Each finger takes an effort to loosen from the bar, and Victor lets out a quiet breath, maybe of relief. Relief that I’m trusting them, or relief that I’m not fighting anymore. Careful to avoid the bars on the floor, I step into the cage and turn to the three of them.
“After he’s gone, I’m leaving.”
They nod, and there’s a silence between us. Then Victor closes the door and locks it with a padlock. He withdraws a massive pill from his pocket and reaches into the cage to hand it to me.
“It won’t kill you,” he promises me as I have to step forward to take it, “or make you sick. It’ll just knock you out. We need it to look like you’re hurt badly enough to stay. I measured it specifically to your weight and height. It’ll take five minutes to kick in, but don’t take it until Nikolai says, okay?”
I grip the pill in my hand and look at the blond-haired devil, who still has yet to meet my eyes.
“Okay,” I say, and Nikolai’s shoulders relax.
Without any more talk, Victor and Malcolm go back to the autopsy table and, with a grunt, they lift a metal box like a lid over Melissa’s body, before clamping locks on it. Then Malcolm and Victor disappear into the wall, wherever they’re going, they don’t say.
“So, it’s just you and me,” I say, and Nikolai jumps. “Hey,” I reach out of the cage, my fingers brushing his sleeve. He’s burning up. “Are you okay?”
He lets out a ragged breath and runs his gloved hands through his hair, before nodding and looking up at me.
“I don’t think you’re the school slut,” he says, his blue eyes clouding with regret. “And I swear, if anyone had actually tried to... hurt you like that, we wouldn’t let it happen. Not even close. We just... needed you to leave.”
The pain in his voice slices through me, and it’s a balm on my own wounds. Maybe pain begets pain, but sometimes maybe pain can heal pain.
“Thank you, Nikolai.”
He nods, distracted again, and looks at the clock on the wall. “Take the pill now.”
I put it in my mouth, struggling to dry-swallow it. It’s massive, and clings to my throat but I get it down at last.
“Okay, now what?”
“Now, I have to apologize.”
Nikolai slowly pulls off his leather gloves, something I’ve never seen him without. His hands are gorgeous, the skin pale and smooth. His fingers are graceful, and I want to lace my fingers together with his. I don’t understand, it’s so opposite of what I expected. There are no scars, no deformities, no reason why I can think of that he’d want to hide his hands.
“Nikolai?”
He offers a wan smile, and presses against the cage, his arms through the bars, his hands flat and fingers splayed.
“Oh, Mary, Mary, quite contrary, won’t you take my hands?” he sings softly, almost as if he’s mourning. His hands begin to shake as I slide my hands against his, the soft skin of his palms sending electricity through me. We both let out a sigh at the unexpected intimacy. I step closer, our arms bending as I press against him, only the bars in our way.
“I’m scared, Nikolai,” I admit and he only hums a reply. He’s looking at me with adoration...but it shifts to desperation and his eyes grow cloudy, the bright blue darkening to a muddied green. Then he’s letting go of my hands, burying his hands in my hair and crushing his lips to mine. It’s a harsh kiss, nothing like Victor’s or Malcolm’s, and there’s enough terror in it, I cry out as he rips away from me.
“Nikolai!” I scream his name, straining to reach him through the bars as he hunches over and then falls to his knees. He begins to scream, his head thrown back and veins straining in his forehead. A sweat breaks out over him, worse than before and he starts to seize. I’m sobbing by the time he falls flat on his stomach, horrified by what I’ve witnessed.
“Please get up,” I whisper, sinking to my knees. The bars dig into me but I hardly notice. All I can focus on is Nikolai’s still body. Black spots form at the edge of my vision but I hold them back despite the heaviness of my eye lids.
A look at the clock tells me it’s been two minutes since I took the pill. They couldn’t have faked a suicide to protect me... that would be way too far...
A massive jerk arches Nikolai off of the floor, and then he’s growling—a sound that sends goosebumps all over me. I pull back, pressing against the wall as I watch him turn around.
Even though it looks like him, the person in front of me is not Nikolai Jekyll.
His murky green eyes hone in on me and a sadistic smile stretches across his face, foaming spit drooling over his chin.
“Nikolai Jekyll?” I whisper, only a sliver of hope that the name would bring some sanity to the person in front of me. My legs are weakening and everything feels drawn out.
He charges the cage, slamming into it and I scream as it shudders but holds. I stagger back against the far side as he grips the bars, shaking and pulling, straining to bend them so he can get to me.
“Don’t like that name, pretty girl. I’m Hyde.” Not even his voice sounds the same. The world around him is disappearing into the haze of drugs, and I blink hard. All I focus on is the wild-eyed Nikolai and his crazed grin. “But I like you, I like your skin. I want it. Give it to me.”
I sink once more to the floor, terror overwhelming me. This is what they planned? How is this safe?
He bellows in rage, swiping into the air through the bars but he can’t reach me. My vision darkens and I try to cling to consciousness, but Victor is too perfect with chemistry. As my body goes limp, my only thought is that I ran from my monster right into their demon’s arms.
To be continued in Retribution, book two in the Institute for Gifted Minds series. Get it now.
Retribution
They tried to drive me away. Now, it’s time for me and my monster to play.
Frankenstein, Van Helsing, and Jekyll. In classrooms, they tormented me.
In private, they obsessed over me and pulled me apart with touches of hell.
They made me the class target and drove me to the edge of madness where my monster found me.
Now it’s time for my retribution.
Victor—the boy who marked me.
Malcolm—the boy who kissed me.
Nikolai—the boy who touched me.
Something is wrong within the walls of Crowsrest Manor. Death revolves around us, and the boys have their own demons waiting for them.
They must be punished for their sins.
I want to consume their darkness.
And together, we’ll discover the truth.
Together, we can overcome the boundaries around us.
But can I trust the guys with my life…
… with my sanity…
… with my heart?
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Other Series by Marie Robinson
Blackfang Barons
We aren’t her saviors. We’re her worst nightmare. When she comes to us, she’s damaged. Fragile. Wounded. And oh so tempting. Our little fawn will come to know our cruel strength. She’ll see the fierce beasts prowling inside us. Feel the hunger of the wolf’s teeth against her throat. And she’ll beg for more.
Beautiful Secrets Trilogy
Can three powerful heirs love a girl born of embers, longing to rise like a phoenix from the ashes? Unmask a reverse harem modern fairy tale full of secrets you can only begin to guess...
The Magical Kingdoms
A princess determined to break her curse.
Her kingdom under constant threat.
Four men scarred by magic, determined to reclaim their humanity.
About the Author
Brianne Marie Robinson is someone who always wanted to be an author when she grew up and she took a really long route to get there. Over the last ten years, she went from retail to baking, to corporate, to interning at an imprint of a Big 5 publisher, to briefly a literary agent, an
d finally to an editor and author. Along the way, she picked up a couple different college degrees, a husband, two dogs, and in 2017, a son. She’s edited independently published books that have hit the top 150 on Amazon and were featured by USA Today and hopes to hit those achievements with her own series one day. She enjoys writing about love and adventure where her characters never have to choose only one love interest.
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