Page 3 of Keeping Sarah

I remembered some of the brutal childhood memories I had found in his head when he’d possessed me the first time. “You never felt close to anyone in your family?”

“Not the way you mean.”

I almost pitied him.

“Save your pity for yourself, Sarah. You’ll need it, when my men start in on you.”

A chill shot up my spine. “I thought you said they would back off while you’re trapped in me.”

“Yes, but after I escape you, I’m going to let them have their fun.”

“What would you let them do to someone you called Queen?” As I spoke, I busied my hand to tug on the invisible thread in my soul.

Unaware of what I was doing, Rex laughed without humor. A dirty laugh. The kind of laugh that girls in dark alleys fear hearing. “Queen is just another word. Like honor or loyalty.Words are slips of air that we imagine have power over us. But do you know what real power is?”

I felt a tug inside of my mind and did everything to block him from noticing. “What do you think real power is, Rex?”

“Control. When you have control, you can do anything. That’s why I was able to yell at that beast of a man and make him back off of you. Even trapped inside your body, your,” he gasped for effect, “deliciousbody, I still have control over them. And if I wanted it, I could have control over you.”

I continued to try and distract him. “What would you do with that control?” The tug in my mind grew stronger as I pulled those threads closer.

His lascivious thoughts percolated through my brain, each one nastier than the other. “See, the thing about you, Queen, is that you are not the kind of woman to take. You are the kind of woman who needs to give.”

“I don’t understand what you mean—"

“Oh yes you do. If a man forced you to do something, there would be no prize in that. It’s repugnant. No,” he flashed more of his salacious imagination my way, “you need to crave it. Towantto give yourself over. To let a man be your tipping point, the one you can give yourself fully to. That is the only way someone like you is ever truly satisfied.”

His description made me breathless, but I instinctively shook my head, “I don’t—I’m not—"

He cut in. “The time you, Deacon, and Jac were in my manor, when Deacon wrapped that belt into your mouth and around your head and had his way with you.” He began to laugh deviously. “Just hearing me say it, I can feel your body reacting, Queen. You can’t lie to me.”

I swallowed hard. “I thought you said you were just teasing me about watching us that night.”

“I lied. It’s what I do,” he snarled. “I saw every scorching moment between the three of you. Can’t say I wasn’t jealous, though now I have that delightful memory to keep me warm at night.”

My face felt hot from embarrassment. “Leave me be,” I snapped.

“I would, but—"

“Boss,” Rundown called from behind me. “You in there?”

“He’s still here,” I said as I turned to face him. He was backed by the other mercenaries, all of them looking at me with either lust or disdain. “Why do you ask?”

He rubbed his grubby fingers along his jaw. “Me and the guys were talking, and I don’t know if we believe you have him. Not really. See, we heard conduits have all kinds of tricks, and since you’re their queen, we figure you have the most. Rex could be dead, for all we know. His image, whatever that was, might just be another trick.”

“Conduits don’t use tricks, Rundown,” I said, pursing my lips and glaring at him. “That’s magicians—"

“Whatever. Point is,” he reached out for my cheek, but I jerked away from him before he could touch me, “you’re real pretty, for a human.”

My stomach churned. I tugged the connection in my mind. “What of it?”

He turned to the other mercenaries. “See? She doesn’t even say thank you for a compliment. I think we should teach the queen some manners. What do you guys say?”

Raucous cheers went up as the men closed in.

Before I could stop him, Rundown grabbed me beneath my arms and held me against the wall off of my feet. His hot breath fell on my face. “Where’s my boss now,Queen?”

For once, I wished Rex would take over. But he remained silent, the asshole. I kicked at Rundown’s belly with all mymight, and he dropped me. He coughed, trying to catch his breath. “Bitch!” he said, and came for me again.

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