Chapter 4

Larkin

Something was different today, and it wasn't just because I sensed others in the adjoining cells in this block.

It was something I felt as soon as I woke up, this tension in the air, a rolling, sick feeling that had my stomach tightening and my instincts rising.

But everything had gone as it normally did. They took me out of my cell, humiliated me in front of a room full of humans for their "session," and now here I was, being taken back to my cell, all my energy gone, my strength depleted, so I just let them drag me like I was a rag doll.

But in my mind, I was somewhere else far, far away. I thought about memories of my mother and father, how my ma fussed over making sure I ate all my supper. I pictured my father, who was a master carpenter and was also working on a new project.

And then I imagined I was sitting on a boulder in a grassy knoll, staring at the clear sky, smelling the fresh flowers and grass, and listening as the wind blew through the treetops. And sitting right beside me was Odhran, his strong presence a silent companion that gave me more strength in these dark times than anyone would ever know.

I smiled a secret smile, one no one else could see because my head lolled forward, and my hair was a curtain hanging around me.

They could take a lot of things from me, but what they could never steal was the memories, the happiness that I clung on to with the last of my energy.

They opened the cell and unceremoniously dropped me onto the cot before leaving and locking me back in.

I breathed out roughly and sensed someone in the adjoining cell, but my mind was so foggy I couldn't make out what species they were.

"Come on. You know Tore doesn't want anyone messing with her," one of the guards muttered. "He's already gonna be pissed about her face."

When I heard the door shut, I groaned and lifted a hand to rub my eyes. I wanted to get cleaned up, to wash away the sweat, dirt, and blood.A long moment of silence stretched out, and I felt the person in the cell beside mine staring at me, the focus a heavy weight.

"Assholes," I said hoarsely, and shifted on the bed, groaning, and forced myself to rise.

"I believe the term ‘asshole' is kind of a compliment compared to those guys."

I looked over at the sound of a very clear, female voice. I blinked until I could focus on her. She was human, with long dark hair and a slender form. She also looked pissed, which had me smiling.

She stood there, staring at me, not saying anything else for a while. I was sure I looked like I crawled out from under a rock.

"Are you okay?"She took a step closer but then stopped.

I lifted a hand to push the heavy fall of my hair away from my face. "I'm okay. Thanks for asking." I glanced at the ground. "I can't remember the last time someone asked me that."

The female reached out to grab the bars, but after a second, she let go and looked at her hands, turning them over. She lifted her palms again and hesitantly touched the bars, her brows pulled down in confusion.

"Magically enforced. It keeps everyone in order. Since you're human, it doesn't have the same effect, because you're weaker and can't break or bend the metal." I supplied her with what was clearly confusing her. I knew she could probably feel something when she touched the bars, but it wouldn't be painful. Maybe just a low-level hum.

I stood and took a couple of steps toward her. "It lets the big boys know their place here and who's in charge." It was clear I was confusing her even more.

"Where am I?"

I exhaled again, lifted a hand to grab my hair that was tangled and in need of a good wash, and started braiding it to keep it from getting even more wild. "You don't know where you're at?" I stared at her. "In hell, sweetheart," I said with a pained voice. "At least I assume this is what hell would feel like."

"God," she whispered.

I laughed softly and shook my head. "Do I look that bad?" I tried to keep a hint of teasing in my voice, because I could see she was on the verge of freaking out. "Actually, don't answer that. I haven't looked at my reflection in… gods, I don't know how long." I lifted my hand and touched my mouth, feeling how swollen the corner was, knowing it was bloody because I tasted copper on my tongue.

"I'm sorry."

I shook my head. "They want to remind me who has the power." I shrugged and dropped my hand to my side.

"Would the two of you shut the fuck up?" a deep, distorted voice barked out, and the female jumped.

"Bane, mind your business," I said to the male, seeing how frightened the human was.

"Who's that?"

We were silent for a moment, listening to the shuffling and growling coming from the other cells, followed by the males speaking their native tongues. I walked over to the wall closest to the bars and leaned against it. "Demon. Although they haven't been bunked in my block since…" I thought about it. "Since I don't know. A long time. They are a pain in the ass most of the time—at least they are when I've encountered them. And that one—" I gestured out of the cell, "—he's the loudest."

She closed her eyes and clenched her hands at her sides.

"You're in the holding cells for an organization that likes to torture, kill, maim… all of the above and more."

She looked at me. "An organization?"

"They call themselves the Assembly." I tried to keep my voice light, but I heard the tightness in it. Bile rose in my throat by just saying the organization name. "What's your name?"

"Kayla. Yours?"

I rested my head back and stared at the stone ceiling, swallowing as I realized this was the first time I'd had an actual conversation with someone that didn't involve taunts and insults thrown at me. "Larkin. What's the year?"

"The year?"

I nodded without looking at her, and when she told me, I felt shock fill every part of me.

"Gods," I whispered and closed my eyes. "So long. So much time has passed." Of course I knew many years had passed since I'd been taken, but I hadn't realized just how long it had been.

"You never tried to escape?"

Bane, the clearly nosy male, barked out a harsh laugh. "Fucking escape?" he roared, and suddenly a pound-pound-pound-pound sounded.

I exhaled. "He clearly has no self-control. The males in the Otherworld don't." Pound-pound-pound. "I tried escaping. More than once, but you learn fast in this place that if even Bane, a demon the size of a house, can't bust out of here, then what's the point?" I looked at Kayla then. "But I tried. I really did… until I just stopped trying."

"What are you? Who are you?" she whispered.

I stared at Kayla and smiled, but I knew it was sad, maybe hopeless. "I'm no one. I haven't been important to anyone for a long time." I exhaled a shaky breath. "You're human but must be someone's mate if they have you."

She nodded. "Adryan."

I didn't know who that was, but it didn't matter. Nothing mattered when they had you.

"And you?" she asked, but I just gave her another sad smile.

"I'd get some sleep. Since you're new, they'll be coming for you sooner rather than later." I pushed away from the wall and went to the cot, lying down and getting some rest before they came back for me.