I WOKE TO THE GOLD rope around my neck and my arms above my head, wrists in manacles and chained to the ceiling. But worse was the disgusting wet rag shoved in my mouth that tasted like fish and had grit on it like sand.
What the hell? Where was I?
I tried to spit the rag out of my mouth, but ended up gagging.
I’d die if I vomited. I wiggled my hands to try and slide them through the manacles, but they were too tight.
Shit. I inhaled a few deep breaths and calmed my mind. My vision was blurry and it took a few minutes before my eyes adjusted to the dim room.
Dark. Damp and musty. No windows. There was the distinct smell of salt in the air. I glanced around, and that’s when I saw Tarek on the far right.
A loud crack sounded and my heart stopped.
The most disturbing sound wrenched from my throat. It came out muffled and choked, barely audible through the gag as the horror latched on to me.
No. Waleron. Oh God, Waleron.
He hung from a hook in the ceiling, arms stretched above his head, wrists manacled. His feet were unable to touch the floor, so his body swayed back and forth.
Welts crisscrossed his naked back, his skin ripped and torn, blood interwoven with flesh dangling from the wounds.
Tarek stood behind him, a leather strap with metal studs in his hand.
He raised his arm.
I struggled violently against the manacles, and warm blood dripped down my arms.
Snap!
The strap cracked as it hit flesh and the chains rattled as Waleron’s body jerked.
My screams were smothered by the gag, but I yelled anyway, over and over again.
Whoosh. Snap!
Crack.
Over and over again.
Fighting against the rope choker, I crashed against the cement wall then attempted the hopeless call to my dead Ink. An Ink Tarek had killed. Mutilated.
Tears streamed down my cheeks, useless tears that had no meaning to the man who held us prisoner.
Tarek brought the studded leather down on Waleron’s back again. “Scream, goddamn it!” He turned Waleron’s body around to face him and it was ravaged with pain, but cold as ice. “Why won’t you fuckin’ scream?” Tarek shouted with crazed rage.
Waleron stared straight ahead, past him, refusing to acknowledge him.
I sobbed into the gag, twisting and turning as I screamed at Tarek.
Tarek turned, a slow smile lighting his face. “At last you’re awake.”
He stalked across the room toward me, the leather strap dragging behind him, leaving a trail of Waleron’s blood.
I knew what Tarek was capable of. Had lived with it. Once I’d learned to follow his rules, it was rare he’d raised a hand to me. But Waleron’s note had set him off. It was as if something had snapped in him, and his cruelty knew no bounds.
And now it was worse. The gleam in his almond-colored eyes scintillated a joviality that mixed with madness. His eyes were open too wide and his grin was too broad. His facial muscles twitched.
The sweet iron smell of blood permeated the air, as did the sweat both men exuded, one from excruciating pain, the other from his crazed state of mind, filled with what was obvious pleasure.
Tarek stopped in front of me then grabbed the back of my head and yanked it to the side. Waleron’s chains rattled as he fought against them. I bit down hard on the gag to avoid wincing and giving Tarek the satisfaction of seeing the pain he’d caused.
“You see what arrived today, love. Waleron, all wrapped up in chains. Had to pay a pretty penny for him. A Taldeburu at my disposal, and the woman who loves him.” He yanked the gag from my mouth and tossed it to the ground. I coughed and drool slipped from the corner of my mouth.
I glared at Tarek, but remained quiet. I had to think how the hell I was going to get us out of there. I was too weak from the aftereffects of the drugs and Waleron was severely wounded.
“He destroyed us. Him,” Tarek yelled. “And he will finally pay for it.”
I lowered my gaze. “Waleron, I’m sorry. God, I’m so sorry. I’ll get you out of here.” A sharp pain tore through me the moment I used my telepathy.
“There is nothing to be sorry for, baby.”
Tarek’s fingers curled into my hair painfully. “I wish I could see their faces when I send Waleron’s body back to them.” He laughed, the subtle lines around his dimples deepening. “Zurina wanted him to live, but he would’ve never stopped searching for you. Would he?”
No. Waleron would’ve searched for me until the day he died.
The rope cut into my throat as he forced my head back. I spit in his face and my saliva dripped down his cheek. He calmly wiped it away with the back of his hand, then slapped me so hard I hit the cement wall behind me. I bit the inside of my cheeks to keep from crying out.
“And you? They will never find you. There are no Scars in Brazil, no one to contact. Zurina picked a perfect location. No way off the island, no escape.”
