“I figured you’d be the stubborn one. But don’t worry, I’ll get there even without your help.” She flicked her wrist once more, letting the leather lash against his exposed chest. When he’d fought her mental invasion of his mind, she’d first stripped him of his dinner jacket, then ruined the shirt by slashing it in half. So much for getting his deposit on the rented suit back.

Blood oozed liberally from the gashes and trailed in rivulets over his chest and stomach. He’d been in worse shape and survived. “Over my dead body.”

There was a flicker in her eyes, and he realized he’d hit a nerve. She didn’t want him dead—no, for some reason, she needed him alive. It was her weak point. She could bloody him and hurt him, but she couldn’t kill him. It was a consolation, albeit a small one.

The witch narrowed her eyes, and a moment later he felt a current go through his head once more. She was trying it again, trying to invade his mind to find whatever she was after. But he wouldn’t let her. Haven clenched his jaw and tightened his neck muscles, trying to push against her. Visions of his mother’s last moments blinked in front of his eyes, and her last words echoed in his head. “Remember to love,” she’d reminded him with her last breath. Haven took comfort in her words and felt warmth spread in him. Suddenly, an electric shock surged through his body, and he spasmed. The accompanying shot of adrenaline gave him enough extra fuel to intensify the outward push against the violation.

He couldn’t explain what he was doing, but he knew it was working. The tendrils of Bess’ invading thoughts pulled from his mind and released him. The electric current receded until his head was clear again. “You bitch!” he hissed.

He would not allow her to get this close again. His mind was his own. Nobody had a right to go in there. It was where he kept all his fears and hopes locked up for nobody to ever see, hidden away from reality, from the cold, hard truth that kept nagging at him. A reality he never wanted to face, and hopes he wasn’t ready to give up even though with every day that passed, his hope of finding Katie grew slimmer. Nobody had a right to see the turmoil in his mind, the pain he concealed. He’d never even shared this with his brother. And he damn well wasn’t going to share it with the witch who held them captive.

Because showing what went on inside him would weaken him. And he needed to be strong to get out of this alive.

The whip bit into his skin and jerked him back to the here-and-now. There was no escaping the pain as it seared through him. He tried to block it out, shut himself off from feeling anything, but it was useless. The pain sliced through every cell of his body, weakening his resolve. His heart beat frantically trying to pump blood where it was needed most.

“Fine, you won’t let me in, then you’ll give me the answer instead.”

Haven didn’t understand what she meant. She hadn’t asked him anything yet.

“Where’s the key to your power?”

What the hell? “What power?” he rasped out, his voice showing his body’s exhaustion from the beating, his ribs aching from the bruising they’d already taken.

“Your witch power!” Bess hissed impatiently.

“You must be crazy. I have no ‘witch power.’ ” Neither he nor his brother had ever had any of their mother’s powers, few as they were. If that was what the witch was after, to tap into his powers and maybe steal them, she was on a train to nowhere.

“Don’t lie to me!” She lashed the whip against his chest.

Haven groaned through the pain, grinding his teeth to ward off the worst. “I have no—”

Another lash aimed higher and cut into his neck. Streaks of white hot pain seared his skin as the whip sliced through the tender flesh. Haven pulled on his restraints in an attempt to escape, but they held firm. Like serpents, they snaked around his arms and tightened further, caressing his skin with as much gentleness as sandpaper.

“You’ll tell me now.” She stepped closer and swiped her hand over his face, delivering a powerful blow. His lip split, filling his mouth with blood. He spat it at her, ridding himself of the metallic taste that threatened to make him gag.

“You think I would let you beat me if I had any power?”

The witch paused in her next movement, a flash of curiosity crossing her features. “Could it be …?” she mumbled. Then she looked straight at him, an evil grin building on her face. “Your mama never told you, did she? Kept the knowledge to herself, huh? Or maybe, she never had a chance.” She paused, suddenly nodding to herself. “You were still a kid back then.”