PROLOGUE

MOSCOW, RUSSIA. ~ALZNA The thin ray of sunlight slipping through a crack in the wall was the only way I could tell night from day. The air was thick with dampness, and the scent of rusted iron mixed with the staleness of my unwashed skin. My stomach twisted painfully in protest, hollow from days without food. The iron gate groaned open, followed by the sound of shoes clicking against the cold concrete. I didn’t need to look up to know who it was. It was Kirill. My second-eldest brother, the one who relished power a little too much, stood before me. Even without seeing his face, I could feel the smugness rolling off him in waves, his presence alone was enough to sour the already putrid air. “Alzna,” he drawled, his voice laced with mockery. “You still wear that defiant look, don’t you? Stubborn to the bitter end.” I kept my gaze fixed on the far wall, refusing to acknowledge him. But Kirill was never one to be ignored. He crouched before me, the scent of his cologne invadi

CHAPTER 1

VENICE, ITALY. —ALZNA Where am I? The thought echoed through my mind as I drifted between consciousness and the darkness surrounding me. My last memory was Kirill’s sneering face, the sharp prick of the needle, and then nothing. Had he killed me? No. This wasn’t death. The air was too thick with the acrid stench of alcohol and smoke, stinging my nostrils and making my stomach churn. Voices murmured somewhere close, their tones hushed and brimming with something I couldn’t yet place. I tried to move, but my limbs wouldn’t obey. Panic spiked through me as I realized my wrists were bound behind me, the rough bite of rope digging into my skin. My legs were tied as well. A gag stretched between my lips, muffling my breath, and worst of all, a blindfold covered my eyes. My pulse hammered against my ribs as I twisted against the restraints, ignoring the sting of the rope burn. My breath came in short, ragged gasps, sweat slicking my back. The shrieking sound of a microphone interrupti

CHAPTER 2

The soft texture below my skin was a stark contrast to the cold floor in the dungeon. For a moment, I thought I was dreaming. Then reality hit me - the auction. My vision blurred as I tried to adjust my eyes to the lighting of where I was. My head throbbed like someone had hammered nails into my skull and my throat was dry. Whatever they had injected into my body left my body weak and my muscles aching. I rubbed my temples, hoping the pain would subside. It didn’t. My eyes darted around the room, it was a bedroom, spotless and minimal, with a neatly separated bathroom and a dim bulb. On the table was a tray with a covered plate, likely holding food and bottled water This was miles apart from the dungeon. But that didn’t matter. None of it mattered. I needed to leave. Now! I spotted a curtain that I could assume was……. A window. I lazily pushed myself off the bed, my legs trembled as I half-staggered, half-ran toward it. Yanking the curtains back, what I saw made my little hope

CHAPTER 3

They grabbed me like I was nothing more than a rag doll, slinging me over their shoulders as if I weighed nothing. I fought with everything I had, kicking, clawing, biting, but they didn’t even flinch. It was like they were made out of steel. “Take her to the first basement,” the devil said coldly. Basement? My heart thumped. “How is this my fault? You kidnapped me and I was trying to escape!” My words spilled out, frantic and desperate. They ignored me, dragging me down a dimly lit corridor. When we reached the basement, they shoved me inside with no warning. I stumbled, landing hard on the damp, grimy floor. I scrambled to my feet and bolted toward the iron gate, but it slammed shut before I could reach it. “Let me out!” I yelled, but I knew it was useless. Screaming will weaken me and that is the last thing I want. Taking a deep breath, I turned to gaze around my surroundings. The stench hit me first—a nauseating mix of blood and decay that clung to the air. I gagged, tryi

CHAPTER 4

He was going…. No way! Panic twisted inside me, but I shoved it down and it was replaced with rage and adrenaline coursing in my veins, he wasn't going to give up I moved quickly to the other side of the bed, putting as much distance between us as possible, but the room was small, too small to create a large distance between us. “You are insane,” I spat angrily, “After what you did to me in that basement, you expect me to spread my legs like some cheap whore? Never! I would rather die than let you touch me! Go fuck yourself, Marshmallow!” His look turned steely, ruining his amazing features. “And this,” he said softly, “is why you need to learn.” My eyes darted around the room, desperate for anything I could use to protect myself. But he'd thought of everything. Every object that could serve as a weapon had been stripped away. “Looking for something?” he said. "You're wasting your time." Before I could think of my next move, he was suddenly in front of me, closing the

Todos los capítulos de Tainted Loyalties: Capítulo 1 - Capítulo 5

PROLOGUE

CHAPTER 1

CHAPTER 2

CHAPTER 3

CHAPTER 4