Chapter 14 ( WARNING! Violence and torture ahead!)

Michael awoke to feel a searing pain shooting up his wrists and ankles. A quick glance through his blurry vision told him that he was chained to a cave floor with silver chains. At least they hadn't staked him. His mouth felt thick and dry with the drug they'd used – it wasn't the same sedative that Eve and Claire used…this one left his tongue feeling huge and his head foggy.

Blinking a few times to clear his vision, Michael looked around the cave once more. If it hadn't been for the one oil lamp flickering away at the edge of the cave, he wouldn't have been able to see. Its flame cast shadows across the walls that seemed to taunt him relentlessly. A few droplets of icy water fell close beside his head. On a closer look he could see the water glittering: silver… he remembered the myths that Morganville had a network of caves that harboured silver with a shudder. None of the vampires had been able to locate the caves to extract the silver…

Michael moved his head to the side to avoid being burnt by the poisoned water supply.

"So, he's awake," a hoarse voice called from beside the oil lamp. It cracked several times during his speech as if it were drying up and dying. Michael swallowed when he saw who it was.

Brandon. The Lykae he'd beaten and bitten. Part of him had hoped that Brandon would somehow accept defeat and move on, but he should have known that Lykae's never did that. After all, Shane had never given up until he'd got what he wanted. At the thought, Michael blinked away tears. Why had he allowed himself to be used?

Opening his eyes once ore to look at Brandon, he saw the destruction his bite had caused. The entire left side of his body was withered and grey. The veins protruded obscenely from his skin as dark black lines as the poison gradually rotted his insides. Michael could see the tremors that racked his whole body. The worse of the grey and black veins were around his neck where Michael had pumped his poison into the Lykae's main artery.

"Where am I?" Michael asked the standard question. It was a cave, he thought.

"You don't need to know. You won't be alive long enough for it to matter," Brandon murmured the words like he was talking about the weather. "But the quicker you give in, the sooner it will be over for you…" He stood from the wooden chair he was sat on. With shaky legs, he walked over to Michael.

For the first time, Michael was fearful for his life. Even when he'd first run from Shane he'd never been this scared. Despite his fears, he managed to maintain eye contact with the injured Lykae. "What do you wa-"

Michael never finished his words.

The Lykae aimed a swift vicious – despite his weakening self – kick to his ribs. The chains rattled but Michael managed to keep from crying out. He wasn't going to give the Lykae that satisfaction just yet. Another swift kick followed. And another…and another…

By the fifth kick, Michael was gritting his teeth in an effort to stop himself from making a noise. Every time Brandon pulled his foot back for another kick, Michael found himself tensing in preparation. He turned his face away from the Lykae so he wouldn't have to see the gleeful and revenge filled look on Brandon's face.

"How does it feel?" Brandon asked cruelly, pausing from his kicks. "Come on, little vampire. Tell me how it feels…"

Swallowing thickly, Michael raised his head as much as he could. Tossing his head to the side, he spat at the Lykae's feet. "Fuck you…" he gritted his teeth as the silver burned through his flesh.

"Oh don't worry. We'll get to that, but for now –" he pressed his foot into Michael's neck, forcing the vampire's head back with the toe of his boot. "- We're only getting started."

A sizzling sound made Michael's eyes widen. Glancing upwards in fear, he saw the droplets of poisoned water slowly burning through his hair. With every ounce of pressure the Lykae was adding, the closer his face got the water.

He felt the water hit his skin. The water droplet broke up and cast smaller droplets across his face, each poisoned with their own piece of silver. Closing his eyes against the worst of the splash, he tried to shake his head to rid himself of the water. Pain began to spread through his temples as the silver began to eat away at his flesh, leaving it raw and open.

Another droplet hit his skin.

And another.

And for the first time, Michael opened his mouth and screamed. It was brutal sound filled with torture, agony and anguish. Fire spread across his face, wrist and ankles and his screams covered the triumphant laughter of the Lykae.

A red tear escaped the corner of his eye as he continued to scream through the pain.

No Rest For The Wicked

"Michael's gone! Where the fuck is Michael?" Eve shouted through the house. She was already slipping her boots on and had the tranquiliser gun strapped over her back.

"I don't know! I've told you that three times!" Claire called down, slamming Michael's bedroom door shut. He'd told them he was going out with Ian but he didn't tell them where. At the time they hadn't thought anything of it; after all, he wouldn't be able to get out the house.

