Just A Taste | BOOK 1 The Night Lords Series

25. Not A Sound

Cassius

Jack's strangled scream ricochets off the dungeon walls as Remus cracks yet another one of his fingers, bending it back until his nail brushed the raw flesh hanging off his knuckles. His eyes roll back in his head, his body slumping on the table only to jolt back into an arch as the silver in his veins sent another bolt of agony through his system, keeping him awake.

"Please."

His voice is but a supplicating whisper, barely audible, even for a vampire's ears. I rise from my seat by the door where I've been watching. It's only Remus, Eve, and a few more of my men down here along with Jack and Valentino who were shackled to tables in the room's center. This chamber was but one in a million within the Passages. No one could hear them and no one has for the past two days.

Ignoring the way my men seemed to shrink back as I strode forward, I approach Jack's table and loom over his bloody form. Remus removes himself with a bow of his head but I don't miss the way he avoids making eye contact or the feathering of his left jaw muscle as he grits his teeth.

They all think I'm a monster. The thought runs through my mind as I look around the room, not one vampire bothering to make eye contact with me.

Pursing my lips, I gaze down at Jack. His chest was bare and lacerated with nine, shallow cuts that were oozing his dark blood, a mix of sterling glinting within the ruby ribbons as it trailed down his sides. Injecting him with silver⏤ again, a faint cousin of silverbane but effective nonetheless when it came to weakening our kind physically⏤ was something I had Remus do before starting this torture. With it coursing through their bodies, both vampires would be unable to find sanctuary in any form of unconsciousness, leaving them to endure every second of misery I had befall them. Valentino's session was already over which would explain his comatose state. That was fine. My anger was solely directed on Jack anyway.

Reminding myself of what his carelessness has cost me, I take the knife lying beside him on the table and impale the razor blade into his thigh. Jack groans, his body growing stiff. I lean down to where my lips are a breath away from his right ear, one hand still on the knife.

"What else did you see in there?" I ask cooly.

Jack's head barely moves as he attempts to shake his head. "Nothing," he pants. "I swear, I saw nothing." His usual strength could be glimpsed in his burning, glazed eyes. Other than that, I've riddled the large vampire down to the very bone.

I give the knife a little jerk, pulling it free with a sickening pop. He shudders, gritting his teeth as he bites back on his cries. Putting the knife down, I straighten and stare at his broken form for what seems like hours. The day Jack came to tell me that he lost Emmy in a red hallway with four doors, one of which she went through, I'd lost it.

The Red Hall was supposed to appear only to me. Gaining entry was also an impossible feat if you were anyone else besides me. At least, it used to be. Now, after two days, my alarm and irritation were creating a swirling cloud of anxiety within me leading me to disregard any sense of reason. I knew it was something that had been out of Jack's hands but, as of right now, it was something he should've easily prevented. Especially given that my pet was in a position where she could do something very bad. Something that could lead to the end of everything that we've built.

"My Lord, that's enough."

I blink, looking up slowly to see Remus glaring at me from across the table.

My fangs pulsed with venom, my upper lip curling back as my body reacts to the quiet challenge in Remus's voice. Before I could act on my feral instincts, Remus breaks eye contact to stare pointedly at the table. I follow his gaze to see that I've somehow wrapped one hand around Jack's neck. My claws were digging into his cold flesh, choking him. I hadn't even realized.