“Out!” he ordered, and I stood on shaky feet.

I had walked only three steps when 362 said, “Hold on to your name and your memories. Do not let them erase them. No matter what they do.”

Swallowing hard, I followed the Wraith guard to the door I most feared. I stopped in the doorway, but the Wraith shoved me forward. I stumbled into the room, hearing the door slam shut behind me. I straightened, and when I did the room came into focus.

My stomach fell, fear taking hold. Beds were in the center of the room, leather straps hanging from the frames. There were shackles on one of the walls, but on the other there was a metal pole, heavy chains hanging from the back.

Movement from the side caught my attention. I looked sideward, only to see Mistress and that man who tortured the twins. They were standing next to a long counter, its surface littered with needles and rows and rows of small bottles.

Mistress leaned in close to the man, and his eyes roved down my body. My skin shivered when it looked like he was sizing me up for something.

Mistress waved her hand, and a Wraith took hold of me, dragging me toward the metal pole. I tried to push back. I tried to fight, but the Wraith was too strong.

In minutes the Wraith had attached me to the pole, the heavy chains holding my feet to the floor and my body to the pole. No part of my body could move.

I breathed and breathed, trying to keep calm. All the time, I did what 362 had advised—I remembered. My name is Valentin Belrov. I have a sister called Inessa Belrova. She is being held captive. I have to set her free.

I repeated who I was and who I loved over and over, until I felt Mistress and her male friend standing before me.

As I opened my eyes, my focus immediately dropped to something in her hand. My nostrils flared when I saw what looked like a metal collar. I tried to move, I gave it everything I had, but I couldn’t break free.

Mistress stepped closer and, catching my gaze, said, “If you want to save your sister, from now on you will do exactly what I say. You answer to me, and only me. I am your Mistress.”

My eyes widened, and she asked, “Do you understand?”

Mistress raised the metal collar. “No,” I bit out when I saw the inside. Sharp needles were all around the collar, small pellets filled with liquid lying underneath.

Mistress handed the collar to the male. The man approached, and without saying anything he opened the collar and brought it to my neck. I tensed, my eyes squeezing shut as I felt the tips of the needles pressing against my skin. I took in a deep breath, and as I did the man pushed the needles into my neck. I screamed out as the needles sank into my skin, the flesh of my throat on fire as I was pierced. My head fell forward as the pain became too much to bear. I heard the sound of metal on metal as the male locked the collar in place. The man stepped back, and when I rolled my eyes open Mistress was staring at my neck.

I felt warm trickles down my neck. I knew it was blood. The man said something to Mistress in Georgian. I could not understand.

He pointed to the back of the collar. Mistress nodded her head. The man walked back to the counter, but Mistress stayed close. Her hand gripped my jaw, and she pulled my head up to face her.

“194, if you want to save your sister, you will do everything I say, do you understand?”

I wanted to fight, but all I could see was Inessa waving at me as she entered the arch of the Blood Pit. Finding my voice, I rasped, “Yes.”

Mistress’s eyes lit with excitement, and reaching behind my collar she said, “I’m glad you understand, but I would have made you obey me regardless.”

Mistress pressed something on the back of my collar. The collar suddenly tightened around my neck. The needles pushed farther into my skin. I screamed and screamed until no sound came from my lips.

I tried to breathe through the pain, but then I felt hot liquid injecting into my neck through the needles. At first the liquid felt strange, but as it began coursing through my blood it built up heat. As the seconds passed, the liquid turned into a roaring fire, flowing through my body, scorching me from the inside. As the fire burned, a thick fog began to fill my mind. Images and thoughts began to fall away. Suddenly 362’s face was in my head, and remembering what he had said, I closed my eyes as the fire roared higher, and thought, My name is Valentin Belrov. I have a sister called Inessa Belrova. She is being held captive. I have to set her free.…

17

ZOYA

Valentin’s large body jerked in spasms on the floor. I wanted nothing more than to be able to wrap my arms around him and keep him safe. I pulled at the straps tied around my wrists and ankles, but I couldn’t get free.

I closed my eyes, and dark thoughts filled my mind. I pictured Valentin tied to a bed like this, being forced to wear the collar. I thought of the girl on the screen, Inessa, being forced to take the drugs that had her rocking in the corner, all for some man to fuck her and take away her pain. And I pictured Anri and Zaal. My big strong brothers, being tested on. Being the guineas pigs for these drugs. The successes, the failures—all the pain.

A gasp from the side pulled me from my thoughts, and I saw Valentin jerk into a sitting position. His head hung and I could see he was weak. His large arms hung at his sides as though he couldn’t move. His beautiful eyes rolled as he fought for consciousness.

I wanted to cry for him, seeing this big man so weak and disorientated. But then the woman Valentin called Mistress ordered the Wraiths to move him. She had spoken to them in Georgian.

Two strong men dressed all in black picked Valentin up in their arms. Valentin’s body sagged and his feet dragged across the floor as they moved him to what looked like a metal pole.

“Tie him up!” the woman ordered. The men attached him to the pole and wrapped heavy chains around his body. My chest constricted when they moved back and I knew he couldn’t move.

As if sensing my despair, Valentin’s eyes blinked, and blinked again, until I could see him returning to me. His blue eyes searched the room, until they found me. As soon as he saw me, his body fought to move and I could see the fury etched on his face.

His teeth clenched together as he fought the hold of the chains, but even his incredible strength couldn’t move the heavy metal keeping him shackled.

“Zoya!” he shouted. My throat clogged at the pain and desperation in his voice.

“It’s okay,” I said back just as the woman moved from the counter along the wall.