Hello everyone! Another fun-filled chapter for you my dears. And can I say a big thank you to Ashes2dust18, SuperNatural1985, FlyingWithTheWindand lilac-lilly for your reviews of the last chapter. Enjoy the next instalment. x
Chapter 28
"No." I whimpered as the shadow gave way crumpling on the floor at my feet. In slow motion I looked down to see Reese's eyes bulging, his hands cupping the steel pole to his stomach – a red stain spreading through his shirt. "No… Reese." I dropped beside him, scuffing up my knees as I examined the wound, trying to staunch the bleeding. My hands were soon covered in his blood.
"Ra-Ra-Rach…" Reese panted, diverting my attention to his face. "G-G-G-Go… get s-safe." He winced; sweat popping out on his skin.
I bit my lip against the tears rolling down my skin, and shook my head. "Help him…" I pleaded to Marshall as he stood over me.
He looked over Reese coldly. "I am." He said and pulled on my arm.
I snarled and jumped up at him, but he hit me full force in my diaphragm as I lashed out at his face, and cuffed me around the back of my head so I lost my balance and fell onto my front. He pulled my head back by my hair; still panting for breath he placed a damp cloth over my nose and mouth. I clawed at his grip, twisting and turning as a recognisable coldness entered my windpipe, a numbness seeping into my muscles; Chloroform.
My last view was of Reese trying to reach out to me… the blood seeping onto the concrete beneath him.
Reese lying in a pool of his own blood.
No…Please… No.
The world went dark.
.
I felt my nose twitch; a god awful smell of decay. Rotting meat?
I opened my eyes with a start to see Marshall stroking the hair down my face. I flinched away from him as he chuckled. A fresh wave of the rotting meat smell wafted over me on his breath as I felt myself wretch, eyes watering. I swallowed the bile back down to my stomach.
Marshall got to his feet and cocked his head to look at me; his eyes glittered as his gaze travelled down my dress. I pulled down on the hem, looking past him to the source of the bad smell.
My nose recognised the scent of not just any rotting meat – but human meat. My stomach churned as I saw the girl in the corner. Her head at an impossible angle – eyes wide, mouth gaped open… and half of her lower leg missing. Now that my eyes adjusted to what was around me I saw the blood speckled walls and ceilings – the girl lying on a rusty coloured blanket. Not rust, Blood. Soaked in her own blood. She was naked from the waist down.
But most of all was the permeated smell of Marshall in this… room. Wherever I was he had been here a long time. A hastily made shelf was crammed with canned goods, and the window had been bricked over. A small cot lay against the wall next to the door, a single blanket adorned it. As I huddled up against the harsh brick wall his scent was even imbedded there. He had changed in here too – the musky smell of sweat and that tell-tale wet dog smell lingered in the air, I noticed a few strands of his fur stuck to the brick wall beside me. As I inhaled to gather my surroundings my chest protested. It hurts to breathe. Have I broken some ribs?
"You know what happens now, don't you?" He asked me coolly gripping me by the chin and dragging me to my feet. I bit the inside of my cheek to refrain from showing any sign of weakness that I was injured as my upper body flared at the sudden movement.
"You're going to kill me?" I asked through gritted teeth, taking measured breaths through my nose.
"You'd think? But alas, no – I need you alive." He smirked. "But if you attempt to run – I will maim you." His hand slid down to my neck.
My gut went cold – in the world of Werewolves, if you were maimed or known to have a general disability, you were as good as dead. Especially for a Pack wolf like myself – and a female on top of that, it would only be a matter of time before I'm finished for good. And Mutts by reputation always like to play with their food.
"Please, you don't have to do this." I begged straining to pull away from the grasp he had on my throat.
"Yes, I do."
"Why?" My gaze flickered down to the girl in the corner, her blue eyes looking back to me, cold and unseeing. I felt a single tear burn down my cheek.
"We need to preserve a pure line. That's why my father turned you – we chose you."
I cringed.
"That's what he did for my mother. He gave her a gift." He preached. "He kept her, protected her; helped her through the change. And how did she repay him?" His spittle flecked my face as his voice held a bitter edge. "She tried to kill me – her own son, she called me an abomination… she was weak, and undeserving of such a brilliant gift."
So that was why he was so strong, so fast. A complete pureblood Werewolf.
As he spoke, he pushed his face against mine and licked off the salt water from my skin. To my shame - I whimpered. At the sound; Marshall hissed an intake of breath, rolling his eyes to the back of his head. "Do it again…" He almost purred, moving his lips to my ear and bit into the soft lobe. I felt him harden against my stomach and it made me gag. My head span.
