guy isn’t nearly as good at torture as Ivar.

Stopping before me, he grabs my cheek in a rough grip before his hand runs to the back of my head and presses in the wound his men made.

Searing agony races through me. I hear my men shouting and growling, but I tune them out.

I bite my tongue to stop my cry from coming out as pain spikes through my head again when his thick fingers press harder.

Dots dance in front of my gaze, but I lock my feet in place.

When I don’t make a noise, he looks at me in confusion.

Stupid fuck, if he only knew that I perfected the art of staying silent.

After all, any little noise would only spur Ivar on.

He loved to hear me scream and cry, it was his own version of ecstasy.

Anger darkens his face as he cocks back his fist and punches my stomach.

The air is knocked out of me and I bend over, catching my breath.

When I can breathe normally, I ignore the pain and straighten once again with that same sarcastic smile on my face.

How boring and predictable. I mean really, could he not get creative with his techniques? Using his fists, how primitive.

“I'm going to skin you alive you son of a bitch!” Drax shouts from behind me, the hate clear in his desperate voice. My men carry on shouting threats but I focus on the man in front of me. If I offer them reassurance it would be a lie, I know I can survive this I just wish they didn’t have to watch.

“Are you the one The Berserkers seek?” he shouts, spittle flying from his mouth and hitting my cheek.

When I don’t answer, he pummels into my stomach with both fists in quick succession.

Sucking in air, I gasp as I bend over to protect it.

He grasps my hair and yanks my head back until I’m looking at him.

In his hand, he has one of my blades, the knife shining in the light. Oh, this is going to hurt.

“Answer me,” he warns in a deadly voice.

My smile is slow and pained but it does the job.

With a snarl, he slams the knife into my already pained shoulder.

I swallow back the scream, biting my tongue in my efforts.

Swallowing rapidly I suck down the blood and bile.

Motherfucking twatbag, wanker, dog fucker-

“Are you Ivar’s pet?” His voice cuts off my internal creative insult stream.

“I’m going to kill you,” I warn. He flinches as he watches me, probably seeing his death written in my eyes.

Blood dribbles down my lip and on to my chin and I spit it at him. Laughing crazily, I watch as he recoils and wipes his face on his cloak .

“Fucking crazy bitch. Fucking animal!” He screeches as he rubs his face desperately.

“You missed a spot,” I gasp out between painful laughs. He backhands me, my face snapping to the side before I turn to face him only to watch as he rushes up the stairs, still scrubbing his cheek. For a torturer, he sure doesn’t seem to like blood, I muse.

“Follow me and lock the door behind you!” He screams at the guards at the door.

They rush out after him as I hear the tumbler on the door drop into place.

Spitting the rest of the blood on the floor at my feet, I grimace at the pain radiating throughout my whole body.

I feel like I went ten rounds in The Ring.

Sands below, I forgot how much I hate torture.

“Baby, answer me please!”

“Tazanna, answer me this second!”

The voices blend together, their anger and worry hurting my sore head.

“Fuck, I’m fine. Chill.” It goes quiet and I manage to turn slowly in my chains, being careful not to move too fast in case I pass out or throw up.

I'm going to rip that motherfuckers cock off when I get my hands on him, then I’m going to feed it to him and sew his mouth shut.

The thought helps lessen my anger, not by much, but enough to think clearly.

I face the guys and offer them what I hope is a happy smile. It must fall flat because Drax looks close to tears, Jax looks murderous. My sweet Thorn is cold and Maxen? Sands below, I would not want to be on his bad side at this moment.

“Are you okay?” He enunciates every word slowly like he’s trying to control his anger. Looking into his eyes, I see death. His chest seems double its normal size and his arms are bulging against the chains on his wrists. His nostrils are flaring.

“Yeah, I've had worse. He hits like a pussy,” I laugh, but they all stare at me. Then turning to each other only Maxen’s eyes stay on me like if he looks away he might explode.

I hear them start to discuss a plan, but I tune them out, making one of my own.

Fuck! My head hurts. It feels like that time I went on a four-day binge.

Damn, that was a good week. After I get out of this, I am grabbing a bottle, or two, or whiskey, and locking us all in a room.

Ignoring them, I reach up and finger the blade the man left in my shoulder. What an idiot. I knew if I got him mad enough he would forget it was there. Gritting my teeth, I grip the handle firmly. My eyes lock on Maxen’s as I pull it from my shoulder.

“TAZ!”

“FUCK.”

The agony rocks me as the knife rips through muscle and skin. When it slides free, I drop my head and breathe deeply to stop from passing out. My ears are ringing and my eyes are unfocused. That can’t be good.

“Baby, what the hell—” My ears pop and I can hear them again.

“I’m fine.” Lifting my head, I see them all trying to get out of their chains to reach me, their worry palpable.

The smell of my blood seeps into the room as it runs freely from my wound.

At least it doesn’t smell old down here anymore.

I look at my shoulder with a frown. Damn, another scar.

Well, not like it will make much of a difference, but soon I will be all scar tissue.

I finger the edge of my ripped top around the wound.

The end of the world sure is hard on a girl’s wardrobe.

“You ready to blow this joint?” I ask as casually as I can with the pain still riding me. I drop my hand from my shoulder and face them again. Jax snorts out a desperate sounding laugh as the rest blink at me incredulously.

“Alright, boys. Watch and learn, and keep the volume down will you? I don’t want them hearing and coming to check things out while I’m mid-escape.” They all nod and I wink. Relief hits their faces. Shit, I guess I look worse than I feel.

Cracking my neck from side to side to try and relieve the pressure, I grip the blade in my mouth and concentrate on the chains. I felt the pull in the cuffs earlier and know I can break free. I guess Ivar did teach me some things.

Shimmying my hands into my jeans pocket, I grab the tiny piece of a soda can that I keep in there, just in case I was ever caught again.

Pulling it out I slide it into the teeth of the cuff and push it down over the serrated edges until it meets the middle.

Pressing the cuff into my leg it locks in tighter squeezing painfully before it catches.

Then I easily slide the cuff off. Repeating the same on the other hand, I drop the cuffs to the floor and grab the knife from my mouth.

Looking up, I see they are all blinking at me until Maxen laughs humourlessly. I throw him a wink and look around.