hai
d the room, but it wasn't what made her breath stop. It was the weapons displayed on the far w
od
closer. "Ah. You l
fers her mute defiance. Fi
She stumbled, her cheap weddi
off." I c
watched as her fingers shook as they wen
ighting a cigarette. "
h each one, her breathing grew more ragged. By the
inch. Her tears
r feet. My gaze caught a silver
oice came out darke
rd, grabbing th
But before she could finish her sentence, th
dly, crushing the locket under my b
nd a single tear slipped fr
tudying her nakedness with detached appraisal.
didn't
shoulders and
fr
ck was
skin. Some old and silvered, others
e without thinking. It w
" I asked, my
y father. When I was twelv
over my mouth. "
nding her. For her defiance. Forg
rned her to face
our k
ting on instinct. I cupped her face,
me." I sa
ace expressionless. But I
urved int
I said slowly,
the door. "Sleep. Tomorrow,
ck clicked
in decades, I felt some
h. The cigarette sm
, smirking. "So? Is the little
igarette under
e inter
ose scars on her back. Straight lines with
morning," I told Dmitri.
"You're ke
k that silenced
s I hadn't d
ecklace but didn't scream when I grabbed her. S
like a
hate p
ickered as I watched the
her. Still kneeling naked on the
ic. I
t.
. Her lips
nd turned u
tch ov
praying
ightened
makes pe
punish he
ber I hadn't u
answered imm
r," I said. "I want all
"Careful, Volkov. Y
without
o bed like a wounded animal. She curled into herself with
chi
tin
lik
ed into
er arrive
special. Nothing important. Just pictures of he
Young Liliana, covered i
he picture
her room wit
awning, no confusion.
od
othes at her fee
ed at th
said so."
she'd refuse. Then she r
to be nice, but to wa
herself as she dressed. Positio
urned back. The black
r," I
s under her eyes. The bites on
f you," I said slowly, lifting her ch
a sound, she j
the door.
ere. She just fol
t gi
he basement c
m smelled like s
mats, the weapon racks, and ther. The chai
knife off the wall, "you
ere she stabbed me. "Why?" Her voic
gave it to her, "next time you stab
something flickered
ere
mil
real fun