The Survivor (Book 2)

Chapter 8

I learned a few things in torture. One, Saint was the most easily seduced creature alive. Didn’t take much. Two, Zack’s torture was the worst of them all. And though I didn’t know why, I was glad I didn’t have to worry so much about the others. Three, Saint was working with us rather than against us. Thanks to my seduction skills, I convinced him to side with me. Four, nights were long and lonely without Zack.

I hadn’t felt his skin in an entire week. Hadn’t kissed him, hugged him, nothing. I was empty because of that. I often spent hours with him in front of the glass, talking about the strangest things. We had most of our wedding planned out, although he still said we were waiting. I remembered school was starting up again soon, and Zack promised to hire a tutor for me when we got out.

We didn’t have much of an escape plan, but we did know we’d have to blow the place up when we left. Leave no trace. None. Cameras were placed in our rooms to monitor our conversations and what we did. I didn’t like them. They made me uncomfortable, especially when I was changing. Zack didn’t mind, walking around shirtless nearly all hours of the day.

Saint told me about the people holding us captive. They were scientists, as he’d said before. And they were looking for any and all things unordinary. Saint’s mother dropped him off, explaining everything and leaving him in their care. Something in the hybrid’s genetics gave away the fact that he was unnatural to the humans, and they could see his eyes for what the truly were. That was it, though. They didn’t know he had wings, much like they didn’t know Zack had wings or I had a tail in water.

The scientists were not kind people, and I had met a few of them on occasion. They hit me. A lot. And Zack got freaked out by that. He nearly snapped; we all did. But we had hope. Enough to keep us going, and enough to keep our mouths shut about the world of supernatural Beings.

My torture slowly progressed more and more into violence and less and less into seduction–thank God!! I hated the torture, but I guess that’s why it was torture. There was nothing I could say to the scientists to convince them I was telling the truth. They already met Saint. They already knew what he was, and they were going to get proof from us that we existed. Then they planned on telling the government and the world and declaring war on us, and I wasn’t having any of that bullshit again. One morning I snapped. The morning they forced Zack to watch my torture.

That morning was not fun. Saint came in to wake me up after I had a long night talking to Zack and trying to kiss him through the glass. I got maybe two hours of sleep. Saint gave me breakfast and told me what I had in store as he usually did.

“They’re gonna try something new today,” he said finally.

“Oh yeah?” I laughed. “What, they haven’t gotten their damned answer yet?”

“Treble-”

“Why am I still here, Saint? I thought you were going to get us out!”

“I’m working on it, baby,” he pushed my hair behind my ears, and Zack’s thoughts shifted into dark territory as he watched me tense up. “I can only work so fast, you know. I’ll have you out in no time.”

“Why are they torturing us? Why can’t they interrogate us?”

“They’re, uh, t-twisted people,” he coughed.

“Your idea?”

“Yeah,” he blushed. “Sorry. I keep trying to change their minds. They’re humans. They’re stubborn.”

“No shit,” I rolled my eyes. “I gotta get dressed,” I sighed. Saint nodded and left. I pulled out the off-white, rubbery T-shirt and long pants. Zack knocked on the window, and I huffed, really missing him after the night before. I tugged my shirt over my head, and watched his fire-like eyes roam over my exposed skin. Raising an eyebrow, I pulled on the fresh shirt. He touched his mouth to the glass, and I smiled quickly.