Page 64 of Their Blood Rite

Smack.

‘Two.’

‘This is fucking sick. Even for me,’ Archie mutters, taking my hand as I count. I bury my face and try to pull away. ‘She’s programmed to be hurt, or she can’t breathe?’

He grips my hand as if in encouragement and comfort.

Smack.

‘Three…’ I breathe, the harsh slap radiating through my entire body. Sweat builds on my brow, and my fingernails dig into his palm. He only holds me tighter. ‘This is so humiliating.’

‘Don’t you dare feel shame. Not for this.’

After every blow, I count. Shaw hits me hard, but not as hard as he could. And nowhere near as hard as my father would.

There’s pain. There has to be pain, or it doesn’t count.

Tears spill mercilessly down my cheeks, and I fall limp, lost to the pain and the utter shame of this whole thing. Laid over his knees and being spanked by my kidnapper.

Smack.

‘Six…’ I whimper.

His palm rests on my backside, giving me a firm caress.

‘Relax,’ he says gently before delivering another blow, making me whimper. ‘Count, Pixie.’

‘S-Seven.’

Smack.

Dorian growls and paces the room. ‘Not so hard,’ he snaps.

‘It’s as hard as it needs to be without leaving a mark.’

Eight.Smack.Nine.Smack.

I can’t even move.

I have nothing left. No sobs. No screams. Silent tear after silent tear falls.

Smack.

‘Ten,’ I whisper through my dry throat.

I go to move away. But Shaw holds me down.

‘Stay still, Pixie,’ he orders, pulling down my dress. ‘Just stay still and catch your breath. You’re okay.’

‘Okay?’ Archie hisses. ‘She’s not okay. Have you seen the state of her body? Those scars go back years.’

‘I see it, Arch. I had no idea the covens still did this. It was outlawed.’

‘This isn’t what was supposed to happen, Ronan. She’s not what she’s supposed to be. A brat. A cold-hearted, lying, entitled princess. A blood witch. Just like the others were. Evil and cold. That’s what you said. She’s sobbing, Shaw. She’s so afraid, I can smell it. She's so… broken.’

‘Archie. Now is not the time.’

‘When is the time, Ronan? When she tries to cut her throat as she hides under one of our beds? After someone triggers her, and we have to beat the hell out of her before she suffocates? Or maybe when a spirit possesses her? She’s been given Skullcap wine. We all know what that stuff does and why it’s used. I was okay with keeping her locked up when she was the enemy, but she’s not the enemy, Ronan. She’s not like the others.’

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