Fear pounded through me. I looked at Balen and he was gripping the bars, eyes intense and dark, almost black.
“Do as I say. Don’t fuckin’ fight. Understand? He likes the fight. He enjoys seeing it. It only makes it worse.”
“I can’t.”
“Damn it, Danni. Don’t try to escape,”
“I have to try.” He might be unable to walk, but I sure as hell could and I’d fight to my death if need be. No way in hell were these assholes getting me without a fight.
The cage jerked to a halt as it settled on the floor. I kept my eyes riveted to the guy who looked like the one making all the calls. He stood with his hands behind his back in a casual stance beside the metal table. I shivered at the sight of his red eyes gleaming with the firelight. Shit, he looked strong.
My eyes darted to the man who unlocked the padlock on the cage and the door swung open. The smell of black licorice barreled into me. I’d smelled it before when they’d taken me.
He reached out to grab my arm.
“Keep your filthy hands off me.” I jerked away, and looked around for something, anything to use as a weapon. If I could get by him and—
His eyes narrowed and he shot forward, gripping my forearm and dragging me out of the cage. Screw this. I reacted, kicking him in the shin. Then I swung my arm and plowed my fist into his chest.
His fingers tightened and I winced as his nails dug into my flesh. “Let me go, damn it.”
He had no reaction as he pulled me toward the table. Shit, this wasn’t working out as planned. I renewed my effort as he shoved me against the steel table. I cried out as my hips rammed up against the hard surface. I placed my palms on the table and kicked out both legs. He grunted as my legs hit him in the stomach, but he didn’t let go.
Suddenly, I felt something cold wrap around my left wrist from behind, and a chuckle emerged from the other guy.
“It’s useless to fight, Danielle. If I desired, I could have you at my mercy with my voice alone.” He shrugged. “However, I like to see you struggle. It’s rather amusing.”
Within seconds, I was lying on my back, shackled to the table with one hand above my head and my legs spread apart. “Let me go, you son of a bitch.”
“A fighter. It will be such a pleasure to tame you.”
I punched the lackey in the face as he struggled to get a manacle on my other wrist. He finally managed to grab hold of my arm and yanked it above my head and latched it down. I breathed hard as I continued to fight the unrelenting bonds, oblivious to the cuts surfacing on my wrists and ankles.
“I’m Ryszard,” the asshole, sledgehammer wielding guy said. “And you . . . are magnificent when you fight like that.” He lowered his hand to my neck and I jerked my head side to the side, trying to avoid his touch. He had long, sharp fingernails, which pierced my skin.
He squeezed my windpipe.
My limbs strained against the bonds, body flailing as I struggled to breathe. As soon as he loosened his grip, I sucked air into my lungs as hard and fast as I could.
His brows rose. “Breath is life, Danielle. I can take it away in a second.”
“Fuck you.” I spat at him, just missing his cheek. His hand came down, slapping me across the face. I gritted my teeth, refusing to allow him any satisfaction at seeing my pain. Then he smiled and the terror was like a bullet slamming into my chest.
Fangs. The bastard had fucking fangs.
I screamed, my struggles wild and my mind and body gripped with madness. Blood trickled down my wrists and ankles, metal sliced into my skin. I saw him lick his lips, his grin widening. Oh, God, this guy had more than a few screws loose. Balen’s words haunted my mind. Don’t fight. How could I do that when all I wanted to do was get free?
“Don’t do this.” I knew what he was going to do. Knew his intent with those fangs. “God, no.”
“But I must, sugar. You’re too tempting to resist.”
I screamed.
“DANIELLE . . . DANNI, WAKE UP.”
My eyes flew open and my hand went to my neck. He had fangs. He was going to bite me. I shivered uncontrollably, my mind reeling with the images of the cages, the torture—the unimaginable.
Balen.
Anstice sat on the edge of the bed, tears in her eyes as she stoked my hair. “You were having a nightmare, sweetie. You okay?”
No. Fuck, no.
A large shadow stood over in the corner of the room, arms crossed as he leaned up against the wall. “Balen?” His head turned—Keir. My heart dropped and I closed my eyes, wrapping the blanket up around myself to try and stop the trembling.
He’d been there. Balen had been trapped in a cage, tortured by that man—Ryszard. The agony he must have suffered. How could he have recovered from something like that? His leg. His leg had been mangled, yet he didn’t even have a limp now.
“How are you feeling?” Anstice kept her tone a whisper as if she knew my head was still throbbing. But it wasn’t from pain, it was from trying to decipher memories that were all fucked up. It felt like an explosion of my brain was imminent. Thankfully, the cramping in my stomach was gone.
“How long have I slept?”
“Six hours,” Anstice replied.
“Six hours?” Holy shit. “Where’s that other guy?”
“Damien?”
“Yeah, the asshole.”
Keir chuckled then covered it up by clearing his throat.
“He’s gone. He’s a friend of Keir’s and was only here visiting. He needed to catch his flight back to Florida. How’s your stomach?” Anstice asked.