PROLOGUE
ASYA'S POV
It's snowing.
The ground is cold on my back, scraping harshly against my shoulder blades as I stare over the man's shoulder into the dark expanse above me. Everything seems blurry, unfocused, like I'm looking at the world through water. I can't discern separate snowflakes, but I can feel them falling on my face, fragile, delicate, almost gentle. They remind me of the notes in one of the pieces by Erik Satie, soft and distant, so I hum the tune under my breath while a searing pain keeps tearing at my insides.
Should it hurt this much? I know it was supposed to hurt at first, but I never imagined it would keep hurting like this… never imagined it wouldn't stop.
The man grunts, and the weight is suddenly gone. I suck in a shaky breath and slide my hand down my stomach, over the fabric of my torn dress, pressing my palm between my legs. Wetness. Too much. Way too much. My breath catches as I raise my hand in front of my face, staring at my blood-covered fingers while the melody still plays faintly in the back of my mind.
"Well, you've ended up being quite a treat, sweetheart," the male voice says. "I had my eye on your sister initially. You may look the same, but there is just something about her that oozes class. The clients do tend to prefer more polished ones, but you'll do."
Panic, raw, suffocating, unlike anything I've ever felt—explodes in my chest, breaking me out of the stupor I'd fallen into. I roll to the side until I'm lying facedown on the ground, snow biting into my skin. Energy surges violently through my veins, and I spring to my feet. And then I run.
The pain between my legs is excruciating. With each step I take, I feel a stabbing jolt that threatens to bring me down. My whole body is shaking, but I'm not sure if it's from the cold, the pain, or the shock. Maybe it's all of it. Maybe it's just the horror of what he did… and what he said. I risk a quick look over my shoulder, and a low, broken whimper leaves my lips when I see my rapist following, gaining on me.
There are streetlights some distance in front of me, faint but real, so I change my course and run in that direction. The slow melody in my head twists, shifting into something faster, louder, a battle march urging me forward. The ground is uneven, making it hard to run. I keep tripping over the roots of nearby trees and small bushes hidden in the dark. My vision is blurry, I lost my glasses, but I focus on the light breaking through the branches like it's my only lifeline and keep running.
The ripping and burning sensations in my lower belly are almost too strong to ignore, but I grit my teeth and force my legs to move. The air leaves my lungs in short, frantic bursts while snowflakes fall against the exposed skin of my arms, melting instantly. Just a few dozen yards to the street. I can hear the vehicles now. I just need to reach the street, and someone will stop. Someone will help me.
I'm almost there when my bare foot catches on something, and I stumble, falling hard, my face hitting the cold, unforgiving ground. No!
I push myself up, desperate to keep running toward the lifesaving light, when an arm suddenly wraps around my middle from behind.
"Got you!" The son of a bitch laughs.
I scream, but his other hand clamps over my mouth, smothering the sound before it can escape.
"It looks like they will have to re-educate you, honey," he says next to my ear, his breath hot and sickening. "I might visit you again when you're more docile. Boss lets me fuck my finds for free once a month."
"Please," I whimper into his palm, kicking my legs wildly.
"Perfect." He lets out another wicked laugh. "See, you're already learning."
I try hitting him with my elbow and almost manage to break free, almost, when I feel the sharp prick of a needle on the side of my neck.
The man shushes me. "Easy, now. Just a few seconds and it'll all get better."
My vision blurs, darkening at the edges until there is nothing left but shadows.
The music stops.