Page 364 of Blood and Ruin: The Complete Series

Last thing I remember was the cave and fighting the demons in the pit with Jax, then everything went black.

Is this really my room or just another one of their games?

I move over to the door, but it’s locked. I slam my foot against it a couple of times but unlike my actual room, the door stays in place as if I barely touched it.

So just another game then.

Fucking Ivor and Soren. I don’t know what they’re playing at, but when I get the fuck out of here, they’re going to be playingmygames. The kind where both of them become nothing but fucking ash.

I try to shift, but just like in the cave or that room, it’s useless. I can’t even hear my dragon making me feel more alone than I have in a long time.

I shake off my weak ass thoughts and head for the window, ready to smash my way out, but just like the door, it barely fucking shakes.

Over these shitty games, I start upending the room, thrashing my bed and drawers but within seconds it’s back to normal, as if the room was never touched.

Damn it.

Glancing around the room brings back a shit ton of memories I thought were well buried, making me feel like that weak little boy all over again. The one who just wanted someone to fucking love him.

Fuck,I would’ve taken someone who justcared.

“It’s because you were never enough.”

What the—I whip around trying to find the voice, but there’s no one in this shitty room but me.

“Let me the fuck out!” I wait but the sound of my heavy breathing is my only reply. I’m about to upend the room again, if only to release some of this pent-up energy when the fucker speaks again.

“You’re never getting out of here.”It’s followed by a chuckle, making me want to rip the entire house apart before burning it to the ground.

“Fuck you! I’m over your fucking games. Come out and let’s end this.”

The chuckle grows before disappearing. I’m seething by the time it speaks up again.

“You were never enough.”The rage drains from me, turning to ice at the sound of Luka’s voice. But it couldn’t be him. There’s no way Luka would talk to me like that.

“Maybe not to your face.”The voice changes to Jax’s, laughing once again. But this time the anger doesn’t come, instead his words hit too close to home as they drag up old doubts and fears.

“I’m sick of your bullshit. I’m over it. You should have never been part of this family.”

I squeeze my eyes tight, shaking my head.

It’s just their mind games. It’s not real. Luka would never…

But that little doubt in the back of my head grows louder with the voices until the fears and doubts I hide deep within rise to the surface like a fucking tidal wave.

“Stop it.”

“You know it’s true.”This time the voice is Kai’s and fuck if it doesn’t hurt even more coming from him.

“We never wanted you to be a part of our family. It was pity that made us take you in. Nothing more. It’s time for you to leave.”

“Fuck. Off.” My hands are shaking as I fist them, my entire body as stiff as a board as I try to get the fuck out of the mental trap I placed myself in.

Kai would never say that. I’m their family, their brother.

“You’re nothing.”It’s Rion this time announcing my fears before changing to the others.

“You meant nothing when you were born, and you’re still nothing.”Louder and louder their voices get until I can’t take it anymore. The voices become too much, all sounding like my fucking worse nightmares coming to life.

---