Page 111 of The Devil's Wrath

Luna shook her head. “They always come when we’re sleeping. I’ve tried staying awake, but . . .” She trailed off, her eyes haunted. “It’s like they know. They wait until we’re too exhausted to resist.”

I cursed under my breath. Our captors were clever, ensuring we remained weak and disoriented. I rattled the bars of my cage, testing their strength. They held firm, unyielding against my efforts.

“Who’s Theo?” she asked.

“What?” I breathed, turning my attention back to her.

“When you were sleeping, you kept calling his name?”

“He’s . . . my fiance.”

Her eyes softened with understanding. “I’m sorry,” she said gently. She sensed my sadness and changed the subject. “So, any plans for escaping this dump?” She jangled her cage bars for emphasis. Despite our grim circumstances, there was an indomitable spark in her eyes that I admired.

I was about to respond when the loud screech of metal hinges echoed through the warehouse, causing both of us to freeze in fear. The heavy door at the room’s far end swung open, and the sound offootsteps reverberated off the concrete floor. Luna and I exchanged a worried glance.

A tall, broad-shouldered man emerged from the shadows, his features obscured by the dim lighting. He strode purposefully down the aisle, his heavy boots thudding with each step. As he drew closer, I could see the cruel set of his jaw and the cold, calculating look in his ice-blue eyes.

Igor.

The man from the bar. The same man who’d tortured Theo, leaving scars all over his body. He stopped in front of my cage, his gaze sweeping over me with amusement. “Well, well, well,” he drawled in his thick Russian accent. “Look who’s finally decided to join the land of the living.”

I glared at him, refusing to be intimidated. “What do you want, you sick bastard?” I spat.

He chuckled. “You’ll find out soon enough,malen’kaya ptichka.But first, let’s have a little chat, shall we?”

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small silver key. With a deft twist of his wrist, he unlocked the door to my cage. It swung open with a rusty creak.

“Come on out,” he ordered, his tone leaving no room for argument.

“Or what?” I argued anyway.

His eyes narrowed, his patience wearing thin. “Don’t make me ask twice.”

I took a deep breath and stepped out of the cage, my legs unsteady beneath me. He grabbed my arm roughly, his fingers digging into my skin as he yanked off the black jacket I had woken up in the cage with, tossing it to the ground before dragging me forward.

“Let’s go for a walk,” he said with a sinister grin. “We have much to discuss.”

He led me away from the cages, and I glanced back at Luna, fear etched on her face. I tried to give her a reassuring nod, but my own heart pounded wildly in my chest. His grip tightened as we approached a small room at the end of the warehouse. He shoved me inside and entered, slamming the door shut behind us. The room was bare except for a metal basin filled with water and a single metal chairbolted to the floor, its surface stained with dark, ominous splatters. Igor pushed me into the chair, yanking my arms behind my back and securing them. He circled me like a predator stalking its prey.

“Now,” he began, “this isn’t why you’re here, but let’s talk about your beloved Theo.”

My blood ran cold at the mention of his name. “What about him?” I asked, pretending to be calmer than I was.

He chuckled darkly. “Did he tell you about me?”

“Why would he? You’re insignificant to him,” I spat.

His face contorted with rage at my words. In a flash, his hand struck my cheek, the force of the blow snapping my head to the side. Pain bloomed across my face as I tasted the coppery tang of blood.

“You’d be wise to watch your tongue,” Igor snarled, leaning in close. His breath was hot against my skin, reeking of cigarettes and stale vodka. “Theo and I have unfinished business. And you, my dear, are the key to settling that score.”

I glared at him defiantly. “He’s stronger than you think.”

Igor’s lips curled into a cruel smile. “We will see about that. But first, let’s have some fun, shall we?” He turned toward the metal basin, plunging his hand into the water. “Tell me. How much does he value your life?”

I watched with growing dread as he removed his hand from the basin, water dripping from his fingers. Then, with a sadistic gleam in his eye, he turned back to me.

“Let’s find out, shall we?” he said.

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