MATED TO SERIES COLLECTION

54. LARA: A LIVING NIGHTMARE

Silas's scent surrounded me.

I was safe in his arms. But we weren't save where ever we were. This place was dangerous. It was a scene from a very realistic nightmare. We needed to get out of here before they came to get us. Before they came for him. The doctor had made sure that I understood that I meant nothing to them—that was a few minutes before he got an idea. I didn't like the look he had in his eyes when he looked at me again.

We were about to live through hell.

I tilted my head back to look at Silas. He was fast asleep. How he managed to sleep in this kind of satiation was beyond me. My eyes dropped to his chest for a few seconds before they darted away to stare up at the ceiling of the cage. We were in an actual cage like we were some damn animals.

A shudder raced down my spin. I instantly pushed the images away and carefully climbed from the bed. I froze when Silas stirred but he didn't wake. The floor was cold beneath my bare feet as I walked over to the toilet. I stared at it for a few seconds before glancing around. There was no damn privacy.

My eyes darted to the cage next to ours. Dark blue eyes instantly locked with mine. A shiver raced down my spine when his lips parted slightly to reveal sharp lethal-looking teeth. I unconsciously took a step back. The ragged scar covering his face held my attention for a few more seconds before I glanced down at his chest. He was covered in pale scars of all sizes.

"H-Hi," I whispered. "My name's Lara."

He growled at me. I licked my lips and took slow steps towards the bars.

"What's y-your name?"

He moved before I could comprehend what he was going to do. A chocked scream fell from my lips when his hand wrapped around my throat. His face moved closer and his lips parted when he growled loudly.

"Human," he growled. "Enemy."

If I could, I would've been shaking my head fanatically at him. I reached up and pressed my hand against the one holding my throat. "F-friend," I managed to croak out.

His hand loosened slightly but didn't let go. Dark blue eyes darted over my head and then back to mine. I could see the gears turning inside his head. What was he thinking? I licked my lips and sucked in a breath.

"T-two of the g-guards w-want to kill you." He didn't move which encourage me to continue. "I heard them talking. They want to kill you because you killed their friends, but the doctor told them to leave you alone. They plan to kill you when the doctor leaves."

"When?" he questioned in a raspy voice. "When does he leave?"

"I don't know."

His dark blue eyes darted over my face and then down my body. A peculiar look had entered his eyes when they locked with mine again. My breath got caught in my throat when his hand loosened around my neck and slid down under my shirt, over my collarbone. He moved my shirt away and his eyes widened slightly.

I knew exactly what he saw. It was a mark that I saw in the mirror every day. A brand that was made in anger. Ethan's mark that would never fade. Pain flashed through me at the reminder that I would never have both men. A tear dripped down my cheek, followed by another and then another. It seemed like all I've been doing was crying.

"What the hell are you doing? Let her go!"

His hand snapped back just as Silas jerked me away from the bars. My eyes snapped up to his face but he was focused on the man in the cage next door. He was angry because the man had touched me. If only he knew what the doctors had planned to use me for. A shudder raced down my spine.