Forbidden (Blood Ties #7)

“Eat,” Walker commanded. “You have ten minutes.”

Ten minutes?

My skin crawled with all the attention in the room, every set of eyes burning into me. But this was what we needed, wasn’t it? The only way any of us survived, by them believing I was someone they could use. My fingers trembled as I grabbed the plastic fork, picked up some of the rubbery mess, and slowly placed it in my mouth.

My stomach tightened as I bit down and chewed. It could be anything.I lifted my gaze to the Daughters at the table in front of me. Their downcast eyes never moved as I forced myself to swallow the vile squishy mouthful. This could be pancakes for all I knew. Hot, buttery, golden brown pancakes that were the best I’d ever tasted.

How are they?

Riven’s voice invaded my head.

Not a good time for that right now. Not a good time to think about him at all.

A little dry actually.

My pulse sped as I swallowed, reliving that moment for a second before it was gone.

“Okay,”Walker’s voice boomed, making the Daughters flinch. He scanned them all and settled on me.“Everyone finish up. You’ll be escorted to the media room.”

No one moved, they were all terrified. Still, my mind raced. Media room? I tried to figure out what was about to happen and dropped my fork, taking a gulp of juice to wash the food down as the guards descended from across the room. It was almost like they couldn’t wait to get their hands on us, dragging us to our feet.

Aren’t you whores supposed to just lie there and take it?

The memory of that bastard surfaced, but it was Walker who headed for me, grabbed my arm, and pushed me forward and in line with the others. “Move.”

And just like that, I was one of them.

A Daughter forced to line up and paraded like a piece of meat past Riven and the others.

“Eyes front,” one of the guards barked at me, his gaze sliding down the see-through lace I wore.

I jerked my focus forward, my heart hammering, and slowly I followed the rest out of the cafeteria and along the hall.

Bare feet slapped the cold floor. Panicked stares found mine as we headed past three sets of doors and turned, stopping at an open door.

“You’ll wait here.” The guard lifted his arm, barring our way. He shifted his gaze. “Teacher.”

Then Kane was there, stepping around me to face the rest of the line. He didn’t look my way, didn’t meet my stare. “You’ll be escorted in and given your seats. One of the medical staff will come along and secure you. Any attempt at evasion will be met by force, am I understood?”

No one said a word.

Secure us?What the hell did that mean?

A nod to the staff behind me and nurses strode forward.

“Let’s go.” One nurse took a Daughter’s arm and led her into a dimly lit room.

I knew this place, knew it intimately, every corridor, every diagram. I knew images and layouts, but standing here at the jaws of this gaping mouth, I realized I didn’t know this place at all.

Not really.

Not like this.

“You.” The next nurse grabbed the Daughter in front.

One by one they were taken inside until one came for me.

“Let’s go.” The older woman took me by the arm and pulled me toward the door.