onto hope when your tormentors found death something to laugh about.
Chapter 3823
I entered the lower hall defeated and resigned to experiencing a painful and dehumanizing death at the hands of Jazmine and her followers.
Maybe I’d been wrong to believe a werewolf could love a human.
After seeing how the other side lived, I was beginning to doubt Zane’s intentions. He’d admitted to deceiving me, and then he’d initiated our Vegas wedding night fiasco, yet another example of his poor judgment and lack of compassion. Jazmine was better suited for him. She’d have no problem standing up to his chauvinistic ways.
I shoved all thoughts of Zane aside. In all likelihood, I’d never see him again, and dwelling on our short-lived relationship did nothing but depress me more. I had one thing to be grateful for. Since my tearful meltdown, Mr. Tall and Rude had loosened his death grip on my arm and was whistling an old Beatles’ tune. I made every effort to stay steady as I struggled to keep up with his longer gait.
Instead of the classroom windows I’d seen on the upper floor, this hall featured doors devoid of any windows.
We reached the corridor’s midway point, and much to my relief, Mr. Tall and Rude ceased both his off-tune whistling and brisk stride to scrutinize a door that looked as battered and beaten as I felt.
Deep gouges twisted down its full length, giving the appearance that something with knife-wielding claws had sought entrance. I swallowed hard, a new storm of fear brewing in my stomach.
To make matters worse, the basement corridor didn’t have that busy school feeling I’d noticed above. It was sinister, and eerily quiet.
The scratched door loomed in the background. My eyes were drawn back to it like a magnet to metal. I could survive with mold, mildew, and gloom, but living in dread, while I waited for some mystery monster to tear through the door, sent my faith spiraling downward.
A lone guard manning his post at the hallway’s end was the single breathing thing in my line of vision. Seeing the casual way he lounged behind his computer monitor drew my attention from the door.
In this hauntingly similar place, I was reminded of Joshua’s cell-like room in the mental institution. I was also reminded of my pledge to get him out.
I didn’t break promises.
In what seemed like slow motion, Mr. Tall and Rude fished out a key ring. “Home sweet home,” he said, sounding cheerful.
I decided to ignore him and keep my mouth clamped shut. I prayed that my current good behavior would earn me a meal.
The gnawing in my stomach was prompting grumbles loud enough to slice through the stillness. If I didn’t eat and sleep soon, I’d really be grumbling. Once my basic needs were satisfied, I’d get back to finding some way to keep my promise of freedom for Joshua Smart.
“You’re quarters,” my escort announced snide as ever. The door swung open revealing a barren and dreary room.
Four army cots with a blanket and pillow lined the far back wall. A sink and toilet were hidden behind a filth-singed room divider. With no windows, I was painfully aware that I would be lucky to have shadows as my constant companions.
One undersized bulb flickered from the ceiling. Day and night would blur.
“Who’ve we got now?” I recognized the hall monitor as he swaggered past and left a stack of towels and my travel bag on the end cot. “You hungry?” he added, looking my way and ignoring the sudden scowl on Mr. Tall and Rude’s face.
Before I could get my mouth open, my original escort answered, adding one more rude reason to detest him. “She’s hungry, probably thirsty too. Her name’s Chloe Carpenter and she’s a high priority prisoner. The Mistress is unhappy with this one. She’s a sneaky one.” He shot me a look that dared me to respond. “She’ll have fun bunking with Connie and Deb.” He paused as if recalling something important. “Deb should be transferring back upstairs by Friday.”
The new guard nodded with a look that said Deb’s imminent move was old news.
Whoever Deb was, I intended to discover what she’d done to earn relocation rights to the upper level.
The hall monitor turned his attention back to me. “I got P and J or ham and cheese. What’ll it be?”
Certain I was pressing my luck, I forced what I hoped was a semi-sexy smile. “Both?”
Hall Monitor tossed his head back and roared, “A girl after my own heart!”