Page 57 of Love Fire

My head whips around at the sound of laughing. It’s none other than Hank. Of course. He stands over me, chuckling as if this is the funniest thing to him.

He’s a thorn on my side.

“You should have listened. You’re really screwed now,” he says.

I spit out. “I’m not scared of your threats anymore, Hank.”

“Oh what a shame. I really did enjoy your terrified expressions. You’d always listen like an obedient girl should.”

“Stop mocking me. Whatever you’re planning to do, get it over with already.”

I flinch when he suddenly grabs my hair in a fistful. I clench my jaw from the pain in my scalp. Hank gets closer to my face. The stench of cigar fills my poor nose. I refrain from gagging in fear of getting smacked.

“Listen to me and listen clearly. You ARE really screwed. I’m going to get answers from someone, whether it’s Brent Fauquier or you.”

He shoves my head in a threatening attempt. He walks away from me, getting something from a table I barely notice until now. He grabs a glass vial and starts pouring in a powder. The color looks quite familiar.

“Is that?”

Hank sneers. “Iridescence? How did you know?”

At this point, I’m struggling in my chair, desperately trying to get out. The rope he tied me in burns my wrists with the rubbing I did. I even try to lunge myself out of the chair. I can’t even tip it over.

“Maybe feeling a bit ‘better than usual’ will make you more cooperative.”

He walks back to me, holding the vile high so I can see clearly. I use my feet to tear off the rope. He even tied my palms together so I wouldn’t be able to use magic. I’m caught in a mousetrap.

He continues. “Either that or once you’re in withdrawals and desperate for another hit, you’ll talk out of desperation.”

He turns towards the doors and whistles. More of Hank’s guys come in. With just a motion of his thick head, the men tip the chair back. One of them pull my head back with brute strength.

Hank dumps the whole vial of powder into my nose. I try to throw off both their hands. I even tried to snort out the contents, but they went all the way into my sinuses.

Fuck me. Fuck all. God, this can’t be happening.

As much as I try to resist its power, it already hits me. The euphoric qualities swarm my body. I haven't forgotten this feeling yet. I thought I’d have the same reaction as Brent when he first tried it.

This is dangerous. I can feel my body getting comfortable with this sensation. Four years of hard work went to waste. What if I can’t stop myself next time?

It’ll be another vicious cycle. If I relapse, everything Brent and I fought for wouldn’t matter. Don’t even get me started on my addictive behaviors. I’ll undoubtedly lose him and my siblings for good.

I’ll never escape my father.

I take deep breaths to still have a hold on myself. Though my limbs feel like they’re floating in thin air, my mind’s still intact. For now.

Brent. Where’s Brent? I wasn’t able to see him or my brother when Hank captured me. I left them alone fending off a group of guards.

Brent could still be weak. What if they got him again? Where is he? Where is he?

47

BRENT

Iknew I’d kill them all. All those guards got exactly what was coming for them. I continue to beat my wings and survey the battlefield. I can feel my strength leaving me, but I was still victorious. The only one left standing below me is Nate.

Wait… That can’t be right. Where is- NO! I scan the ground, thankfully the only dead bodies are the guards. But still, where the hell is she?

“FUCK!” I shift back into my human form, the last guard’s body still smoldering. My knees wobble but I stay up, now is not the time for weakness. “ERIN?”

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