Page 86 of Silverproof Damsel

“Too fucking easy, little birdy.” He shoved me forward into the arms of another man. Panic tightened my stomach, clenching before it twisted. My mind played out every worst-case scenario vividly in my head, violently.

“Keep your hands up. If you attempt to wield flames, I’ll put two bullets in your fucking head.” Gripping my arm, he twisted it until I whimpered.

Closing my eyes, I slipped my hand into the pocket of Savage’s leather jacket she’d handed me. The moment I was yanked downthe hallway, I used sleight of hand to slip Nyx’s phone into the man’s coat beside me.

“Walk faster, little birdy. No one’s coming to save you anymore. Not even your pathetic, cursed father.”

Confusion flitted through my mind at what he’d said. “My father?” I demanded as tears pricked the back of my eyes.

“You’ll see soon enough,” the man leered into my ear before shoving me forward.

They’d brought more than one unit with them. The entire house had men dressed in black, military style outfits. Heavily armed, they held weapons aimed at each doorway we passed by, prepared to defend against anyone intending to stop us from leaving.

Nausea swirled through my abdomen as sweat coated my palms. Rhys hadn’t made the phone call that pulled my security detail away from me. I was certain it hadn’t been him who’d placed the call that resulted in Luis rushing to Rhys’ side.

The front doors were thrown open as we approached, revealing more heavily armed men waiting outside. Cruel hands gripped my wrists, forcing me to walk briskly to one of the waiting vehicles parked in the circular drive.

Glancing along the trees lining the iron, wrought fence, I noted several witches holding their hands with palms aimed toward the house. They’d disabled the wards and then ensured our magic was nullified.

Of the witches, some were familiar. I’d seen them around town a time or two but couldn’t be certain if they were here with Talia or part of her house. From the onyx-hued eyes, I assumed they were dark witches. Practitioners of black magic.

“Get in,” the man to my left instructed in a deep, ominous tone.

Climbing into the suburban, I looked back at the house as the witches chanted. If I was correct, they were wielding a lockingspell. One to ensure those within the house couldn’t escape or spread word to anyone else outside of the perimeter about the going-on inside the manor.

Twisting in the seat, I looked back at the male I’d hidden the phone with, barely containing a smirk, as he crawled into the vehicle behind us.

“Straight to the compound. You don’t stop for anything, not even if we’re attacked. You take this bitch straight to the containment center in the hills,” the man, who I assumed was their leader, ordered.

My door slammed shut as another door opened. A sinister looking male slid onto the seat next to me, smiling at me cruelly. My pulse spiked as he produced a syringe with a yellow substance within. I started to slide against the door, only for a set of hands to grab my shoulders from behind.

“Fight it all you want, Silversmith. There’s no way you make it out of this alive,” Illeron said with amusement flooding his tone. “Knock the bitch out. Be done with it already. We don’t need her alive once we remove my brother’s bastard from her womb.”

Illeron’s tone revealed pure malice and poisonous hatred. He resented Rhys. That much was clear. The male beside me lunged toward me, pushing the needle through my flesh. I struggled against his hold as the substance released into my arm. It seared into my system like acid, burning flesh from the wound.

An agonizing scream tore from my lips as I felt it eating the flesh away from my biceps. At least, that’s what it felt like. Pain exploded against the back of my skull, causing my forehead to slam against the window. Stars exploded in my vision, then nothingness encompassed my mind.

Floating in an endless void of darkness, I felt myself being lifted and carried inside a building. The sound of beeping and metal sliding against concrete told me we’d reached whatever compound they’d set up at.

“Gut the bitch and retrieve the bastard’s son,” Illeron instructed.

Feminine laughter sounded nearby before a hand prodded my abdomen. “You men are so fucking clueless. I cannot guarantee the child would survive if I took such a barbaric approach. He wants the child to be alive. That was the deal you made with Him. Her child for Van Helsing’s life. There are many tests that we must run on her before I can begin preparing for a cesarean birth. Even if we’re to let her die, I need to ensure the baby is brought forth with little to no trauma. He wouldn’t be kind should we accidentally kill the last phoenix, not after he murdered this one’s father.”

“The moment that child is out of her poisonous womb, inject the toxins I gave you. Her corpse will be dumped outside the Van Helsing estate for my brother to find. He’ll allow no one else to carry her remains, which will ensure he absorbs the toxins into his flesh. Once he has, I’ll challenge him for alpha. I’ve waited too damn long to unseat the smug, devoted prick from my throne. I intend to sit on it by morning.”

“I’ll begin the tests immediately, sir,” she murmured softly. “He’s waiting inside the main chamber for you. I’m sure he’ll enjoy your presence while you both wait for what we’ve worked so hard to accomplish here. A newborn phoenix born of the Van Helsing bloodline, and an alpha who will ensure its house rises to absolute power.”

Chapter Forty-One

Icouldsmellthebleach and other cleaning supplies as I was carried into the lab. Whatever they’d used to poison my system was lessening. Consciousness was returning and, with it, fear of what I’d willingly walked into.

My arms and legs were tightly secured to a table, one that was metal and cold against my spine. Needles continually pricked my skin, drawing blood for whatever tests they intended to run.

“I know you’re awake,” said the thin, cold voice of a woman. “How far along are you?”

“Not far enough for you to take my child and it survive outside of my womb,” I replied with murderous intent in my tone.

She exhaled a deep, worried breath. “They provided us with an incubator along with other required machinery we may need. It seems Illeron wants your death as payment for his delivering you to us.”

---