Chapter 23
With the setting sun behind her, she and Dakota rode towards the Luthor plantation, she thought about sneaking around the side like she did when she had met up with Lena but the unmistakable sound of gunshots told her that whatever her father had planned was underway and was more severe than she could have imagined
She could hear yelling and more gunfire, she turned down the long road to the mansion, she yanked hard of Dakota's reins, skidding to a stop, her wide eyes taking in the scene in front of her, at least half the townsmen appeared to be trying to storm the Luthor estate, while the Luthor's hired muscle were defending it, gunshots rang out as both sides fired
What in the world was her father thinking? She could not believe that her father was capable of such violence, perhaps he had just been pushed too far, she could only assume that's why the rest of the town was here as well
She moved Dakota into the treeline and out of sight, dismounting, peeking through the trees
"Go home" she turned to Dakota "I don't want anyone getting to you"
Dakota grumbled
"I mean it" she pointed towards the ranch "Get going"
Dakota reluctantly turned and cantered off in the direction of home
Kara took a deep breath and looked back towards the estate, she steadied her trembling hands, the only positive was that the townsfolk were distracting the guards enough for Kara to try and sneak round the back and find a way in
She ducked through the trees and snaked through the bushes, flinching every time she could hear gunfire, yells of agony had her stopping in her tracks, this was getting serious, she prayed that her father was okay, but he had chosen his path, Lena did not, she was trapped, possibly inside that mansion as a gun war raged outside, she was in danger from both sides
The blonde vaulted over the wooden fence and sprinted across the lawn, hiding behind the gazebo as the rear door was swung open, a scream sounded out but was immediately muffled
"Shut up girly" came a harsh voice
Kara peered around the corner, heart pounding, two figures rolled on the grass, one smaller than the other, the larger of the two was pinning her down, forcing her face down
"No one's coming for you"
Kara could tell he was smiling from his tone, mocking her, there was a glint in the moonlight, a blade, he brandished it against the girl's throat, as the smaller girl let out a whimper
Kara stood from her hiding place, a wave of bravery coursed through her, she ran for the man, launching herself at him, tackling him off of the smaller woman, they rolled across the grass, each exchanging blows, Kara disarmed him with the technique that Matoskah had taught her
The blonde took a beating to her ribs, but she didn't back down, twisting her body slightly to absorb the blows
She grappled with the man, managing to get her legs around his neck and with all her might she squeezed, the man flailed, scratching Kara's arms, nails digging in as he tried to pry her off of him but Kara didn't yield, he man's movements became sluggish, his eyes getting heavy, the blonde tightened the muscles in her legs, her teeth grinding together with the effort
The man went limp, passed out or dead Kara didn't care, she pushed the body away from herself and stood, looking around for the young girl
"Miss Kara?"
The blonde's eyes zeroed in on the young girl, emerging from the shadows
"Abigail? Are you okay?"
The wide eyed girl rushed forward and wrapped her arms around the blonde
"How are you alive?" she asked "Mr Luthor kept bragging about taking care of you and Miss Lena-
"Lena?" Kara's heart pounded dangerously "Is she here?"
Abigail nodded "You need to get her away from this place Miss Kara, what they've done to her" Abigail's tears were all Kara needed to know how bad it was "I didn't know what to do" she tried to explain
"Where is she?" Kara cut in, trying to calm the scared girl
Abigail took a deep breath, wiping away her tears "I can show you"
Kara caught her arm
"No, it's too dangerous" Kara thought for a moment "You remember where my family ranch is?"
The young woman nodded
"Just tell me where to find her then go to the ranch, tell my mother that I sent you, tell her what's going on, but keep her and my sister there" the blonde nodded slowly "It's safe there"
Abigail pointed past her to the door she had been forced through
"Through there, find the main stairs, second floor then it the furthest door from the stairs" she grasped Kara's hands "Please Miss Kara, please get her and yourself out, her family is evil"
Once again Kara found she couldn't promise anything, not knowing what was on the other side of that door
"Go" she whispered to Abigail
She turned to the imposing looking mansion, this was it, she moved over to the door, entering slowly, eyes scanning the dark room, it seemed to be a food storage room, Kara had never seen so much food
She snuck through the kitchen and into the large foyer, it seemed empty, all the noises coming from outside, she looked up the ornate stairs, pulling her gifted dagger from it's sheath, feeling a little more confident with it in her hand, she climbed the stairs silently, ears straining to hear noises within the mansion, but the gunshots outside was overpowering her hearing
A figure appeared at the top of the stairs, Kara readied her knife, but the man raised his hands, Kara took in his appearance, his uniform was askew, blood dripping from his lip, fear in his eyes. She ushered the worker down the steps, as he passed she whispered to him
"Who's in the house?"
It took him a moment to answer, clearly freaked out by the whole situation
"Mrs Luthor along with the Priest are in Miss Lena's room" his breath shaky "They're… treating her"
The word 'treating' didn't sit right, Kara glanced up the stairs, wanting to charge up them but she wouldn't be much help if she ran into a gun
"Lex or Mr Luthor?"
