Page 48 of Captured Immune

Victor ignores me as he shoves Arella toward the Asian woman.

The flames between my fingers flicker.

“Hold hands with Pixie,” Victor orders.

Pixie grabs Arella’s hand and keeps her there.

“Ruby, do your thing on Pixie.”

Screaming, Pixie falls to her knees. The stings mirror onto my body for a second before I draw back my Empath power to avoid it.

“Stop!” Pixie shouts.

Ruby drops her hand immediately.

Pixie lets go of Arella’s hand and pants. “Jesus fucking Christ! Couldn’t you have gone easy on me?”

Ruby grits her teeth together apologetically. “Sorry, Pix. That was on my lowest power.”

Victor points at Ruby. “Go hold the Ordinary’s hand.”

With a few clicks of her heels, Ruby does what she’s told. Once her hand is joined with Arella’s, Pixie is ordered to blow at her. Ruby shrieks toward the ceiling, clutching one of her ears, until the pain stops.

“Sorry, Roobs,” Pixie mimics. “That was on my lowest power.”

Victor crosses his arms over his chest. “Ordinary, do whatever you did on Trey on the girls.”

Arella shakes her head. “I don’t even know what I’m doing.”

“Go hold Trey’s hand again.”

Arella doesn’t waste any time obeying that request. She stands at my side and grips my arm like it’s a lifeline. I think about running and dragging her with me, but I doubt I can make it out of here without one of us getting hurt. For once, I’m glad I can’t sense her emotions. The expression on her face is enough for me to know that she’s scared to death.I’m scared too, baby.

“Both of you,” Victor says. “Hit him with all you’ve got.”

A piercing sound stabs my ears as my body burns like it’s on fire. Arella squeezes my hand harder, closing her eyes. I fall to my knees, counting at least ten seconds of pure agony before it finally stops. Arella kneels at my side, gripping onto my hand so tight, it hurts. I plant my other hand against the floor to keep myself from collapsing over. My breaths come out in heavy pants.

“Let go of him,” Victor says.

“No!” Arella squeezes my hand harder.

Victor wrenches her up by her hair. Hearing her scream hurts me more than what those women have been doing to me. I don’t think about it as I shoot up onto my feet, grip Arella by her waist, and yank her behind me. Flames appear in my palm, and I chuck them at the back of my uncle’s head. My fireball misses and falls to the floor before disappearing into a cloud of smoke. Stupid, because I rarely miss. My trembling fingers are throwing me off.

Victor twists on his heel and shoots me a death glare. “Did you just throw a fireball at me?”

“I told you to quit manhandling her!”

The auditorium goes silent. The look in Victor’s eyes screams murder. The anger radiating off him says he’ll do it. I wouldn’t put it past him.

Surprisingly, Victor relaxes his shoulders and turns to the women. “Thanks for your time, ladies. You’re dismissed.”

Without a word, Pixie and Ruby exit through the double doors. The second they’re gone, Victor comes at me with a fist up. I push Arella out of the way and duck. She stumbles to the side as I back the other way. As I hoped, Victor follows me, hurling another fist at my face. This time, it lands. My head snaps to the side as pain explodes up my jaw.

“How dare you attack me!” He aims a kick at my chest. I manage to get out of the way, only to get sucked into a tornado. Spinning, it carries me toward the ceiling. Victor circles his wrist in the air as his tornado whips me from side to side, round and round. “I should have gotten rid of you after the police dropped you off on my goddamn doorstep! If I wasn’t the only living relative you had left, I would have unloaded your dumb ass with someone else. You’ve been nothing but a fucking nuisance, you worthless piece of shit!”

I kick, and swim, and jump. I even try using my telekinesis. Nothing works to get me out of his spiraling tornado. I’m trapped, and I’m dizzy.

“I should kill you right now for throwing that fireball at me. Teach you a fucking lesson!”

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