Page 120 of Eternal Craving
She softened against me.
I gazed at the men. “I intend to get us all out of here.”
Lilly’s mortal scent assailed my senses. I suppressed all desire and ignored the carnal feelings that arose within me. Lilly had calmed down, full of trust. I did for a moment feel like my old self again, the man who’d acted with integrity. I covered her with my half-dry jacket, providing some warmth.
My metal cuff made a rusty, grinding clang as I opened it.
I slowly rose to my feet as a key turned in the lock and the door swung open. Delacroix greeted me with that crazed, half smile of his, and just behind him lingered three of his minions.
“I was promised a room with a view,” I said.
Delacroix’s servants dragged me out, pulling me along the corridor. I fought against them, digging my heels in, but failed toslow our progress. They forced me into the torture chamber and shoved me into the chair, strapping me in.
Delacroix loomed over me.
“Tell me if I’m wrong, but I think you might be a bit vexed with me, right?”
The chair flew back, tilted in such a way that I now lay flat staring up at the ceiling. From an upside-down perspective, I viewed the jars on the back wall.
Benjamin stood quietly in the corner. Delacroix turned and walked out of the room, leaving us alone.
“I came here looking for you,” Benjamin said, and swallowed hard.
“Help me out of this chair,” I said.
Benjamin hesitated.
“I told you to wait for me.” I tried to squirm free. “Does he have Rachel?”
“No.”
“Why did you tell me that Rachel’s your sister?”
“I didn’t think you’d help us otherwise.”
“Hurry up and get these straps untied.”
He gazed at me silently.
“I’m not angry with you,” I said. “You need to get out of here, too.”
He loomed over me and began fiddling with my right strap.
“Have you seen Sunaria?” I asked.
“No.”
“Stupid question.” I shook my head. “You don’t even know what she looks like. Has he hurt you?”
“He’s been kind to me.”
“I can imagine.” I raised an eyebrow.
“What’s in those jars?” Benjamin asked.
“It’s probably best if you don’t know.”
He stared at me with hungry eyes and stepped back.
