Taming Darkness
Chapter 24

~Aleera~

Iglare back at him. He chuckles and shakes his head, walking away from me and following my mother.

Desperate hope wells up inside me as I will my mates to feel the impact of my plan. Then, more movement to my left catches my attention. I peer over and see my mother's army moving toward this area further down the hallway, their heavy footsteps echoing off the walls until they vanish into another door. Anxiously, I wonder what awaits me now. Every tiny detail stands out in clarity-from the acrid smell of smoke lingering in the air to the stillness that falls upon me when the last of them disappears. As I wait for her next move, tension runs high, and every passing second stretches into an eternity.

My feet scuff against the cold, concrete floor as I nervously pace the length of my cell. In this bleak enclosure, I'm trapped in a sense of ever-fleeting time. I desperately hope for some sign that things will eventually turn in my favor.

Suddenly, the door swings open, and three scientists in pristine white lab coats rush into the room. Their faces are serious and stern, each one scanning the area with calculating eyes before fixing me with a daunting glare. My mother follows them, her hands clasped behind her back and that same wide smile on her lips.

Two of her more burly soldiers shove the scientists aside and open the cell, grabbing me by my arms and dragging me closer. My senses are on high alert as I thrash against them; I still need to play the helpless victim for my mother dearest's benefit. I can't let her know that any of my power has returned.

One of the scientists pulls a long syringe out of his pocket before proceeding to screw on the longest needle I've ever witnessed. One of the muscled brutes who grabbed me twists my arm, preparing me for that monster. My damsel in distress act might have to be cut short if things get any more dangerous. I prepare myself just in case.

"I want to test it against the sample I have from when she was a child, see how much her magic has morphed since she manifested," my mother explains to the man, clicking her fingers at him. "Charles, go and get a bed for her. I don't want just her blood; I think some spinal fluid would be appropriate for our first comparisons."

Damn. I hate needles. Or maybe it's more seeing what Darius had endured at the hands of his own mad scientists that scare me most. Whichever the case may be, I don't want them coming anywhere near me with that thing or taking anything from me. Charles grunts and stomps off, leaving me with just one of the sinister men. Unfortunately, Charles isn't gone long. He returns wheeling a thin metal gurney, and shoves it at his companion. The other man catches it with one hand, and together, the two of them force me onto the table on my stomach. Their crushing grip pins me down, and panic claws at my throat.

My mother doesn't get closer until they have me secure. Even if I summon every bit of power I possess, it will be almost impossible to get myself out of this situation. She grabs my bra and reaches for a pair of scissors one of the scientists hands her. "You won't need this anymore, Aleera," she chides as she cuts my clothes off my body. The only thing keeping me from flashing all the men in here is my body pressed to the cold metal. "You don't have to worry about being gentle with her, just get me the sample." One of the scientists steps forward, the syringe held firmly in his hand. I shudder. I can't even jerk away. His hand reaches out, stroking my spine, fingers searching for the spot he intends to jam that monstrous needle. Finding the place, he jabs the needle into me, but oddly enough, there is no pain. In fact, it's almost like a little clink. I can't see what is going on, but the maniacal grin on my mother's face has vanished.

"Her body's defense mechanism must be kicking in," she growls. "Try another-a heavier gauge this time."

Another massive syringe appears. This time, the needle is much thicker than the last one. I close my eyes, preparing myself for the pain to follow. Instead, there's another clink, and this time, a curse as one of the men holding me down staggers back. I feel warm blood splatter across my back and crack an eye open to see what's going on.

The needle sticks out of his cheek, like a long metal straw, and the man is cursing as he yanks it out, only for blood to gush from the wound.

"F*****g bitch!" he snarls at me.

Maybe my skin has become titanium? Now, that would be a nice development.

"How is this possible?" one of the scientists, who had been note-taking, asks. He chews on the end of his pen, his big bushy brows furrowed. "She has no magic and the cuffs are on, correct?"

Wrong, moron. But I'm not letting them see that I've got magic back. I still need to bide my time. Thank the Fates for the whole body-defense thing. The last thing I need is for her to get away with taking my spinal fluid. I bite my cheek, trying to resist the urge to demonstrate just how incorrect he truly is. It's not yet time for me to do that.

My mother sighs, her earlier excitement wiped away. "Demonic and Seraphim, remember, Clint? She is part Seraphim. Her mate is a Demonic-Fae. When she is scared, even powerless, her body still has certain safety mechanisms. Why do I have to explain this to you? You're supposed to be one of the top men in your field." She rolls her eyes at him. "Greyson used to have to shock Darius regularly, even when he was powerless to drop his body's shield."

I wish she would keep going because I would also like to know more about these apparent safety mechanisms in my body that are new to me. That last line, though, is more than a bit worrisome.

"Charge her. You know the drill, it will weaken her body's reaction. Once that's finished, I want that sample, and make sure you fill the syringe completely," my mother orders, walking off and out of the cell.

As I lie there, trembling with a mix of fear and anger, I know that I must replace a way to escape this nightmare. The cold metal of the gurney presses against my skin, a reminder of the stark reality I'm now facing. I need to muster all my strength, and perhaps even some newfound powers, to turn the tables and end my mother's cruel reign. The stakes have never been higher, and I can only hope that it will be enough to see me through this.