Page 76 of Nest Of Lies

Lia

My bedroom door fliesopen so hard it hits the wall. I let out a shriek so loud it makes my ears ring, but as soon as I’ve done that, my energy fades, and I just slump in the bed, panting. The fever is back, and my whole body is burning up.

“See, Doctor, see. I told you. My poor, beautiful daughter is sick. You have to do something.”

I peer at my mother, horror washing through me. Even my tight hold on the quilt doesn’t make her vanish. No, no, no. This isn’t right.

Where are the pack? Are they okay?

I pant and squirm as pain slices into my stomach. When it eases, I force myself to sit up and see my mother talking to a thin man with huge glasses and tufts of dark hair. He’s pasty and looks sick, but he’s wearing a shirt and jacket and has a doctor’s bag.

Panic pushes the pain back.

No, no. What is she doing here? What has she done? Who is he?

“I want you to put her in a private hospital.”

The words sink in and terrify me worse than anything else. If she gets me locked up somewhere, I’ll never get out.

“I have to examine her,” the doctor says with authority.

Oh, how I wish those words weren’t filled with that arrogant confidence. But it would seem the latest doctor my mother has found is a spineless puppet. And he’s already decided, and this is just an act. He’s going to be her ‘yes man’. She’s finally found someone she can bully into saying there’s something wrong with me.

My mother nods. “Of course.” She turns to the bedroom door. “Jasper, Simon, get in here and restrain her. We don’t want her to hurt herself.”

I struggle up, but the pain starts again, and through tears, I spot the two men come into the room.

“Don’t touch me!” I shriek. “Stay away!”

“This is for your own good, Lia. You’re a sick girl. A very sick girl.”

“I’m not sick!” I shout at her. With a groan, I push myself up, trying to stand, but I collapse. Instead, I scream the words. Louder than I ever have, over and over.

My mother shakes her head. “You’re sick.” Her tone is so pitying, and really, right now, with this fever, I can’t even deny it.

I finally look at the two men sent to hold me down and notice the blank, hungry stares and the way they inhale deeply. They barely seem human to me, just a giant, threatening presence.

A different kind of fear wells up from deep inside me. They are huge. I can’t get away, there’s no way I can fight them off, they have muscles on muscles, and I’m fever weak. There’s nothing I can do except pray for the pack to arrive.

Still, when the pale one reaches for me with a hungry sneer, I kick out as hard as I can. My foot collides with his face. He grunts but grips my ankle and yanks hard.

I’m pulled halfway down the bed, my t-shirt riding up and revealing my soaked underwear. I scream louder, terrified at what’s going to happen.

My mother lets out a sob but stands there in the corner observing everything.

I thrash, trying to get free, but the second one grips my arms, pulling them above my head. They are threats, but they aren’t the threat. I focus on the smaller man as he pulls out instruments and lays them on my side table.

The doctor approaches me. His hand trembles a little, but the same hungry look invades his expression. He sits beside me and strokes my stomach.

My skin shivers under his touch as I try to get away from him, but I can’t move enough. The two men holding me down have me stretched tight. My wrists ache where they are squeezing, and my ankles are held spread apart. I try my best to ignore my underwear and what they can see.

“My name is Doctor Rossenburg, and I’m going to examine you, Lia. You’re a very sick young woman, and it’s a good thing your mother got you help. But it’s over now. We can fix you.”

I sob but don’t bother protesting.

He runs his hands all over my body, feeling everywhere.

I’m terrified and disgusted, and my mind is slipping into a dark place. Partly because I don’t want to be touched, but even more so because I’m terrified that the spikes of heat I feel might flare up, and I might respond to his caress.

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