Page 5 of Witches Be Damned

Styx’s waxy fingers wrapped around the back of my neck, making Raze growl. “You’re not getting your magick to use against us, so don’t ask again, witch.” He shoved me away, and my chest bounced against the desk, knocking the wind from me, and my wolf thundered.

Point taken, loud and clear.

I tried to form words. Tried to unscramble my brain. Tried to work beyond the burn in my nerves and body. Tried to swallow with my parched throat. Tried to operate with my pinched skin in desperate need of water in my veins.

I swallowed, barely getting anything down over my thick tongue. “Can I have some water, please? I’ve got a headache.”

The vampires weren’t very hospitable when it came to their prisoners. No wonder the doctor they kidnapped didn’t find anything, though her genetic research looked promising.

Styx barked something, and one of his soldiers grabbed me a bottle of water from a fridge and slammed it on the table.

“Thank you.” I uncapped it, took a long pull and recapped it, setting it aside to examine the numbers and words on the computer screen to get bearings on the test results I completed yesterday.

I tapped my finger on the side of the keyboard, bringing together all the pieces I knew so far, and to the best of my ability given my current circumstances. Genetic markers collected by Dr. Jeffries showed the vamps had a defect that prevented their young from reaching adulthood to continue breeding, culling their numbers. Experiments she conducted aimed to synthesize a serum that prevented the vampires’ inevitable extinction. Injection of six serum batches failed to correct this abnormality, and the vamps grew desperate and violent for salvation.

Head in my palm, I reviewed the data for the third time to see where she went wrong and determine if I could correct it. Every step she took agreed with the science. The experiments should have worked. Why didn’t they? I leaned back in my chair and yawned.

The movement prompted Raze to rumble behind me, a wolf letting his mate know he was near.

I used all my self-control not to twist in my chair and smile at him. I didn’t want to feed the vamps any more ammo to use against me. I flicked some finger signals we used on missions.

Wait for my signal.

Stay safe.

I crushed my fingers into my hands, hoping he deciphered them correctly in his out-of-it state under the human tranquilizer, which wasn’t strong enough to knock him all the way out, given his Lycan blood.

Raze grunted at my communication, and I took that as his acceptance.

I had to find a way out of here. A weakness to exploit to get my magick cuffs off me and eliminate the threat to our lives. Get Raze back to Luna and her crew and get my ass back to the Guardians.

Another hour passed, according to the time on the computer. I took a quick break, threw back some water, rubbed my forehead, and climbed from my chair to stretch my complaining back.

Styx thumped over to me. “What did you find, Little Witch?”

“Nothing. I’ve reviewed Dr. Jeffries’ notes and can’t find a mistake—” A hand clamped on my throat and cut off my air, silencing the rest of my sentence.

“Get him out,” Styx ordered. “Give the witch some incentive!”

“No, please,” I croaked. “Don’t hurt him. Hurt me. I failed you!”

Styx's second-in-command dragged Raze from his cage and placed electrodes on his forehead. My wolf’s muscles twitched but didn’t respond to his commands as he roared. Electric current pumped into him, every muscle in his body flexing, his neck straining, eyes rolling back in his head, agony sprawled across his features. I felt every spasm and agony in my heart and soul. If they kept doing this, they’d kill my big, bad wolf.

“No, please, don’t!” I wriggled in Styx’s neck hold, a child fighting an adult far more powerful and larger. “You’re hurting him. I’ll find your cure. Just give me a chance!”

Empty words when I reviewed the data. Something was missing. A test with critical science Dr. Jeffries missed.

The current ceased, and Raze groaned, his body spasming.

Styx grabbed me by the hair and hissed, “Get me the answers I seek, Little Witch, or the next time we switch on this machine, your wolf is dead.”

I glared into those bloodshot, baleful eyes of my captor. “I told you, I need my magick. Otherwise, this process could take me months. I’m slowed down by the drugs, that’s why I asked you to take the cuffs off. There’s something missing in the data.”

Good work, Astra.

Play on their fears. They could be dead in a matter of months. Coax them into releasing your wrists and get the fuck out of here.

Styx gestured to his soldier, and the lanky creature stalked over to me and treated me to the same shock as Raze. Fire scorched every muscle, and my brain felt incinerated to ash. Involuntary contractions racked my entire body. The current ended, and my nerves sighed with relief, the fire still raging.

---