I only own the plot and my OCs.

~Hebony~

Darkness wrapped me in a blanket of remembrance as my brain tried to escape the painful prison it was currently locked in. Pain sprinkled the dessert of my flesh as they wrapped another band of onyx around my torso.

"Where are they?" A man shouted next to my ear as fire ignited in my veins and my heart fluttered painfully in my chest.

"Eat shit." I wheezed as a fist connected with my jaw and my body jarred against the onyx bands, sending lighting streaks of pain through every living cell of my mortal shell. Pictures rapidly flashed before my closed eyes and I fought to latch onto one. There. I grit my teeth as I fought the blurriness of the memory. Its one of my favorites. The moment that my life changed forever.

~Flash back~

Cold wind slaps my face with the discipline of an unforgiving mother. Ashamed, I assume, by the fact that I'd once again stollen from Old Hickory's general store. It wasn't that I liked to steal, but a girl had to eat somehow.

"Someone stop that girl!" A cop shouted as I raced through the crowded streets my small slim build making it easy for me to dodge grabby hands and soar off to safety. I'm not sure who managed to snatch me up, but I knew their hands were firm but warm and comforting.

"Quit struggling." A rumbling voice snapped as I tried to wiggle myself out of his grip. "I'm try to help you silly girl." I stopped struggling, only because I was curious, and not because I was afraid that this stranger would actually hurt me. My heart picked up its rhythmic pattern as the heavy footfalls of the cops rushed by us. Of course to the untrained eyes, it looked as if this stranger were hugging me gently, which, I suppose, was my saving grace. Once the cops were gone, I twist myself around so that I could look into the eyes of my rescuer. He was superbly handsome, with eyes the color of a clear afternoon sky, and hair like bitter sweet chocolate that fell in soft waves just above his eyes. His skin was sun kissed as if he'd spent many hours at the beach.

"Who are you?" I snapped without really meaning too, but I wasn't accustomed to being nice. He raised an eyebrow before an easy laugh escaped his lips and amusement twinkled in his eyes.

"My name is Bane Wynter. You?" He asked as he stuck out his hand. I looked at him for a moment, trying to decide if he had some underlying scheme, but could only find genuine kindness.

"Hebony." I replied with a semblance of a smile that I hoped didn't come off as 'go crawl in a hole and die' like most of my other looks did.

"No last name? Parents?" He asked. I shrugged before I shook my head no.

"My parents died when I was three and if I have a last name, the ladies at the orphanage didn't see it fit to tell me." He gave me that dreaded pity look before his eyes brightened once more.

"Come on." Bane laughed before he took my hand and I followed him down the street.

~End Flashback~

I was ripped from my thoughts by a bucket of icy water being thrown in my face and the bands of onyx being removed.

"What now captain?" A masculine voice asked as I cleared the icy water from my eyes.

"Leave her. We'll see how she's fairing when she's been without food for a few days." He chucked. I opened my eyes to find Captain Remshaw smiling like the evil bastard he was. His hands folded across his portly belly and a gleam in his muddy brown eyes.

"You'll tell us eventually." He commented before the doors were opened and two men were dragging a girl, who appears to have past out, between them.

"What do we do with her sir?" The men asked Remshaw as he looked her over.

"Throw her in the cage next to this one. We'll see if the girl is easier to break." Remshaw laughed before they roughly dropped the girl into the cage next to mine and slammed the door shut.

"I'll be seeing you Wynter." Remshaw laughed before his men and he exited the room. I looked over and noticed the girl appeared to be having a bad dream. How the hell she managed to sleep during all of this was beyond me. She wasn't obnoxiously gorgeous like Luxen girls, which meant she was like me, a hybrid. Her dark hair curled around her face and mostly hid the bruise that was beginning to blossom on her cheek. Her skin was lightly tanned which meant she must have only just been brought here.

"Daemon." She whimpered as tears began to trickle down her cheeks. My heart ached for her, and a growl rumbled in my chest but I was to tired to keep it up.

"I love you." She cried.

"Damn." I sighed as my mind seemed to involuntarily make itself up. It was decided that I had to help this girl. What had I gotten myself into?