Chapter 12-The Capture
Feyre POV
His hand was coming toward me in slow motion. This time I knew what was going to happen. This time I ducked under it, but missed the second blow. I screamed breathlessly as his fist buried itself deep into my gut. Pain was all I could feel, physically and mentally.
"Why are you doing this?" I gasped through the pain, clutching my stomach.
"Because you are mine, and I do not share," he said in a painfully gentle voice. I looked up from beneath my lashes to see his golden blonde hair gleam in the light. His handsome face was feral, almost animalistic. How could I have not known that he was practically twice my age? Was I so desperate to lunge upon the next guy who showed any hint of kindness?
"I'll never be yours," I gritted out, still holding my stomach, but I stood up straighter.
"You're just confused," he insisted, and he looked like he truly meant it. "I don't want to hurt you." He reached out a hand and I flinched instinctively.
"Go to hell, Tamlin," I said pathetically.
His green eyes flashed. He raised his hand once again, and I braced myself for the blow.
"Feyre!" a voice that was definitely not Tamlin's shouted from above me. I shot up and grunted when my head slammed into something hard. "Ow!"
I opened my eyes to see a disheveled Mor staring wide-eyed at me, holding a hand up to her forehead. My breaths came out in labored pants until I looked around to see that I was still in my dorm, then I sagged with relief.
"What's wrong," I croaked. I cleared my throat. I vaguely noticed the sheen of sweat that was coating my skin.
"You were having a nightmare, I think. You started screaming, so I wanted to make sure you were okay," she explained.
I winced. The nightmares had gone away after I started staying with Rhys, I realized, and now they were back. "What time is it?"
"It's 3 in the morning," she said glancing at the ornament clock that she hung up in the middle of our two walls. She rubbed the back of her hand against her eyes and yawned.
"Mor, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to wake you up or hit you in the head." I cringed inwardly. She'd probably take back every nice thing she said and stay away from me for the rest of the year. There went my chance at making a friend.
Instead, her eyes softened. "Don't worry about it. Are you okay? Do you want to talk about it?" she asked, genuinely concerned.
I found myself shaking my head. I closed my eyes and took a few deep breaths, willing all thoughts of him out of my mind.
I plastered a small smile on my face. "I'm okay now. It was just a bad dream," even though I knew I was certainly not okay. I found myself wishing I was back with Amara and Rhys, painting and dancing around the living room.
"I'm always here if you need to talk. Any time, okay?" She placed her hand on mine and I almost flinched away, but caught myself before I did.
I nodded, even though we both knew that I wouldn't bother. Even when I so desperately wanted to take this weight off my chest.
She gave me one last look before she hopped off her bed and went into hers. I turned so that my back was facing to her, not wanting to find her eyes staring back warily at me. I waited until I heard her breaths become even before I hopped out of bed, knowing that there was no chance I'd get another wink of sleep.
I silently shrugged on a light jacket and a pair of shoes, careful not to wake up Mor. I decided to leave my phone on the desk where it was still charging; I would be back in a few minutes. I made sure my dorm key was safely tucked into my pocket before I quietly closed the door behind me.
I took a walk around the grounds, the brisk air welcoming against the feverish heat of my skin. I tried to clear my thoughts, but my head was spinning in rapid circles.
I was scared.
I was scared of Tamlin and what he might do once he gets out of jail. I debated on calling Rhysand, but I didn't want to wake him up in the middle of the night and ruin his sleep. I groaned, as much as I wanted to get my mind off of things, I definitely did not want to go to college. But as long as it was better than high school, I guessed I'd be okay with it.
Rhysand. No matter what I was thinking of, my thoughts always floated back to him, not that I minded. Every moment I had with him, I wondered if it'd be our last. How long until he realizes he's been loving a broken girl? How long until he realizes he could do so much better? I shook my head. He loved me, he made that much clear, and doubting that would be the same as doubting every good thing in the world. It was no question that I loved him with every fiber of my being, of my soul. It was almost dangerous.
