Tasting Darkness

Chapter 11 

Panic has me rushing over to my towel and snatching it off the sink basin. The door opens while I am trying to wrap it around myself, only just managing to cover myself when Tobias walks in. He sneered at me before his eyes ran the length of me while I stood clutching the towel awkwardly. My fingers are clutching the towel tightly, and I watch as his face twists in disgust like he couldn’t bear to look at me. Shame washes over me. How could I be so stupid as not to check the door is locked. I would have saved myself this sort of humiliation. I didn’t think I was horrid to look at, nothing that warranted the look of disgust he gave me.

If I repulsed him with just a towel on, I would hate to see the look on his face if he got a good look at the burns on my back. That was something I consciously made sure was covered, my back permanently mutilated because of Darius. Gym class was the worst at school; I hated it, the girls would stare in pity, they never said anything but a look could tell a thousand words, express more sometimes than words could. And to think my mate did that to me when he killed my parents, he branded me permanently.

“Hurry up, I haven’t got all night,” He snarls before slamming the door as he walks out and back into the room they placed m e in.

The bang of the door makes me jump before I scramble to dry myself and put on the T-shirt Kalen gave me to wear. It fell to my thighs, but I still had another issue. I had no panties, and I couldn’t put the ones I was wearing back on. A little nasty to wear them again after having them on for days while in the dungeon.

Tugging the shirt down as far as it would go, I suck in a breath, trying to calm myself as I open the door to see Tobias sitting b y the fire.

He points at a bowl of something that smells delicious. “Eat,” his voice is cold as he turns his attention back to the fireplace. Frankly, anything would smell delicious at this point. Seven days without eating would make the grossest food smell and look appealing.

he asks, turning around from where he sat i n the chair by the small fireplace. Shaking my head, I force my feet to move, slowly walking past him toward the tray on the bedside table. Nausea swirled in my stomach at the smell. Maybe I should have eaten the bread. I thought as I watched m y hands tremble as they

hot food shows how weak I had let myself become. I couldn’t even remember the last time I ate hot food, mostly living off fruit and veggies I could scrounge up in

vegetation was frozen or dead. At that point, I had no idea how much further the human communities were, and I was too weak to continue walking, so I dared to

to know he could hurt me, inflict pain on me if he wanted as he stopped in front. I swallow nervously before I strain my neck to look up at his angry

fucking still refuse” He spits at me before turning on his heel and walking toward the bedroom door, and disappearing into the hall, the door clicks shut behind him, and I wondered what he meant; I was doing what he asked. Turning back to my chicken soup, I place the spoon down before glancing over my shoulder, slightly embarrassed before I drink the soup straight from the bowl, having managed to get none

trembling of my hands.

I hungrily gulp it down when I hear the door handle rattle. I pull the bowl away from my lips and hastily grab the spoon from the bedside table, so they don’t think I am some pig with no table manners, but it would have gone cold long before

warm from the chicken soup, and I tried to scoop some onto the spoon when a shriek left me when Darius appeared next to me, his hand reaching toward me, and I scramble back, nearly spilling the bowl onto my lap. Tobias grabs it before it ruins the bed and splashes over my legs just a s Darius grips my hair. I clutch his hands, tears burning my eyes as I try to figure out what

warned,” Darius snarls before pulling a piece of flexible hose from his pocket and a funnel. “Hold her down,” Darius says, shoving me back, and my eyes

Darius’s forearm. “Wait, she has eaten half of it” I blink at them, and Darius looks over at Tobias, and I scramble back on the bed. My heartbeat pulses in my ears as fear

out to me.“ Fucking eat, or I will force-feed

lap when I realize the shirt had ridden up, but