Come on Rach, you have to do something. Stall him! And get the hell out of here! My she-wolf screamed, battering herself at the insides of my skull.
"You could have got anyone to carry a child, hell you could have paid someone – why me?" I growled, clenching my teeth against the bile I felt on the back of my tongue. "Why turn me?"
"You don't think we tried?" He chuckled against my skin. "The others weren't strong enough." He whispered, stoking a calloused hand down my face, to wrap my hair around his fist. He spared a glance to the girl in the corner, and let out a resigned sigh. "They all failed. Now you… we knew you were special." He forced a kiss on my lips as I recoiled and slapped his face on instinct.
I had a moment of sheer panic as the shock subsided and he backhanded me across the room. White light flashed behind my eyelids as I ricocheted off of the wall, collapsing in a heap on the cold concrete floor next to the dead girl. "You'll pay for that." He spat, forcing himself down on me, I gasped as he pinned my hands down from clawing at his face. He slammed my head against the floor, as I fought to stay conscious. Letting go of my hands he began tugging at my clothes, lifting the skirt of my dress I feebly tried to push him away, but he swatted my hands as if they were as harmless as a fly. My muscles felt heavy; dead weights.
"I wish you had just killed me instead." My speech came out slurred, as my eyes brimmed with tears. I realised the blow to my head was impeding my motor functions. A concussion, just when I need to keep my head… Please god… Let it be quick.
He smiled cruelly. "Your time will come. I won't be making the same mistake my father did… I just need you alive for a few more months and then you'll get your wish. I'll see to it personally." He grinned, baring his teeth as he managed to part my legs and I felt a rush of cold air over my naked skin. I bit down on my lips to stop from screaming, screwing my eyes shut against the horror that was about to happen, disengaging from the situation – mentally willing myself to another place.
I was with my parents, on the farm. We were sitting together having a picnic and laughing. Mum and Dad kissed, mum reached out to me – a puzzled look on her face. Over my shoulder I saw a shadow move. I looked up to see a woman with dark eyes, and long brown hair. Her hand extended towards my own, a smile played on her lips. She mouthed something to me and inside my head I heard two words whispered along the breeze;
Not yet.
I felt Marshall stiffen, his muscles tensing enough to shock me awake as I saw his eyes bulge. My head spun as I tried to lift myself up, my temples throbbing. Oh god, had I passed out? How long had I been… oh god. Had he? No – please, NO! I felt white hot fire licking through my veins, giving me an additional burst of adrenalin – enough to pull myself away from him. I looked down past my bare feet as my senses reawakened. He hadn't got so far as unzipping his own pants, let alone make any more of an attempt to force himself on me. At a rasping noise I looked up to his face.
He was panting - eyes rolling as his hands had moved up to squeeze his chest. I saw his body slacken, arms dropping to his sides as I shuffled further away from him, bringing my leg up with just enough strength to push him away from me. He collapsed onto his side. The burning adrenalin was spreading through my limbs, numbing my joints; the familiar feeling of the change was coming. Yet I felt detached from it, the pain wasn't connected to me. I rolled onto my front, trying to head for the door, as I attempted to drag myself along the concrete. My stomach convulsed causing bile to rise up my gullet and dribble out of my mouth. My vision swayed as I looked over at the body of Sean Marshall, I tried getting to my feet, but my legs gave out at the same time as my consciousness.
.
I was swaying in mid air, the movement bringing me round as I opened my eyes a crack. I saw the floor beneath me swaying to and fro - my stomach churched as I let out a low whine - feet passing one another in quick hurried paces. I was being carried and a voice was talking. I tried to concentrate on that voice, but the meaning of the words made no sense. I looked to the noise, lifting my muzzle to see a blurry form with red hair talking animatedly to thin air. Jaime. As my gaze focused I sighed heavily, I could smell fresh air and it helped clear my thoughts, I continued to look up and blinked at the man whose arms I was being held in. I squirmed as I tried to see him better - Whining all the more for feeling off balance in his arms.
"Not yet." Jeremy murmured. "We're almost at the car. Go back to sleep."
No, I need to know if Reese is okay. I yipped, pushing against his hold on me. My body felt heavy, broken.
I felt a sting on the back of my neck, I yelped. I hadn't even realised we had stopped. Jaime was murmuring something to me; I felt ice sliding through my veins as I fell back into nothingness.
I'm sorry.
