Page 51 of Dark Rebel's Reckoning

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KYRA

The walls seemed to be closing in on Kyra, suffocating her, and it wasn't just her fear of underground spaces that was contributing to the sensation.

Even from beyond the glass the monster was affecting her, triggering her fight or flight response.

She forced herself to breathe normally and glanced at Max, whose body seemed to have swelled with aggression. For some reason, that provided her with a modicum of comfort, of safety, and she berated herself for her weakness.

She didn't need a strong male to protect her. She'd done an excellent job of keeping herself and others safe for over twenty years.

It had been bad judgment on her part that had gotten her captured. Everyone had warned her against walking into the lion's den each morning, but she had foolishly ignored them because she couldn't leave Fenella there to suffer as she had.

A smile curled the corners of her lips. If she'd known how contrary Twelve would turn out to be, perhaps she would havebeen more inclined to listen to her friends' warnings. She was joking of course. The woman was a little annoying and she definitely seemed to be still pining after Max, but she didn't deserve to be abused by the monster sitting on the other side of the glass.

"Tell me about your research," Toven commanded. "What were you hoping to find?"

Again, the so-called doctor tried to resist the compulsion, pressing his lips tightly together for a long moment. Then a harsh growl rushed out of his throat, and he emitted a curse in a language she didn't understand, but given the stiffening in Max's shoulders, he did.

"What did he say?" Kyra asked.

Max just shook his head, refusing to translate.

"Immortal and dormant females," Durhad said.

Toven waved a hand in frustration. "Tell me everything from start to finish, including what made you begin the research, the methods you used, your objectives, and your results. Don't skip over anything."

Kyra was glad of her compulsion-filtering earpieces because it looked like the god had used maximum power. The Doomer's eyes glazed over, and drool slithered down from the corner of his slackened mouth.

"Toven pushed too hard," Max murmured. "The scumbag looks fried."

A moment passed in silence as everyone waited to see if the Doomer would start talking or they would have to postpone the interrogation until he recuperated.

Kyra hoped the damage wasn't irreparable. She needed answers, and the dirtbag in the other room had them.

"It started with Kyra," he said, suddenly looking revived, even excited to share what he knew.

Kyra felt nauseous. All those women had suffered because of her?

"How did you find Kyra?" Toven asked.

"Her father was a commander in the Revolutionary Guard. He sent her to the United States to study in a university and join student organizations where she would promote whatever issues he told her to, but then she disappeared. Her father hired a detective, who found out that the little whore disgraced the family and married outside of her faith. If that stain on his honor was discovered, he would lose his position in the Guard. He sent local operatives to kidnap her and bring her back to Iran."

Kyra felt as if she'd been punched in the stomach. Jasmine had been right about suspecting her family. They'd stolen her from her husband, her child, and locked her away? Every word cut her like a knife, not only because of the unfairness and cruelty but because that ugliness was part of her genetic makeup.

One comforting thought was that perhaps her mother was a better person than her father, and Kyra wondered if she was still alive.

When Max reached out and took her hand, the warmth of that gesture melted some of the ice blocking up her veins.

"Why not just kill her?" Kian asked. "Isn't that what fanatics like him do?"

"Everyone knew that she was studying abroad. If she didn't come back, he would have had some explaining to do. Instead, he had her committed to a private institution under a fake name and asked me to make her forget everything from her life in America. Once she no longer remembered what she had done abroad, the plan was to marry her off expeditiously to someone who owed him a big favor and would keep her lack of honor a secret."

Kyra shuddered at the thought. In a way, the despicable Doomer had saved her from an even worse fate. If she'd remained human, she had no doubt that her reluctant husband would have beaten her up and violated her as well in retaliation for being saddled with damaged goods, but as a human, she wouldn't have been able to escape.

"Why did Kyra's father ask that of you?" Toven asked. "Does he know who you are?"

"He's dead, but, of course, he didn't know who I was. He thought I was a powerful hypnotist because I helped him out a few times when our interests intersected."

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