Chapter 9

Strong T/M rating for this chapter, due to violence, bloodiness, trauma, torture and language. Pretty much everything besides sex. You have been warned!

Crossing his room in record time, Hiccup grasped the door knob of their conjoined bathroom and ripped the door open. It took two large strides to cross the tile floor before he was at Astrid's bedroom door. The muffled yelling coming now louder through the door. Saying a silent prayer to the heavens he flung open the door and stepped into the dark room.

He still wasn't quite sure what he was expecting when he entered her room but no where on the list did he think he would see Astrid thrashing on the bed, screaming. Seemingly caught in some kind of vicious nightmare. Walking quickly across the room, Hiccup stopped beside her bed. His hand instantly went to her shoulders trying to hold her down and shake her awake at the same time.

"Astrid! Astrid, come on! Wake up!" His voice going into a panic when she didn't immediately stop thrashing.

"…no…yu can't…no," Astrid begged behind clenched teeth. Hiccup felt absolutely helpless watching his fierce bodyguard fight him and whimper. Whimper.

Grasping harder to her shoulders he tried shaking again, "Astrid! Wake up! You have to–." Suddenly he was unable to finish because at a speed he couldn't fathom Astrid's hands shot out and clamped around his throat as furious blue eyes stared into his own. Hiccup's hands left Astrid's shoulders quickly to pull at the hands cutting off his air supply; pain coursing up his neck as she applied more pressure as he fought harder. He opened his mouth several times trying to say anything to get her attention and snap her out of her trance like state.

"A-aa-ss-tt…," he moved a single hand from his neck toward her face, batting at her weakly. The lack of oxygen starting to get to him. After landing a second slap to her face Astrid's furious eyes cleared and a clarity came over them. Which faded quickly to shock and as if his skin was on fire Astrid released him and launched herself backward at the headboard. Slamming it hard against the wall.

Astrid watched in horror as Hiccup gulped air greedily, his hands gripping his throat as coughs began to rack his body. Oh Gods…oh Gods...what have I done… Astrid didn't need a detailed explanation to know what had happened. One minute she was lost in a particularly brutal memory, the next she was staring into the frightened green eyes of the man she was supposed to be protecting, Hiccup. She had hurt Hiccup.

Her shock slowly faded to anger, anger at herself. How could I let this happen? Damn it. Damn it. Damn it! Not being able to handle the onslaught of memories and emotions she did the only thing she new how to do; lash out.

"What in Odin's name are you doing here?!" She practically screamed at him.

Hiccup turned his green gaze to her, shock clear on his face at her words, "wha-what am I doing here?!" He asked in a gravely voice, his throat still not yet recovered.

Astrid pushed away from the headboard and stared him down, "yeah you! You shouldn't be here!"

"Y-you were screaming! I-I thought someone was killing you, Astrid." He told her holding his throat now with one hand while the other supported his weight on the bed.

"You thought someone was killing me, so you ran in here? That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard, Hiccup! You should have ran in opposite damn direction!" She said pointing at their conjoined bathroom.

"Hey…it seemed like a good idea at the time…Anyways you still needed help. Even if it wasn't from an assassin." Astrid shook her head getting angry.

"I don't need anyone's help. I'm fine." She growled out trying to hide her true emotions. Unfortunately for her the shaky tone caught Hiccup's attention, his shock and anger dissipating into worry. He ran his eyes over her, she was definitely shaking slightly.

Probably the adrenaline, he thought. Slowly easing closer to her, his hands dropping from his throat.

"You're not fine Astrid…" his firm but caring eyes met hers and he saw her calm a bit. "You wouldn't let me run from my problems. I won't let you now." Astrid held his gaze for a minute trying to break his sudden bold resolve.

Damn, maybe I should have left him as the hermit. She thought for a moment but then quickly dispelled the thought. Taking a breath she relaxed her still shaking body back onto the bed. Pressing her back against the headboard. Still needing to feel the pressure, the real ness of it against her back.

Hiccup slid across the bed and sat next to her, his back against the other side of the headboard. Both making themselves comfortable, knowing they would be there for a while.

"So first off, do you do this often?" Hiccup asked gesturing to her current state. A smile tilted at her face, "you just gestured to all of me."

