Chapter 12
By shadows/of/flame
OK, stressing out over dying my hair right now... Blond to brownish red isn't a big move is it? (is panicky)
Keira stood rooted to the spot, her new dress fluttering slightly in the wind.
'Erol...'
Memories haunted her of when she had just arrived in Haven City, and Erol...
She shuddered, remembering.
All the times he had felt her up, all the times he had even touched her, it made her go mad.
When she was working on his zoomers in the garage, or waitressing part time at the Hip Hig saloon...
Torn brushed past her, drawing his pistols, and a smirk crossed his face.
"Bring it on, ginger nuts."
Erol scowled at Torns comment.
"You'll wish you had never been born, traitor." he hissed, raising his pistol and making sure it was loaded properly.
He, of course, fired the first shot.
Keira screamed as the bullet brushed past her, grazing her shoulder.
Erol noticed her and grinned savagely, pointing his pistol at her.
"Well, well, well. If it isn't my mechanic." he laughed, walking towards her.
"Get away from me you filthy bastard." she hissed, taking a step back until she backed up against a stall.
"Oh come on now Keira, why are you wasting your time on a rebel like him? You're far too pretty to stoop to HIS level."
Keira gritted her teeth. "Am I not allowed to spend time with whoever I choose? With you taking advantage of me, did that pleasure get taken away too?"
It took a few minutes for the meaning of these words to sink in.
Torns mouth fell open.
"What?" he hissed.
Keira averted her gaze from either man, and Erol stepped closer to her.
"Yes, I guess it did." Erol grinned, brushing the tips of his fingers across her cheek.
"Now come with me, where you belong, and I won't kill this sap."
As though hypnotised, Keira walked to Erols side, and he grabbed her roughly by the arm, dragging her off.
Torn started to panic - he had to do SOMETHING!
He grabbed Erol by the arm, but Erol chucked something heavy at his head.
Torns world spun around in endless spirals, and the last thing he saw was Keiras worried face before he fell into darkness.
0o0o0o0
Erol shoved Keira roughly onto his bed, growling.
"I thought I told you NOT to tell ANYONE!" he hissed, advancing on her.
She whimpered - Torns money had gone to waste, as the dress hung in almost indecent tatters around her.
"I didn't tell anyone - you practically told him yourself!" she exclaimed.
"Then why do you need a bodyguard?" he sneered, slapping her.
She winced, only thinking of Torn.
He was probably lying out cold somewhere - after all, Erol HAD thrown a brick at his head!
"To be protected from you." she spat, and yet again that earned her a slap.
"I'll teach you not to mess with me." Erol snarled, and she screamed.
That night was filled with Keiras worst nightmares, and she could only scream and whimper as it drew on.
It had happened before, but this time it was a lot worse.
A lot, lot worse.
She was free to go the next day, indecent though she was, she went straight to the Hip Hog, where her friend Tess worked.
"Keira? Hun?" Tess called from the backroom, poking her head out.
"Oh Mar! What happened to you? Come here so we can get you cleaned up!"
Keira didn't say a word as Tess ushered into the small staff bathroom that was in the back.
Tess flicked on the shower, and gave the shaken girl her set of towels, a flannel and some soap.
"We'll talk when you're out, k?" Tess smiled, leaving Keira alone.
'This cannot get much worse...' Keira concluded as she shakily stripped off the ruined dress, hopping into the shower and hoping all of her worries would be washed away.
Torn being bricked in the head by Erol replayed in her mind, and she shivered, wondering if the rebel was alright.
She was worried what the Shadow would say when she had to tell him that the second-in-command had been bricked in the head, and that it was all her fault.
Tears slipped down her cheeks, and she sniffed. She had tried not to cry, but it was too hard.
Erol, Torn...
She knew, that the war between them would not end in a very pretty way.
0o0o0o0
Torns vision was blurred; he didn't know where he was going as he stumbled around town aimlessly.
He wondered why several Krimzon Guards hadn't taken the chance while his guard was down to stick several bullets in him, but at the moment he really couldn't care less.
He had lost her - Keira! The one thing he was supposed to protect!
Well, not 'thing' but...
He could see some faint shapes, and the outline of a head on the wall, so he walked in that direction, hoping he could make it there without collapsing.
The head slid back, and without concentrating, Torn fell down the Undergrounds steps to find himself a heap at the bottom of the stairs by the Shadows feet.
"Keira..." he gasped, clutching his head as a wave of nausea swept over him.
The Shadow just sighed, and before Torn keeled out of conciousness again, muttered "Poor girl. We can only begin to imagine what Erols done to her."