Page 87 of Lock Up the Darkness

There was a struggle, the clanging of metal.

I heard a zipper coming down, then a grunt, followed by a gurgling, struggling sound.

“You need to stay hydrated, old friend.”

I looked out at Ash. “Is that—”

The expression on his face had my words catching in my throat. It was rare for him to ever be disturbed by anything, but that was what I was seeing right now. He grimaced and nodded.

“Fuck,” I uttered, scrubbing my hand over my face.

Spitting and sputtering sounded from the recording.

“Don’t waste it. Swallow it down, let it warm your insides. I’ll come by later and give you some more nourishment and watch you choke down my cum next.”

Another grunt sounded, a zipper being drawn back up, then retching followed.

“Or, you could just avoid all of that and tell me what I want to hear.”

“Burn in hell.”

“I’m only giving you time to come around because Nyx would wish it. But we’re nearing the point of no return now, Lan. Play smart, not stubborn.”

“Like I said, you’re wasting your time.”

“Then you leave me no choice. I know about your daughter.”

“What?”

“Nyx told me a whole lot of secrets.”

“You’re bullshitting me.”

“You know I’m not. Poor bastard, you just can’t escape that mistake, can you? Nyx coming to me still serves to fuck you over even all these years later.”

“It was your corruption, nothing real. Don’t kid yourself.”

“I almost feel sad for you that you believe that. You know, if I could feel that emotion.”

“Monsters feel nothing.”

“Either way, I know you hid your little girl years ago. Even Nyx didn’t know the new identity you gave her. But I always get what I want. I always find a way. Nothing and no one can hide from me for too long. I’ll track her down and bring her to another slaughterhouse just like this.”

“You piece of—”

“I won’t end her life. That would be far too quick and painless a fate for your blood. I’ll bring Samuel and Reed in on the fun. I’ll have Reed unleash his beast all over her, carve a masterpiece into her, then brand her. Then I’ll make her swallow my cock, choke on it. I’ll tear into her until she bleeds and cries for me. She’ll wear my cum and piss like a second skin, and I’ll train her to only orgasm from intense pain and degradation, to beg for it from me, in fact. I’ll make her into my favorite doll and have Samuel fashion her into the perfect submissive bitch like he did with Valerie, where her only desire in life is to please us, to live and breathe us.”

A struggle rang out, cursing, the snap of a bone, then a roar of agony.

“Nite nite, Lan.”

Asher ended the recording, then looked out at me.

My pulse was pounding, my palms sweating.

“Jesus Christ.”

“Sorry I had to have you hear that reference to your mom. It couldn’t be helped. You needed to hear the rest.”

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