Page 3 of Ravage

Her voice does nothing to calm me, tears prickling my eyes. Rough hands pull my shorts down my legs, leaving me in mybra and underwear, slumped in the wheelchair. When he goes to reach for me again, a scream escapes my throat against my will. It doesn't deter him though, arms snaking around me as he lifts my body off the seat.

It feels like poison ivy against my skin, the burning and itch of unfamiliar touch, lifting my unwilling frame.

I'm carried toward the metal tub, eyes looking down at the water pooling inside. As I'm lowered toward it, I feel a small ounce of relief, but it's short-lived when ice-cold water engulfs me.

A sharp gasp leaves my lips as my body sinks into the water, eyes wide as I look at Dr. Cromwell. "It's freezing," I say, hoping she'll realize they forgot to turn the hot water on.

She nods slowly. "It's called ice submersion therapy. You should adjust in a few minutes."

The men lift the lid off the ground, bringing it atop the tub. As it slides toward me, I realize with sickening horror what the hole is for. The lid clicks into place, the metal surrounding my neck as my head pokes out the hole.

My body starts shivering violently, teeth clattering as I try to move my arms and legs.

"You can go now," Dr. Cromwell directs the men, grabbing a rolling stool from the counter and sliding it to the end of the tub. She sits down, facing me with her clipboard, crossing her legs gracefully. "Please return in thirty minutes."

They give her a quick nod, vanishing from the room as the door slams closed behind them. I stare at her wide-eyed and I'm almost certain my lips match the color of her irises.

"Why are you doing this?" I manage to stutter out, voice shaking.

She pauses for a moment before giving me a soft smile. "It's nothing personal, Avery. It's just part of the job. It's for a good cause though."

People make the mistake of assuming that ice will numb you. But they are wrong. I'm quickly realizing that there's a point beyond the numbness where your skin starts to burn. My muscles scream in pain, desperate for warmth, despite the burning sensation which brings no relief. I tilt my head back to hide the tears that have pooled, blinking at the ceiling.

"You torture people for a good cause?" I mutter sarcastically, tears sliding down the side of my face.

"I know it doesn't seem like it, but it's true," Dr. Cromwell answers, the sound of her pen scribbling something. "Science is always evolving, new answers breaking through."

I laugh dryly, shaking my head. "And yet, we're still in the 1800s apparently."

When she doesn't respond, I bring my head forward, noticing her watching me closely. I know she can see my tears, but thankfully she rests the clipboard on her lap instead of making more notes.

"Our methods might be old but they were proven to be helpful. This is for your benefit too," she points out with blind optimism.

"If I survive that long," I shoot back, neck banging painfully into the metal as I shiver. "What else do you have planned?"

Dr. Cromwell smiles, but this time it doesn't reach her eyes. "We'll adjust our methods and research as we progress based on our findings."

"Are we still in the Lilydale facility?" I demand quietly.

"I can't answer that, Avery. I'm sorry."

Shaking my head, I glare at her, images of Grey, Theo, and Damon appearing in my mind. "You better hope for your sake that we're not," I say. "Because if we are, I have no doubt that you've just started a war."

Chapter 2

Grey

I'm fast.

Probably faster than most people my age. Ever since I was young, speed has always been on my side. It's what came in handy whenever my father had one of his episodes. It's also the reason I learned to be able to move around without making a single sound.

But that doesn't matter right now. I couldn't give two shits who hears me.

My footsteps thunder down the hallway as we head to Elsher's office. It's echoed by Theo behind me who, impressively, manages to keep pace rather well. I have no idea if Damon is following, but I would assume he's still with Jillian.

FUCK!

We should have seen this coming. I promised myself and Avery that I would keep her safe. Did we get too complacent? We knew that cuntface was potentially on the verge of making a move, but I thought we had him blocked. Alexander should have been the tipping point, giving us an indication that they werecoming after us. But I told myself that things were different this time.

---