Ashes by C.P. Mandara

All hope is lost. James has slept with me twice. When we arrive back at Lavande, Alain takes a great deal of pleasure in telling me I have two weeks to live. Two miserable weeks where he will torture me with his hands and knives until I am screaming for mercy. The worst part is that James will be forced to watch every second of it.

Why didn’t we run when we had the chance? It’s a question I will ask myself again and again over the upcoming days because Alain is rather inventive with his torture methods. At first, I thought we might stand a chance, but then he brings out the drugs. There’s a reason his nickname is ‘The Chemist.’ The man is truly evil in every way that counts.

This is a war we cannot win, fought against an adversary who is one step ahead of everything we do.

We desperately need to turn his dark and twisted games against him. There is always a way – I hope.