His own lips tilted, "if the boot fits. Now tell me the truth, how often does this happen?"

Astrid let out a breath, "this, doesn't happen often. It's maybe only happened a handful of times. Sleeping issues and nightmares those tend to happen every night. Unless I have a healthy dose of alcohol before bed. Which, I'm trying to cut down on, per Dr. Seaclaw's orders." Hiccup nodded.

"So other than alcohol does anything else seem to work? There has to be another way…maybe working more with Dr. Seaclaw would help also."

Astrid gave a small cough and looked away from the man beside her. Hiccup picked up the quick action and decided to dig in further. "There is another way isn't there? What is it?"

He could hear Astrid mutter something under her breath but couldn't decipher what it was she said. "What?" Astrid gave a large sigh and turned back to him.

"Sex, Hiccup. Sex seems to help. The few times I have tried it." She told him staring him straight in the eye.

Heat flooded Hiccups face as she told him the other method to stop her night terrors. As a flood of conjured up images invaded Hiccup's mind he couldn't help but feel a sting of pain hit his chest. Pain of thinking of Astrid with another man.

Even though his crush for her slightly wavered after their blow out; it seemed to surge back stronger than before after all the actual time spent together these two weeks. He was starting to meet the real Astrid and it was something he immensely enjoyed. Now to find out that some nameless, faceless guy, who was probably the exact opposite of him, got to have Astrid in a way he could only dream of, hurt. Badly.

"But…I don't even think it's the actual act…more just…being close to someone." Her hushed voice cut through his destructive thoughts.

Furrowing his brows he looked at her form, hunched over her bent knees, face weary. Astrid was hurting and he was being selfish thinking about himself and his wants. Patting her shoulder gently, Hiccup slid closer to her.

"I-uh-I can't really help out the other way," he chuckled awkwardly.

Even though I really would like too.

"But I could, uh, be the person you're close to. Maybe we could move your bed into my room or something." He said looking at her hopefully.

Astrid shrugged and gave him a small smile, "maybe…" she trailed off and stared forward again.

"All of this though is because the twins mentioned the Mangler isn't it?" He looked over at her remembering her early strange behavior. She nodded.

"Astrid what does a serial killer have to do with all of this? What is it you're not telling me?"

"The Mangler is only the tip of the iceberg that is my fucked up life, Hiccup. But why them mentioning the Mangler specifically caused such a reaction…well that's easy, it's because I killed the Mangler." She said as if she was speaking of the weather. Hiccup couldn't help the look he gave her, the shock clear on his face.

Astrid looked at him and shook her head, "I guess I need to explain some more huh?" He nodded tentatively and she sighed. "I was eighteen when it happened."

Heels clicked on the sidewalk as Astrid walked the dirty back streets of Bloody Horn city. An especially sketchy city that tended to deal more in crime and prostitution than actual legitimate work. Made this city a playground for criminals and as of late a deadly serial killer who was killing his way through the city. Prostitutes being his victim of choice.

The serial killer who the media had dubbed 'The Mangler' was up to a body count of twenty when the city of Bloody Horn had called Berk for help. Wasting no time Berk sent out their best, the Berk Guard.

Which is what led to Astrid walking the dirty streets of Bloody Horn city in the middle of the night, dressed like a hooker.

"You know Ace, you look pretty hot in that outfit." A male voice told her over her concealed earpiece.

"Shut up, Er. Just watch my back, not my ass." She quipped to the man who sat in an unmarked van down the street.

Astrid kept her pace slow, checking her surroundings religiously as she went. Hoping to see any sign of this bastard. A noise in an alley beside her drew her attention. She looked into the darkness from afar but couldn't see any thing but blackness.

"Hey, I heard something from this alley, I'm going to check it out." She picked her pace up and began walking towards the space.

"Wait Ace! We'll lose visual on you!" The voice in her ear desperately told her. Unfortunately for the person on the other end Astrid had already made up her mind and entered the dark alley.

Having lost all visual abilities Astrid felt along the stone walls as she extended her other senses. She could hear a slight shuffle up a head of her and continued to move toward it. Heels clicking on the stone beneath her feet. It was only when she took another step and instead of the click of stone she heard the splash of stepping in something wet did she stop.

