"So be wise, because the world needs more wisdom. If you cannot be wise, pretend to be someone who is and just do what they would do."- Neil Gaiman

Monday, June 6, 2022

Rage Excerpt 13: The Interrogation

 I assessed him a minute, glanced to Lexi, and tipped my head toward the door. She only hesitated a minute before getting up and leaving the room. After the door closed behind her, I waited a minute longer. The prisoner was still laughing. I’ve been told I have “Alpha blood” in me. Time to test that. Hopefully Lexi got the hint and would keep Nic and Ty out.

I took a slow deep breath and flicked my wrist, yanking the chair out from underneath him and shattering it against the wall behind him. I leaned back and crossed my arms. He was on the floor, awkwardly trying to get up since his hands were still chained to the top of the table.

Once he was on his feet, he tried to yell something at me, but squinted at the collar on his neck and tightened it. I steeled myself for what was next. Nic was going to kill me if this guy didn’t.

I waved my hand absentmindedly, snapping the chain that was connecting him to the table. He started to move toward me, and I let him.

“You want to know why he “bows” to me?” I asked, with a calm only years of practice had given me. His hands reached out to my neck, and I let them get within inches. I seized the steel cuffs with my magic and yanked them straight up into the air, so quickly and violently he cried out as the strain on his shoulders intensified.

“You see, he didn’t find me very intimidating either. Until he went head to head with me.” He was on his tiptoes, unable to pull his hands back down. I tightened the steel so his wrists couldn’t slide through. I hadn’t moved at all from the causal pose I had taken up when I sent Lexi out. “I want information. You are going to give it to me. Whether it’s by sitting at this table or getting slowly pulled apart by my friends.”

Just as quickly as I flung his cuffs into the air, I slammed them down almost to the ground, bringing him to his knees. I stood up and took a step closer to him. He raised his head defiantly as I stood over him.

“Look at that. It’s your turn to bow.” I walked in a slow circle around him, concealing my shaking hands. “You’ve got 30 seconds to make that decision before I fling your cuffs to the ceiling and invite them in to do as they please.”

“You bitch…” he started.

“Yes, I know. I’m told I can be quite the pain in the ass.”

“I won’t give you anything. Send the wolf in and I will tell him what he wants to know.”

I flicked my wrist and brought his cuffs up to waist height, watching as he struggled to stand. I looked him right in the eye before tipping my head to one side.

“I have that effect on people. Sure you can talk to him. If I’m not happy though…” I clicked my tongue.

I moved his cuffs slowly over to the table, then made the chair I had been sitting in zoom over to his side. Once he sat down, I scooted him and fused the cuffs to the table.

“Be right back,” I said brightly.

As soon as I closed the door behind me, I doubled over. My hands and legs shaking violently. I heard the door to the viewing room open, and wasn’t able to hide the shaking. It was Lexi, with a gleam in her eye.

“The boys would like a word with you,” she said formally.

I shook myself, literally and physically, and nodded to her. I straightened my spine, capped my emotions, and braced for the whirlwind that was about to come out of that door.

This excerpt was taken from a lightly edited first draft. All content here may be changed or removed from the final book.