I found myself wandering until 4 in the morning then decided to head back. If I was lucky, I could catch another few hours of sleep. I thought I saw a flash of blonde hair and immediately stiffened. He's in jail. He's not going to hurt me or anyone else again, I reminded myself.
My thoughts drifted back to last night, when Rhys had taken me with his friends to eat. Despite my plaguing thoughts earlier, I smiled. They were all so welcoming-Azriel not so much, but I had a feeling it will take a lot more to get him warmed up to me.
I realized with a jolt that I wanted to get to know them. I wanted them to like me. Cassian and Mor had treated me like their long lost sister, finally returned. Rhys was lucky to have friends like them. I wondered why I never met them before.
Leaves crunched, but my breath fled my body when I realized that the sound wasn't coming from my feet. I whirled around to find nothing, just the soft breeze of the autumn air possibly making the noises. I took a deep breath and turned back around, cursing myself for my paranoia.
I was too immersed in my thoughts that I had no time to react. No time to react to the hand that clamped around my mouth, effectively muffling the scream that was building up in my throat. Or the arm that wrapped around my waist from behind me. Or the voice that whispered in my ear.
"Did you miss me?" That voice, I knew that voice. My eyes were wide with terror, undeniable terror that left my body shaking. Oh god, oh god, oh god he was going to kill me. Tears ran freely down my face as his hand tightened, keeping me from trying to move. The thing was, I couldn't move even if I tried. I was frozen with fear. I felt handcuffs wrap around my wrists and found myself suspicious as to where he obtained them.
"If I were you, I'd do as I say or your little lap dog will suffer the consequences," Tamlin whispered in my ear. His voice slipped off his tongue and wrapped around my senses, terrifying me more than anything else. "I'm going to take my hand off your mouth, and you are not going to scream, okay?" When he saw I made no move to react he hissed another, "okay?" I nodded numbly, hyper aware of his cold hands leaving my face, but then he clutched my shoulder and guided me off the sidewalk.
"Where are you taking me?" I whispered when I finally found my voice, and I cursed myself for the small tremble in the words. He was leading us on a hidden trail and I saw a black car looming in the distance. I noticed a head in the driver's seat, but it was too dark to tell who it was.
"I'm taking you home, Feyre," he soothed, bringing up his hand and trailing his fingers down my cheek. I instantly flinched and jerked away from his touch. His eyes flashed, but he didn't say anything about it.
"He'll find you," I seethed through gritted teeth.
"And if he does, I'll be prepared," he lifted his shirt to show the pistol tucked into his waistband. An image flashed in my head, causing the tears to fall harder. For a moment, I was standing next to Rhys again, waiting for him to hold my hand and tell me he loved me. But I knew he wouldn't, because I was standing next to his open casket.
My bottom lip quivered at the growing possibility of that happening.
"Feyre, I'm not going to let him take you again. You're safe now," he said.
"Please, just leave me alone," I begged, trying to pry away from his steel grip. It made him grip my shoulder tighter, enough to make me wince with pain.
"I can't," he said simply, shrugging.
"Why?" I needed to keep him talking. Why? I wasn't sure. Maybe someone would come out and notice us. At four in the morning? Not likely.
"Because I love you." I felt sick. He didn't love me-he couldn't, not after the trial. Not after everything he'd done. He thought he owned me.
We reached the car and he opened the door for me then threw me inside. Instead of him taking the passenger seat like I prayed he would, he sat right beside me.
My eyes shot to the mirror in front of the window and fearful russet eyes stared back at me framed by auburn eyebrows. I knew those eyes.
"Let's go, Lucien," Tamlin hissed. My eyes widened even more. Lucien, the police officer. He was helping Tamlin? Immediately the car shot forward.
"How did you escape?" I asked, dreading the answer that I'd predicted.
"Lucien and I go way back," Tamlin smiled, looking out the window.
I looked into the mirror again, finding his eyes already there. How could you? I tried to ask with my eyes. His eyes shot away, but I caught the look of regret that flashed through them.
