"Poor thing." Bennett went to touch the crown of my head. "You're shaking like a leaf."

Of course, I'm shaking! I'm back in the monster's lair! Not only that but judging by his hair colour, I'd say he's the same species of a monster as Cyrus!

"It's not a good idea for you to move just yet. You've been sleeping for days. So, I'll have to give you a sponge bath in bed."

As Bennett got up, I tried to protest. But the words refused to come out of my lips. So, all I could do was mouth silently at him. Upon noticing this, Bennett gave me a sheepish smile before patting my head.

"Don't fight it. It's my turn to nurse you now." Bennett left the room and the sound of a faucet turning could be heard.

Somehow, I'm not angry with Rohan for trying to kill me. But instead, it's replaced with my hatred for him dragging me out here. Why couldn't he have brought me to the butchers instead of the middle of nowhere!

Once the water stopped running, Bennett returned clutching a sponge in his hand. My chest tighten up as he approached me. The mere thought of his touch made me nauseous.

As Bennett straddled me once more, he proceeded to apply the sponge to my face while humming contently. Eventually, he spoke up again once he moved down towards my collarbone.

"I'm a very forgiving person. You know that, right?" Bennett said while eyeing me expectantly. "So, I don't hold it against you for getting me killed."

What a joke. As if I'd ever ask for his forgiveness. If given the opportunity I'd watch Luka rip out his jugular again and again!

"But there was one thing I always told you I'd never forgive." Bennett's voice went cold as his movements started to slow down.

With one quick tug, he ripped the blankets off of my body. I felt myself shiver as I was still only wearing my underwear. As I sucked in a breath, Bennett suddenly wrapped a forceful hand around my neck.

"You've been cheating on me." He said with maddening twitching eyes. "You know that's unforgivable. Only I can make love to you."

My vision slowly started to fade as I was slowly deprived of all oxygen. As tears started to form, all I could do was look on with trembling lips. I can't even talk my way out of this one. I'm a goner at this rate!

The anger that was overflowing from Bennett slowly started to dissipate as his face morphed into that of realisation. "Unless..." Bennett's voice trailed off.

Bennett looked at me, pleadingly. "Did a man force himself on you?" Sadly, the encounter was consensual. Wait till he finds out that I'm the one who initiated it too...

"ANSWER ME!" Bennett yelled as he added more pressure to his grip. Uuuu... it looks like I'll have to go along with what he's thinking for now. It may be my only way out of this.

Using what little strength, I had left, I firmly nodded my head. Bennett removed his hand from my neck and looked as if he was on the verge of tears before he hugged me.

"I'm so sorry, Vicky," Bennett said while nuzzling into my neck. "I'll make whoever did this to you pay."

Good luck with that. I don't need you to take revenge against Rohan, I just want someone to stop you instead!

As Bennett sat up to compose himself, he went back to wiping the rest of my body with the sponge.

"In any case, we'll need to figure out where to go from here." There was a pause before his face hardened. "Tying you up doesn't seem to be foolproof. I'll need to come up with another alternative..."

I swallowed a gulp as my voice finally returned. "There's no need. No one knows I'm out here." I said hoping it would somewhat appease him.

But Bennett merely brushed me off. "No. I'm well aware that you've been acquainted with one of my kind. If he manages to make contact with them then..."

Them? Who's them? Don't tell me he's referring to their species? If there's a way to directly contact them then it might aid me in completing my mission...

Bennett rose from the bed and proceeded to rummage through his dresser. He pulled out what appeared to be a transmitter. "It would be unwise to destroy something so irreplaceable." He shoved it into his back pocket. "I'll just bury it somewhere he won't find later."

If that transmitter is truly capable of making contact with Cyrus' kind, then I'll need to figure out how to get my hands on it. It seems like it might take a lot of convincing. If Bennett figures out that I need it for my mission, then he'll never hand it over to me!

"But for now, there's something more important I must do." Taking the logs, he previously threw to the floor, he started to light a fire in the fireplace. "We'll need to get you properly warmed up."

...

I'm suspicious. There's no way he's not plotting something right now. This is Bennett we're talking about. He likes to take as much precautions as possible...

As Bennett was entranced by the crimson flames, he used the metal fire poker to move the logs around aimlessly. Once he was done with that, he kept the poker still as he watched it turn red with a blank expression.

"I'd say this is scorching hot." Bennett turned around and held the poker up in my direction. "What would you say?"

Was that a rhetorical question? It's quite obviously hot if it's turned red! Nevertheless, I played along and nodded my head.

Bennett looked away sadly before he got up once more to approach me. "You know this will hurt me more than you."

Before I could even react, Bennett held a tight grip on my left ankle and raised the poker up. No, don't tell me he's about to do what I think he's going to do!

"P-P-PLEASE... DON'T!" I sobbingly protested as I tried to raise my body up.

Bennett refused to look me in the eye. His eyes were far too transfixed on my foot. "I can't have you running away from me again. So, it's for the best that you remain bedridden."

THIS IS INSANE! IF THERE'S ANY HUMANITY WITHIN YOU, YOU WON'T DO THIS!!!

But words wouldn't get through to Bennett as he scalded my foot with the burning rod. I let out a wail of agony as the pain was enough to make me want to pass out.

Eventually, he pulled away and the sound of sizzling flesh echoed throughout the entire room. Bennett was breathing heavily before looking at me with darkened eyes.

"Now for the other foot."