Chapter 24

It felt as if molten lava had been injected into my veins, searing through my blood like a relentless fire. The burn was unbearable—too much—far too much for me to endure.

Every inch of my body screamed for mercy, though I couldn’t tell if the screams were only in my head or if they had escaped my lips as well. My vision blurred as I forced my eyes open, staring up at the ceiling, which seemed to sway and spin above me.

"Keep going strong, child. Keep your baby alive."

I tried to remember whose voice that was… It was Doc, the man responsible for all this pain.

Please. I tried to say. Make it stop. I begged silently, my voice too weak to escape my lips.

Slowly, after what felt like an eternity, the burning began to subside, leaving me gasping for breath.

“Incredible,” the doc said, his face appearing above me, his eyes gleaming with twisted fascination. “Your body accepted the Nocturne within twenty minutes. This is truly incredible!”

Twenty minutes? The searing pain in my veins felt l