But then an hour had passed and they hadn't heard the strange grating noise nor seen Michael. It was only when Eve felt the draught coming from the open front door that they thought to check where he was. When they saw the open door, they'd immediately rushed outside to see if he'd managed to escape. Across the lawn were skid marks and small signs of a struggle. Large foot prints led from the bushes that surrounded the property.

It was Claire that first noticed the silver item sticking out of the ground. She'd picked it up straight away, hoping that it wasn't a stake. Thankfully it wasn't: it was Michael's phone. They'd searched through the contacts quickly, hoping against hope that Michael had Shane's number. If the Lykae even had a phone. But the slim chance was squashed when they couldn't find any; even if the Lykae did have a phone he'd probably crushed it so the vampire couldn't try to contact him

"We could ask Myrnin? He might know why or how Shane's security barriers were breached." Claire said as she quickly slipped her trainers on. Grabbing the spare sedative darts, she handed two to Eve so she could load the gun.

"Ok, we'll try there. If he doesn't know anything then we'll try and contact Shane…" She trailed off knowing that it would be impossible to find the Lykae if he didn't want to be found.

Despite the darkness, they made their way to Myrnin's shack relatively quickly using Eve's car. They drove in silence, each hoping that their friend had at least reached safety…

Claire knocked on the old wooden door of the shack as she began to open it. The florescent lights she'd installed flickered to life when they sensed her. Motioning for Eve to follow, she picked her way down the cluttered stairwell until she reached the lab. "Myrnin?"

"Claire?" The older vampire's shock was evident. "What are you doing here at this hour?" When they came around the corner, they saw him feeding a giant spider that he kept in a jam jar. Eve couldn't hold back the shudder when she saw it crawl over the dead fly.

"Something's happened to Michael." Myrnin stiffened and placed the lid over the spider's jar. "He managed to leave the house…"

"How?" He looked angered and worried. It was the most emotion that Claire had ever seen on his face.

"We don't know, that's why we're asking you," Eve said quickly. She checked her watch. They'd wasted ten minutes so far. Michael could be anywhere by now… "I thought you said the barriers could only be breached by Shane."

"I thought that too," he whispered. "Unless…unless…" he trailed off as he quickly scooped something off a nearby table. From where Eve was standing it looked like a map of some kind. "How long ago did he disappear?"

"About an hour or so ago." Claire answered.

Myrnin nodded in satisfaction. "Good, the scent should still be fresh. It should be easy enough to follow."

Myrnin pushed past them with a hurried grace. He really did seem worried for Michael… "Why are you so worried?" Eve asked. As far as she knew, Michael and Myrnin had only spoken a few times.

"You haven't seen the wrath of a Lykae when they lose their mate."

"So…so you think that Michael's dead?" Claire said, her voice almost inaudible.

"Possibly. Have you informed Shane?"

"No, we don't know where he is."

Myrnin sighed and shook his head. "Take me to the place where you last saw Michael alive. Hopefully we will find a sign there."

When they returned to the Glass house, Myrnin wasted no time in checking the perimeters for any Lykae that maybe watching. When he returned, he raised his face in the direction of the wind and waited a few seconds to pass. When recognition dawned on his face, he pointed in one direction.

"Follow me, with any luck I've got the right scent trail."

"Can you tell how many Lykae there was?" Eve asked as she vaulted over the fence with ease. It came with experience of running away from vampires.

"Perhaps four or five. The boy wouldn't have stood a chance." Myrnin stopped abruptly, sniffed the air, and veered to the right. "He'd have been better off if dead if they plan to torture him…"

Beside her, Claire flinched. "What about the barriers? How did he get out in the first place?" Eve gritted her teeth through Claire's questions. She knew it was the girl's way of coping with stress and worry, but it grated on her nerves. Michael was missing, and all she was worried about was 'how the barriers had been breached!'

He didn't stop when he answered Claire. Instead he seemed to pick up the pace. "A stronger Lykae, or if the intruder showed the barrier a stronger Lykae's blood. The barriers listen to the strongest being in the vicinity, and when Shane was here, he was the strongest one. But if someone stronger was to notice Michael and take an interest…"

They walked for hours – of it seemed like hours – until Myrnin glanced at the map in his hands. Nodding to himself, he brushed aside some tall growing bushes to reveal a cave entrance. "Stay close. I don't know what we will encounter."

