Chapter Thirty-Two
I finally had it down. It wasn’t that the ritual was all that difficult, it was that every pronunciation had to be exact, and the words in the demonic tongue were very hard to say. How Isaiah had thought I could have learned it before midnight was crazy. But now I had it. We grinned at each other, both of us proud of what we’d accomplished.
But before I could begin the ritual chant, I caught a whiff of Kennet. He appeared in front of me, instantly freezing me in place then turning to Isaiah. “Go back to your realm, demon. You’re done with your mischief here. I expel you.” Isaiah’s eyes narrowed in anger. He lifted his hand to his ear and mouthed something before he disappeared. Kennet turned back to me and scowled.
“I see you’ve been busy learning new skills.” I had no control over any of my limbs and even my mouth didn’t function. I felt him in my head, going over all I’d accomplished while he’d been away. I couldn’t even shiver in disgust. A whoosh of air escaped his mouth. “Demon blood? I suppose that explains your powers, but I’m not sure I want you to bear my children. I must think on it.”
I experienced a moment of incredible joy. Maybe he’d let me go, or simply keep me a prisoner to use as a bargaining chip. He couldn’t possibly want me to bear his heir, so I was off the hook.
The moment he moved out of my mind I reached down into the lines. Of course he felt it and instantly slammed down another block, cutting me off again. It would take me time to work out how to get around it, but this time I was sure I could do it. Isaiah had given me the skills to pick the lock on almost any mental barrier.
Isaiah had looked so angered by Kennet’s return and his sudden banishment back to his home. So much for our painfully negotiated agreement. But no matter what happened now, I wouldn’t waste what he’d taught me. Hope floated in the air around me,
I was released from Kennet’s spell as suddenly as I’d been trapped. Unprepared to bear my weight, my legs gave out and I collapsed to the ground at his booted feet. I felt something cold on my foot, so I turned to look and was horrified by what he’d done. My ankle was now encircled by a metal ring attached to a long chain, the other end bolted to the wall next to my bed.
“I’m afraid you won’t be going anywhere, Jacqueline. With no access to the lines, you cannot travel them. The chain is a harmless material. Anger me and I’ll change it to silver. I believe you know what silver will do to your perfect skin.”
“Let me go, Kennet. My demon blood disgusts you. You can’t possibly want me now.”
“Perhaps, perhaps not. I have yet to decide. Stand up.”
I stood slowly and he circled me, taking me in from head to toe with his lecherous version of a seductive smile. He came back around to face me again and ordered, “Kiss me.” I fought his pull with everything inside of me, including the two shots of vampire blood and the new skills I’d learned from Isaiah. I was able to block his control of my body, although I was panting from the exertion.
He seemed amused. “Your powers are magnificent. I could strip you of them, but then you would be a simple shell of yourself. I am not drawn only to your body.” Gold sparkled in his eyes as he walked closer, gripping both of my shoulders and leaning in to kiss me.
Did he truly expect me to submit willingly? My rage flew at him full force as I kneed him in the crotch then punched him in the mouth as hard as I could. He stumbled back, surprised by my attack. I’d hurt him, but not nearly enough, because before I could hit him again he’d frozen me in place once more. As he wiped the blood from his lip, I was shocked to hear him laugh.
“I am going to savor breaking you, Jacqueline. I am only sorry you will not enjoy the experience at all. Some females crave submission, but you’ve foolishly chosen to rebel.” A brown leather whip magically appeared in his hand and he moved the braided strand back and forth along the floor in front of him. He took a moment to enjoy my terrified reaction as I trembled, staring helplessly at the snaking strap.
“Don’t do this, Kennet. There’s no going back.”
“From the first moment I saw you, fate had chosen our path. You will bear my heir.”
With a rush of energy I was turned around, my wrists suddenly attached with rope to the tall bedposts.
He circled in front of me, his sadistic smile and eager eyes buckling my knees as much as the tight ropes would allow. He lifted the whip and touched the end of the handle to my cheek, gently moving it down my body, not to cause pain, but to terrify. He laughed again and circled behind me.
The next fifteen minutes were probably the worst of my life. I didn’t know it was possible to suffer such pain and still survive. I worked hard to remember my mantra and to visualize Garrett and myself on my cliff with the line energy ebbing and flowing below us. I managed a few brief moments of mental escape, but the pain of the leather strap always brought me back to this small room with this serpent of a male. I sobbed and cried out and even screamed, but I never told him what he wanted to hear. He whipped me until I was too weak to fight back and then he moved in close and punched me in the ribs and the stomach, leaving my face alone. I’d vomited at one point, which caused me more pain, since at least one of my ribs was bruised. I was drenched in blood and too weak to stand up when he magically untied the ropes and I collapsed painfully to the floor.
With another wave of his hand the bleeding stopped and the blood that had sprayed on the bed and my gown disappeared. The excruciating pain remained, as he lifted me to the bed and kissed me roughly. I drifted in and out of consciousness vaguely remembering him leaving the room, his robe draped over his arm, promising to come back the next afternoon when he hoped I would be more cooperative. When he’d left, his eyes were colored a solid gold and he was smiling in that snakelike way that made me ill.
He sent a shifter doctor to tend my wounds. She cleaned them, stitched the deeper cuts and wiped on a salve that would erase any scars, but did nothing to ease the pain. I had to stick my pillow into my mouth to muffle my screams as she worked on me.
She told me I would only be sore tomorrow, and there should be no permanent evidence of my torture, but her words didn’t sooth me. I pleaded with the doctor to help me get in touch with Garrett or Lord Caelen, but she only shook her head sadly. She wasn’t allowed to help me, although I sensed that felt badly for me. Who knows what Kennet was holding over her head to get her to work for him. She helped me wash my face and hands and dress in a simple sleeveless shift, the only gown that fit over the bandages.
When the doctor left, I lay on my stomach, forcing my mind to focus outside the pain. My beating had made it clear if I was to survive this ordeal, I needed to make some serious decisions.
Could I live with myself if I gave in to Kennet’s demands to avoid being beaten again? Garrett had asked me to do whatever it took to avoid pain, even that, because the team was coming for me and would be here soon. He was afraid I’d be killed or made to suffer needlessly. But how would I feel looking into my mate’s loving eyes, knowing I’d given myself to this snake without fighting against him with every ounce of my strength? At some point Kennet would break me, and I’d crawl to him and beg him to take me. But until that moment, I’d continue to fight.
Having made that decision, I moved on. If I could access the lines to heal myself more quickly, my mind would clear. Right now, all I could think about was how much I hurt. I reached for the lines, but could only feel Kennet’s new block. I forced myself to relax and breathe slowly. Okay, let’s see if I had anything still stored from Garrett’s blood or from the small spark that Liam had given me. I searched inside for anything that might give me a dose of energy to help me heal a little faster. There was something there, deep in my center. Its comforting warmth, a combination of fae magic and vampire blood, called to me, so I pulled on it, urging it through my veins and arteries, into my muscles and bones, strengthening my healing abilities. The pain weakened with each warm pulse and I found myself finally able to take my first deep breath. The work I had to do tonight was mental, so I closed my eyes, pretending to sleep, and began to unravel the block the way Isaiah had taught me. But first, I carefully tucked the warm gift from my two dear men safely near my heart where Kennet wouldn’t find it.