Page 66 of Trapped to Tame
The decision of where to begin made for him, Drax descended into the cellar slowly, keeping an eye out the front, knowing that Priest was at least doing his duty and watching behind them.
As soon as he reached the bottom, Drax grunted, falling to his knees with a thud as his strength was ripped away in an instant. He heard Fie and Priest fall as well, and a light enveloped them.
‘What have we caught here?’ a male voice said from the shadows. ‘Three fae poking their noses where they don’t belong.’
Drax saw that they were in the middle of a crude circle of stones. They'd been caught in some kind of conjuring net.
‘Who the fuck are you?’ he snarled.
‘Talik. Did little Eve not tell you about me? I’m hurt.’ He grinned. ‘I’m your slave’s true master.’
Chapter 10
Eve
Eve's eyes snapped open as she woke on a gasp. It couldn't be true. It couldn't be true. She looked around frantically. She was on a filthy pallet on the floor in a corner. Her wrists were chained with iron.
She struggled into a sitting position, looking around for the Bull. He was here, she’d seen him in the crowd. And where the Bull was, Talik was. Why were they in Kitore? Surely, they hadn’t made the journey in search of her. She wasn’t worth that much to Talik.
Eve rubbed her chest. Besides the weakness from the iron, her heart pained her. She felt hollow, as if something important had been ripped away. She recognized what little was left. This was how she’d felt for all those years in the rings when the fights were her only companion. The warmth she had felt was gone and there was only a cold void in its place.
The bond had been broken. She had fulfilled her purpose and they’d released her and themselves just as they’d said. That had been the agreement.
Eve didn't know why that made her want to rail and sob, but it did. She didn't have the strength to do either though, so she lay her head down on the dirty, stinking pallet and let her tears fall now while she was alone.
She wondered if they’d drag her back to the town or simply kill her after the Bull was finished with her, for no doubt Talik would reward his pet for finding her.
The door was unlocked and the boss himself strolled in, looking as immaculate as he always did.
‘Eve,’ he drawled, and she looked up at him, thrusting out her chin. ‘You've caused me no end of annoyance.’
She noticed the hulking figure of the Bull come into the room behind him, staying in the shadows and leaving the door ajar. Talik ignored him, but she could not and, though she tried to hide her body’s shaking, the beast noticed her instinctive cowering and looked pleased at her blatant terror of him.
‘But now we’ve found you again,’ Talik continued, stepping forward, and bending down to touch her face.
Eve lunged at him and tried to bite him, but he pushed her back down to the floor easily, the chains doing their work well.
‘Still that same fire,’ he chuckled, taking hold of her wrists, ‘and even stronger than before despite the improved grade of iron. You’re going to make me a lot of money in this city, but,’ he looked back at Bull, ‘it's time to be reminded of your place.’
He let her hands fall and gave her cheek a light slap, turning towards the Bull still waiting behind him. ‘Torment her however you like. You've earned it.’
The Bull’s expression made dread coil in her belly as Talik left the room, closing the door behind him with a final, awful bang. The Bull approached her, and, to her shame, she shrank away.
He lifted her by the bonds around her wrists until her feet came off the floor and she hung in front of him like a rat by its tail.
‘Such fine clothes you have now,’ he said softly, wrenching her tunic open and watching her face to see how much he scared her, but she showed nothing, raising her head in defiance.
He brought her closer to him, his foul breath landing on her as he kissed her hard on the lips and then he bit her brutally enough for her to squeal. She felt blood dripping down her chin and let out a stuttering breath.
‘There’s that fear,’ he breathed, ‘and I'll see so much more of it before this day is done. You know I always keep my promises, Eve, and I vow you are going to be weeping at my feet by the time I’m finished with you … in front of those friends of yours.’
Eve’s stomach dropped at the Bull’s words. Friends? The Brothers werehere? Had they been in league with Talik all along? Had they delivered her back to him now that they no longer needed her? Despite her promise to herself, tears came to her eyes at the thought.
‘What friends?’ she croaked, feigning ignorance.
‘The three downstairs,’ he laughed, not believing her for a moment.
‘Not my friends,’ she snorted, looking away.
