As it happened, when the donor arrived, I did feed. It was an uncomfortable process with the two men I loved most watching me intently to make sure I did actually bite and drink my fill. My discomfort had only increased as Conn's desire for me spiked at the sight of me taking blood, in a reaction which was thoroughly vampire in nature. Lust flavoured the air, strong enough for Fenn to detect it too. His discomfort heightened my own, and I drank quickly and thoroughly, just to avoid having to repeat the unsettling process any time soon.
Even after I'd finished, Conn couldn't hide the fire opal flecks that fractured the blue of his eyes. Nor could he hide that his fangs had extended. It was only the fact that he was visibly uncomfortable with his body's reaction that kept Fenn from going for him, or possibly storming out. With Fenn it was hard to tell if he'd fight for me or surrender, should Conn ever change his mind about his 'we're over' decision.
Not that any of that was important as Conn's mobile beeped. His expression hardened as he read the message and when I raised my brows, questioning, he answered in a bitter growl, "Message from Osgar. He's sent another video. Gunner wants us in the Security Office."
I nodded, taking a deep breath to fortify myself. I wasn't going to break down. I wasn't. At least that's what I told myself. Unfortunately, when Lex took my hand, twining her fingers through mine, I had a feeling that something different was going to take place.
"He's at breaking point," she murmured, her tone laden with regret. "He's..."
I didn't wait for her to finish as I turned on my heel and sprinted for the rec room door. I knew what breaking point was with Osgar. I knew what it led to. Disbelief flowed through me as I tried to deny what I predicted was coming. If Will had broken, Osgar would make him kill. If he killed... I winced at the thought. Even if we could find him and pull him back from the torture, getting over the killing would be harder. We should've found him quicker. It didn't matter that there'd been no way to do so, that we had no clue where Osar was keeping him. We should've found him.
The others were hot on my heels as I burst back into the security office. Gunner had barely looked up at me when I ground out, "Show me."
He nodded, not waiting for Conn to agree or override my command. When he pressed play, my worst fears came alive on the screen. The arena was a replica of one I'd fought in, just as the previous 'fights' had been held in. Mortals were already in the ring, a few circled the fenced off walls which separated them from shadowy spectators, pleading for their lives, while most huddled together in the centre of the ring. They would all die, whether Will killed them or not. If he did it, their deaths would be faster, less painful, than if Osgar used them as an example to torture Will's mind. However they died, my co-Sire would be made to blame himself.
When the barred gate at one side of the arena opened, the camera's focused on Will as he was pushed into the arena by two masked men. He looked fragile. He looked weak. That he'd been starved was obvious from his hollowed out cheeks and the way muscle had wasted away so much that his rib cage showed. Osgar hadn't bothered to give him armour, only allowing him rough trousers of the sort worn in Saxon England. I guessed he wanted Will's scarred back and chest to be obvious. The wings on his back were as detailed as the words on his chest were crude. Both spoke volumes. Both pained me to see.
I couldn't help the despairing groan that escaped me as Will's gaze flicked momentarily to the cameras. His hazel eyes were dead, not quite as soulless as Conn's had been in Valhalla, but bleak enough for me to know that Lex was right. He was at breaking point. He would do as Osgar demanded, just as I'd done as Ragnar demanded. There was nothing I could do about it.
"This is already on YouTube and Vimeo, as well as several other websites. People are streaming this worldwide," Gunner told us, causing my heart to sink further.
