An intense and uncontrollable anger sweeps through me.
“Fight,”the soft voice whispers again.
“Borrow our strength.”
With a surge of gifted power, I bring my knee up, hitting him hard in the balls. His hand drops the chain, and I fall to the ground, managing to take his legs out.
I hoist my legs, encircling his neck, and tighten my grip with all my might until sweat trickles down my temples. Abchanchu’s fingers forcefully dig into my sides, eliciting a sharp scream of pain as my body involuntarily bows. My legs give way, and Abchanchu promptly rises. He lifts me by my throat, my hands automatically gripping his. With a savage snarl, he flings me across the hard stone floor.
I hit the ground with force, the impact jarring my shoulder.
“Fuck . . . you,” I grit out through clenched teeth.
Each breath I take is jagged and strained, the sound reverberating uncomfortably in my own ears.
Abchanchu moves to stand over me, a menacing expression lighting up his face as he bares his teeth. “Seems you are a fighter. I’ll have fun breaking you in, pet.”
“Go on, bare your teeth at me,” I snarl, spitting blood on the ground. “Show me how many I will be pulling out!”
Abchanchu throws his head back and laughs, the sound harsh and jagged, cutting through the already tense air. His laughter grates on my nerves, each mocking note like nails scraping against raw skin.
Then, before I can blink, his leg snaps out like a whip.
His boot connects with my ribs in a brutal, blinding impact. Pain explodes across my side, sharp and searing, stealing the breath from my lungs. I barely have time to register it before instinct takes over. My arms come up, curling around my torso as I fold inward, muscles tensing as I try to shield myself from the next blow.
The taste of blood hits my tongue, coppery and bitter, and every nerve in my body screams in protest.
“I will kill you,” I grit through clenched teeth.
The world narrows to the aching throb in my ribs, the ringing in my ears, and the sickening dread creeping up my spine as I wait, bracing for more.
A thunderous crash shatters the silence, interrupting any chance for him to respond, as it echoes from the tunnel on the other side of the cavern. Abchanchu whips around, scanning the surroundings as he tilts his head in curiosity. Swiftly, he glides across the cavern floor, his movements almost silent as he disappears into the pitch-black void. As I collapse onto my back, disoriented, my gaze fixes on the ceiling as I blink through my daze. I roll onto my side and face the wall, attempting to tuck my handsunder my head. My body is drained and weak. I have never felt this helpless in my entire life, and I absolutely loathe it.
“Fuck, Ash,” he hisses.
My pulse thunders in my ears at the sound of Kai’s voice. I must be dreaming because there is no way Kai is here in Faerie, let alone the Outlands. I feel a gentle touch on my shoulder, and I suck in a sharp breath, the movement sending pain shooting through my ribs. The hand on my shoulder slowly rolls me onto my back, and I’m staring into the ocean-blue eyes of Kai.
His voice pierces through the haze, causing my eyelids to flutter involuntarily, my heart seizing with a surge of emotion. But amidst the tumultuous whirlwind of sensations, a chilling realization claws its way to the surface—it can’t be real. It’s merely a cruel trick orchestrated by my own mind, a desperate attempt to find solace in a world of torment.
Just like the voices.
I erupt into laughter, the sound echoing hollowly in the dim confines of my captivity. How absurd it is to find humor in my own delusion, to cling to the illusion of sanity when reality is a nightmare incarnate. I’m nothing more than a pawn in the twisted game of an ancient vampire, a mere vessel for his insatiable thirst and vicious impulses. I’m a blood slave, a punching bag for the urges of a creature whose existence has spanned centuries. And now, to add insult to injury, my mind has fractured under the strain, crumbling like fragile porcelain beneath the weight of my despair.
His handsome face is a mix of confusion and fury as he reaches out, gently cupping my face.
“Baby,” he murmurs, his voice low and edged with concern. “Tell me where you are.”
Despite the pain, I continue to laugh, tears rolling down my cheeks. “I’m fucking dreaming, aren’t I?” I say between breaths.
“Yes, baby, we are dreaming, but if this is real, tell me who has you. How can I find you?”
I lift my hand, covering his, a somberness falling over me. I’m never getting out of here. With each feeding, Abchanchu is growing stronger, and I get weaker.
“Baby, don’t look at me like that. I’m coming for you.”
Adrenaline surges through my body, the shock sending my pulse thundering. “No. I’ll be fine.”
His blue gaze roams over my beaten and blood-soaked body and he raises an eyebrow. “You ca—”
