She closed her eyes. Did she really want to wait for Kovit’s sake, or because she didn’t want to see the grisly results of her decision? She hadn’t done well seeing Kovit torture an INHUP agent—the memory of his gurgling, tongueless screams was far too fresh.

Taking a deep breath, Nita knocked on the door. Then, remembering it was soundproofed and Kovit definitely couldn’t hear her, she pushed it open.

The screams hit her first.

Fabricio generally had a soft, unassuming voice. It was the kind of voice that you trusted. It was the kind of voice that belonged on a gentle soul, not on a traitorous jerk who sold the person who saved him to the black market.

His screaming was high-pitched and sharp, serrated and coated in something angry. It was a scream of pain and rage, not a scream of pain and fear. Nita wasn’t sure how she could tell the difference, but she could.

Fabricio slumped in his chair, wrists and ankles bound by silver duct tape. His tousled brown hair fell over his face, and the skin around his eyes was bright red from crying, the tear streaks mixing with the blood from his broken nose and painting pink lines down his cheeks.

Kovit stood in front of Fabricio, a twisted smile curling his mouth into something obscene, even as his body shivered in ecstasy from Fabricio’s pain. His hands were sticky with dark red blood, though from her angle, she couldn’t actually see the source of it. His black hair was glossy as a shampoo commercial, his skin almost glowing with health, his black eyes bright and hungry. The more pain he ate, the more beautiful he became, and as his body trembled with pleasure as Fabricio’s pain slid through him, Nita could see the subtle changes the pain made on his appearance.

He lowered the scalpel when he saw Nita, and his smile fell a little, concern replacing the manic glee that had been there moments before. In front of him, Fabricio choke-sobbed, his shoulders heaving for breath.

Nita spoke without looking directly at either of them, her words a rush, because she wanted to get them out. “Kovit, can we talk outside for a moment? It’s important. Something’s happened.”

Kovit’s frown deepened, but he nodded slowly. “All right.”

He wiped his bloody hands on Fabricio’s tattered T-shirt, but not all the blood came off. The brownish dried streaks looked almost like melted chocolate.

Kovit turned to look at Fabricio and leaned forward, a hungry, delighted smile on his face. “Don’t worry, we’re not done here. I’ll be back later.”

Fabricio choked, trying to lean away, and gasped great heaving breaths that turned quickly into sobs.