"You can't do this to me. I was suppose to go to college today-"
"Don't worry," he cut me off. "You'll still go, just not for a while." I didn't understand what exactly he meant by that, but I decided to keep quiet. If I showed no interest maybe he'd let me go… but as the car continued down the darkened streets, even I knew that I was only kidding myself.
Rhysand POV
"It's Feyre. She's gone." My body froze and all thoughts flew out of my head as I comprehended those words. I gripped my phone tighter in my hand, and compelled my legs to walk, run, faster to their dorm.
"What do you mean she's gone?" I panicked. Azriel and Cassian exchanged confused looks, but I just ignored them, my thoughts solely on Feyre. Always on Feyre.
"How much longer until you get here?" Mor asked, her tone clearly anxious.
"Damnit, Mor. Just answer the question!" I exclaimed frantically. My feet hit the ground over and over, but I couldn't seem to get there fast enough.
"I don't know, Rhys! Just get here as quick as you can so I can explain," she pleaded.
"I'll be there in a few seconds, open the door," I rushed, hurriedly leaping up the stairs. I hung up and tried to come up with possible scenarios in which Feyre was fine. That she just left for an early breakfast, that she went out to take a run (although very not likely), that she had to go buy something from the store. But with each scenario I made, worse ones flooded through my mind.
I spotted Mor's blonde hair gleaming from her opened door and I pushed past other students, desperate to reach her. Her eyes were wide and her eyebrows raised in concern. Azriel and Cassian trailed behind me, out of breath from the sudden sprint.
"What's going on?" Cassian panted through gasps of air.
I ignored them and instead went to search around the room. I flung her comforter off her beg, checked in the bathroom, searched through every nook and cranny in the room, but I knew my efforts would be fruitless. My hands flew to my hair, gripping it between my fingers. Where is she, where is she, where is she?
"She's not here, Rhys," Mor said softly. I looked at her to find that I'd said the words aloud.
"Where the hell did she go?" I yelled. I clenched my fists and tried to control the anger and frustration that was building up inside of me. Azriel's eyes flashed at my outburst, but thankfully didn't comment.
"Last night, she had a nightmare. She was screaming like a banshee-"
"And you didn't call me?" I interrupted angrily. Oh god, that first night at my house. In the time she spent sleeping soundly in my bed, I'd forgotten she had nightmares.
"No, Rhys, I didn't. I didn't think anything of it, it was just a harmless nightmare. She told me she was fine." I scoffed. I should've been there. "I don't know if that has anything to do with this, but she seemed pretty shaken up. I woke up at 5:30 to go run, but she wasn't in bed. I thought maybe she goes for runs too-"
"She doesn't," I inserted, frustrated. I glanced at the clock, it was 8:00 now.
"I know that now," she had become frustrated lips were pursed as she crossed her arms in front of her chest stubbornly.
"You've known she was gone for three hours and you're just now telling me?" I seethed.
"God, Rhys. She's her own person! I'm just getting to know her. She doesn't tell me where she goes 24/7!" she shouted. She took a deep breath and continued. "Her cellphone is here, her shoes and jacket are gone." I was silent. Where did she go? Why did she leave? What happened to her? Questions flooded my head and I knew that they would haunt me until she was back at my side, safe.
"Maybe she was just overwhelmed. She just needed a day off," Cassian suggested.
"She would tell me first," I snapped. His lips tightened and he blew a frustrated breath, his hair flying up in the process.
"Rhys, I know you're frustrated, but she's probably fine. Just because she's your girlfriend doesn't mean you need to know where she is all the time. You spent some time apart before you got here, I'm sure," he continued, rolling his eyes. I could tell he was still worried, he was just trying to lighten up the air. It didn't help.
"No we didn't!" I informed. I didn't know what compelled me to say it but I blurted, "we live together!"
"What?" they all shrieked, their eyes widening in shock.
I rolled my eyes and tapped my foot impatiently. "Why are you all so surprised?"