“They’ll find us, Delara.”
I still felt the effects of the tranquilizer, but I fought against the chains, my mind screaming with hatred. Tarek raised his arm and the studded leather strap whipped across my chest.
My back arched at the blistering pain and my body jerked, knees giving out. I swallowed my scream, refusing to give Tarek the satisfaction of seeing me cry out. I’d die before letting him win. He’d never win against me again.
Never control me. Never.
“Delara!” Waleron’s chains rattled as he fought against them, but his efforts were slow, his body ravaged, torn apart. “I can’t… damn it. The drugs, my Ink can’t….”
Tarek laughed, then sauntered over to Waleron. He raised the whip and it snapped in the air, then landed so hard that Waleron’s body swung back and forth on the chains.
Waleron went limp, his head hanging forward and his hands no longer curling around the chains. Oh God, he’d lost consciousness.
Tarek growled something incomprehensible, then waved his hand at a lever on the far wall and the chains loosened sending Waleron crashing to the floor.
“Don’t worry, he’s still breathing. I need him a while longer to make sure you behave yourself.” Tarek approached me then grabbed my chin. “Guess he will be making the ultimate sacrifice this time. Himself.” Tarek lowered his head and slammed his mouth down on mine, forcing my mouth open. The moment his tongue entered my mouth, I bit down as hard as I could.
He cried out and yanked back. “You bitch.”
Blood dripped from the corner of his mouth and I smiled.
I expected backlash, but instead he walked over to Waleron, turned to look over his shoulder at me, and smirked.
Then he raised the leather strap. “Punishment, Delara.” The strap whipped around Waleron’s back and his body, but he didn’t move. Blood splattered across the floor and walls as Tarek lashed him several more times.
My sobs were lost to the sound of the snap of the whip.
When Tarek stopped, his voice was quiet and calm. “I have the strange feeling we’re going to get along just fine this time.” He raised his hand to another lever on the far wall and the rope around my neck loosened. The chains released.
My arms fell to my sides, pins and needles instantly erupting as blood rushed back into my limbs.
“I’ll be back soon.” Tarek whistled as he walked to the door and then left.
“Waleron,” I shouted as soon as the door slammed shut.
Too weak to walk, I crawled across the floor to him. “Waleron.” I reached him and carefully placed his head in my lap and stroked his face. “Waleron.” I lowered my head and lightly kissed his lips. “Waleron, please.”
He groaned, his arm rising off the floor an inch then falling limp again.
“Open your eyes. Look at me.” I grabbed his wrist and pulled at the manacle then tried using my telekinesis to unlock them. “Shit.” There was no way I could get them off him. His chest rose and fell but his breathing was shallow and raspy. “Breathe, Waleron. Open your eyes and look at me.”
He groaned again, and then his eyes flickered open. I held back the choked sob and squeezed his hand. I leaned forward and kissed him again.
“How… long… have we… been gone?”
“I don’t know. I can’t judge time with the drugs I was given.” He tried to sit up, but I pushed him back. “Don’t. Save your strength.”
“Baby. You get the… chance… get out of here. Understand?”
“No. Don’t ask that of me.” I’d never leave him with Tarek. “I can’t.”
“I’m not asking. You will get away from him any way you can.” His hand slid across the cold cement floor and touched my thigh and squeezed. “Promise me.”
I swallowed the bile in my throat, shaking my head. “No.”
“Delara. You must.” He closed his eyes as if the effort of speaking was too much.
I inhaled a quivering breath. “If I can convince him to let you go, maybe—”
“Like hell. I won’t leave you here.” Waleron’s opened and I witnessed something different. It was softness. Warmth I hadn’t felt since… since before he was taken by the Lilac.
I ran my hand over his shaved head, the bristles so familiar, and yet it had been a long time since I’d caressed him. It took him being beaten to near death for me to be able to hold him like this.
I wiped the tears away with the back of my hand. The image of Waleron’s body being thrashed, the pain on his face…. God, I’d do anything to save him from that again.
Damn it, hadn’t he suffered enough?
He raised his arm, chain clanking, and stroked my cheek with his thumb. He grimaced from the movement, but did it anyway. I kissed his palm, then each finger.
I had to be strong for both of us, but there was that gnawing hopelessness that clung to me like leeches. Tarek. It was Tarek who made me feel that way.
“Baby, we are only hopeless when we’re not together.” He closed his eyes, and before I could respond he fell unconscious.