Page 40 of Wrapped in Their Arms

The interest died in both warriors’ eyes, replaced by raw concern.

“What do you mean?”Brightasked, leaning toward her.

“Did they hurt you?”Burngrowled, fists clenching, his whole body going rigid beside her.

Noelle looked down, staring at the half-eaten seed break in her fingers.Thecinnamon taste turned to ash in her mouth.

“I…”Shetook a shaky breath.“I’lltell you.Just… don’t interrupt, okay?”

Bright andBurnboth nodded solemnly.

She stared ahead, not looking at them as the words spilled out.

“It started with this… pool.Abath,Iguess.Butit was filled with this thick, black, tar-like sludge.Itsmelled awful and felt worse.Ididn’t want to get in but he—Lupin—pushed me.Andthen…then somethingdragged me under.”Shesucked in a breath, trying to keep her voice from shaking.“Itwas a tentacle.Ithad suction cups—these horrible, wet little mouths—and it stuck to my breasts, my stomach… my thighs…everywhere.”

Her voice cracked then, and the first tear slid down her cheek before she could stop it.

“I tried to fight it,” she whispered.“Butit was so strong—toostrong.Icouldn’t breathe.Couldn’tmove.Itdragged me under andIkept thinking…thinkingIwas going todrown.”

Burn made a low, feral noise beside her.

Bright reached across and gently cupped her cheek, brushing her tears away with his thumb.Hishand was warm and soft and trembling slightly.

“I’m so sorry,Noelle,” he murmured, his voice thick.“Sorrywe weren’t there to keep you safe—to stop it from happening.”

“It’s not your fault,” she whispered, trying to keep her voice steady.“Iwent of my own free will.Ithought ifIcould just…just endure it…it might help us get out of here.”

She took another breath.Herheart felt like a fist in her chest.Shedidn’t want to go on…but she had to.Hadto get it all out.

“But that wasn’t…wasn’t the worst part,” she whispered.

She could feel their attention sharpen, feel their bodies tense beside her.

“Tell us, sweetheart.”Bright’svoice was gentle.“Whatelse did that bastard do to you?”

“The worst part was afterIfinally got out of the pool.Whenhe—Lupin—strapped something to my leg.Akind of silver collar.Itlocked tight around my thigh.Andthen he strapped me to the chair and there was this silver tentacle and it…it…”

Her voice broke completely and she buried her face in her hands.

“Itwent inside me.”Hersob was muffled but she could still hear the raw pain in her own voice.“Icouldn’t stop it.Itpulsed and throbbed andIcouldn’t make it stop—couldn’t evenmove.Ijust had to lie there while it… while it did what it was programmed to do.Itwent so deep…Lupinsaid it was…was mapping my womb.”

Bright’s hand slid to the back of her neck, warm and anchoring.“Noelle…”

“I feel dirty,” she choked.“Andthe worst part was it…it made me…”

“What, sweetheart?”Brightasked gently.“Whatdid it make you do?”

“It made mecome,”Noelleconfessed in a small, shamed voice.

“That wasn’t your fault,”Brightsaid at once, frowning.Helifted her chin and looked into her eyes.“Lookat me, sweetheart—that thing was stimulating your body—you couldn’t help having an orgasm.Comingdoesn’t mean you liked what was done to you—it just means your body was being manipulated and stimulated against your will.That’sall.”

“But nowIcan’t stop feeling it inside me,”Noellewhispered.“It’salmost like…like it’s stillthere.”

Burn surged to his feet and began to pace.Hisbig hands were clenched at his sides and his dark eyes blazed with fury.Shecould see the bruises across his knuckles, the rawness of torn skin.Whathad theDarkTwinbeen doing while she was undergoing torture inLupin’sspa?Punchingthe walls?

“That littlefucker!”he roared, his fists flexing.“Iwant to kill him.Fuckingkill him!”

“Settle down,Burn,”Brightsaid, frowning.“GoingintoRagewon’t help.Noelledoesn’t need our anger right now—she needs our sympathy.”