"Catherine, I know you want to get away from my brother," Iris said. "And you know I'd love nothing more than to see things end between you two. I know he's very protective of you, but I can help you get away."
Catherine almost choked on her tea. The cup hovered halfway between her mouth and the saucer, and her head spun. Was this the chance she'd been waiting for? She stared at Iris, trying to read the strange, smug expression on her sister-in-law's face, but the glare of the sun made it hard. Her head continued to spin, and then the room around her blurred. She felt the hot tea splash onto her lap, and then everything went dark.
The darkness changed from black to fuzzy gray, and there was sound—a low mechanical hum. Catherine groaned—her eyelids were heavy, and her head throbbed. She tried to move her body, but the sluggish muscles wouldn't respond. She groaned again.
"Oh fuck," Iris cursed. "She's waking up."
