Page 39 of Depraved

My words were cut off by a blood-curdling scream that shattered the eerie calm that had settled over the bullet-riddled clearing. Claudia burst out of the cabin, her eyes wild with panic as she took in the carnage surrounding us. Her gaze landed on Sarah's crumpled form, blood pooling beneath her on the weathered porch boards.

"Oh God, oh God," Claudia wailed, stumbling forward. Her bare feet left crimson footprints as she rushed towards us.

She reached us, grabbing onto Sarge's arm with surprising strength. Her nails dug into his flesh as she stared up at him, her eyes wide and frantic. "Where is she?" Claudia demanded. "Where's Layla?"

Sarge's face softened slightly as he looked down at the distraught woman. It was jarring to see such gentleness from a man I'd just watched tear through armed attackers with his bare hands. "Ma'am, we're going to find her, I promise you that."

CHAPTER 14

River

Iwatched Layla sleep, her chest rising and falling in a slow rhythm. Hours had passed since our captors had dumped us in this hellhole. The air was thick and stifling, heavy with the scent of our sweat. My wrists ached from the bite of the handcuffs, the metal warm against my skin. I flexed my fingers, trying to keep the blood flowing.

Layla stirred slightly, a small whimper escaping her lips. I wondered what nightmares plagued her sleep. Did she dream of shipping containers and leering men? Or was her subconscious conjuring new horrors to torment her?

My eye traced the line of her throat, lingering on the pulse that fluttered beneath her skin. She was beautiful in a feral way, all coiled strength and barely contained gorgeous violence. Even now, beaten and bound, she radiated power.

I shifted, trying to find a more comfortable position against the unforgiving concrete wall. The movement sent a jolt of pain through my body.

My mind drifted, remembering the first time I'd seen her—a whirlwind of rage and sexiness as she stormed into Raul'soffice. She'd captivated me from that moment, her fire igniting something long dormant within my dead heart. That spark had grown into an inferno.

I'd never cared for a woman before. Had never allowed myself to feel anything besides bloodlust. I didn’t fuck. I didn’t kiss or flirt or encourage any sort of affection. Attachment was weakness, a luxury I couldn't afford, and the thought of hands all over my skin made me want to fucking peel it off.

But not hers. No, her hands could touch me. Her skin under my palms had felt like the softest silk, and not once did it make me recoil. Actually, it was the opposite. When I strummed her clit, making her come on my fingers and tongue, it was like opening my eye for the first time in years. Like I took my first real breath after two decades of drowning.

The creak of the door upstairs shattered the stillness. My muscles tensed instinctively, every sense on high alert. Heavy footsteps thundered down the stairs, echoing off the concrete walls.

Three men in dark suits appeared, their faces obscured by black tactical masks. They dragged a limp form between them—Alex. His head lolled to the side, eyes unfocused and glassy. Drugged.

They tossed him unceremoniously to the floor. The dull thud of his body hitting the ground jolted Layla awake. Her eyes flew open, instantly alert despite hours of unconsciousness.

The men turned towards her, their intent clear. Something primal and vicious clawed its way up my throat as they reached for her.

"Don't fucking touch her," I hissed, barely sounding human. "I'll rip your fucking throats out with my teeth. I'll bathe in your blood and piss on your corpses."

The fury that surged through me was white-hot, searing away all reason. I strained against the cuffs, feeling the metal bite intomy flesh. Blood trickled down my wrists, but I barely noticed the pain.

"I'll hunt down everyone you've ever loved," I promised, baring my teeth like a rabid animal. "I'll make them suffer in ways you can't even imagine. You think you know pain? I'll tear you apart piece by piece. Make you beg for death before I'm done."

The men paused, turning to look at me. Even with their faces obscured, I could sense their unease.Good.Theyshouldbe afraid.

For a moment, no one moved. Then Layla's elbow shot back, catching her captor in the gut. As he doubled over, she brought her knee up hard, smashing his nose with a sickening crunch.

The man's pained howl was music to my ears as Layla's knee connected with his face. Blood sprayed from his shattered nose, staining the grimy concrete. For a moment, fierce pride swelled in my chest.

Then everything went to hell.

The second man's boot slammed into Layla's stomach with brutal force. The air left her lungs in a whoosh. Rage exploded through me, white-hot and all-consuming. I surged to my feet. "I'll fucking kill you!"

The third man turned to face me, his stance wary. Smart. He should be afraid. From the corner of my eye, I saw Alex struggling to his feet. His movements were sluggish, uncoordinated, but fury burned in his glassy eyes as he fought against whatever drugs were in his system.

Layla gasped for breath, curled around herself on the filthy floor. The sight of her in pain, vulnerable, sent fresh waves of fury coursing through my veins. I yanked at the cuffs again. The pain was irrelevant. Nothing mattered except getting to Layla.

The man turned to fend me off, but I was faster. I lunged forward, my teeth bared in a feral snarl. My teeth sank into thesoft flesh of his throat, tearing through skin and muscle. The coppery taste of blood flooded my mouth as I ripped and tore, feeling arteries rupture beneath my assault. The man's scream gurgled wetly as his windpipe collapsed.

He staggered back, hands clutching uselessly at the ragged hole where his throat used to be. Blood gushed between his fingers, spattering the grimy concrete. The metallic scent of it filled the air, intoxicating and familiar.

His eyes, visible through the holes in his mask, were wide with shock as he stumbled backwards. The other two men stood frozen, paralyzed with fear. I spat out a mouthful of gore, my lips curling back from bloodstained teeth in a vicious grin.

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