“But you will,” Aberdeen demanded. “I suggest you run your pretty little ass to the car before you turn into a crispy whore.”
Justin glared at Aberdeen but didn’t give the man the satisfaction of an answer. Instead, Justin glanced over at Wulf who was walking beside him. “If I don’t make it out of this, tell Demetri—”
“You tell him,” Wulf said as he worked his jaw from side to side. “You’re a survivor. You have to be. Demetri won’t be able to live without you.”
“How touching,” Aberdeen said. “If you run out this door and try to escape, I’ll shoot Wulf.”
“I really hate you,” Justin spat.
“Feeling’s mutual. Get moving.” Aberdeen grabbed the handle and swung the front door open. Justin screamed as the sun’s rays bathed his skin and turned his flesh against him. It felt as if someone were stripping his skin from bone. He stumbled backward, instinctively trying to escape.
Aberdeen lifted his foot and shoved Justin forward, making him stumble out the front door. Justin held his hands over his head as he raced down the stairs. The car waited at the bottom, but it felt as if the thing were miles away. Justin wasn’t going to make it. He could already feel the blisters forming over his body as parts of him began to smoke.
He hands fumbled on the door handle, and they slipped free a few times. His hands were blistered and bloody, making it hard to keep hold. He gripped his shirt and used that for texture before he was able to pull the door open. Justin leapt inside, curling into a ball as he screamed at the top of his lungs. He rocked back and forth, every inch of his body in pain. His shoulder wound wasn’t helping matters. It throbbed painfully as the blood continued to ooze from his body. Justin couldn’t think. He couldn’t breathe. How could anyone live through this? He wanted to die if only to be relieved of the agony scorching his flesh.
“Oh, god,” Wulf whispered as he was shoved into the backseat. “Justin, oh fuck, Justin.”
Justin wasn’t going to survive. He was too badly burned and losing way too much blood. Demetri. I love you! I’m so sorry!
He closed his eyes and let the darkness take him.
He had no idea how long he remained unconscious, but someone gripped him under his arm, and Justin wailed as the pain returned full force. Soon, though, he lost his voice as he was carried into a dark room and laid on a stone slab. The coolness felt wonderful against his scalding skin. He had no clue where he was but was thankful for the blessed darkness.
“This should be interesting.” It was Aberdeen. Justin heard chains clanking and Wulf cursing the assistant. Justin forced his eyes opened just enough to see what was going on. It hurt to look. It was as if his retinas had burned. He barely made out Wulf’s naked form. The bodyguard was chained against the wall, and Aberdeen was slicing the man’s skin in various places. The assistant took a step back and nodded as if satisfied.
The scent of blood filled the air, and Justin whimpered. He was so damn thirsty. It was as if someone had stolen all the fluids from his body. He slid his dry tongue over his parched lips as he began to sniff the air.
“That’s right,” Aberdeen said. “Lunchtime.” He chuckled and then patted Justin’s burnt cheek. The pain radiated from his face, down his neck, and over his chest. Justin whimpered again as he felt a piece of his charred cheek slide to one side. “I’ll leave you two alone so that you may feed.”
“I’m going to get loose,” Wulf said with a threatening snarl. “And when I do, I’m going to eat every last bit of you.”
The assistant walked out of the room and slammed the steel door shut. He opened a small window and peered inside. “If Justin doesn’t finish you off, Elron will.” The man’s eyes dropped to Justin. “He’s been dying to meet his brother’s mistress. I’ll send him in to you in just a little while.” Aberdeen narrowed his eyes.
Justin was so thirsty. The need to cry was fierce, but Justin couldn’t muster any tears. He had none. His body was bone-dry. He turned on his side, listless, gazing at the form chained to the wall.
A heartbeat.
The sound of blood rushing through veins.
Justin whimpered as he tried his best to crawl to the edge of the stone slab. His limbs shook, and his head pounded fiercely. He felt the pain of the cast cutting into his hand, but he was too far-gone to care.
Feed.
Justin collapsed, his face hitting the stone. He had no energy to cry out from the pain.
“Come on, Justin,” a voice encouraged. It sounded familiar, but Justin couldn’t think. “You can make it over to me. You need to feed, or you’ll die.”
His head lolled as he pushed up once more. He swayed, and the room spun as he fought to keep his eyes open. Justin followed the scent of blood, but it seemed so far away. He was trying to make a dying body move, and it just wasn’t possible.
He collapsed again.
“Justin, get your skinny ass over here. Feed from me, damn it!”
Son, feed.