Page 141 of Nemesis

And now, looking into the eyes of someone who was on the other side—and it’s truly a remarkable difference from looking at Artemis, who survived it with her mind intact—the old guilt comes rattling back.

I hate it.

I hate what I did.

He hits me.Hard. I don’t even see it coming, really, his movements brutal and efficient. He hits me until I fall, the chair coming with me, and I crash into the ground hard.

But he follows, crouching beside me and yanking at my hair.

“You and I are going to have some fun together,” he swears. “And I’m going to send a little message through you.”

I breathe through the pain. I think he cracked one of my damn ribs. “How?”

He smiles. His teeth glint, truly the mark of a fucking madman. “I’m going to put you to sleep for a long, long while.”

Fear slices through me.

His grip on my hair tightens. “No, no, easy. This isn’t a euphemism for death… although it might feel like it. I don’t know what will happen to your mind while your body sleeps. Will it be awake and aware? Will you be dreaming? So many options to consider…”

I fight against his hold, while he just laughs in my face.

“Easy,” he murmurs. “There’s still plenty of time between us before I cast you to your fate. After all, they’re still trying to find you.”

He releases me and jumps back, leaving me with my cheek pressed to the floor. Everything is at an uncomfortable angle. After a long moment, he cuts me free from the chair and yanks it away. My hands are still bound behind my back…

“Let me go,” I say. “I’m not who you have an issue with.”

He laughs. “No? I think you are. But Sterling Falls needs to burn. That’s the only way to remove the rot. Burn it down, startover fresh. But for now, let’s see how you do in my own version of Terror.”

The door slams shut behind him, and silence fills the room. I wait agonizing seconds, then push myself up to my knees. From there, it’s easy to get to my feet. I cross the room and put my back to the door. My cold, tingling fingers grasp at the handle.

It doesn’t turn. The thing doesn’t budge, even though I yank and yank with all the strength I have left. This room is small. The chair I was on and the one he used are the only pieces of furniture. Tape still hangs off of the legs of the tipped one.

And then, the lights go off, plunging me into complete darkness.

I don’t knowhow long I sit in the darkness before the light comes back on and my captor reappears. He seems distracted as he moves around the room, ignoring me completely. Straightens the chair and drags it away, then the other. He puts them against the wall.

“Do you think about death?”

I straighten. “Do I…?”

“Death, Reese Avery,” he snaps. “Do you consider it?”

“No.”

He goes to the door and hauls in a chain. It’s long and looks heavy, although his movements remain easy. Loose. There’s more muscle packed on his lean frame than I would’ve originally given him credit for. His t-shirt is loose and baggy, his pants don’t quite fit right. But it doesn’t matter.

There’s a hook on one end.

“How about we contemplate it now?” he offers. “Rather, that in-between.”

When he glances over, his eyes gleam.

“The in-between?” I frown.

“We should discuss it now,” he says. “Because that’s where you’re going, and I’d very much like to know how it differs when we meet on the other side.”

Pause.

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