Page 41 of Capturing Sin

“I work through the compounds as provided to me by Martin.” I met my uncle’s gaze, tone level, as I stifled a smirk at throwing the blame onto my callous boss. “Results will come, but the timeline is out of my control.”

“And how often have you been running these tests?” His voice turned deceptively soft.

He already knew the answer. Not much happened in this hellhole that he didn’t know about. Or in my life, for that matter. It wouldn’t surprise me if more cameras turned up around my apartment after this.

“Every other day.” I fought the need to fidget under his unyielding scrutiny.

Doing so would only make me look guilty, and I’d done nothing wrong. That he knew of.

His thin lips pursed. “You will increase to daily feedings.”

My lips parted before I could catch the gesture. “That will be…draining.” I chose my words carefully, but his expression soured, and I knew I was about to regret my decision.

“You’ll get a little tired? What about the hunters dying out on the streets every night to actually save people? They’re more than just drained,” he hissed, fist thudding on the desk between us. “We must sacrifice to rid this world of the evil scourge, Liliana. Now more than ever with this spike in demonic attacks. Your father would be ashamed.”

His words had the intended effect, slicing through me to add to the shame that already festered within.

My uncle never missed his mark.

Disgust twisted his features. “If you’re too weak for the job, I’ll send someone to assist.”

I swallowed down the panic. “No, Prime, forgive me. I can handle this. I won’t let you down again.”

His expression hardened into a chilling mask. “Perhaps some financial incentive will help.”

My blood ran cold.

“When you get results, you’ll get a bonus. Until then, you’re on half pay.”

I was already on minimum wage. Not that employment laws really concerned my uncle, given the other crimes his organisation committed. Crimes I myself was guilty of.

I could barely afford rent and two pathetic meals a day while saving for my great escape. Even if I stopped squirrelling away a pittance for a freedom fund, I was going to struggle to live on that wage.

And he knew it.

Dreams of being free burned to ash around me.

It wouldn’t be cheap to leave the country discreetly, hopping around and leaving false trails until he lost me completely. Even then, I’d need to hole up somewhere remote, completely off-grid until he gave up the search.

I wanted to smash his face in with my chair. Not just once, but repeatedly. Until his smug face turned to pulp. To split flesh and gushing blood.

Maybe then I would finally be free of him.

But he was always expecting an attack. In my weakened state, there was no way I’d be able to hit him before he unsheathed a knife or gun and maimed me.

I stuffed the violent need deep down into the pit of things I couldn’t deal with.

Instead, I nodded mutely, accepting my punishment like the obedient creature I hated. I knew how his mind worked. Any protest would cut my pay further or double the feeding schedule.

This wasn’t my first time in hell.

“Get out.” He jerked his chin towards the door.

I held my breath, rising on silent feet, exiting without a word. I made it all the way down the hall and into the bathroom, turning the lock behind me, before I made a sound.

A single sob clawed its way free. I braced over the sink, trying to breathe through the panic. My whole body shook, fuzzing my reflection in the vanity.

I blinked furiously, willing the tears back.

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