“Wait, there may be something we can do.”
“If you say wait, I may fucking hit you.”
“No, no, I wasn’t going to suggest that.”
“Then what?”
“I need you to watch my body. I need to travel to the underworld. Asmodeus may be able to wake Avery or give enough energy to her at least. I am not strong enough to wake her.”
“You want to bring her father here?”
“Yes, but it’s harder for him. He will have to break down the barrier between this world and his.”
“How long will that take?”
“I don’t know, but if we can bring him up, even if he can’t wake Avery, he will be able to find Lucy and Ace,” Aamon said, and I glanced toward the doors.
Chapter eighty-nine
Lucy
I had lost consciousness quickly, the bullet in my shoulder taking the last of my strength, and I woke in a delirious state to Alpha Jamie dragging Ace into a small cell. He was bleeding profusely and unconscious still. I groaned, trying to move my hands to find them tied to a chair. It was hot, ridiculously hot, and I could feel each pump of my heart feel the blood pass thickly through each chamber. Hearing a whimper, I saw Melana’s battered body on the ground. I blinked, trying to clear my double vision, but it didn’t work. Jamie was talking softly to a woman who seemed mad about something.
“They got through my wards. I am not ready yet. Make sure it doesn’t happen again,” the woman said.
“It won’t. Have you awoken his wolf yet?”
“No, the boy passed out, but he is stronger than he looks. Hopefully, his sister might entice his beast out of him.” The woman laughed, and she turned. I dropped my head quickly, pretending to remain unconscious when I heard a baby cry. My head instantly snapped up, and I looked around for Ryden, spotting him in a crate crying.
“That thing ever stop whining?” the woman hisses, and I growled at her, turning her attention to me.
“Well, aren’t you a clever little thing? Using the mind link to find your brother, perfect timing, really. Your brother has been quite a pain in my ass.” She stepped aside, and I spotted Rayan tied to a chair in the center of the room, next to a huge cauldron. Burn ran up his arms and chest, and he had a slash down his face. A pool of blood sat at his feet, congealed.
Lucille was no longer present, and I struggled feebly against my restraints, but it was no use. I could barely keep my head up, let alone do anything. The heat running through me made my blood feel like lava in my veins. The woman walked over to Rayan and slapped his face a few times, trying to rouse him awake.
“Wakey wakey, you have a visitor,” she said, and Rayan stirred, drooling blood down his small bare chest.
“Don’t touch him!” I yelled, but it came out more of a murmur. The woman laughed.
“Like this?” she asked, picking up a hot poker from the cauldron and running it down his chest. Rayan instantly jolted awake and screamed. I tried to break my restraints, tears running down my face when she pulled it away from him. Rayan breathed heavily, glaring up at her before his lips parted and his eyes fell on me.Ifailed him. I failed him terribly.
“Lucy?” he breathed.
“I’m right here,” I gasped.
“Good thing too, or your brother was taking a dip in the cauldron,” the woman said, turning toward me with the hot poker. I gritted my teeth when she pressed the poker against my stomach. Rayan thrashed. I felt my skin melt against my shirt, where she prodded before the skin broke. She pierced my skin, the poker plunging into my abdomen, and I choked on my screams and thrashed with all my might. Rayan screamed for her to stop when the door opened. The woman pulled the poker from my stomach, and my head rolled to the side to look at the door. Josie walked in and stopped in her tracks. Her eyes went to me, and a cruel smile split onto her face before it faltered when her eyes darted to her sister. Her mouth opened and closed.
“Melana?” she whispered and rushed to her, dropping on her knees beside her.
“What did you do, you bitch?” she sneered at the witch.
“Your sister was caught driving along the road, so my question is, why is she here?” the woman said to her.
“You said she would be left out of it. You promised not to harm her. We had a deal,” Josie snarled at Alpha Jamie. The woman laughed, cackling loudly and holding her tummy. She was a grotesque-looking thing, and Josie stood, pointing an accusing finger at her.
“What did you do to her?”
“Nothing. Jamie’s men found her, you twit. She came in like that with these two,” she said, pointing to Ace and me. Ryden started crying again and the woman got mad.