Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans. I know. I thought I did too.
Chapter 3: Needle In a Haystack
He licked the blood off her throat. With a grunt he got up and quickly dressed. It was only 3:26. He still had a several more hours to use her. His perverse mind raced as he left the dungeon, to grab a snack before coming back. He was very pleased.
It had been a long 7 months since this started. The first several weeks she'd screamed. Cried. Begged, pleaded, wept, thrashed, jerked, yelled...Nothing had worked. She was his captive, and if he wished to use her this way, she could not stop it. Now she did nothing as he touched her, abused every single right she had over her body. It always resulted in bruises, blood, pain. So much pain. The ropes rubbed her wrists and ankles raw, but no matter how hard she pulled, they held. She was stark naked. He took her virginity the worst way any man could. He'd raped her, 7 months ago.
"I'll do anything! Please, just don't...hurt them..." She pleaded. He stared down at the powerful girl on her knees. He smirked.
"You're pitiful, dear Raven. You'd give up even your life for these worthless mortals." But thinking of her offer, he tilted his head pensively, and laughed.
"You were promised to me, little bird. I can do anything I please with you. And because I love you, I shall spare your foolish mortal friends, and the worthless world they live on. But you..." He smirked. Pulling out a small piece of paper, he handed it to her.
"Every night, this address. Midnight. If you fail to come..." His eyes opened in anticipation.
"I'll come. I promise." She bowed her head to hide her shame, but she had to risk this, for her friends, for their lives. He pulled her up and slobbered on her neck, and she jerked away, only to recieve a punch in the stomach. In instinct she powered up, but he forced a small item unto her wrist. And her power faded away. He laughed and whispered mockingly into her ear.
"I can give you what you always wanted, Raven. The power inside of you, so hated, can be put away, by this simple item. But the price...the price..." He chuckled and walked away, leaving her broken on top of the roof, rain thundering down.
She'd went the next night, and didn't know what to expect. He tied her down, placed the small bracelet onto her wrist, and took her rightful virginity. She came home aching and full of hate for her father and that man. They'd taken what women prized the most.
Just like Trigon did Arella.
She thought angrily. But she had nobody to turn to. She could tell noone, and this was the sacrifice she had to make for the world she came to call home, the friends she called her family, the boy she fell in love with. This was her sacrifice.
It kept on bleeding. The wound on her neck. He'd bitten her with his canine sharp teeth. She could only wash it and heal it. Another cut into her heart. As small payment, he'd given her a copy of the bracelet the last day of the 5th month. It was a pretty thing, and nobody could ever guess its purpose.
She sat down on her bed, pulled her knees up, and head down and bracelet on, she wept. And did not cease to weep until she fell asleep at 7:03.
"Where the hell were you?" He yelled at her weary face.
"I was here, Robin. Where else would I be?" She replied, pouring a cup of herbal tea. He grit his teeth and threw her cup onto the floor.
"I called the tower, Raven. At 12:07 exactly. And you. Weren't. Here." She paled visibly and her eyes opened a slight bit wider.
"I don't know what you're talking about. I didn't get any call." With that she stood up and shuffled out, heading for her room.
She was lying. He knew it. He felt it.
Leader's insticts.
Something Batman taught him a while back. He'd never forgotten. But his heart overcame his mind.
Damn it Robin. Good move. Now she probably is going to avoid you forever.
It was an overstatement. Even he knew that. But even one minute without her presence made him suffer for what seemed like eternity. At least every night she was in his dreams.
I have to follow her. She's been acting this way since...
He counted on his fingers, head facing up thoughtfully.
July. She's been actinglike a dead man ever since July. Wonder why nobody else noticed...
Of course he was standing corrected as soon as Beast Boy, the boy who obviously had a crush on Raven, commented.
"Dude, have you guys noticed how Raven isn't acting herself anymore?" Starfire nodded in response, temporarily resting from her "creation" in the kitchen.
"Yes. Friend Raven has been most...as you say, weird as of late. Perhaps...she is not feeling well?" Cyborg glanced up from the arm he was fixing.
"I'd be feeling a little down if somebody knocked my cup out of my hand." Robin's face turned red. Of course. Cyborg had been there while he was yelling.
"But you're right, usually she'd beat the shit out of you, but this time she just...backed off..." He continued on. They glanced at Robin, who was the leader, as if waiting for some kind of opinion or an order. He sheepishly shrugged and stated.
"I'm pretty sureshe left the tower last night...I don't know where she could've gone." He looked around, at the faces. At his friends.
"Actually...dude, remember the time she made some excuse about meeting a friend at 11:30? Well...she didn't come home until...8:37! I mean, I didn't even know Raven had any friends besides us, and even if she did, she wouldn't have come home that late." Beast Boy exclaimed, and everyone stared at him as if he'd grown another head.
"Since when to you take note of when she leaves and when she comes back?" Cyborg asked accusingly, and with a nervous chuckle, Beast Boy murmured inaudibly about something about what friends do or whatnot. Robin's eye twitched under his blinding white mask and he felt shoots of jealousy. But shaking his head from that thought, he excused himself to his room, leaving three of his teammates to their business. He decided something when he reached his room.
Tonight he was on a mission. Tonight he was going to follow Raven.
cutter-with-a-cause - Calm down! I'm still only on the third chapter! But thanks for still reading!
alena-chan - Hehe. It's my job to torture the readers. Muahaha. Anyways. I'm so glad you enjoyed!
sillymail - Evil male is right! What's going on? I hope this answers a little bit of that question.
Jaime Snyder - Haha. I hope 'weird' is a good thing. At least I got your attention! Enjoy!
otakualways - For me, it's always been either Rob/Rae or Aqua/Rae. That's all. Thanks for reviewing!
Soru Fookin' Skellington - YAY! I'm so happy that you like it so much! I only hope that I keep up with your expectations! Thank you!
Thanks all. By the way, the item that keeps her powers in check is called X010891KM, which is used in my other fanfic, "Superhero Manequins", except in that one, it's used for a good cause. And the evil guy is my own character, the name you shall find out later. Please review! Thanks!
Lost1n7heDark