Page 19 of Beg the Night

I did the same, suddenly feeling vulnerable seated like this.

Director entered the dungeon for the first time since I had been dragged here. Five armed, masked men followed, each holding a baton as if prepared for us to attack.

As if any of us had the energy to.

The men and their weapons weren’t what had the hair rising on the back of my neck. No, what scared me the most was the way Director stared directly at me.

I took two steps forward, my bare feet aching, only then realizing Sinner was doing the same, his expression neutral but his arms crossed. He was clearly eager for them to get to the point so they’d leave again.

Feeling was mutual.

“Athena,” Director started, “it looks like you’ve made yourself comfortable here. I trust your new roommates are being warm and welcoming?”

A few of the men around me scoffed.

I mustered a smile that probably looked more like a grimace. “They sure are,” I spat. “Just like home.”

Behind me, a man coughed a laugh. I didn’t bother turning to see who.

“I’m here to have a little chat with you,” she pushed, her fake smile dropping. “To see if you’ve changed your mind about what we discussed previously.”

Changed my mind?Did she really think I’d grown magical powers overnight? Because I was fairly certain I hadnot.

My stomach dropped. “I couldn’t change my mind if I wanted to.” The panic of the threat slowly creeped into my chest. “Like I said before, I don’t have any powers. I can’t help you.”

Flanked by her guards, Director stopped a few feet away from me, head cocked. “Such a disappointment,” she said. “I really thought you and I could work together. Be friends, even.”

Now it was my turn to choke back a laugh. Though I was tired and slightly pissed off, so I hardly succeeded.

“Don’t make me hurt you again,” she said, clearly annoyed by my response. “You wouldn’t want to damage yourself even further, would you? Scar that pretty skin? If you’re not careful, you’ll ruin any chance you have at finding a willing partner for the ritual.”

I tossed my head back and laughed.Reallylaughed. I sounded freaking psychotic, and based on the way a few of the men around me flinched, I probably looked it too. I didn’t care. “You really think I care about the claiming ritual? You really think I care what my skin looks like after being kidnapped and thrown into a dungeon? You can do whatever you want to me. I’m not a mystic.”

The room fell silent. Nobody moved. Nobody snickered this time. Even Director froze in place, taking the time to process my words.

Eventually, she pulled her shoulders back. “Fine, then,” she ordered. “I guess we’ll have to do this the hard way.”

As one of her freak guard dogs stalked toward me, I forced myself to keep my chin lifted. With a sick grin, he swung a baton, as if he was looking forward to what came next.

Margaret screamed behind me as the black steel hit my knees.

I let out a cry and fell to the dungeon floor. Pain radiated through my body, rendering me immobile. But that didn’t stop my attacker from hitting me again, his baton landing in the center of my back this time.

I fought to stay on my knees, but I would not let them break me completely. I would not let them see me crumble.

“Stop!” Margaret screamed. “What are you doing to her?”

“Athena can easily stop this,” Director replied far too coolly for the situation. “All she has to do is tell us what tier she is. As soon as we know that, we can match her with a partner for the claiming.”

The weapon struck me again, this time below my shoulder. I grunted in pain, squeezing my eyes shut to keep the tears from falling.

When I opened them again, my vision blurred, everything around me spinning. Hands roughly grasped my arms and hauled me up, then into a chair one of the guards had dragged in.

“Are you ready to fight back? Are you ready to show us what your power is?” Director asked as she loomed over me.

God, I wanted to. Maybe I would have come up with a half-decent lie if I’d had time to prepare before a blade impaled my upper thigh, the cool metal slicing through the clean pants and my flesh.

Thathurt. My vision went spotty. Air rushed from my lungs.

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