Read Online Reclaiming Mystique (SpaceStalker Saga Book 2) by Bevan Greer - Free Book Online Page B

Demise blinked and four thirst demons appeared in the cell. They dragged Jace down the corridor and through a maze of passageways until they stopped in front of a wooden door like all the others they’d passed. At their master’s nod, they opened it and threw Jace inside.
    “Think hard about my offer,” Demise’s voice floated through the narrow window of the door before it closed, shutting Jace in the dim cell, alone except for two lumps of flesh lying still on the floor.

     
    Naria groaned as she lay on the cold floor of the cell. The guards had been violent, no doubt at her father’s command. Whether her father had played along to encourage her deception or whether he knew she truthfully rebelled against him, she didn’t yet know.
    The door banged open, and he strode in, his expression uncompromising. He yanked her to her feet and threw her onto the cold stone bench along the wall.
    “I see you’ve lost the reason behind your visits to the prisoner. Or is it that you intend to pursue life as a succubus and were merely trying your talents on the hapless male?”
    Naria said nothing, striving to hold on to her mental shields.
    “I sent you in for information. Instead you allowed him to ply you with compliments and lure you into sexual contact. Not that I mind, had you been intending to use sex to get the information. But Naria—” her father shook his head “—why did your barriers drop when he touched you?”
    He slammed her head against the wall with a flick of his wrist. When she refused to answer him, tears pooling in her eyes and her jaw set in stubborn determination, he stopped his assault.
    “So you would choose to help this human over the dictates of your father?” With shrewd eyes, he stared deeply into her black gaze. “What are you hiding from me?”
    He telekinetically threw her back against the wall, lifting her tired and bruised body before tossing her weakened flesh to the floor. Again and again he threw her against the unforgiving rock walls of the cell.
    She drew close to losing consciousness as blood welled from her nose and ears and her brain swelled.
    Her father finally relented in his torment. “You will stay here and think about your traitorous thoughts,” he said in disgust. “No true shayna would behave as you have. I’ve seen your intentions, Naria. The prisoner won’t live long enough to help you escape.” He crouched to stare into her eye not swelling shut. “This is your home. There is no escape, not even through death,” he promised. “Heal yourself and think about what you’ve done.”
    He stalked out the door, and the lock clicked soon after. The pain overwhelming, she gave in to pitiful tears, glad that no one remained to witness her weakness. She had tried so hard to shield her thoughts, yet he’d learned of her plans to escape. Even worse, he knew of her ability to heal.
    Curled into a ball, she sobbed at her miserable existence, knowing that even in death she would not escape. For in Dark World, death was a place given only to those Dark Worlders fortunate enough to earn it.
     
     
    Jace shared a pain-filled glance with Koneru before looking back down at Castor. Jace had been able to revive Koneru, glad to see that as battered as the Rovi was, he still had the fortitude to survive demon torture.
    “He’d been like this for more than a passing. I’m not sure he’ll live,” Koneru said in a low voice.
    “The others?”
    “Nesham escaped soon after they transferred you out of here. They took Mikhel somewhere, but we haven’t seen him since. I fear the worst.”
    Jace hid the fear burrowing inside his heart. He stumbled and sank to the floor, his physical pain warring with his mental fatigue.
    “You don’t look too good yourself.” Koneru’s white eyes stared unblinkingly at Jace’s bruised face.
    “I’m better off than Castor.”
    “Have you any idea what Demise wants with us? The best we could come up with is that he lives for torture. Stars knows