He shook his head, Kara allowed him to leave, before rushing up the steps to the first floor, she could now hear voices above her
"We need to move her Mrs Luthor, to continue her treatment"
It was a males voice that Kara didn't recognise, she could only assume that it was the priest, and he spoke of some sort of treatment that the servant had mentioned before, Abigail had said they were hurting her, Kara's mind ran with endless possibilities of what they were doing to Lena, she had to get her out
"Get up" demanded the cold voice of Lillian Luthor "I said get up"
There was a whimpering sound, Kara knew that voice and she knew that it was a sound of fear and pain
The blonde leapt up the steps to the second floor, she looked around wildly, her eyes landing on the open door at the far side of the landing, she called out in rage at what she saw
A man was pulling at a figure that was collapsed on the hardwood floor, raven black hair fallen over her face but there was no mistake
The blonde bolted forward, shoving him hard, the man tumbled backwards as Kara took a defensive position in front of Lena
"DO NOT TOUCH HER!" threatened Kara as anger flooded her
The priest made the sign of the cross as he looked at Kara in her outfit, blood smearing her features from her scuffle earlier, knife in hand
"How dare you" Lillian had gathered herself, disgust and shock on her face "Savages are not welcome in my home"
"You are the savage, a mother should love her child" Kara countered, she shifted her position slightly when the priest stood "And you call yourself a man of God, you should be saving her from this family"
"Kara?"
It took everything in Kara's power not to take her eyes off the enemies
"I'm here Lena" she vowed her voice softening slightly "And I am getting you out of here"
Lillian cackled like the witch she was "You are not taking my daughter anywhere, she is sick, poisoned by you"
"Put down the blade child" The man took a cautious step towards her, Kara followed him with her blade "You would not harm an unarmed man of faith"
"She is not sick" Kara countered, readjusting her grip on her dagger "Lena can you stand?"
"Is it really you?" Lena's croaky voice asked "You're alive"
Kara stretched out her free hand behind her, cold, weak fingers entwined with hers,
"You are not taking her anywhere, she belongs to me" Lillian snapped, she was a tall woman as she drew herself to her full height
"She is not a possession" Kara raged, pulling Lena up, her other hand wrapping around the blonde's arm, trying to keep herself upright, the blonde's hand holding onto Lena's so tightly
Lillian's eyes shot daggers at Kara, the blonde imagined she didn't get spoken to like this, knowing that people normally feared her, but Kara didn't care anymore, the only thing that mattered was the injured woman clinging to her
The matriarch Luthor pushed the reverend "Take her" she ordered
"What?" he glanced back at her then to Kara's dagger
The blonde started backing out of the room with Lena, she was still outnumbered
Lillian snarled "If you wished to get paid then you will take care of this"
The man seemed a little unsure but his greed won out and he advanced on Kara, the blonde retreated, but was slowed by Lena
The man's wide eyes flickered from the blade to Kara's face and back, he lunged forward, attempting to grab Kara but she was faster, dodging his attack and slashing upwards, catching his side, not deep but enough for him to give up, the priest fell to the floor in a pile, clutching his side, he yelled out in pain, he glared up at Kara, then to Lillian
"I ain't dying for this" he scarpered down the stairs and disappeared
Kara turned back to Lillian who glowered at her
"I'm taking Lena with me and you will never come near her again"
Lillian cackled once again "Are you threatening me? The Luthor family is a strong force, I have countless men who will do anything for the right price" she drew herself up to her full height again, a snarl still on her pale lips "And unlike my son I will make sure that they will take your head this time and I will place it in Lena's room, so she will look at it every day and remember that I am in control"
Kara stared at the woman, realising just how sadistic she really was, that she would do anything to get her revenge, anything to show her power
"You're insane" Kara breathed, beginning to back up to the stairs again, she needed to get Lena out of this house and away from this woman
Lillian advanced, even though she was unarmed there was a look in her cold eyes that told Kara to stay back, the kind of look you see in a rabid animal as it is about to attack, crazed
"Mother!?"
Lena's grip tightened on Kara as the male voice travelled up from the ground floor, the blonde heard her whimper under her breath
"Lexington!" Lillian called out "GET UP HERE!"
Footsteps thundered up the stairs, Kara pulled Lena away from them, their exit now blocked by the figure of Lena's older brother, he was covered in sweat, like his mother had the crazed look in his eyes, his top lip twitching like a jungle cat about to strike
His revolver glinted in his hand, he pointed it at Kara, frowning slightly, the wheels in his brain turning
"You?" he sneered, recognising Kara under her different appearance "You should be dead"
"Probably" the blonde muttered, her grip tightening on her dagger, but there wasn't much she could do against a bullet
"Well I'll make sure that this time you stay down" he cocked the hammer of his pistol
Lillian lunged forward and grabbed Lena's arm, dragging her, Kara tried to hold on but the butt of Lex's gun swooped down and smashed against her skull, her vision darkened and the world spun, the urge to throw up splintered through her as she collapsed onto the floor
She could hear her name being called
"Lena!" she called back
She could see blurry figures moving down the stairs, but one still loomed over her, he raised a foot above her, Kara's instincts kicked in and she rolled out of the way has Lex stomped down hard enough to grunt at the impact with the wooden floor where the blonde had just been
Kara backed up but soon found herself up against the wall furthest from the exit, staring down the barrel of the gun again
"You're quick" He grumbled, a smile crossing his pale lips "But are you faster than a bullet, little girl?"
"Lexington!"
Mr Luthor appeared at the top of the stairs, his eyes taking in the scene, his blood thirsty son aiming a gun at the blonde
"We need to go" he ordered
"I'm busy" Lex growled, not taking his eyes from Kara "Unfinished business"
"Now Lexington, those backwater idiots are breaking down the door and lighting fires" Lionel grabbed the collar of Lex's jacket "We go now, boy" he growled, pulling on the jacket
Lex's eyes were wide with rage, his aim was being jostled as his father tried to pull him
A shot rang out, the blonde crashed to the floor in a heap, She could hear Lex laughing madly as he was continued to be dragged away by his father
"Your mother is taking Lena out of the back, we are going to follow after taking care of as many of these idiots as we can" Lionel ordered as they moved down the stairs