Page 50 of Forced Bonds

“Finally,” someone drawled and I heard the sound of approaching footsteps. I could smell my own blood and the distinct scent of damp cement. I was likely underground somewhere, I just had no idea why or where.

A hand grabbed my chin, forcefully tugging so my hazy vision landed on the man’s face. It was the vampire who’d hit me. Fear slammed into me so fast I felt nauseated.

“What does the book hold?” he demanded, his words clear and forceful, like there was some meaning behind it that I failed to comprehend.

I didn’t feel like lying. Honestly, right now I didn’t care what happened to the book. “A way to—” I coughed, feeling my stomach ache as I did so. “Remove all rogues.”

“What else does the book hold?” he asked in that same sort of voice.

“I don’t know,” I whispered, licking my swollen lip.

His eyes flashed red, then he forced my gaze to meet his. “What else does the book hold?”

I blinked, not understanding what he was trying to do. “I already said, I don’t know,” I whispered, my throat sore and aching, whispering was much easier to get out.

He sneered at me, then pushed me back against the wall behind me and I realized with the sudden pain in my wrists, that I was tied up in front of the wall, my chains attached to the ceiling.

He returned with a knife, a small one with a dark red handle. “It seems coercing doesn’t work on you, so we better do this the old-fashioned way.” My vision was still hazy, but even with my lacking vision I could still see the menace in his smile.

There was no time for me to prepare for the pain, one second, he was giving me that unsettling smile and the next I felt my arm burn with pain. I cried out, my throat aching as I did so, my arm throbbing as I felt my blood trickle down and dripping on the floor.

“Now, want to tell me what the book holds?” he asked, his tone lacking the force it held the first two times he’d asked that.

“I already told you, I don’t know!” I cried. “I only know of the rogue part!”

He’d been holding the knife threateningly against my neck as he waited for me to answer, but instead of cutting into me like I’d expected, he seemed stunned over my reaction.

“Wait… you’re actually telling the truth?” he asked, sounding so utterly confused I almost laughed at how absurd this situation was. I was likely getting killed once this interrogation thing was over with, and that knowledge was making me a tad hysterical. The weirdest part was that I wasn’t scared for me, I was scared for them, my men who would die alongside me. I hoped Zar was mistaken and that they would continue to live on without me. They could be happy in the coven, living their best lives. I wanted that for them. Happiness.

“I am,” I finally said, trying to look him in the eye. My vision was slowly getting clearer, but it still wasn’t anywhere good enough for me to focus.

“You aren’t the human mated to the alpha of Keen?” he asked then, holding the knife to his side in a casual posture, stepping away from my body.

I licked my lips, tasting only blood on them. “I am, but not even he knows what it holds.”

The vampire tilted his head. “He stole the book without knowing its contents?”

“His father stole the book and died doing it. His mother was the one who wanted the book, but she’s dead, too. I doubt his father even knew what the book held.”

“Then why steal it?” he asked, truly stunned to hear how stupid Chris’ parents had been.

I couldn’t shrug, even if I’d wanted to, so I just said, “Don’t know.”

“What were you planning to do with the book?” he asked, taking one step closer and making my body freeze up in fear all over again.

I didn’t know what answer he was looking for, so I did the only thing I could, I spoke the truth, “I wanted to give it to those who wished to end the rogues.”

“What did your alpha want with it?”

“The same,” I replied, noticing how he hadn’t asked about Zar. Perhaps they hadn’t known about his involvement yet.

A loud banging sounded, like a metal door banging against a wall.

“Really, Barius? You couldn’t enter like a normal being?” the vampire sighed like he was disappointed in the new arrival.

“Master is tired of waiting for you to get some answers, Wisp. Now I’m taking over.” He cracked his knuckles and I felt all color drain from my face. This one was big. Not just muscular, but big in size as well. His hair was short and black, his face rough with stubble. His skin was a dark shade, making the two men look like the polar opposites.

“He was giving me the answers,” Wisp stated defensively.