Chapter 0386

Seraphina

My heart hammered against my ribs.

Two men loomed over me, their presence dominating the small space. They weren't in the cell with me, yet they filled every inch of it.

Alexander watched me with his unsettling crimson eyes. Lucas spoke, but his words were lost beneath the roaring blood in my ears. I just stared back, trying to decipher the movements of his mouth. Nothing registered.

The harder I tried, the more my head throbbed. My lungs strained for air, working frantically. A panic attack. Evelyn had called it that right before I agreed to have the IV removed from my arm.

Lucas snapped his fingers sharply. "Are you even listening?"

I wanted to say no. I wanted to tell him his words weren't penetrating the fog of fear. But my muscles refused to obey. I was certain I would wet myself if there was anything left in my bladder.

Evelyn said we all have a fight or flight instinct. Only now, without my Lycan, did I truly understand it. But what did it mean when I was frozen, unable to move or speak to the men who put me here?

"Fear." I caught Lucas's final word. Somehow, I had forgotten what he was capable of.

I forced my head down, dragging in ragged breaths. Was this how my victims felt before I killed them? Did everything move in slow motion as they faced death? Or were they just paralyzed by terror?

My eyes burned with unshed tears. I was weak enough already without them seeing me break down. I would have laughed if this was happening to anyone else.

The cell door screeched open. Alexander moved toward me. He grabbed my elbow and yanked me to my feet.

"What... what are you doing?" My voice was a raw croak.

He offered a smile, but it looked strained. Or perhaps it held some hidden meaning. It was pointless to guess. He wouldn't tell me anyway.

A single tear escaped. I wished I could wipe it away unseen, but my hands were still bound. It traced a cold path down my cheek.

Lucas brought a chair into the cell. Alexander forced me onto it. Lucas held a cup to my mouth. Cool liquid teased my lips, but I turned my head away. Poison would mean a slow death without my abilities.

"It's just water," he muttered.

I peered up into his hazel eyes. I couldn't tell if he was lying. I certainly couldn't smell any poison.

My throat was desert-dry. Every swallow felt like shards of glass. I hadn't had a drink in ages. I took a chance.

I sipped. Relief flooded me. The cold water was the best thing I'd tasted in hours. It was far better than that weird juice Evelyn kept forcing on me. She insisted my taste buds needed to adapt. I drank it, but always made a face at the bitter aftertaste.

"I need you to answer some questions," Alexander stated. My eyes flicked to Lucas. "He is merely here to ensure I get the truth from you."

I nodded. I wasn't risking lies. Not now. A strange knot tightened where my stomach should be.

"Let's start with a few trial questions. What is your name?"

"Seraphina Blackwood," I whispered. I saw the look they exchanged. They expected me to say Harrison.

"How many siblings do you have?"

"Thr... Four," I muttered, almost forgetting my new half-sibling. She must be five months old now. "Two half-sisters and two half-brothers," I confirmed.

"How many people have you killed?"

I shrugged.

"An estimate."

I frowned. Keeping count never bothered or interested me. Many did, but I was paid. Counting was pointless. Once the job was done, I moved to the next client. "Maybe a hundred."