Tempting Darkness

Panic had me rushing over to my towel and snatching it off the sink basin. The door opened while I was trying to wrap it around myself, barely managing to cover myself when Tobias walked in. He sneered at me before his eyes ran the length of me while I stood clutching the towel awkwardly. My fingers were clutching the towel tightly, and I watched as his face twisted in disgust like he couldn't bear to look at me. Shame washed over me. How could I be so stupid as not to check if the door was locked? I would have saved myself this sort of humiliation. I didn't think I was horrid to look at, nothing that warranted the look of disgust he gave me.

If I repulsed him with just a towel on, I would hate to see the look on his face if he got a good look at the burns on my back. That was something I consciously made sure was covered, my back permanently mutilated because of Darius. Gym class was the worst at school. I hated it. The girls would stare in pity; they never said anything but a look could sometimes express more than words could and to think my mate had done that to me when he killed my parents-he branded me permanently.

"Hurry up. I haven't got all night," he snarled before slamming the door as he walked out and back into the room they'd placed me in.

The bang of the door made me jump before I scrambled to dry myself and put on the T-shirt Kalen had given me to wear. It fell to my thighs, but I had another issue. I had no panties, and I couldn't put back on the ones I was wearing a little nasty to wear them again after having them on for days while in the dungeon.

Tugging the shirt down as far as it would go, I sucked in a breath, trying to calm myself as I opened the door to see Tobias sitting by the fire.

He pointed at a bowl of something that smelled delicious. "Eat." His voice was cold as he turned his attention back to the fireplace. Frankly, anything would smell delicious at this point. Seven days without eating would make the grossest food smell and look appealing.

"Now, Aleera or would you prefer I bring Darius in here to force you to eat?" he asked, turning around from where he sat in the chair by the small fireplace. Shaking my head, I forced my feet to move, slowly walking past him toward the tray on the bedside table. Nausea swirled in my stomach at the smell. Maybe I should have eaten the bread, I thought as I watched my hands tremble as they clutched the bowl before placing it on my lap.

The spoon rattled against the porcelain as I grabbed it, trying to scoop the soup on the spoon. Most of it spilled back into the bowl as I brought the spoon to my lips. Seven days without eating, and the smell of hot food showed how weak I had let myself become. I couldn't even remember the last time I ate hot food, mostly living off fruit and veggies I could scrounge up in the forests. It was the first time that I had stepped into a city in months.

I wouldn't have even left, but the cold and snow had frozen my water source, and most of the vegetation was frozen or dead. At that point, I had no idea how much further the human communities were, and I was too weak to continue walking, so I dared to go to the city in search of water and food. Only that was a mistake because look at where I ended up... in the clutches of men who didn't want me.

Movement made me flinch as Tobias moved toward me, his aura rushing out like a protective barrier. Except it wasn't for protection. No, he wanted me to know he could hurt me, inflict pain on me if he wanted, as he stopped in front of me. I swallowed nervously before I strained my neck to look up at his angry face.

"I warned you, and you f*****g still refuse," he spat at me before walking toward the bedroom door and disappearing into the hall. The door clicked shut behind him, and I wondered what he meant; I was doing what he asked. Turning back to my chicken soup, I placed the spoon down before glancing over my shoulder, slightly embarrassed before I drank the soup straight from the bowl, having managed to get none in my mouth with the spoon from the trembling of my hands.

They still shook as I brought the bowl to my lips and the warm liquid spilled into my mouth. A moan escaped me at the first mouthful, and some ran down my chin. I nearly choked as I hungrily gulped it down when I heard the door handle rattle. I pulled the bowl away from my lips and hastily grabbed the spoon from the bedside table so they wouldn't think I was some pig with no table manners, but it would have gone cold long before any made it to my mouth.

My belly felt warm from the chicken soup, and I tried to scoop some onto the spoon when a shriek left me as Darius appeared next to me, his hand reaching toward me. I scrambled back, nearly spilling the bowl onto my lap. Tobias grabbed it before it ruined the bed and splashed over my legs just as Darius gripped my hair. I clutched his hands, tears burning my eyes as I tried to figure out what I had done wrong. I did what they asked.

"You were f*****g warned," Darius snarled before pulling a piece of flexible hose from his pocket and a funnel. "Hold her down," Darius said, shoving me back, and my eyes went wide as I saw him connect the funnel to the hose. What was he doing? What did I do? Tobias gripped Darius's forearm. "Wait, she has eaten half of it."

I blinked at them. Darius looked over at Tobias, and I scrambled back on the bed. My heartbeat pulsed in my ears as fear wrapped around me. How I wished I'd never wasted my magic. Wishing I had tried to take on the Lycans instead of calling on them. Darius took the bowl from him and held it out to me. "F*****g eat, or I will force-feed you."

My hands trembled as I reached for the bowl, my eyes going to the hose and funnel as I took the bowl and sat back against the headboard. Tobias threw the spoon in my lap when I realized the shirt had ridden up, but neither paid attention as I quickly tugged it back down, covering myself when Kalen appeared. His eyes were wide as he rushed into the room. Lycus gripped his arm as he stepped toward the bed.

"Now, Aleera," Darius's angry voice sent a jolt up my spine. I fought the urge to scratch myself, my body becoming itchy. It was a nervous thing. I hated it. Whenever I felt fear, my skin itched, I couldn't explain it, but Darius and Tobias made my skin crawl just by being near their intimidating auras.

My hands shook, and this time not just from hunger, as I tried to scoop the soup on the spoon. Their eyes watching me made me more nervous. Please, just leave. I needed them gone. Their presence made me feel sick as I sensed Darius glaring down at me. The soup spilled from the spoon before I got it to my lips, and a whimper escaped me when I saw Darius's hands clenched into fists.

Darius leaned toward me, and I cringed away from him, pulling my legs to my chest and turning away from him. Shrinking, as my body tensed, wondering what he would do.

"Aleera!" His Demonic eyes bored into me, and I could see my reflection in his black, menacing eyes. The frightened look on my face made me feel pathetic; I should not be subjected to this.

"And still, you deliberately disobeyed me." I shook my head and glanced at the funnel clutched in his hands as he stepped closer. His hand wrapped around my ankle, and his fingers dug into my skin painfully. I knew being demonic fae, his temperature was hotter than mine, but his skin was searing hot against my cold skin, making me wonder if he was intentionally trying to burn.

"You will learn to obey," he spat at me before nodding to Tobias. I watched, horrified, as Tobias moved toward me, his hands reaching toward me.