My head throbbed with fear and panic and stress.
Ignoring me, Lucien glanced at Whisper. “You stay in the shrubbery until I say otherwise.” His eyes narrowed on the cat’s. “Donottry to intervene, no matter what happens.”
“Intervene?” I asked as the drones arrowed directly for us. “Why would he intervene?”
“Don’t ask questions,” he snapped. “Your only job is to stay awake.” He looked me up and down. “Is that even going to be possible for you?”
“It might prove difficult if you keep being mean to me.What the hell are you up to?”
“Keep your voice down,” he ordered. “And mean?” He snorted. “I haven’t even started yet.”
“What’sthatsupposed to mean?”
“Just control your issues and do what I say.” He pointed at the panther. “You, too. I know what I’m doing.”
The drones zipped far too fast, sending goosebumps down my back as Lucien muttered quietly, “If you stay calm, you helpmy pain. I don’t know how it works but...I really need you to stay calm, alright?”
A laugh escaped me, the weight of my rucksack like a mountain. “Don’t you think I’ve spent years trying to teach myself how to do that? I suck at it.”
“Yes, well, now you’ve run out of time so just do it.”
The drones hovered above our heads like little alien ships.
I glowered at them because why did they even care we’d come out for a pre-storm stroll?
Was it because Lucien hardly ever went out during the day?
Because his appearance was a novelty?
Or because the men operating them sensed what I did?
That something was wrong.
Terribly,terriblywrong.
Lucien’s fingers tightened around mine until he cut off my blood supply.
And only once the four machines hovered low enough to study every eyelash, did he yank me into his arms and whisper into my ear, “I’m worn out, Rook. I’m tired of pain and after a lifetime living like this, you had to come along and mess everything up. I’m going to break with how much you tempt me. Eventually, I’m going to fuck you, and I willneverallow that to happen while I’m trapped in here.”
Pulling back, his face returned to the man I’d first met. The man who slaughtered and didn’t care. Cupping my cheeks, his fingers trembled just a little as he pulled me forward and murmured ever so quietly, “They threw you into my nightmare, but what they don’t know is...you’re the key I’ve been waiting for all along. If this works, then I’ll extract every debt they owe me. I’ll steal every droplet of blood they took from me. It’s about fucking time I made them pay.”
Trailing his lips over my cheek, he wrapped his arm around my waist, fusing me to him as thoroughly as he had thismorning. “So yes, someone is dying today, but...that someone isn’t you...”
Pulling back, he pressed his forehead to mine and breathed, “It’s me.”
Chapter Fifty-Three
“W-WHAT?” I STAGGERED BACKWARD.
He went with me, lashing his arm around my waist again and jerking me close.
What was he talking about?
What’s going on?!
A mad smile twitched his mouth as he caught my eyes and dragged me into him.
I fought him.