Bending down Astrid dipped her fingers toward the ground under her heel, carefully touching the liquid. Her eyes widened at first touch, the liquid was warm. Bringing her dripping fingers up to her face she could only slightly see the dark liquid on them but what she couldn't see she could smell. The unmistakable coopery sent of blood hit her nose fiercely making her eyes go wide.

Before she could respond at all to the discovery a blunt force collided with her skull, knocking her to the ground, unconscious.

A few minutes later a team of men dressed in black invaded the alley way. Guns drawn and flashlights pointed into the darkness. Unfortunately all they found was a puddle of blood and a small earpiece laying on the ground next to it.

The first thing Astrid felt as she woke up was pain. Pain in her head, pain in her face and pain in her wrists. She slowly pried open her eyes, squinting when light flooded into them. As her eyes adjusted to the bright assault Astrid found herself staring into the faces of several other women. All chained to the stone walls around the room. Doing a quick count, she found twelve other women not including herself in the room.

"Finally awake, huh? We thought for a minute you were going to die before he got the chance to kill you." A haggard looking brunette said from the corner. Astrid turned her attention in her direction.

"Ho-how long have I been here?" Her voice rasped out.

"An hour maybe," the brunette looked around the windowless room. "But it's hard to tell time around here." Astrid nodded.

"How long," she coughed, "how long have all of you been here?" She asked trying to gauge the amount of time this psycho kept his victims.

The girls glanced around before the same brunette spoke again, "a day at the most." Astrid nodded again trying to form a plan of escape that led to her and all the girls in the room surviving. Not much was coming to mind, making the outlook very grim for the girls.

Astrid glanced upwards at her chained hands, wrenching them against the wall chains, she found without the right tools they would be impossible to get free from. Dropping her gaze she found all the girls in similar shackles.

No one in is room will be able to break out, damn it. She thought as one of her ideas fizzled out. She looked around the room at the other women, all dirty, beaten and terrified.

I'm sure the team will find me in the next few hours but I don't think we have the time. This guy has a quick turn over rate. Astrid thought morbidly.

Before she could think more on the matter the only door of the room slowly opened. Causing all the girls in the room to cower and push themselves closer to the wall behind them. A tall thin man walked in, his appearance surprising Astrid since he took her down so easily. As she watched him move around the room she realized just how he had gone about incapacitating her. The man in his probably mid forties moved around the room gracefully, like water. His steps barely making a noise.

Good for sneaking up on someone. She thought.

Astrid inspected his face as he walked past her, his black hair was neat and short and he had no beard. He was perfectly manicured. Very different than most men in the city, hel, all the Archipelago. The style most men chose was long, braided or unruly. He was very different.

His brown eyes rolled over her giving her a clinical look before moving on.

Crap.

"Hey handsome, why don't you just let us all go. We won't tell, promise. I'll make it worth your time." She said in a sickeningly sweet voice. He didn't even turn around.

Ok sweet words won't work.

"Won't turn around, Fucker. Not a nice way to treat a lady." He still didn't turn, still eyeing the other women. "Are you deaf asshole? IM TALKING TO YOU FREAK!" At her loud outburst the tall man finally turned around and walked up to her.

Score. She thought happily.

"I don't appreciate cursing. Stop." His voice proper and clipped. Unfortunately before she could respond he stepped away from her and turned walking over to the brunette from earlier.

"No, no, NO, NOOOO!" She screamed as he unlocked her shackles and drug her from the room. Her legs flailing the whole way. Slamming the door behind him, all the women beside Astrid flinched.

"Damn it! Fucking piece of shit!" Astrid cursed after the killer left. Banging her head on the stone wall behind her. Trying to calm her breath Astrid clenched her eyes together not wanting to see the empty space on the wall where the brunette once was. Her blatant failure staring her in the face.

"Why did you do that?" A timid voice asked beside her. Opening her eyes partially she glanced down at the small girl beside her. Dirty dark brown hair hung all around the small maybe not even eleven year old girl. Her clothes were practically rags, not something a prostitute would wear.

"I want him to take me." Large brown eyes stared into Astrid's. "What's your name kid?"

