Vikki

My head swims. I'm not sure how long I've been in this dank hole, but I do know I am absolutely freezing as well as being completely filthy. My dirt-streaked hair falls into my face, and I attempt to flick it back because my hands are bound. It makes me feel sick.

Why hasn't Max come for me? Is this all part of the bet? Was it all about the bet?

These questions have run riot in my brain whenever I'm conscious, which isn't that often, given the wraith appears out of nowhere on a regular basis and I cannot get away from its cloying influence. Each time it knocks me out, I feel a little part of me is missing, but I don't know what.

The door to my cell clicks, and despite everything, I look up, hopeful. Those hopes are dashed when I see a tall, beautiful werewolf bitch glaring at me. Her long tawny hair falls down her back in silky waves and the dark, expensive clothing she's wearing clings to her like a second skin.

"What the fuck am I supposed to do with this?" she growls back over her shoulder. "It's damaged."

Vulzal appears in the doorway. "She'll clean up real nice, I promise," he says. "I can't wait to both win my bet and deal with Maxim once and for all."

"What?" I query, my voice cracking and my word slurring. "This is about business?"

Vulzal strides over to me, grabbing my hair and pulling me painfully to my feet. "Everything is about business, my dear. I'd have thought you'd have learnt such a lesson a long time ago, when my associate took your money."

"That was you?" I gasp through the pain.

"You and many others. You don't get to be where I am by being nice." Vulzal snarls. "Maxim will be destroyed, along with his company and precious library," he says with a disgusted twist of his lip. "About time."

I roll my eyes.

"Whatever. If you want to have a dick swinging contest with Max, fine. But you don't need to involve me," I say with a sigh.

Vulzal gets right into my face. "Oh, but I do, little female. Just consider yourself lucky I don't want to sample something Maxim has already used."

He sticks out a dark tongue and licks up the side of my face. I manage, just, not to be sick. No matter what I do, I'm not getting out of this situation. Which means I don't have to make it easy for anyone else.

"Fine." I bring my knee up as swiftly and as hard as I can, connecting with something squashy. Vulzal lets out a yell and throws me away from him. "I wouldn't touch you if you were the last male creature in any of the worlds" I spit out as I hit the wall and slide onto the floor, glaring at the werewolf who, I notice, has a smirk on her face.

"Fuck." Vulzal straightens and rubs at his crotch. "Fucking bitch." In a single stride, he reaches me, raising his hand.

I don't flinch.

"Wait," the werewolf says. "If you want her to sell, she needs to be relatively intact."

Vulzal snorts like a bull, his single-colored eye blazing at me. I'm not sure whether he's going to follow through or not. Then he drops his hand.

"Get her ready," he growls, turning on his heel and stalking out of the room, pushing the werewolf aside.

She snarls under her breath as he leaves, then her dark brown eyes glitter nastily at me. This is not going to be pleasant. Even if she did stop Vulzal from hitting me, I'm beginning to suspect it's so she can exact her vengeance.

"Get up," she says.

I stare at her for a beat, then slowly, painfully, I comply.

"Come with me."

She grabs the bond around my wrists and winds a leather leash around them. Pulling it over her shoulder, she drags me out of the cell as I stumble behind her down a dark corridor, around a couple of sharp corners. I bang my shoulders off each one, but each time I cry out, I'm pulled harder, until the corridor opens out into a larger room with a low vaulted ceiling. It has a dirty odor which, despite the fact I'm not exactly clean myself, has me wrinkling my nose.

"Don't worry, you'll not care much about this place for long." The werewolf snarls. "Stand over there." She shoves me into a small alcove. "Strip."

"How?" I hold out my hands.

"You'll manage. Do it or I'll do it for you." She extends a hand with vicious claws sprouting from the ends.

I don't let my eyes leave her as I pull down my pants, then lift my top over my head until it's dangling around my wrists. She whips out a hand and the garment is shredded.

I get a cursory look up and down, then she reaches up and pulls a hose down from above. With no warning, she turns it on, and I'm blasted with icy water. My shriek of surprise rings around the ceiling. The drenching lasts what seems like forever. By the time the water switches off, I'm shivering so hard I can hardly stand.

The leash is jerked again, and I'm pulled through a doorway into a smaller room filled with clothing. There's a long table covered in bits of makeup. But what's worse is the tray filled with hypodermics. I take a step back and my back is against the werewolf. Whiskers tickle my ear.

"You've no choice, human. This is it. Don't fight it."

I kick out behind me, but my ankle is caught in a clawed hand, and I'm pulled off my feet, falling hard on my chest and knocking the wind out of myself. The werewolf stands over me, putting her foot on my back, and a needle flashes in the light.

"I said don't fight it. This is inevitable. You're not going to like your new life, but at least you'll be living." She gives me an unpleasant, fanged smile and plunges the syringe into my arm.