A Touch of Madness (A Recipe for Disaster Novel 1)

As madness takes control.

Instead of dragging me away, the devilkin guards dragged in what looked like a black stone obelisk that had a ring at the top. When I raised an eyebrow at Edward, I spotted this riding crop like rod in his hands. It looked like a bamboo stick wrapped in leather and my slowly improving Sensate skills told me what it was; A pain crop. It was literally a whip that causes both physical and magical damage. You could Heal the flesh closed but the wounds it left on your spirit would always be visible to those who could see them. At least I finally knew what his new toy was and I was not looking forward to being on the receiving end of it. As soon as the devilkin tried to pull me to the holding ring, I went berserk. I thrashed, I fought, and I tried to get the hell away but despite my not inconsiderable efforts, I was tied up to the ring, leaving my back exposed to Edward and his new toy. So left with no other options, I started to pray. I do worship the Dancer Aspect so the pain I was about to go through would definitely be in Her domain.

I flinched as Edward gently tapped the crop on my shoulder but it didn’t hurt, not yet. “I wonder who’ll break first, you or what’s left of the idiot I used to be.” He whispered in to my ear. I closed my eyes and tried to relax my muscles because being tense would only make this worse, but somehow it was impossible to actually relax. I heard Edward step back to start swinging and I gritted my teeth. I’d either survive this or I wouldn’t

The first lash hissed through the air and burned into my skin. My skin stung and welted but more than that I felt the lash against the inner recesses of my mind, damaging my magic, my soul. The next blow landed and I grunted out all the air in my lungs. Again and again he lashed me, until tears were pouring down my face. By the tenth strike, my entire back was a red, seething pain and I felt bruised internally. Edward stopped beating me for a moment and threw a bucket of cold water on my back. I yelped at the sensation, drawing a chuckle out of Edward. It made me feel like he was becoming more and more like Marcus every day. He leaned his body against my battered back so he could speak into my ear. “That was the warm up sweetheart and things are going to get serious now. You can save yourself this pain Callahan, just tell me what I want to know. Even if you can resist this session, my Master will be able to break you, and sooner than you think. You can’t last much longer but if you give in, I can make you forget all about the pain.” He whispered and licked my face from jaw to ear. I jerked my head away, wanting so badly to roast him with fire but I could feel my magic shuddering in the aftermath of the beating. It’d just hurt me more than I could hurt him right now, if I could even summon fire in the first place.

“No thanks.” I replied as calmly as I could manage with tears still running down my face. My body was shuddering in pain and my magic was shrieking internally but I wouldn't give in. Edward just sighed and stepped back.

The next lash made me cry out in pain. I really did try to remain strong and silent but the pain was overwhelming. I felt it when the blow tore open my skin. Despite the damage done thus far, the blood was still hot against my skin. I was screaming myself hoarse and still he rained hard strikes down. Each one tore open my skin now and I could hear Edward grunt with the effort he put into the blows. Past the sounds of his efforts, I could also hear Nikka screaming my name. For a moment I feared that I’d dropped my mental block and that she and Cassie could feel the pain, but despite my mental and magical damage I’d held the block in place. No it seemed that Nikka was screaming her fear and frustration out at being able to hear my torture and not being able to do anything to help. I’d slouched down and could feel the blood dribble down my sides to tickle my ribcage and belly, some dripped off onto the floor and some soaked into my jeans as well. Suddenly the hot pain in my shoulder momentarily blocked out the pain in my back. Holy fucking shit, the bastard was healing me as he beat me. Just as I’d hoped to pass out cold too.