Page 140 of A Taste of Torment
“Ahh. Are you willing to cooperate now?”
I put my hand in my pocket and grip the vial tightly. I manage a short nod.
“Good girl,” he purrs with a husky voice.
I stare at him. Was this Corrine’s boyfriend? That would explain why she’d never tell us who he was. He’s ten or more years older than her. Was this Liz’s boyfriend too?
He has the sharp jaw and shadow of a beard I’d imagine on a grown man. Thick, muscled shoulders and dark eyes. He’s handsome, in a way. He licks his lips, looking down at me. Is he attracted to me? Is that what gets him going—young girls?
Nausea clenches my stomach. Disgusting. My sister was legal, technically. She’d just turned seventeen. Corrine was only fifteen or sixteen, though.
I suppose, of all his sins, bedding students isn’t as bad as murdering them. He’s far beyond anything resembling moral.
“What do you want?” I say through gritted teeth.
“I was going to ask you the same,” he says, standing up straight and wiping the hair from his eyes, blood crusted beneath his nails. “I want you to join my games; I’m just unsure if you’re ready. If you want it enough.”
“Yourgames?” I flick a brow. “Does the jinn belong to you, then?”
The magic behind the white light gives a low warning rumble. I resist the urge to smile. She didn’t like that.Good. I found a soft spot.
“We’re partners,” he says quickly, voice too smooth.
“Are you sure? One of you must have a little more power, right?”
He curls a lip. “If you aren’t going to cooperate, Candice, we can end this now.” He crosses his arms like he’s back into headmaster mode, disappointed in my insubordination.
I force myself to stand and then take a few steps closer to Jarron.
“You can’t protect him, child. As much as you want to think you’re strong enough to beat me, you are nothing. But I canmakeyou into something.”
I stare down at the bubbling blood, streaming quickly from nothing. I wish I could see him, look him in the eye. I don’t know if he’s being strong or if he’s desperate or if he’s already fading. Damn that potion. It didn’t even help.
How long have they known Jarron was with me? Did they know he was weakened? He had to have known, right?
The dark blood continues oozing. Too fast. Jarron is bleeding too quickly. Mr. Vandozer is right. I turn my back to Jarron and face my enemy. The man I will kill.
I want to tell him that. I want to tell him that I will be the one to destroy him for what he’s taken from me. But not yet. I can’t tell him that yet. My heel slips on the black liquid. I wobble and then fall to one knee before I catch myself.
Warm, slick blood covers my hands.
I stare at my empty palm, and whimper pathetically. Then, I glance at the spot my vial had dropped.
Gone.
I can only hope Jarron took it. I stand again and wipe the blood on my jeans.
“You’ve given me the crown prince of my world on a silver platter. Mine to kill.” He smiles at my discomfort. At my hands that are already bloody, and we haven’t even started. “I almost feel indebted to you. Perhaps I should give you a gift to express my gratitude.”
His smile boils my blood. “I want nothing from you.”
He tsks. “If you don’t want to play along, I’ll kill you both right now. It won’t even take much effort.” He shrugs, like it makes no difference to him.
I bite the inside of my lip hard. “But if I play along, you won’t kill him?” I ask dubiously.
“Oh, no, I still intend to kill him—if he doesn’t bleed out before I get the chance. Your potion worked quite well, by the way. It’s stopping him from healing.” One brow rises high. “But you do have one small piece of leverage over me. I want you in these games. You’re exactly what we’ve been looking for. Our betters will love to see the redemption story. A young girl desperately seeking revenge for her sister’s death. It’s precious, really.”
Of course that’s what he wants. Entertainment. I’m just a dog in a fight to them. May as well put a collar around my neck.
