Tears leak in rivulets from the corners of my swollen, crusted eyes as fragmented awareness returns in stuttering waves. Distantly, I can make out Kariz's gruff tones rumbling somewhere beyond the cocoon of my shattered senses.
"...barely even started strippin' away her human weaknesses, but the little wildflower's already driftin' off into la-la land. Can't have that now, can we?"
A meaty hand slaps my ruined cheek with stinging force, shocking what little clarity I've regained back into muzzy half-consciousness.
"Wakey wakey, darlin'," Kariz taunts, his breath hot and fetid against my bloodied face. "You ain't getting' off that easy. We're just gettin' warmed up for the real fun."
From the shadowy periphery, one of his twisted lickspittles appears bearing an ominous steaming bucket o
