Page 42 of Requiem
For a moment, I can’t move. I can’tbreathe. I just stare, because he looks like someone took everything that made him who he is andcrushedit. And then, a slightly distorted voice breaks the silence.
“Let’s try this again.”
My entire body goes rigid.Alexei.
The camera doesn’tshowhim, but you can tell he's there because of the way Jude’s shoulders tighten at the sound of his voice. He stirs, his head lifting just enough to show the strain in his expression. His eyes don’t fully open, but I can see the awareness. Thedread.
“Attention,” Alexei says.
Jude doesn’t respond.
Then, quieter, almost amused, “No? That’s fine.”
There’s movement off-camera. And then a man holding a phone is brought into frame. He looks like the blonde man who shot Adriana during the rescue. It takes my brain a second to process what I’m seeing.
Because it’s a photo ofme.
My breath stutters. “No…” I whisper, my fingers tightening around my phone.
Jude’s reaction is immediate. His entire body locks violently. His head jerks back like he’s been struck, and a sharp gasp escapes him. After that, his breathing remains frenzied as he triesnotto look.
“???????????,”Alexei commands.
“Obey,” Rafe mutters, grabbing my phone from my trembling hand since I’m about to drop the damn thing. “Shit.”
I lift my hand to my mouth, my heart racing.No.
And the second his eyes land on my face, a crack of electricity snaps through the room, and his body convulses. A choked scream rips out of him as the current hits, his back arching against the restraints, every muscle in his body seizing at once.
I almost drop to my knees. “Stop.” The word escapes me, even though I know it won’t do any good. “Stop it—”
But the video keeps playing in Rafe’s hand. Adela’s jaw drops,horrified.
Jude is shaking now, his breathing coming in sharp, broken gasps, his head thrashing like he’s trying to get away from something that’s already inside him.
“Good boy,” Alexei murmurs.
The screen with my face is pushed closer.
“Again.”
Jude lets out a sound I’ve never heard before. It doesn’t sound like anger or fear…but like he’sdestroyed. “Don’t.” His voice is hoarse, barely there. “Don’t, please—”
Another jolt.
His body jerks again, harder this time, the scream that follows ripping my heart open.
“???????????,” Alexei repeats calmly.
Jude’s eyes squeeze shut, his entire body trembling, his head shaking weakly like he’stryingto refuse. But it doesn’t matter. The blonde man grips his jaw, forcing his gaze up to look at my face again. At something that once brought him joy. And love.
Another crack of electricity. Another horrific sound.
I can’t breathe. I can’tfuckingbreathe.
“See?” Alexei says softly, almost conversational. “Once she’s out of you, you won’t have to feel this anymore, little rockstar.”
I reach for my phone back from Rafe. I don’t want to see this. But I have to. Jude is crying now, his body slumping forward as much as the restraints allow, completely spent between shocks. But they’re not done.
