My head throbbed where the rogue's fist had connected with my face. The metallic taste of blood filled my mouth as I glared defiantly at our captors from the corner of the basement. Beside me, Camille sat unnaturally still, her eyes vacant after they'd injected her with wolfsbane to "shut her up." Her breathing was shallow, her skin clammy.
"Camille," I whispered, nudging her gently. "Stay with me."
She didn't respond. The wolfsbane was taking its toll, suppressing her wolf and leaving her in a dazed state. I'd been given a smaller dose earlier, enough to weaken me but keep me conscious. My healing abilities were compromised, and my wolf felt distant, unreachable.
Three rogues paced in front of our cage, occasionally glancing at us with cruel smirks. Their leader had gone upstairs to make the ransom call to Adrian.
"Your daddy's taking too long to respond," the burliest rogue sneered at Camille. "Maybe he doesn't want you back after all."