Bodies slump to the ground, and I scream into the void, desperately kicking my feet against the hood.
Keys jingle and the trunk springs open, revealing two heavyset armed men. Both bear facial scars and blank expressions. The male on the left reaches in for me, throwing me over his shoulder. His comrade yanks my hair to the side, tearing off the bandage and plunging a needle into my wounded neck. The prick is so sharp, my vision goes white. “Back to sleep you go,” he whispers.
I gasp,coming to my senses with a sharp slap to the face.
The next strike burns my opposite cheek. Hyperventilating, I whip the hair out of my face, unable to use my hands. Those are tied to a metal rod behind me. All my garments have been removed, save for my matching underwear. My fingers wiggle behind me, feeling for the silver bracelets that are supposed to be dangling on my wrist.
Shit. They’re on that bookshelf back at the cabin. Right where I left them.
When I finally lift my head, my entire body shivers. I’m staring at the face of the man from Dominik’s club. The scorpion.
My eyes bulge. “What is this? What do you want?”
He crouches over me, sniffing my hair. The unscathed side of my neck. “Mmm. Just like I remember.”
I jerk my face away. The man takes hold of my jaw, fingertips digging harshly into my skin. “You reek of his seed.”
The two males who pulled me from the trunk file in, one with a camera. The third on their tail is none other than Dr. Preston Caulder.
“You!” I hiss, baring my teeth at him.
Preston looks away just as the man hovering over me slugs me in the abdomen. I wheeze from the brutal punch, tears filling my eyes.
“Do not speak unless spoken to,” the dominant male grumbles.
Hanging my head, I can barely breathe, let alone form words to speak.
Preston’s eyes are sullen as he assesses me. “Vessa, please, you don't understand. My involvement is not?—"
"Shut up, Preston. Get over here."
From his pocket, the scientist withdraws a vial with neon yellow liquid.Shit, is that Ludone?
Slowly he approaches and I squirm in my seat. "I'm not going to hurt you, Vessa."
I spit on his feet, rasping, "Screw you."
“Your mate destroyed my data.” He frowns. “There’s too much riding on this. It must be replicated.”
I thrash against the restraints, tears pouring out of my eyes. "Get that away from me!"
Preston grips where the silver bracelets once were, holding me steady. “I’m sorry. Just be still.”
The two armed guards grab me, hauling me up on my feet. They snip the plastic restraint and bend my arm, opening it for him. As the needle penetrates my forearm, I jerk with a sob.Within moments, my vision blurs, eyes rolling back into my head.
First, there is the indescribable pleasure. But within moments, the lights burn out and the room begins to hum. Walls begin to bleed. Ichor pours out all around me, seeping through a jagged chasm on the floor.
It’s not real,I tell myself, only for the nightmare to snatch the dying breath of consciousness and drag me down into what lurks below the dark crimson sludge.
Dominik
Admiring the new speaker installation from the upper balcony, I squash the butt of my cigarette and walk down to the south bar on the main level.
My weekend in the Heartlands was everything I’d hoped it would be, though I’d be lying if I said I didn’t spend most of it thinking abouther. . .
Within a few hours of negotiation, I managed to secure two leases for myself. A penthouse in the central business district of Delore—known by humans as the city of gamblers—and a bankrupt hotel building to serve as the next Sonic Jungle establishment.
When I approach the employees, Demi calls me for a second time. Once again, I let it go to voicemail, flinching. The only time my sister calls is when she’s giving me a heads up that I’m about to get my ass kicked.
