Page 7 of Chains of Blood and Darkness

Did she mean other girls like me?

I remained docile on the surface, but I wasn’t even close to giving up the fight. I waited until Marsha had made her way out of the dressing room, leaving me alone with Frances, then I shoved her as hard as I could. She slammed her head into the wall and slid down limply like a puppet. I ran out of the room and into the kitchen. I immediately grabbed a steak knife out of a wooden block.

“Dan! Help me,” Frances cried as she stumbled into the kitchen after me.

A man—Dan, I supposed—suddenly appeared behind her. He was built like a grizzly bear, and his massive hands looked capable of crushing my skull with a single squeeze. They flanked me, cutting off any escape.

My heart banged wildly against my ribcage. Blood raged through my veins, turning my skin scorching hot. I tightly gripped the metal handle of the steak knife, cold in my sweaty palm. Strands of my blonde hair came loose from my messy bun and hung in front of my eyes. As Frances and Dan closed in on me, I slashed and lunged with the knife, keeping them at bay. I could hear Joy’s older brother’s words—”Always aim for the soft spots!”—ringing in my ears as I fought for my life. Steve had taught me how to defend myself with a knife after an incident with Freddie years ago. Right now, I’d take Freddie over this guy any day.

Frances glared at me. “Serenity, put the knife down. You’re only making things worse for yourself. Simon won’t be pleased.”

Dan cracked his neck. “I’ve got her trapped. She ain’t going nowhere. Go get Simon.”

Frances stormed out of the kitchen in a huff.

I bolted in the opposite direction, slicing with the knife again and again. Dan was quicker than I thought and cornered me against the sink, an immovable wall of muscle, but I stood my ground.

I gritted my teeth. “Come near me and you’re dead.”

“You’re going to regret this, bitch. The boss ain’t going to take kindly to this at all.” He picked up a white dinnerplate off the counter and hurled it at my head like a frisbee. I ducked, and it shattered against the wall behind me, fragments falling onto my bare shoulders.

Panting, I pressed my back against the counter. “Stay away from me.” My once-steady voice had turned shrill. I was reaching my limit.

Heavy footsteps thundered down the hallway.

Simon and Frances barged into the room, their faces frantic. Simon’s eyes locked onto mine with fiery intensity, his hand trembling as he pointed at me. “You’re pushing my limits,” he growled through clenched teeth. He shoved Dan at me, his face contorted with disgust. “Get that weapon away from her, you idiot.”

I lashed out with the knife again, narrowly missing Dan’s arm.

“Looks like she knows how to handle it,” Simon sneered, reaching into his jacket and pulling out a gleaming revolver. “I’ll shoot you in the leg or the arm if I have to.” His thumb cocked the gun. “Don’t test me, bitch.”

My heart pounded like a jackrabbit’s in my chest as I weighed my options.

Marsha walked into the room and flicked her wrist. “Rayon Sacré.”

The knife instantly flew out of my hand and embedded itself in the ceiling above my head.

“Shit!” I shouted.

Dan lunged at me and pinned my hand against the wall.

“Stop struggling,” he grunted as I kicked and thrashed against him.

Adrenaline shot through my arms and legs as I fought toescape from the enormous man, kicking, twisting, and stomping on his foot.

He growled dangerously. He really did remind me of a bear.

“Take her to the bedroom,” Simon ordered.

Dan tossed me over his shoulder, and I pounded on his back with my fists. “No, no, no!”

He slammed me down on the bed, pinning my wrists over my head.

Simon approached the bed, holding a syringe. With no warning, he jabbed the needle into my vein, injecting me with god knows what. My body tensed up, and sweat broke out all over my skin as I thrashed my head back and forth and arched my back, trying to get the mountain of muscle off me. But it was no use—the drug had already begun to take effect.

A wave of dizziness overtook me, my vision blurred, and my limbs went numb.

Simon stared down at me, his face going in and out of focus. “Don’t worry. You won’t pass out, but you won’t have the strength to fight us off, and you’ll be a fuck of a lot more compliant.”

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