"Alma." Astrid nodded to her, "nice to meet you Alma, I'm Astrid. Can you keep a secret Alma?" The small girl nodded quickly. "I'm not a prostitute. I'm here to get us out of here." Alma's eyes went wide as she connected the dots to what Astrid said.

"You're not a prostitute either are you Alma?" She shook her head. "Don't worry kid I'm going to get us out of here. He'll take me next time for sure." The small girl nodded her head again.

It was maybe an hour or so later when the cell door opened again and the tall thin man entering the cell again. This time Astrid wasted no time and began letting in on him.

"Welcome back, you ugly bastard." He started his trek around the room. "You know I've been wondering why pick us prostitutes you got some weird thing with women. Whores specifically." He kept walking. His steps still barely making a sound.

Time to pull out the big guns. She thought and narrowed her eyes at his pinched looking face.

"Is it because you got something wrong with your dick? Can't get it up? It that what makes you so damn crazy? Have to slice up women because you can't get a hard on?" She laughed loudly hoping this would finally set him off enough to unchain her.

He moved quickly across the floor, quicker than he had before. Crouching in front of her he looked Astrid straight in the eye. His dark brown eyes piercing right into her own. She held his gaze as best as she could but as his dark dead eyes stared into hers she felt something she didn't feel very often, fear.

This man, no monster, in front of her was not something to be messed with.

As they continued to stare each other down Astrid couldn't help but flinch under his soulless gaze, unable to take the intensity of it. and that's when he pounced.

At Alma.

He grabbed her hands quickly and unlocked them dragging her away from the wall before Astrid could respond.

"No fuck! Stop, she's a little girl! Fuck STOP!" Her feet launched out trying to kick him as they passed but fell short a few inches.

"Astrid! Help, help please! You said he wouldn't hurt me PLEASE! ASTRID!" The young girl screamed as she was drug out of the room.

"NOO!" Astrid thrashed against her shackles kicking the floor in vain. Her breathing coming out harsh as she thought about little Alma being drug out of the room after she promised to keep the little girl safe. Her eyes burned forcing her to tightly shut them, or let the tears spill over. It was only when another girl in the room spoke did she fling them open.

"He-he left open the door." Astrid's eyes snapped to the open passage and the first glimmer of hope bubbled up in her.

"He messed up…shit he messed up!" Taking a deep breath Astrid knew what she had to do.

"HEY FUCKER! I FIGURED IT OUT! IT'S MOMMY ISSUES ISN'T IT?" She took a deep breath and continued to scream. Praying he would hear her."DID YOU WANT TO FUCK YOUR MOMMY AND SHE DIDN'T LET YOU?! OR DID YOU ACTUALLY FUCK HER AND YOU COULDN'T MAKE HER CUM?! THAT HAS TO B–"

She would have continued if the man in question hadn't barged through the open door at that moment. His face pinched in anger, the first emotion she had yet to see.

Gotcha. She thought in victory as his shaking hands went to her shackles.

"I don't know what your game is, whore, but you're going to get what you want. I'm really going to enjoy this." He hissed near her ear. Astrid grunted a 'me too' and the second she felt her hands were free from the wall she sprung into action, launching herself at the taller man. Locking her still cuffed hands around his neck Astrid pulled herself flush against him and fought the only way she could right then. Dirty.

Her teeth latched onto his ear sawing into it as she bore down and pulled herself closer. His blood filled her mouth but that didn't stop her. Even when he dug into her sides, nails cutting her skin causing pain to shot through her, she didn't let go. Finally with a last pull and a howl from him she ripped the ear in two.

She felt his hands let go of her and she made her next move. Quickly swinging her body around him she latched onto his back and pulled her right arm around his neck. Putting him an air sucking headlock. He brought his hands up to her tight arm trying to dislodge her and when he felt he couldn't he tried another tactic. Slamming her into the stone wall behind them.

Astrid felt pain explode up her back but she hit the wall but she still didn't let go. If anything her grip tightened. Another hit sent bile up her throat the pain making her want to vomit. Choking it down she squeezed again and started to feel the man slipping. His legs becoming unsteady under him as the oxygen to his brain continued being cut off. Slowly his arms fell from hers and she took advantage and loosened her own up till she had a grip on both sides of his head. And before he could do anything she jerked his head quickly to one side. Snapping his neck and killing him instantly.

