Tessy was still pinned to the cold, stone table, the thick, snakelike vines coiled around her limbs, digging harshly into her skin with every futile struggle. It was as if they craved her blood and received nourishment from it. Her body trembled as if trying to warn her that something worse was yet to come.
Suddenly, a strange heat surged through her. It was subtle at first, just a warm flush beneath her skin. But it quickly escalated into something unbearable. It felt as if her blood was boiling within her veins, bubbling and burning its way through her system.
Her breath hitched in her throat as pain overtook her senses. Her eyes widened in confusion and fear, and she tried to cry out, to demand what was happening to her. But she couldn't. Her lips wouldn't move. It was as if they had been sealed shut from the inside, locked away with invisible chains.
