Page 47 of Eat Me

I want to say something back, to fight and rebel against his words. But I feel if I’m to say something now, he might really snap by the look in his eyes. I bit my lip, averting my eyes and not saying anything. I know when not to push... and I think now is one of those times.

I hear his sigh, and then I’m suddenly on the bed alone, I blink looking at Jasper for a second. He glances at me one more time before growling and running a hand through his hair, some of the red parts of his hair sticking up from the rough treatment.

"Stand up," he orders, his voice low and commanding. I hesitate for a moment before slowly rising to my feet, acutely aware of how close he is. Jasper's eyes rake over me, his gaze intense and appraising.

"Good girl," he murmurs, reaching out to brush a strand of hair behind my ear. I didn’t move and chose to watch him to see what else he’d do. He gives me a small smirk before leaning forward and brushing his lips over my cheek.

"Now, let's get you ready for the grand finale…” He murmurs into my ear before pulling back to see my face.

The air between us crackles with tension as Jasper straightens, his tall frame towering over me. My breath hitches as I feel the heat of his lingering gaze, both heavy and unrelenting. He tilts his head slightly, his eyes tracing the curve of my face with a mixture of amusement and something far darker. My legs tremble under me, but I force myself to stand tall, refusing to give him the satisfaction of seeing me crumble any further.

“For someone who fights so hard, you’re quite beautiful when you’re trembling.” His voice is low, almost reverent, but it sends a chill down my spine instead of soothing me. “Let’s see if that fire in you lasts through tonight.”

"Ready?" he asks, his voice a low purr that seems to curl around me like smoke, suffocating and all-consuming.

I swallow hard, hating how he can make my skin crawl and my pulse race at the same time. "I don't think I'll ever be ready for whatever nightmare you have planned."

The corners of his lips curl upward into a devilish grin that’s sharp and predatory. I don't move as my legs feel stuck to the ground like weights have been fastened to them. My stomach churns with dread, even as some treacherous part of me wants to scream at him for what he’s putting me through. About how this is unfair. I know it won’t do any good though… probably either make him angry or amused.

His grin widens at that, teeth flashing like a predator closing in on its prey. "Oh, little bird," he mused, circling me slowly, his presence a magnetic pull that kept me rooted despite every instinct screaming at me to run. "You should know by now," Jasper murmurs, his voice like silk wrapped around blades, "there's no use in running. Not from us."

His fingers lightly brush some of my hair away from my face, deceptively gentle, as if the moment he’d had me pinned to the bed hadn’t just happened. As if my defiance hadn’t drawn out that dangerous edge lurking beneath his smirks and teasing.

Clenching my fists at my sides, I will myself not to react, not to give him what he wants. My throat still aches slightly from where his hand had gripped it, but the pain is a reminder: I’m not broken yet. Not by him. Not by any of them.

Jasper stops circling me, coming to a halt directly in front of me. The intensity in his gaze makes it impossible to look away. His blue eyes—blazing with something wild and uncontained—searches mine as though peeling back every layer I’d worked to shield myself behind.

“You think you’re strong,” Jasper says softly, his voice almost tender, though the sharp edge beneath it cuts through the air like a blade. “I know this test will be hard…but remember strength alone won’t save you here. You have got to useeverything you have and survive.” His fingers trail down my arm, stopping just above my wrist, and I force myself to remain still, even though every fiber of my being is screaming for me to fight back.

“Still fighting,” he murmurs, almost to himself, as if he were admiring a rare specimen in a cage. His hand moves back up, curling beneath my chin and tilting it upward so I couldn’t look anywhere but at him. “Such a spitfire you are.”

"You still think defiance will save you," Jasper says softly, his voice a low hum that dances along my nerves. "That's cute. Admirable even. But all it does is make you more... intriguing."His lips quirk up at the corners, his amusement dark and unrelenting.

“It makes me want to devour you whole.” He mutters, eyes dark and grip tightening on my chin before letting go. He takes a step back, “But now isn’t the time. We’ll have more time for that later.”

I can hear the underlining promise of what will come after this last test. I feel a shiver of fear…and maybe anticipation go through me. The weight of his words clawing at my resolve, but I cling to what little fire I have left. "You can't take what I won't give."

His grin falters for a fraction of a second, and I note the way his expression flickers—like a shadow passing over him before he regains control. Jasper leans in closer, his breath ghosting against my parting lips, “We shall see about that. Time will only tell how much of a fight you’ll give once you are officially ours.”

He straightens up, grabbing me and pulling me close to him, as my eyes are covered with a thick cloth. “Now let’s get going. They are probably wondering what’s taking us so long.” He tells me as the cloth is tightened around my head. I can feel a few strands of hair being caught in the knot, making me wince a little.

“Let’s get this over with.” I tell him, my voice barely above a whisper as I hear the door creak open, a hand on my back leading me forward to what felt like my doom…which it basically was.

The last test is about to start... and I’m nowhere near ready.

Chapter Thirty-Three

Victoria

Istumble as Jasper guides me forward, his hand firm yet eerily gentle against my back. The blindfold pressed tightly against my eyes, throwing me into complete darkness. Each step feels heavier than the last, the air around me becoming thick and oppressive. I can hear the faint echo of our footsteps against what sounded like wood floors. The silence between us is deafening, broken only by the occasional scrape of my shoes or the creak of a distant door. It’s easy to feel the shift in temperature as we keep on walking, the way the air grew colder and the floor beneath my feet transitioned from smooth to rough, uneven ground.

“Keep moving, little bird,” he says, his voice tinged with amusement and a hint of something darker. “You’ve still got so much to show us.”

“So much to prove, you mean,” I mutter under my breath but kept moving in the direction he’s guiding me. I try not to flinch when I almost trip over a small rock.

Jasper leans closer as he steadied me before we kept on our way, his lips brushing against the shell of my ear. “Prove? No, sweetheart,” he drawls. “This isn’t about proving anything anymore. It’s about transformation.”

His words twist in my gut like a knife.‘Transformation’. The very idea makes me cringe It feels as though we're walking forever when finally, we come to a stop. The air’s heavy with the scent of damp earth and something metallic, faint but unmistakable.

---