No Rest For The Wicked

"Come on, little vampire. Call for your mate. Call for Shane to come and find you, for him to see you like this," Brandon taunted as he pulled Michael away from the poisoned water. The chains around his wrists pulled tight and the vampire whimpered in pain. It shouldn't long until the vampire cracked under the strain – they'd been here for an hour.

Michael could only feel fear and terror. Every bone in his body shook with pain and humiliation. Black and red spots swam in front of his vision from blood loss and agony. His breathing hadn't been this fast since he'd changed, his panic attacks seemed to merge into one, never leaving him for more than a second. The only relief he got was when the Lykae pulled him away from the water, allowing the skin on his forehead to rest. But he knew it wouldn't heal, he barely had the energy to move never mind focus on healing.

"Call, you know you want to," Brandon mocked again, his body draped over Michael's. "I can see it in your eyes, it's only a matter of time until the inevitable happens." One of his greying fingers stroked Michael's thigh.

Even in his weakened state Michael tried to buck the man off him. His words from their previous fight flashed through his mind: "Come with me and I'll show you how a real man acts.' His bones locked in fear at the thought and he looked at the Lykae fearfully. "Don't do this, please, don't do t-this!"

"I've told you, Call for him and I'll stop." He ripped the remainder of Michael's jeans away with one swipe of his claws. "But it's too late now. Even he can't save you."

Michael could feel the Call building up inside him. It itched in his throat and his chest constricted with the effort to stop from Calling to Shane. Biting down on his tongue, he lost blood he couldn't afford to lose. He couldn't Call to Shane. Shane had left him, he didn't even know if Shane would be able to hear him… And he didn't want to be a damsel in distress, always needing Shane's help –

His thoughts cut off when the Lykae slammed into him.

A scream tore from his throat as he felt himself being ripped in two. Fire raced up his spin and whimpers left his throat. This couldn't be happening! No, no, Shane would never want him back now… He'd been defiled! Used!

He felt Brandon pull out of him, only to slam against him once more, causing his body to move slightly on the rough cave floor. Sweat covered the Lykae's dying body and his putrid breath – a mixture of rotting meats – cloaked Michael. The chains around his ankles and wrists rattled loudly…

He couldn't bare it… He needed Shane. But Shane wouldn't want him. Why would he want a broken toy? Michael's throat was raw from screaming and only a sharp, strangled cry left his parted, cut lips. His fangs – extended in terror – cut through his lip, begging him to use them as a defence.

Shane wouldn't want him… Shane would leave him here, with Brandon… God, he wouldn't want him… He'd been unfaithful… He'd been used… Thoughts swirled around Michael's head, tormenting him more than what his captor ever could. Bloody tears leaked from his eyes. If Shane was to see him like this… Cold chills ran through him at the thought. No, he wouldn't let Shane see him like this… As someone else's concubine…

But the urge to Call was becoming too much…

Again Brandon slammed into him roughly, not caring about the pain he inflicted. His thrusts became more erratic and more urgent as he neared his peak. And then he suddenly stilled, his hips twitching slightly. With a loud groan, he emptied his seed into Michael's used body.

And Michael Called.

The sound was low and keening, causing the Lykae to carelessly pull out of him and stumble backwards. The glass in the oil lamp shattered and clattered to the floor and fragments of rock cascaded down the sides of the cave. Blood ran down from Brandon's nose and ears, thick and fast.

Only Michael could hear the heavy pounding of paws over the Call. The sound of dirt being thrown behind in his haste to get somewhere. Harsh breathing filled the narrow tunnel and Michael found himself comforted at the slight presence.

Until the being skidded around the corner. Brown fur – almost raven black – covered the man's wolfish face. Claws dug into the earth for grip and the beasts shoulders nearly touched the tunnel from one side to the other. A snarl ripped from its throat as it came around the corner. And then eerie yellow eyes locked onto Michael, anger filling them with what they saw.

Shane.

Shane had seen him like this.

Squeezing his eyes shut in fear and humiliation, he retreated into the depth of his mind. Shane wouldn't want him after this…

He'd be all alone.

Shane would be disgusted at him…

Shane wouldn't accept him as his mate.

Those were his last thoughts before he gave into the pain and darkness consumed him.

Hey, I couldn't wait to update this chapter because I wanted to know what would happen too haha. I hope you didn't mind what Brandon did to Michael… Please, tell me what you think. Thanks for reading and reviewing! :D