When I came around after the sedation wore off I was back in the cell on the mattress. There were red marks on my wrist where I had tried to free myself from the handcuffs Maverick had placed on me. I hated him even more than I thought it was possible to hate another person.

It was the strange clothes that I wore that sent me into a panic. The plain blue shirt was a little big and the sweat pants had a tie around the waist. Someone had changed me while I had been out of it and that freaked me. The lack of control in the situation was chipping away at any determination I had to stay calm. I wanted to yell and scream but I was still trying to fight off the effects of the sedation.

I stood, my legs unsteady. I used the wall to keep myself standing as my legs got used to the weight. It was difficult not to feel like all my hard work to get escape had been for nothing. Here I was back where I had started, no closer to getting out than I had been before.

Bowing my head, I allowed myself to feel the despair that I might never get out before I let the determination that had carried me through the tough and lonely years that hadn't been able to break me to take over.

No matter what, they wouldn't break me.

I wasn't going to let a bunch of weirdos get the best of me, no matter what. I would find a way out of this, even if it killed me. This wasn't going to be my ending.

Exhaling I took in my surrounding again. There was no way out. Nothing. Not even a window.

The door opened and in walked Maverick and another guy.

Maverick was dressed in a black shirt and jeans. The guy who stood beside him was dressed similarly.

"Sleeping beauty is finally awake," he drawled as he crossed him arms.

I glared at him. He had a way of riling me up so quickly no matter how much control I tried to exert. But no amount of anger stopped me from noticing how his muscles flexed and the way his broad shoulders rolled slightly.

What was wrong with me, I admonished myself.

Here I was being kept against my will, and I was checking out my warden. I clearly needed to get laid and soon.

"Asshole," I muttered.

He had the audacity to smile when he heard me. "You really are a firecracker, aren't you?"

I clamped my mouth shut and continued to glare at him wishing I had the power to strike him down with lightening.

My attention moved from the asshole to the guy beside him. He had the same build and same height but he had short blonde hair with blue eyes. At least I wasn't checking him out, so desperation hadn't set in yet. "Who is this, your sidekick?"

"Something like that," he murmured as my gaze moved back to hold his.

No matter what I wouldn't cower in fear. I had learned never to show vulnerability in a situation where I had no control.

"It's time to answer our questions," the asshole announced.

His sidekick opened the door and I backed away.

The asshole entered and his sidekick followed before closing the door.

Even if I managed to get out there was no way I could out run them.

I lifted my chin as faced them, refusing to show the fear that urging me to get out of the situation by any means possible.

"All you need to do is answer our questions," Maverick said but I was already shaking my head.

"Why are you here?" His tone was serious.

I pressed my lips together.

The sidekick, cocked his head to the side as he studied me.

"What?" I asked, disliking the close inspection.

"What territory are you from?" The sidekick asked.

Why did they talk like that? It was the strangest way to ask where I came from. Couldn't they just ask what town I came from?

"We will get the answers we want," Maverick threatened. His expression scared me. He was dead serious and I was nervous as to what they would try do to me to get the answers they wanted.

"What is this?" I asked, turning the tables around on them. "Is this some sort of cult?"

They shared a look before they faced me again.

"It has to be. All the people, living on a this property. It's not normal. You guys are strange to say the least. I've never seen anything like it before. Who has a medical centre?" Even as I spoke I had to admit with all the strange things I had noticed, I still couldn't think of any other explanation other than it was some sort of cult.

Maverick frowned as he studied me.

He sighed. "We tried the easy way."

He nodded to his sidekick who moved forward to grab me. I wasn't fast enough and his hands clamped over my arms. I tried to push him away but he lifted me off my feet and moved me to hold me by the waist. No amount of squirming or trying to get free work. Maverick moved closer.

He put some gloves on and then pulled a clear bag out of his pocket. It was a flattened purple flower.

I felt like I was in some alternate universe because none of what was unfolding was making any sense.

I stopped struggling. "What are you going to do, irritate my allergies?" I had to suppress the urge to laugh at his serious expression as he pulled the flower carefully out of the package.

"This is going to hurt," he murmured.

I did not believe a word he said. He was crazy, absolutely off his rocker.

The moment the deep purple petal touched my arm, it seared against my skin. I tried to pull away but the sidekick held me in place. The skin that came into contact turned red and blistered. It felt like I was being burned.

"Ugh..stop," I yelled, the agony vibrated right through me.

As soon as he lifted the flower from my skin, the pain stopped. It was unbelievable. My mouth hung open. How on earth? Small blisters remained where he had touched me with the strange flower.

"We will get the answers, one way or the other. The choice is yours." He lifted the flower to bring it closer to me.

"Stop," I pleaded. The pain had been unbearable.

He did. "Are you going to answer our questions?"

I nodded. I would tell them anything they wanted. The pain had been nothing like I had ever experience before, and there was no way I wanted to put myself through that again.

"Let's start with your name?"

"Victoria James," I breathed.

He echoed my name and I found myself staring at his lips he said my name. I pulled myself back to the reality that this was the same man who had only moments ago burned my skin with a plant he knew would inflict pain. There was something really wrong with me.

"And what are you doing here Victoria?"

"I was just passing through town."

"Why here?" he pressed.

"Why not. I was traveling through the area and thought I would spend a bit of time here before I moved on."

"You expect us to believe that?"

"Yes, because it's the truth. I don't know what's going on here but all I want to do is get out of here. I don't know why you think I'm doing something wrong." My lip trembled and I hated how weak I felt. It wasn't a feeling I enjoyed at all.

Maverick looked over my shoulder to the sidekick and then I was free. I backed away from them.

"How are you able to do that to me?" I found myself asking, my attention fixed on the flower I wanted to get as far away from as possible.

He studied it before looking to me. "You don't know what this is?"

I shook my head.

He frowned. "How is that possible?"

I wasn't even sure he believed me.

He looked to his sidekick. They seemed to talk without words, it was the most disconcerting thing.

"Do you know what you are?" Maverick asked.

"Yes, I'm a single eighteen year old girl being held against her will in some small crappy town I can't wait to get out of."

"You really don't know what you are?"

"I'm upset, annoyed and scared. Are you happy?" I held my arms to my waist making sure not to touch the place that still throbbed with pain.

****

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