Page 12 of Her Tortured Beasts

I must have let out a louder sigh than I thought, because suddenly, all eyes flick to me.

“And now it begins,” says Flores Drakos with a cold smile.

“What exactly?” Xander asks, looking up from the folder.

“The testing. Mace doesn’t care for it, but I do. I want to see exactly what the Boneweaver can do. Take her down to the team. They have work to do.”

It’s funny that dread does not coil through me at Flores’ cold words. This is what I’d expected, after all. Not this sit-in-the-corner-dog-bowl-business. So it’s almost with relief that I rise from my spot as Xander comes to hook his magic golden chain to my collar.

“Bye, woof woof!” the two hatchlings cry. “Bye!”

I turn and manage to get in a wave before I’m tugged out the door.

Ten minutes later, I’m being led into the Drakos entrance hall, where the team of sharp-eyed serpents anxiously wait in their nasty, starched lab coats.

“We’re happy to take it from here, Lord Drakos,” a bald serpent says, stepping forward and holding his hand out expectantly.

“Oh you’rehappy,are you?” Xander sneers, making no move to hand over the chain. I stare in surprise at the sheer venom in his tone. “It ismyprisoner.Iwill oversee the study.”

I’m under zero illusions that Xander might be doing this under some altruistic need to protect me. The tightness of his shoulders, the arrogance of his stance and loathing in the shape of his mouth, tell me this is a territorial, possessive, dragon asserting his authority.

If I’m not mistaken, the returned Drakos heir will be at his worst around these potential threats to his home. I know because it’s something I would do in his position.

“O-Of course,” the scientist replies, inclining his head and hiding the flash of fear over his face as he remembers who he’s dealing with.

A beast cold enough to not only reject, but betray his regina.

The scientists lead us out of the entrance hall and through corridors, into a side passageway that slopes underground. I’m suddenly reminded of Animus Academy as a magical hiss sounds and flames splutter to life in the wall sconces to our leftand right. The stones of the walls and floor are a complete matte black, allowing the threads of gold woven through them to be easily seen by firelight.

It also makes for a blinding contrast as we eventually turn into the completely white room fronted with rhino-proof glass that still smells of fresh paint.

My heart skips a beat. Okay,a fewunhealthybeats as I lay eyes on the obviously newly built testing facility. There are three rows of chairs in front of the glass wall, and no less than five computers next to them.

A place like this filled my nightmares as a teenager. Had always been at the back of my mind, flashing like a warning siren. The entire reason I had to keep my secret like my life depended on it. The reason I’d had to run away from my mates in the first place.

Now the very man who’d warned me about this happening is subjecting me to it. My father is nowhere to be seen, but here I am, willingly walking into my wildest nightmare. Perhaps I have more control over my destiny than I gave myself credit for.

I don’t regret finding my mates. Not now, not ever. And I don’t regret protecting my friends either, especially not after what happened to Sabrina. No one else will ever suffer for my father’s want for me.

This was my choice,isstill my choice, and at least, I can hold on to that as my heart thunders in my ears.

Her name was Athena Boneweaver and she will get her revenge.

“We will recommence the sampling protocol,” the bald, middle-aged serpent, apparently the leader of this team, says. “Miss Boneweaver, sit on this table.”

Well, at least someone around here is using my name. The whole ‘It’ thing Xander and his dad have going is already starting to get on my nerves. Xander snaps his wrist with the usualamount of irritation, and the cold chain roughly snaps off my neck, retracting back into his gold bangle.

Exhaling through my nose, I oblige the scientist and stride into the room and towards the table like I’m not terrified out of my feathers. Even through my new dress, the steel is cold against my ass as I sit on it, but it’s nothing compared to the cold that captures my heart as five tall figures in black military uniform stalk in and seat themselves on the other side of the glass as if ready for a show.

Five skeleton masks cover the lower halves of their faces, and the fifth, the biggest of them, has pulled his mask up all the way to cover his entire face. I feel Ghoul’s eyes on me as a scientist jabs a needle into the inside of my elbow and takes another vial of blood. Xander, on the other hand, has the audacity to be seated behind Ghoul, concentrating on his phone, the glow of the screen illuminating his scowling lips.

I tear my eyes off all the bastards as the serpents in lab coats bustle around me, no doubt feeling very important as they commence this highly lucrative research. I wonder what their paper will be titled.

“So what’s next?” I ask, noticing, for the first time the scientists are wearing name tags. “Solomon?” He’s ordering people around with the importance of the head honcho.

He’s surprised that I’ve spoken to him directly, faint brows rising. “We’ve taken samples from your human vehicle, now we want to sample your other forms.”

Ice spreads through my veins. Of course they do. “Right,” I say stiffly. “Which is first?”

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