Page 57 of Dark Reign

What had I just done?

Why had this inexplicable need to save her life caused me to put my own on the line?

The contract between Corina and I acted as a binding agreement, affirming that I had not only the right, but theresponsibilityto control her, leaving me with the task of somehow taming the untamable. She was defiant, uncooperative, and a nuisance who would likely be the cause of usbothsomehowspending our lives in a prison cell.

Or worse.

Owning a Doll wasn’t something I ever desired, mostly because there was a stigma attached to the relationship that never appealed to me. I had enough on my plate without the added obligation of keeping up with a human who made it clear she didn’t want to be kept. The trouble she caused last night served as evidence that the newest member of my household and I were a match made in Hell.

This fact was only proven when Elle reported back, stating that news of becoming a marked woman had brought Corina to tears.

Unlike so many others, she didn’t seem to want this—didn’t want to be taken care of, given everything her heart desired, didn’t want to be spoiled. Instead, I could only guess she preferred to live a lesser life, preferred to return to wherever it was she’d come from before our paths crossed.

But there had to be more to it, and the only reason I could come up with for someone being so adverse to the lifestyle of a Doll …was that she’d left someone behind.

Someone she cared about and wanted to get back to soon.

Unfortunately for her, our circumstances made that impossible. Whether we liked it or not, we were bound to one another.

I ventured upstairs when it came time for the tattoo to be placed, watching from the hallway where no one noticed. I expected there to be one last fight as her shoulder was marked, but was surprised. She sat in an almost catatonic state as a woman inked her skin and moved her body into awkward positions like a mannequin. When it was done, Corina’s dark stare settled on the tattoo in silence.

To those of us who observed, the mark was merely a barcode. One that, when scanned, would reveal she was mine to whoever inquired. However, as I stared at that somber expression, I had the feeling it symbolized something much deeper in her eyes.

Unable to watch her mourn in ways I may never understand, I returned to the parlor with the others and … here we sat.

Elle, too, came to join us, leaving Dr. Driskel and Corina in the Blue Suite where he’d moved on to the next phase of his medical evaluation. I killed time braving through the sludge of social media. There were so many twisted versions of last night’s events, but that was to be expected when I’d gone out of my way to confuse the entire world, desperate to keep them from knowing the truth.

That, after being duped by a human girl, I then went on to claim her just to spare her life.

At the sound of hinges groaning against the doorframe, we all did an about face—us four and Elle. Our gazes landed on Dr. Driskel when he entered carrying a file beneath his arm.

“Is she okay now?” Elle blurted.

Wringing her hands together at her midriff, she stepped closer, unable to hide her concern for our guest. Having been the one to witness Corina’s tears when being told she’d be a Doll, and then her despair after being marked, Elle’sownemotions were heightened.

We didn’t get much female company around here, so it shouldn’t have surprised me that she’d taken to Corina so quickly, sympathized with her beyond my own comprehension.

Dr. Driskel’s expression hadn’t changed since entering the room. He remained stone-faced and the mounting tension prompted Elle to pace.

“Well, to start, the patient is … coping,” he huffed with an accent similar to Levi’s weaving through his sentence. It was heavy and boasting the traits of the old-world, synonymous with the Western Quadrant.

“Is she speaking yet?” Elle piped.

Doctor Driskel shook his head. “No.”

Disheartened, Elle settled down again. My brothers sat, listening just like I did.

“For the most part, her vitals appear to be relatively normal, but she’s extremely malnourished,” Driskel informed us.

Elle passed a knowing glance my way when the doctor reiterated the very thing she stated upon Corina’s arrival.

“But other than that, she’s healthy?” I asked, getting a strange readout from the doctor’s response. There seemed to be something hewasn’tsaying.

Dr. Driskel took a seat.

“When you selected Corina for purchase, were any health concerns brought to your attention?” he asked.

Seeing as how therewasno selection or purchase, I could only respond one way.

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