His body fell straight down, bones becoming jello.

Astrid braced for impact and thankfully his body took most of the impact. She quickly detangled herself from him and crawled over to the keys lying forgotten on the floor. Making quick work of her cuffs she dropped them to the ground and went to the first chained up girl. Unlocking her completely.

"Unlock all the other girls and make your way into the hall. I'm going to find Alma." Astrid told her and dropped the keys into her open hand. After kicking off her heels Astrid ran out of the room in a sprint. The barely lit hallways gave no indication of which direction he had taken Alma so Astrid just picked left and prayed it was the right way.

Running past several empty rooms Astrid began to become discouraged in the path that she had chosen. Until she saw a doorway at the end of the hall with light beading out underneath it. Picking up her pace she made it to the door in a few steps. Before thinking of the consequences she wrenched open the door and came across a scene out of her nightmares.

Small little Alma lay on a large table cuts littering her body. Blood pouring down both sides of her, onto the table and finally onto the floor. Her chest completely still and eyes closed.

Astrid new she was gone. Alma was dead. She had failed again.

"Oh Henric did you get that little whore–" an older woman began to say as she turned around, cutting herself off when she saw Astrid and not her Henric.

"What have you done to my Henric?!" She screeched, turning fully towards Astrid. Still stunned by the new revelation, Astrid took in her blood stained clothes and hands and gasped.

"You're his Mother…you're the real Mangler…" she said as the older woman got a smug look on her face.

"You know I really do like that name," she looked at Alma and grinned and then snapped her attention back to Astrid.

"Now where's my Henric?!" Her voice getting shrill.

It was Astrid's turn to grin, "I killed him. Snapped his neck. Happily." The real Mangler became enraged at the news of the death of her son and began charging at Astrid. No longer afraid Astrid knew she could kill the old woman easily. No now she was driven by something much different, hate.

She hated this horrible woman with every fiber of her being. For all the lives she had ended. For the future she had stolen from Alma.

Running much faster than the Mangler Astrid picked up a knife off the table that Alma was on and rushed forward, blade out. It only took a second to collide with the Mangler. The knife not meeting any resistance as furious blue eyes stared into weathered brown ones.

"Lets see how you like being the one mangled now…" Astrid trailed off as she pulled the knife out and let the older woman's body fall. Dropping the knife beside her Astrid walked over to Alma and gently picked her up. Her light body taking no effort to come off the table. Astrid adjusted her hold and stared down at the small girl.

"I'm so sorry Alma…I-I'm so sorry." She whispered brokenly as she made her way back to the other girls who all were standing outside the room they were held in. Despair on all their faces as they saw Alma. Astrid made no notice and kept moving forward in the other direction and toward the sound of stomping boots on the stone floors.

Astrid finished her story staring away from Hiccup, not wanting to see his face as he realized what a horrible inept person she was. She had grown to like him very much over the last two weeks. As she would a friend. So his disapproval now would cut deep.

Just as she was sure he was going to get up and leave her he did something that completely surprised her; he hugged her.

His thin but strong arms wrapped themselves firmly around her frame. Making her feel in that moment completely at peace and safe. A feeling she could count on one hand having experienced.

"You did all you could for her Astrid. You still saved ten women that day." He told her ear his calm voice right beside her ear.

"It still doesn't feel like enough." She whispered, "it never feels like enough. There are always killers like the Mangler and there are always girls like Alma…it all just seems pointless sometimes…"

"Which is why there always has to be Astrid Hoffersons to balance the scales." He said to her firmly with no doubt in his voice. Turning her head she looked at Hiccup for the first time since telling her story. Their faces only inches apart. She now saw the sincerity shining in his eyes.

"Thank you Hiccup."

He grinned, "what are friends for?"

Well there you have it folks, we can officially say they are friends!

So sorry if this chapter was a little bit more gruesome, the rest of the story won't be this way. The only reason this one was, was because of the nature of the killers (surprised you with that one didn't I?) being that they were serial killers cutting up prostitutes. The rest of the story will yes have violence in it but it will be from gun fire and such. Nothing like what happened here. So don't worry.

Anywho, hoped you liked it the action is only going to keep ramping up from here!