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CHAPTER SEVENTY – ONE ROSE AMARA'S POV A funny taste lingers at the back of my throat as I slowly open my eyes. My surroundings gradually come into focus. I'm lying on a dark floor resembling old, abandoned asphalt. A rotten smell, like a public toilet in a forgotten gas station, nearly causes me to gag. I sit up, and the world starts spinning like it did this morning. The gray stone walls have some industrialized red numbers on them, but they're faded, washed away by the merciless hands of time. The few cracks invading the solid surface and a metal bed in the corner are the only things in sight. Its white sheets are yellowish and appear not to have been washed in an eternity. How did I end up here? I don't remember anything after the bag was thrown over my head. Back then, my only thought was that I was dying and couldn't just die. The sense of relief at being alive doesn't hit me as strongly as it should. I might not be dead now, but that could change. Besides, it's worse if they take me alive. They could use me to try to force Granduncle's hand on something. It took so much for me to get to where I am, so there's no way in hell I'll be the brotherhood's weakness. I try to stand up but fall back on my ass immediately. 'It's useless." The quiet voice coming from beside me startles me. I didn't know I wasn't alone. Aleksander sits by my side, his legs outstretched in front of him and his arms limp by either of his sides. There's a cut in the shoulder of his jacket, and his soft features appear stRosened, numb, even. "They injected us with something," he continues, still staring at the wall across from us. "I don't know what it is, but it's robbing me of energy." Now that I focus on my body, it feels hot and kind of numb, like I can't control my limbs. I try to stand up again, but I fall back faster than the first time. 'Better save your energy, miss." 'Shit," I pant. 'Shit, indeed." I stare at him sideways. His lips are dry and cracked, which could mean he's dehydrated. I motion at his jacket, where there's a red hole. Blood stains cover his cheeks, too, giving him the look of a wounded warrior. "Did you lose a lot of blood?" He stares at his injury as if he forgot it's there. 'No. This should be fine." 'How did you end up here too?" 'They took me in place of Boss." 'Pharaoah?" 'Yes." 'Why would they want to take Pharaoah?" 'I'm not sure. I just knew I had to protect him." The amount of blind loyalty Aleksander has for Pharaoah is insane. He'd literally die for him. As would Eya and Zeth for me. I hope they didn't get caught in the gun war. "We need to devise a plan to escape," I tell him. 'Our best option is if one of us causes a diversion and the other escapes." 'I will do it." 'No. You're the Pakhan's grandniece. I'm disposable, so I'll do it." 'Even though you're Pharaoah's guard, you're not disposable. None of our men are, even if you hate me." 'I don't hate you." 'Your boss does." 'That's because you're threatening him, miss." 'Only to protect myself. I won't cause any of you harm if you don't cause me harm." 'Does that mean you're not…" He clears his throat. 'You know, against his preferences?" "Why would I be? They're his preferences, and no one's opinion matters. As I said, I will only use his sexuality against him if he threatens me. I would rather not, but that's the only thing I've got on him, considering how closed off he is. If you tell me something else…I can ditch it." 'Nice try, miss." He smiles a little. It's the first time I've seen Aleksander smile, and I hate to be like the other guards who compare him to a girl, but he really looks like one right now. 'Doesn't hurt to try." I smile back. 'Let's escape first, then we'll talk." The door bangs open, and both of us stiffen against the wall. We don't try to scramble away because that's not only useless considering whatever they injected into our systems, but it also would dRosen our energy sooner rather than later. Five men walk inside, all tall and broad with mean features. The bald one, who appears to be their leader, approaches me with a gleam in his light eyes. His scar cuts across his bald head and ends right above his eyelid. When he speaks, it's in a thick Eastern European accent. "We should start with this one. You'll scream for your uncle and husband, won't you, kitten?" Two men charge toward me, each trying to grab me by the arm. I kick and push at them, but not only am I outnumbered, but my body also doesn't feel like mine. My movements are slow; every time I punch them, they laugh and speak in their language, which I don't understand. Aleksander tries to help me, but the other two hold him down on his knees and press down on the wound in his shoulder. He bites his lower lip to not release any sound of pain. 'Get her on her knees," the bald one orders. 'I want those lips around my cock." The guards get me in position, lust shining through their eyes. The sick assholes must've been promised a share after their leader was done. The bald one removes his short, fat dick and places it in my mouth. I don't open it, glaring up at him. I will fight tooth and nail before I let them touch me. I'm a Sokolov, and we don't go down without a fight. He motions at the other guard, and they punch Aleksander across the stomach. He groans, falling to the ground, but they hold him upright, one of them grabbing him by his injured shoulder. 'For every second you don't suck me off like a good whore, that girly faggot will be punched. How long until he dies, I wonder?" The guards hit him again, and blood explodes from his mouth. 'Wait a second." One of the men holding Aleksander crouches in front of him and feels at his chest. Aleksander tries to shoo them away, groaning and bucking until his face turns red. The guard unbuckles Aleksander's pants and boxers. I don't want to watch the assault, but how am I a leader if I close my eyes? Aleksander is one of our men, and if I let him go through this alone, it's no different than betraying my role. Gritting my teeth, I force myself to stare at his face, to tell him it'll be fine even if I am not so sure of that. Aleksander needs to be more focused on me, though. He's lost his cool head and is blindly trying to ward them off, which only gets him hurt more. I'm about to call his name but pause when his pants and boxers are pulled to his knees. Instead of the penis I expected to see, there are…female genitals. 'Fvcking shit. Jackpot, boss." The guard grins. 'It's a woman." My incredulous gaze meets Aleksander's, who lowers his eyes, a tear sliding down his cheek—or, more accurately, hers. She's a woman. Aleksander has been a woman all along. I should've suspected it since the beginning, considering her features. Still, she's such an excellent guard, more robust than many of her male counterparts, that no one dared to question her gender, even when they joked about her looks. 'Have fun with her while I have fun with this one." The bald guy runs his meaty fingers along my cheek. The two other men flip Aleksander on her back, and something inside me snaps. I grit my teeth but wait to open my mouth until I ensure Aleksander meets my gaze. Now, I tell her.