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nTrinity

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nI woke with a start when I felt cold water splash over me. I was drenched from head to toe. When I gasped from the feel of the icy cold water I inhaled a mouthful which caused me to cough and choke uncontrollably.

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"It's about time you wake up.

" Reya sneered as she stood over me holding an empty bucket. She was wearing a very pretty, flowing purple dress, she looked like she was going to a party rather than spending time in a dreary stone room.

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"Too bad she wasn't a werefish, then she wouldn't be choking.

" Beckett cackled at his own stupid joke while I tried hard to stifle the coughs.

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"What do you want?

" My voice came out hoarse when I tried to snap at them causing them to lose the biting edge they might otherwise have held.

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"I see your lessons bore no fruit.

" I heard Grantham drawl from somewhere in the darkened room.

"It's a good thing we're here for another round of your training.

"

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"We've got some wonderful plans in store for you this time.

" Cormac walked forward out of the dark, a heavy looking chain in his hands.

nA few minutes later I was standing in the middle of the room, directly in the center of the circle. The chair had been moved aside, leaving the area open and free of obstacles. My hands were once again bound tightly by the thin cords of rope.

nThe chain Cormac had brought in was attached to a hook in the ceiling and threaded through the ropes around my wrists. I was strung up with my feet barely reaching the floor. If I grew tired and was unable to stand, my wrists would be all that supported my weight.

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"I don't think you'll be needing this.

" Reya laughed as she pulled violently on the jacket I was still wearing. The fabric gave and tore roughly away from my body. Beneath the Jacket I had been wearing a thin, light blue, button-up shirt over a white cami and bra. All of which was already stained.

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"One more adjustment should do.

" Beckett sounded giddy as he approached me. I couldn't see what he had planned as he came closer to me. But I felt the cold steel of his knife as he slid the blade into the top of my shirt. He moved the knife down slowly at first but then, with a chuckle, he finished the slice in a quick flourishing move. He moved the blade a little too eagerly at the end and I felt it slice into the small of my back for the briefest of moments. It stung, but the pain was tolerable.

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"Oops, my bad.

" He seemed to giggle as he saw what he had done. I didn't know what they were about to do to me, but I was betting it was worse than a small cut on my back.

nI was standing there, my back now almost completely bare to the four of them standing behind me. The cold air, and their eager gazes, were raising goosebumps all over my body. I was glad they were not looking directly at my face, because I knew the fear was warring with the anger inside me and was likely visible in my eyes.

nThere were suddenly different lights glowing eerily in the room. Dark green, a deep burgundy, a muddy brown, and smoky gray, colors you wouldn't normally expect to see coming froms lights. They gave off no sense of warmth, in fact they seemed to make the already cold room even colder.

nThe next thing I knew I felt a searing pain slash across my back. I bit down on my lip to keep from crying out but I couldn't stop my body from jerking with the pain. The four of them cackled with glee at the sight of my misery.

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"That's right, mongrel, this time it's a dance lesson. Dance for us, come on dance.

" Reya almost seemed to be singing joyfully.

nAnother searing pain rent across my back. I felt the skin split open this time. It felt like hot coals were being pressed against my back, the heat around the slashes was so intense. I realized now what was happening, they had a whip and were beating me with it.

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"Let's get to work.

" Grantham's voice seemed to coo as he spoke. His voice was beginning to sicken me.

nI felt another slash followed quickly by another, then another and another. Four slashes in quick succession. They must all have a whip. Was that what those lights were? Did they have whips made of magic?

nI didn't have time to think about it as I felt the pain searing and flaying my back, strike after strike. I bit down hard on my lip to stop myself from crying out and I locked my knees to stop myself from moving as much as I could. But that just made them more determined.

nWhenever I did let a soft moan or cry of pain escape, unable to stop myself with the severe pain I was feeling, they would laugh maniacally. They delighted in the pain I was feeling and it made them eager to hear more. I didn't know how much more I could take, or how long it had already been.

nMy vision was growing dark around the edges. My back was on fire. Not a piece of my back felt untouched by the glowing light whips in their hands. My legs were getting weak and unable to support me. I wanted to scream, I wanted to cry, but I refused. I fought to stay awake. I fought to stay conscious.

nTo save a bit more of my strength I let my legs go slack, leaving me to hang from the ceiling by my hands. My arms and hands had long ago gone numb, and my back hurt so bad now that I could feel no pain anywhere else. But I remained awake. And I did not cry.

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"That should do for now.

" Grantham sneered from behind me. I hadn't seen any of them since they had tied me in this position.

"Cut her down.

"

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"Shouldn't we just leave her?

" Beckett said eagerly.

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"No, Master Edmond wants her cut down, she can't be permanently damaged. Not beyond repair at least.

" Grantham seemed like he was the leader of the group and they all followed his lead.

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"Fine.

" Beckett grumbled, his voice growing nearer.

nI pretended to be asleep as he came closer to me. He slid the knife against my wrist, I felt the cold of the steel again as I pressed against me. He flicked his wrist quickly, slicing through the ropes holding me to the chain. I wanted to brace myself for the fall, but that would give away that I was pretending to be asleep, so I had no choice but to take the fall full force.

nI fell, the right side of my head banged against the stone floor first. The impact jostled me violently. When my upper body quickly followed all the air was pushed out of my lungs. I couldn't breathe, I couldn't take a breath at all. I knew I was going to lose consciousness again soon.

nSome of the last things I thought of before I could think no more were about Reece. How I wished he would come for me. How I wanted him to save me, to rescue me. How I wished he would want to save me. And also how he was probably happy to be rid of me. How he no longer had me there to burden him. How this couldn't have come at a better time for him, he finished his conquest and now it was out of sight.

nWait, did he actually set this up? Did he plan this whole thing? Was Reece really the one behind me being taken. Was he actually trying to get rid of me?

nPlease, Reece, don't be involved. Please don't be a part of this pot full of crazy sauce. I can deal with you not caring enough to come save me. I know you don't love me like I love you, but please, don't be the one behind this whole thing.

nIf I found out he was the one that caused this, the one that did all this, I would never recover. I would rather die than face that truth. I love him, there was no getting around that. That's why it would destroy me too much.

nI heard the sound of the four maniacs leaving the basement just as I was on the verge of losing my consciousness altogether.

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"We'll be back to play some more when she wakes up.

" Reya laughed. That was when my strength broke, at least temporarily. I began to cry. With my face pressed into the stone floor, unable to move my arms, unable to roll over or even sit up, I sobbed into the floor as I let the pain take me into unconsciousness.

nI fell into a state of fitful dreams, nightmares filled with words but no images. I heard Reece's words from so long ago and Edmond's voice from much more recently.

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"You're more than a burden, I hate you.

" 'No, he said that was a lie.' I heard my subconsciousness reject the words.

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"Are you sure you're compatible?

" Edmond's voice sneered at me. 'Yes, we are! We're mates.' My mind reeled again.

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"You are nothing to me.

" Reece's words stung so much more than they did the first time I heard them. 'No, things are better now.' I protested.

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"If he comes for you, then you belong with him and the pack. But if he doesn't, then you belong here, with your father.

" Edmond's voice scared me. 'No, I will never stay with you, never.' My dreams continued like this until my mind seemed to crack under the weight of doubt.

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