Forbidden (Blood Ties #7)

“Forgive us,” he whispered, meeting my stare. “For what we’re about to do.”

My pulse skipped, and my stomach sank all at once. I felt like I was going to pass out before I’d even started, until the door opened once more.

“It’s time.” Kane looked at me, then his brother.

There was regret in his tone, he swallowed it as he disappeared out the door.

Riven dropped his hand, exhaled, and followed, leaving me to do the same.

Thomas was there, wearing his black suit and white clerical collar. His face was still swollen and his eye bloody as he fixed that chilling stare on me. “After you.” He motioned.

My bare feet made no sound as I followed the others like a ghost through the doorway of the apartment and along the hall. Riven was in front, Kane slowed, falling behind with Thomas, all three boxing me in.

The secure doors were unlocked one by one as we headed to where they kept the Daughters, until, through the section of glass, I caught sight of a guard.

Riven spun, grabbed me, and pushed me against the wall, his gaze full of rage, his voice full of fear. “They can’t hear us,” he murmured. “Only see us.”

My eyes flicked instantly to the cameras above us.

“You know what you have to do?” Riven searched my stare.

It was the last moment he would be Riven to me.

Somehow, we both knew that.

I suppressed a shiver and gave a nod.

He swallowed, grabbed my arm in a savage grip, and shoved me toward the doors. “See you on the other side, Trouble.”

I stumbled forward, barely reaching the door before the lock clicked and it opened. Heavy steps closed in. I was grabbed around the back of the neck and driven forward, past the guards and into the cafeteria, before I was shoved hard from behind.

My head snapped backward and my knees buckled, sending me crashing to the floor.

But he wasn’t done. No, The Principal descended, grasping me around the jaw to jerk my gaze to his. “Try to run again, Daughter,and see what happens.”

His eyes were wide. His pupils were so dark they were endless pools.

He was scared.

No.

He was terrified.

Sparks ignited in his gaze. His chest moved in shallow, panicked breaths. There was no way he was going to get through this, not without me taking the lead. I yanked my hands up. “Please,don’t hit me again.”

The heavy thud of boots rushed in. “You found her.” The man I knew as Walker strode forward.

“We found her.” The Principal released my jaw and straightened, glaring down at me.

“I’ll keep a better watch on this one,” Walker declared as he grabbed my arm and hauled me to my feet.

“We all will,” Riven added coldly, watching as I was dragged to where the other Daughters sat.

They stared at me with terrified expressions. Some were dressed in red, others in white. They cared more about the guards across the room than they did about a pretender.

“Sit.” Walker shoved me toward a seat and nodded at the cafeteria staff.

Revulsion rose as they slid a plate of barely yellow looking eggs in front of me along with a plastic cup filled with some kind of juice.