Chapter 12 #2
I braced my trembling hands on the floor and pushed myself up.
I went to the door and jiggled the handle. “Please!” I cried, banging my fists against the wood, trying to see out the tiny little window into the darkness beyond. “You made your fucking point. Please!”
My throat closed up. I sank to the ground, pulled my knees up to my chest, then buried my face to try and block it out. Oh, Gods. I wasn’t going to survive this. Not again.
The smell of my vomit mixed with dirt and mildew filled the space with all too familiar memories. It made me nauseous all over again. I gulped, trying to remain calm. Then I waited.
But no one came.
I forced myself to think through several equations, visualizing them in my mind just like I did when I was younger.
When I needed a way to distract myself. It took a level of focus that pulled me from my surroundings.
I worked through each one, balancing it, solving for each variable, before calling up another.
At some point, I drifted off to sleep. I thought perhaps I called for Zola or Vittorio to help me.
But it was probably just a dream. When I woke, the urge to pee sent me to the bucket.
It wasn’t the first time in my life I’d found myself in a demeaning situation.
I was no stranger to it. I just never thought I’d be subjected to it again.
I swallowed down my disgust.
I was tugging up my leggings when the cell door unlocked and swung open. I stared at Laurent. He stared back. There was absolutely nothing in his face. Not even a shred of remorse for dragging me back to this place, for throwing me into a cell that had the ability to break me.
I turned my fear into anger, pulled it tightly around me like a cloak of protection. “Come to gloat?” I snapped.
He leaned against the door, stuffing his hands into his pockets. “It is a shame you made this difficult, Miss Shaw. I had hoped you would cooperate. That we might coexist. Unfortunately, given the state of things, I cannot babysit you while I run a household.”
My stomach squirmed. I remained frozen, waiting for my death. I didn’t even have it in me to argue.
“Since you are intent on offering yourself up to my enemies, I thought I’d save you the trouble. The witches have arrived. They have information I sorely need. I’ve offered a trade.”
My stomach bottomed out. “No…”
“I laid out your options when you first arrived. I offered you a deal that would see you safe and unharmed. You chose to disregard that.”
I licked my lips. A thousand insults lined up on my tongue, ready to burst forth. None of them would get me out of this. Besides, what did it matter? He already knew what he was. “You can’t do this.”
“You haven’t yet learned? You have no power here, Miss Shaw. Your actions have consequences. Now, come.”
Acid clawed its way up my throat.
“No, please, Laurent. I…” My jaw clenched. I wasn’t going to apologize. I’d beg—on my knees if I had to. But I wasn’t going to apologize for fighting to get my life back. No one should ever have to apologize for that.
“Do not make me repeat myself. You may walk out of this cell on your own with your head held high, or I will drag you upstairs myself.” I flinched as if he’d slapped me. “The level of dignity with which you depart my manor is your choice.”
A sharp pain exploded in my chest. I held myself tight to keep from staggering.
He was giving me away. He was handing me over people I didn’t even know, like I was…
like I was property. “I hate you,” I hissed, resisting the urge to launch myself at him, to claw his eyes out.
He didn’t so much as flinch. He simply stepped into the hall and motioned me forward.
My throat closed up. This had to be a joke. A sick joke to prove a point. He was trying to show me what would happen if I disobeyed him again.
Fine. Let him prove his point.
Clenching my fists, I marched out of the cell and into the hallway. He set off at a brisk pace. Marco fell into step beside him. “Everyone is in position?” Laurent asked.
“Yes, sire.” Marco sounded hesitant. “Are you sure you want to—?”
“Zola and the others?”
Marco sighed. “All set at the rendezvous point.”
“Good. You know what comes next. Do not fail.”
“Yes, sire.” Marco disappeared.
Biting back my tears of anger, of betrayal, I followed Laurent down an unfamiliar hallway, up a set of stairs, and onto the main floor.
Each step felt like a battle of wills, one I was losing.
We reached the entry hall. Only Vittorio was there, hands laced behind his back.
I wanted to blame him, to scream at him that this was his fault, that he’d known I was in that truck and chose to tell Laurent about it.
But I knew the bulk of the blame was Laurent’s.
Vittorio’s expression was hard, empty. I couldn’t bear to look at him. Instead, my attention went to the other people in the hall. There were three of them. They weren’t vampires. They looked completely human. Were it not for their hard, eager expressions, I might have thought them harmless.
We stopped before them, every set of eyes on me.
“I am almost surprised by the absence of your lackeys today, Laurent,” a male said, stepping forward. His eyes darted around the grand entry, hesitating on Vittorio before settling on me.
“My people have better things to do, Dominic.” Laurent sounded bored. “As do I. Let’s get on with it.”
“And how do we know this isn’t a trick?” Dominic asked.
A dismissive huff. “You may test her blood if you don’t believe me.
” He snatched my wrist and hauled me forward.
I stumbled. Dominic produced a dagger, slicing it across my palm.
I hissed as pain erupted over my flesh. He lifted the dagger to his lips, then gathered a bead of my blood upon his tongue.
His eyes closed, only briefly.
Beside me, I felt Laurent go rigid.
Dominic made a humming sound. “Yes, astonishing.”
“As I said.” Laurent dropped my wrist, then stepped away, leaving me between them. As much as I hated him, I had the urge to step back toward him. Better the devil you know…
Instead, I stayed put. A week ago, I would have run. I knew better now.
“Impressive, Laurent. I almost expected you to whip out your fangs at the sight of her blood,” Dominic said.
“I am not some snarling beast.”
I snorted—couldn’t help myself.
“Ah, it seems your pet finds that funny. He is rather monstrous, isn’t he, girl? But I suppose you already know that. One look at him and his nature is obvious. Unfortunately, real monsters are the ones you’d never suspect, hiding out in plain sight.”
A chill raced down my spine. I clenched my fists, ignoring the pain from the gash on my palm. Blood dripped onto the entry floor.
Dominic turned his gaze back to Laurent. “Well, I suppose we have a deal then.”
My situation solidified into crystal clear realization. This was no trick. No bluff.
“Indeed, we do,” came Laurent’s expressionless voice.
“Don’t do this,” I whispered, whirling toward him.
His jaw tightened, but he didn’t acknowledge me, keeping his gaze on Dominic. “She is more trouble than she’s worth. Take her and give me the information you promised.”
“Of course. Soren, Avril, take her.” To me, Dominic said, “I’ll see you soon, girl.”
It was a promise that turned my bowels watery.
The other two witches stepped forward. They moved efficiently, though not as fluidly as vampires might. My wrists were zip-tied. Then they dragged me away.
I screamed, pulling against them, trying to plant my feet against the floor.
“Laurent, don’t do this! Don’t! Please!” They dragged me closer to the manor’s front door.
It blew open on a phantom wind. Every hope I had vanished in an instant.
In my final seconds, I looked over my shoulder directly at Laurent and said, “I will never forgive you for this!”
Laurent finally looked at me then, his silver eyes completely empty. “I never asked for your forgiveness, Miss Shaw.” My lips parted, but he was already turning away. “Come, Dominic, let’s discuss this in my study.”
I was dragged through the manor doors. My breaths came faster. I went limp. For the first time in my entire life, I gave up my fight, allowed the hopeless sting of betrayal to create a yawning pit within my soul. Then I plunged right into it.