"Who are you and what have you done with Rhys?" Azriel asked. I shot him an annoyed look, clearly not amused; it was not the time to start making jokes.
"You never let any girl into your house!" Cassian exclaimed.
"God, Cas, she's not just any girl," I snapped, my thoughts painfully drifting back to the times we had together. Snap out of it, Rhys. She's fine.
"Clearly," Cas murmured. "You're in love with her," Mor stated, awestruck.
"Of course I'm in love with her," I admitted bluntly. If there was anything in the world that I was sure of, it was that I loved her. "Now if you don't help me find the woman I love, then you should get to class. I'm going to the police," I proclaimed. None of them made any effort to move. They stayed rooted into place, looking at me for instructions. Some of my previous frustration at them seeped away, glad that I had these people for my friends.
"We're not going anywhere," Azriel, surprisingly, spoke up.
"Why?" I asked, not that I didn't want their help.
"Because this girl has clearly changed you. You're happier, well not right now," I shot Cassian a look and he winced. "And you clearly care enough about her to drop everything and look for her. We owe you at least that much to help," Cassian shrugged.
I nodded at all of them, determination set on my face. "Let's go find her," I said.
"How?" they all said.
I didn't know how to answer.
"I would like to file a missing persons report," I said to the officer at the front desk. I found myself at the police station for the second time in a span of a few weeks.
"Name?" she asked boredly. I scowled, she should try to show some consideration. Feyre was missing, for god's sake.
"Her name is Feyre Archeron. She's 19 years old. She has golden brown hair and blue-grey eyes. She's approximately 5'8", slender build. Anything else you need to know?" I said all of that in one breath.
She raised her eyebrows and asked, "when did she go missing?"
"Some time between 3 a.m. and 5:30," Mor chimed.
"Do you think this was a voluntary or involuntary departure?" she asked in monotone.
I was taken aback. I didn't even consider that Feyre could've left voluntarily, but why would she?
"Involuntary," we all said in unison. Dread settled in my stomach. She was kidnapped. And from the looks on everyone else's faces, they came to the same confusion.
"Any other distinguishing characteristics? Any jobs? Any other people we should be aware of? Friends, family?"
"She's a tattoo artist, but her job is a few hours away. She left it for the school year. She has a tattoo on her left hand. She has two sisters, but she hasn't spoken to them in years, same goes for her father. I doubt they even remember she exists," I scowled. My eyes widened in horror. "And," my voice cracked, "her ex, Tamlin. He was recently put into jail for domestic violence," I whispered. No. This couldn't have been connected. Could it? Mor, Az, and Cas exchanged horrified glances.
Suddenly the color drained from the officer's face. Her mouth took a tiny O shape and her eyes were wide.
"Sir, yesterday there was an escape from custody. His name was Tamlin. 35 years old, blonde hair, green eyes?" she asked.
Horror made my fingers tremble. I gripped the side of the desk to keep them still. I nodded slowly.
"It was on the news yesterday. There's a possibility that these two situations may be connected. Are you free to stay for questioning?" I nodded again, numbly.
I turned to face the others. "You guys go ahead. You don't know anything, you won't be of use here anyway," I said hoarsely. I pretended not to notice the hurt expressions on their faces. All I could think about was Tamlin getting ahold of Feyre. Her being utterly hopeless, not knowing what to do. I should've been there.
"Rhys-" Cassian started.
"It's not your fault," Mor insisted.
"Yes it is!" I shouted, starling many of the people in the facility. My voice dropped into a broken tone. "This is all my fault," I whispered.
Mor took a hold of my hand, but it wasn't what I wanted. I wanted-no-I needed her here.
"We're not leaving," she said firmly, earning nods from both Cassian and Azriel. Deciding that I couldn't argue, I slunk into the nearest chair. I dropped my head into my hands, and for the first time in years, I cried.
A/N: I hope you guys liked it! THANK YOU for all the positive reviews and all of the support!
And yes, I finished Empire of Storms in like two days AND THE ENDING DESTROYED ME.
Have a good day.
