Page 119 of Requiem
“It never did before, motherfucker,” she spits. “And if you remember, I’ve killed more people than your pathetic men have combined. And we’ll kill you, too.”
He scoffs.
My pulse pounds hard as I force myself to stay steady. “Where’s Adriana?”
Amusement flashes in his cruel eyes. “She’s being returned now,” he says simply.
Returned.
The word makes nausea crawl up my throat.
The heavy lock on the door clicks again before I can respond, swinging inward a second time. The blonde man struts in, with Adriana stumbling behind him in chains. Her wrists are restrained in front of her, metal rattling softly with every weak step she takes. Auburn hair hangs disheveled around her face, partially hiding a split lip stained with dried blood. One side of her neck is bruising already, fingerprints beginning to bloom on pale skin.
But it’s her eyes that make me sick. They’re empty. Gone…somewhere else entirely.
Heather gasps quietly beside me.
Adela goes completely rigid.
The man shoves Adriana forward carelessly enough that she almost falls to her knees before catching herself against the wall. The chains clink sharply in the silence. And immediately, professionally,horribly, my brain starts identifying the signs before I even want it to. Dissociation, acute shock, compliance response, fear conditioning…
I’m going to throw up.
Adriana doesn’t look at any of us as the man secures the chain to a metal ring bolted into the wall. She just sits there afterward, shoulders trembling faintly while her gaze fixes somewhere on the concrete floor. Like she left her body hours ago and hasn’t come back yet.
I hate him.
I hate all of them so much that it hurts.
Heather’s voice shakes. “Adri…”
No response.
Alexei watches as we all absorb the scene. Then he sighs softly. “Unfortunately,” he says, “Erik here became impatient.” He pats the blonde man on the shoulder. “Told him it was okay to test her before selling to Vlad.”
The man, orErik, smirks.
“Do you approve?” Alexei turns to his man with an insufferable casualness.
Erik bites his lip. “So much so, that I’m going to keep her, if that’s alright.”
Alexei smirks.
Adriana finally looks up, her green gaze meeting Erik’s. But her expression says that she’d rather die.
I want to kill them.
Adela’s expression turns murderous. “You fucking psychos. You wouldn’t like it if I shoved a fucking broomstick up your ass, would you?” She scoffs. “Need more abuse of men in this fucking industry if you ask me. You all think you’rereallysomething with that tiny little sword between your legs.”
Alexei ignores her completely.
“Vlad will be joining us shortly,” he continues, eyes drifting lazily between us. “He was very interested in seeing all of you up close before arrangements are finalized.”
My blood runs cold, and Heather pales beside me. Adela looks like she might actually launch herself at him despite the obvious impossibility of escape. The reality dawns upon me that these men may very well sell us. We’ll be trafficked and abused, and our parents will never hear from us again…
Alexei studies me carefully as recognition crosses my face, and satisfaction flickers briefly in his expression. “There you go,” he murmurs. “You understand now. Without your boy to protect you, I’ll make you disappear. Definitely want to see what’s so great about you first.” The way he says it has me clenching my jaw.
“You’re insane,” I whisper.
