Page 70 of In Darkness We Claim

Instead, I swallow the last of my drink, groaning when I realise it’s empty. Without me even asking him to, Nigel reaches over and grabs the attention of the female bartender from earlier, pulling her away from another customer to serve us. I ask for just a lemonade this time, knowing I shouldn’t have any more booze.

As she’s making our drinks, he turns his attention back to me. “She always drops what she’s doing to serve me. The guy who runs this place used to be a Pledge, so they all know how important I am, and they don’t like to keep me waiting,” he brags, and I can just imagine the looks on Bram and Lawson’s faces if they were here listening to his bullshit.

When he moves to grab our drinks, I take the opportunity to turn and find Wren, leaning towards her when I see she’s pushed her way through the people to stand beside me again.

“Did you get it all?” I ask, motioning my head to where she’s discreetly holding the phone in her hand.

She nods, a bright smile on her face. “I got everything. I’m going to go let Bram know, so he can tell us what to do next.”

I’m sure Bram probably told us what the plan was for when we’d gathered all the evidence we needed, but either we didn’t listen closely enough, or the alcohol rushing through our veins has conveniently helped us to forget. Either way, we don’t know what to do next, so Wren going and asking him seems like the best option.

I turn back to face Nigel, pulling the fake expression that I’ve been wearing with him all night back into place, pretending like nothing has changed. I gratefully take the drink he offers me, taking a couple of big gulps of the lemonade, hoping it will dilute some of the alcohol rushing through my veins, reducing that buzzed feeling I’m regretting already.

“Tell me more about this secret society,” I say as I lean in closer to him, keeping my voice down so nobody else can hear.

“Well, I can’t tell you much, given the secret part, but we’re the most powerful group in the world. We run the world from the shadows. The men you see in the spotlight are the figureheads we’ve placed there, but really, they’re just puppets and we’re controlling their strings. We’re the ones ruling without anyone knowing.”

It’s not a completely inaccurate description of the Obsidian Order, but it’s also not something he should brag about. I’m just the daughter of an Order member, with no genuine power or position, and even I know that’s not something to be divulged to a complete stranger.

“Oh, wow. I had no idea anything like that even existed. I’m guessing you being the top Pledge is a great honour. It must make you incredibly good at your job.” I make sure my voice is sickly sweet as I’m overly flirty, and the resulting twist in my stomach catches me off-guard.

Nausea hits me like a brick, and the room spins as black spots flicker in my vision. It quickly occurs to me that I need to go to the bathroom, as there’s a good chance I’m about to vomit.

“Sorry, will you excuse me for a minute while I go to the bathroom?” I don’t wait for his reply, heading straight for the women’s room.

The club is overly full of people now, and given how unsteady I am on my feet, it feels like I stumble into every person I pass. I mutter apologies, but I’m not even sure actual words come out. The nausea and dizziness is so overwhelming, I feel the egg stimulating me as I walk.

The loud pounding of the bass music isn’t doing anything to help. Combined with the headache that’s beating away inside my skull, it makes me even more dizzy. Sweat drops are beading on my forehead and upper lip as heat flashes through my veins, and feel like I’m burning.

Acid burns my throat, and I try to concentrate on breathing, thinking that’s the only way to stop myself from emptying my stomach contents before I get to the bathroom. But with each deep breath I take, my vision gets hazier, until I’m not even sure I’m going in the right direction.

I’m burning up so much it feels like I’ve got ants burrowing away under my skin, and my brain is struggling to concentrate on anything except the sensations that seem to overwhelm me.

It’s not until an arm wraps around my waist that I realise I’ve been standing still, unable to make my jelly-like legs move forward anymore. Even though my vision is fuzzy, and the room is spinning, I’m aware enough to hear the alarm bells ringing in my head.

I have enough of my faculties left to know that how I’m feeling isn’t normal, and it sure as shit isn’t caused by me having a couple of extra drinks. I also know that the arm wrapped around me isn’t the one I want. It doesn’t warm me or make me tingle the way it should. Instead, it repulses me, and if I had the energy, I’d push it off, but I can barely move any of my limbs, as they’re feeling way too heavy.

The dizziness and drowsiness mix together, and my eyelids keep fluttering closed of their own accord. No matter how many times I force them to open, trying as hard as I can to remain alert, the heaviness settling over my whole body is fast becoming all-consuming.

Nigel’s breath flutters against my cheek, making my stomach twist in revulsion as he gets close enough to whisper in my ear. “Don’t worry, the drug will take full effect soon, and you won’t be able to fight it. But there’s nothing for you to be afraid of; this is just a safety procedure. I can’t have you knowing all of my secrets, or those of the Crows. This way, we both get to have a fun, sexy night, but you won’t remember anything you shouldn’t, which means my role won’t be in jeopardy.”

His words barely make sense to me, and I have to repeat them in my head several times until my brain catches up enough for them to register. I shake my head, regretting it instantly when the room spins even more. “No, I don’t want to.”

That’s as much as I can get out, and I’m not entirely sure the words made sense aloud the way they did in my head. The smile on Nigel’s face turns wicked, almost evil, as he says, “Of course, you want it. Every girl in this room would kill for a night with me. You’re lucky I chose you. I promise to make it good for you, so you’ll feel me tomorrow, even if you don’t remember.”

Nausea rips through me as my heart races, panic fully setting in when he tries to drag me towards an exit I don’t recognise. My legs are so heavy, I can barely move them, and I couldn’t be more grateful as it means I’m not going anywhere like this.

Nigel lets out a huff before turning and picking me up, cradling me to his chest in a princess-style hold, as my head lolls backward from the abrupt movement.

As he lifts me, the egg I’d almost forgotten about hits a sensitive spot, and I can’t hold back the moan that slips free. Nigel grins at me, thinking I’m moaning for him, which makes me even more disgusted with myself as I focus on anything except the egg shifting deep inside me.

The room spins around me, dizziness overwhelming me as I struggle to keep my eyes open, knowing the sensation will lessen if I close them. But there’s something that makes me keep them open...

I look around frantically, though for a few seconds, my brain struggles to remember what exactly it is I’m looking for. Then it hits me—Lawson. Where is he? Why isn’t he stepping in to save me?

As Nigel carries me out of the club into the chilly night air, the power of the drug overwhelms me, and I can’t keep my eyes open any longer. I’m seconds from dropping into unconsciousness, and then there will be no turning back. I won’t be able to stop this monster from doing whatever he wants to me.

With the last moments of my sanity, all I can think about is Lawson. I beg and plead inside my head for him to come to me, to rescue me from this horrible situation.