By the time Edward finally stopped I couldn’t think anymore. I was hanging limply from the tangle wire, beyond even the ability to sob in pain. I felt the worst of the wounds on my back close, but he left some of them open just so I could enjoy the sensation of the water he doused me with. Not only was it cold but it was salt water this time so it stung my already over-abused back. Finally the tangle wire was undone and I dropped to the floor gracelessly, not even able to entertain the idea of supporting myself. Edward stood over me, watching me just try to breathe. “I tried to warn you Callahan. Think about it, I can do this to you once a week until you tell me where Cassandra is or you can save yourself the pain and tell me now.” He offered. I couldn’t respond even if I wanted to, which I didn’t. Even after that horrifying session, I wasn’t willing to sacrifice Cassie. I thought that he’d just leave me here on the floor to bleed after that, but instead he bent over and picked me up. It hurt to be cradled to his chest like that and I was starting to black out from the pain as he carried me out of my blood splattered cell. I couldn’t focus on anything as cell doors slammed open and shut, and I heard someone gasp.
                              

                              
“Fix her. She’d better not die.” I heard Edward growl. I felt someone take me from him but I couldn’t focus my eyes enough to see more than a blurry face with crazy hair. Whoever it was, their colouration was lighter than Edward’s.
                              

                              
“I don’t know if I can. I’ll try to keep her from dying but you went too far, she might not recover.” Next I heard Edward storm out of the room and a door slammed, after that I felt a cool hand touch my somewhat feverish skin. Even though I was hot to the touch, I was also shaking in shock. My body was now fully healed but I was still so raw on the inside; it was worse than anything Lucien could ever have hoped to do to me. “Forgive me.” She whispered gently and kissed me. A cool wash of numbness soothed the worst of my psyche. That isn’t to say the pain stopped, but more like I’d been drugged enough to not care about the pain, only without the drugs. As soon as that numbness eased my pain enough, I was out like a light. It wasn't the best survival instinct I've ever had, to pass out while a strange woman was kissing me. I think if I hadn't been close to death though, the kiss wouldn’t have been half bad.
                              

                              
I sat up in my own bed with a hoarse cry of pain. My back ached even though there wasn’t a mark on my skin anymore, and my mind burned like a desert sun. Tears leaked out the corners of my eyes as the pain momentarily overwhelmed me. But I refused to be broken so I just kept forcing myself to breath in deep, slow lungfuls of air until I could manage the pain. I don’t know how long I’d been out, or even how long I just sat there breathing but eventually I heard movement in the hallway. The door to my cell creaked open and Edward was standing there looking like death warmed over.
                              

                              
“The hell happened to you?” I croaked voice destroyed by screaming. Edward smiled with cracked, bleeding lips.
                              

                              
“My Lord Marcus was most displeased with nearly losing you. I beat you until I was exhausted but still you held on. It enraged me so I seriously tried to end you, to break you beyond all recovery. This is counter to the needs Marcus captured you for. He wishes to speak with you, come.” He explained politely. The change in arrogance told me that he definitely got put in his place.
                              

                              
I licked dried lips and slowly made my painful way to my feet. No tangle wire bound me this time and the devilkin guards were carefully supporting me, not dragging me. I was in really bad shape, unable to even properly support my own body weight. Worse than even the pain was the fact that although I was trying to think, my brain just couldn’t do more than catalogue immediate things; I was just going to have to hope I could recall it all later. Edward brought me to the office and I was manoeuvred into a padded chair in front of Marcus where he was holding a stone cup.