Austin took a shaky breath before forcing out the words. "The scientist with that clearance is on leave... The only other one- you dismembered."
Kasia narrowed her eyes before laughing, "Oops." The laughter ended when Austin did not move to get the key card. She growled, gripping Austin's collar before shoving him forward. "What are you doing wasting my time? Get the key card from the corpse. And don't try anything stupid."
As Austin scrambled over bloodied bodies, Kasia clenched her jaw, watching him rifle through torn flesh and shredded uniforms. She bit her lip. Normally the scent of human blood would make her sick; however, it was causing her stomach to growl. What was going on with her? She would have never thought about eating a human before, but the urge to tear into him gnawing at the edges of her control. It would be easier. Faster. But she didn't want to rush her satisfaction. Kasia wanted to enjoy her kill, but that would take time and there wasn't enough.
'Focus on the plan,' she kept repeating to herself.
"I got it!" Austin called. His voice cracked as he was desperate to please Kasia. If he could make her happy, maybe she would change her mind about murdering him.
Austin stumbled toward her, holding the key card out like an offering. "Please, don't kill me."
Kasia cocked her head. "Why? Why should I be merciful?"
"Because of our history, of our relationship," Austin reasoned.
"And?" Kasia said, still unmoved.
"You love me and I love you," Austin started and Kasia laughed.
"You wanted to turn me into your personal pet. What kind of love is that?" Kasia countered.
Tears streamed down Austin's face. "I-I was just following orders- please, I didn't have a choice."
Kasia scoffed. "Just like you chose to rat me out to Nadia instead of supporting me to rescue my sister. You chose to put a collar on me like I'm some dog. There's always a choice and you chose what would benefit you."
Austin shook his head frantically. "You don't understand. If I disobeyed, they would've killed me. They still might."
Kasia sneered. "You think that's an excuse?You sold me out to save your own skin. You didn't want to be tied to me in case everything blew up. And now you have another opportunity to move up the ranks by using me once again."
Austin swallowed hard. "I can help you. I know things- information you could use."
Kasia leaned in. "There is nothing you can provide to me that I don't already know. You were nothing more than dead weight and I have no idea why I was with you for so long. Do you really think they would have allowed you to keep me if your plan worked out? Get real. I would've gone to a top ranking Hunter. You would have basically turned me into a weapon just for a few moments of fame that would amount to nothing because you're just a fuck up."
Turning her back on him, Kasia swiped the card through the console, the screen lit up with the access granted screen before the monitor showed rows of security footage filled the screen- cells packed with supernatural prisoners, some grown men and women. There are some barely old enough to understand why they were there. Kasia grimaced at the screen. Once, she had put innocent people in these very cages.
Then pain exploded in her back.
Kasia staggered forward, a sharp cry escaping her lips.The scent of silver burned her nose. Slowly, she turned as she laughed at Austin's pathetic attempt to kill her.
Austin was still gripping the handle, his eyes wild. When he heard her laughter, he dropped his hand and backed up from Kasia.
"Here we go, you playing superhero again. When will you ever learn?" Kasia mocked.
"That should've worked," Austin whispered in horror.
Kasia pulled the blade free and nonchalantly looked at it before dropping it to clatter on the ground. "Any other time it would've, but this time thanks to you, you should've used iron."
Before Austin could react, Kasia gripped his already-broken arm and yanked, ripping it clean from his shoulder. The scream that tore from his throat was music to her ears. She grinned, swinging his arm haphazardly around as she stalked him as Austin tried to crawl away from her.. Then, with a savage gleam in her eyes, Kasia yanked him towards her by his ankle.
"I think you need to be taught a lesson. Thirty lashings that should do it," Kasia mused.
"No, please," Austin pleaded.
"It's only 30 lashings. You're a tough man, right? You can handle it," Kasia said.
"Please.Kasia wait…" Austin pleaded but it was on deaf ears. Kasia began beating him with his severed arms.
Laughter bubbled up from her throat, sharp and unhinged. The rush of violence, the thrill of dominance- it was intoxicating.
'Kasia,' Deva's voice filled her mind. 'This isn't you.'
Kasia wiped blood from her face, blinking as if surfacing from deep water. But the hunger still gnawed at her, an insatiable force demanding more.
'Why does it feel so good?' Kasia thought. Her mouth drooled at the limb in her hand. There was a sharp pain to her foot that brought her out of her thoughts. Kasia looked down to see Austin had stabbed her again.
"Oh, I'm sorry. I think I was on number 15. Sorry to keep you waiting," Kasia said with a grin as she resumed beating him.
Deva attempted to talk to Kasia again, but she was no longer responding. 'This shouldn't be happening. What is going on?'
'I've given here clarity. I've freed her from her weakness,' the voice from before had said.
Deva snarled in anger as she finally realized who she was. Queen Eliane. Her mate's former lover and her rival.
Queen Eliane chuckled at Deva's anger. "So you finally realized who I was. It took you long enough. It makes sense. You should be dead and not her familiar."
Deva's growled, 'What have you done to Kasia?'
"I did what I said I would. I've only helped. Without me, she'd be a mindless beast, lost to her own rage. Shouldn't you be thanking me?" Queen Eliane responded.
"You poisoned her mind!" Deva snapped. "I can feel it eating at her!"
"It is only temporary. The magic will leave her soon and she will be back to her normal self," Queen Eliane reassured.
"Don't play coy with me, Eliane. You could have removed the magic yourself. You're manipulating her- what do you really want?" Deva argued.
A pause and then Queen Eliane said, "The future Alpha Queen is special. And I never waste potential."
A cold dread coiled in Deva's chest. "You're using her."
"Call it what you wish. But she's stronger than she's ever been, isn't she?" Queen Eliane stated.
Kasia stood over Austin's lifeless body. She couldn't help but drool at the blood, the exposed flesh. She could feel Deva's desperation, but Queen Eliane's words made sense. She was strong. She was free. So why did she feel like she was slipping away?
"There's nothing wrong with satiating your desires. Enjoy your kill. You earned it," Queen Eliane urged.
"What the hell are you saying? You know there is no going back if she does this," Deva exclaimed.
"I believe in letting someone do what they want to do," Queen Eliane responded.
Kasia reached for a piece but paused before ripping herself away, biting her lip hard. The pain brought her back to her senses and then she noticed Deva and the other voice arguing within her mind.
"Enough of you two arguing," Kasia said. "I'm getting a headache."
Kasia turned her attention back to the console. "I'll release the prisoners. Then, Deva, you take over."
"Why? Don't you want…"
"I don't trust myself right now, Deva. You will shift and it will catch them off guard. They'll expect a lycan, not a werewolf," Kasia explained. She reached for the override switch.
Queen Eliane hummed in approval. "Make sure to have fun. I do enjoy a good show."