Total pages in book: 123
Estimated words: 119846 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 599(@200wpm)___ 479(@250wpm)___ 399(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 119846 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 599(@200wpm)___ 479(@250wpm)___ 399(@300wpm)
Fuck. Useless. We’re never getting out of here unless we find that goddamned key.
He was still scowling when movement caught his attention—running footsteps, light and fast. Then—
“Noelle?” he said sharply.
She came flying toward him, her face ashen, her brown eyes wide and glassy with terror. He forgot to hate himself…forgot to feel the sick twist of shame clawing constantly in his gut. All that fell away as he reached for her instinctively.
“What is it? What’s wrong, baby?” he demanded, gripping her upper arms and dragging her toward his chest. “Did that fucker try something with you?”
“No, it’s not that. I just… I just saw…” Her voice broke. Then she burst into tears—hard, wracking sobs that made her entire body shake.
Burn felt his heart split in his chest.
Don’t cry, baby. Please don’t cry. I can’t fucking take it.
He yanked her the rest of the way against him, holding her tight enough that her tears soaked instantly into his shirt.
“What is it, baby? What’s wrong?” he murmured hoarsely, rubbing her back with both hands. “Please, just tell me.”
Just then, hurried footsteps sounded behind him. Burn’s entire body locked but then he saw it was Bright.
Thank the Goddess.
He felt something loosen deep inside—some tight, ugly little knot of fear he hadn’t even realized was there. He’d been afraid—just for a second—that something had happened to the Light Twin, too. That Noelle’s terror meant their family—his family—was breaking apart.
Bright rushed over, his hazel-green eyes wide with alarm.
“Sweetheart, what happened?” he asked Noelle, his voice low and urgent.
“I… I can’t tell you here. We have to hide.” Noelle sobbed again, gripping both their arms desperately.
Burn didn’t need to be told twice. He glanced left, then right—scenting for any hint of the Trollox’s foul stench—then jerked his chin toward Noelle’s room.
“Come on,” he growled.
They hustled into the enormous bedroom and Burn shut the massive door behind them, bracing it with his body until he was sure no one was coming.
Noelle stood in the center of the room trembling, her breath coming in short, panicked gasps. Burn wanted to scoop her up and promise her he’d kill anything that made her cry—but first she had to tell them what in the hell had put that look on her face.
She finally swallowed hard and forced out a hoarse whisper.
“There… there are bodies.”
“Bodies?” Burn frowned. “Where? What are you talking about?”
“In the meat locker—in the kitchen!” Noelle choked out. “I saw them—hanging from their heels. Their… their heads were chopped off!”
Bright sucked in a sharp breath.
“Wait—humanoid bodies?” he asked quietly.
She nodded, wiping at her eyes with the sleeve of her dress.
“They were covered in green scales, but they were definitely humanoid. Two arms, two legs… but no head.” She pointed a trembling finger at the brown stain on the lace collar of her dress. “Now I know what this is—it’s blood!”
She suddenly clawed at the dress, a frantic look in her eyes.
“Off—I need to get it off me, now!”
Burn didn’t question—he just moved.
“Here. Baby, hold still,” he murmured, tearing the cheap lace at the collar to help her, trying not to growl at the sight of her trembling so hard.
Bright helped from the other side, stripping away the frilly black uniform until Noelle stood naked between them, her soft brown skin flushed with fear instead of desire.
Burn immediately ripped off his own shirt and wrapped it around her shoulders, pulling the fabric gently around her curves.
She slipped her arms through the sleeves and clutched it closed over her breasts like a lifeline.
“All right, sweetheart, deep breath,” Bright said soothingly as he stroked her hair. “Tell us again—you said the bodies you saw had green scales on them?”
“Yyes,” she whispered. “They weren’t human or Kindred but they were definitely humanoid.”
Bright went pale and Burn felt a surge of dread spike through his chest.
“What is it?” he demanded. “What are you thinking?”
Bright swallowed.
“Two of the humanoids I saw on the porn vids Thune made were Saurians—they had green scales all over.”
A low, savage growl rumbled up Burn’s chest.
“They must have been the ones he bought before us,” he snarled. “That sick fuck!”
“That’s exactly right,” Bright said grimly. “He buys smaller humanoids and makes them do porn—which he sells for an outrageous profit—and then he kills them and eats them.”
“Well them is going to be us if we don’t get the fuck out of here,” Burn growled. “And I mean tonight. We have to get away—but how do we get the fucking key?”
Noelle had been breathing deeply, clearly trying to stop crying. Now she lifted her head.
Her expression had changed, Burn thought. Something flickered through her eyes—something sharp, desperate, and determined.
“I think… I might have an idea,” she whispered.
Burn stared at her.
He didn’t know what she was thinking but he hoped—Gods, he hoped—that whatever plan she was about to share would be enough to keep them alive.