Chapter Fifteen

Anticipation burned through Kylo's veins. Soon the scavenger would be in his grasp. His to punish as he saw fit. And he planned to do a great deal to her.

Unwilling to take any chances, he had called all the Knights of Ren together to assist in her capture. Kylo could tell that some of the members were curious about what they were doing and about what kind of individual would warrant all of them coming together to ensure their capture.

Kylo had remained silent, unwilling to share any details about her. He couldn't explain his reticence, except that he felt a dark possessiveness where she as concerned. She was his and his alone. Soon she would know that.

The flight through hyperspace felt interminably long. Every cell in Kylo's being felt on edge. The anticipation of what was to come making him tense and more taciturn than usual.

His demeanor was fueling the curiosity of his Knights. They were too well trained to question him, but Kylo could feel the questions rolling around in their minds. He pushed aside any distractions and concentrated on the fight to come.

Kylo fully anticipated a fight. The little scavenger had to fiery a personality to accept defeat willingly. If he was being honest, he was looking forward to the conflict. The idea of dominating her, breaking her filled him with tremendous satisfaction.

This was just the first of many defeats that the scavenger would yield to him. And with each defeat, she would know just how wrong she was to betray him. That she had made the worse mistake of her life when she chose the Rebel scum over him.

Thinking of her pleading for them fueled his rage. His right fist clenched audibly with the memory of it. Her big eyes glistening with unshed tears as she beseeched him. For scum she would beg, for scum she would plead and debase herself. Yet when he had offered her all, she had spurned him. Left him for dead in that room while she raced off to save her so-called friends.

Kylo had never humbled himself before anyone before. She was the only person he had ever reached out his hand to. That he had demeaned himself by asking "please." The worst part was, she knew what it cost him to say that to her. He had opened up to her, made himself vulnerable and she spurned him.

Never again, Kylo vowed. Never again would he lower himself. He was above her in every way. He was wrong to elevate her so. She had proven unworthy of it.

Finally, the ship dropped out of lightspeed. He ordered the pilot to make a pass in low orbit. Reaching out through the Force, he began methodically sweeping the planet for her presence. Impatience burning through him to locate her.

Everyone on the ship remained silent. Unwilling to do anything to break his concentration. Kylo knew that he was acting out of character, but he didn't care. All that mattered was securing the girl. And he was so close now. Nothing was going to stand in his way.

Then he felt it, the flair of her powers. Not as strongly as before but it was her, he knew it. Giving quick orders to the pilot, he returned to his men.

"The girl is to be captured unharmed. Use whatever force is necessary but do not permanently damage her. Kill anyone that is with her."

The Knights nodded their assent and then made ready for the fight to come. When the ship landed, Kylo was the first to disembark. The torrential downpour had turned day into night. Even so, Kylo could detect the battle ahead.

The corner of his mouth twitched up. That was his little scavenger. Such a foolish girl to take on so many enemies alone. Still he felt a swell of pride at her bravado. She was not one to run from a fight. No, he reminded himself. She had run from him. Unwilling to accept a true challenge, she had turned away from him every time since that fateful day of the Supremacy. Griping his saber, he strode purposefully forward. She would not get the chance to run today.

Her attackers were nothing more than a band of ragged bandits. Hardly worth the effort. He didn't break stride as he advanced. His Knight took out the filth. His eyes were riveted on the girl before him. She was so close now. She had not spotted him yet. He was purposefully blocking his powers to not alert her to his presence and had ordered his men to do the same.

His anger spiked when he saw her turn to run. Coward, he cursed. He thought he was angry before, that was nothing compared to the rage he felt when one of the brigands caused her to fall and advance down on her. Without conscious thought, he activated the saber and drove it right through the man's heart. The satisfaction Kylo felt from his death only eclipsed by the look of shock on Rey's face.

The sounds of the battle going on behind him faded away. In fact, his entire world narrowed till it was just the two of them. Her expression quickly resolved into panic. She knew why he was here. He had told her. And if there is one thing about him that you could count on, it was that he was serious.

Panic made her motions sloppy. She tried to run but the slippery ground would not cooperate. Still, Kylo waited. He wanted the satisfaction of the chase. He wanted to tease her with escape before crushing her hopes.

Several of his men joined him. Clearly ready to purse. He held up his hand to stop them.

"No, she is mine. Circle around her to prevent her escape but no one else is to touch her."

The Knights instantly reacted to his command. Racing out into the night. Kylo waited one more moment before starting his pursuit. Anticipation vibrated through every cell in his body. He could taste her fear. It was so sweet.

His long legs quickly ate up the ground between them. Launching himself to close the gap, Kylo tackled her to the ground. The scavenger fought like a hell cat. Trying desperately to use anything at her disposal to dislodge herself. Kylo savored her struggle. Using his larger body to pin her to the ground. She was trapped beneath him. He locked both of her wrists in his left hand before slamming them into the ground above her head. Bringing his right hand up, he touched her face with a gentleness that belied the fierceness of his tone.

"Now you are mine little scavenger."

He had leaned close to her to whisper the word directly in her ear. A shiver ran though her body at his words. The dark promise that they held. She only let fear dominate her for a moment and then she turned her face towards his and used her teeth to sink into his neck.

Pain burst through Kylo. Pain and fury. The satisfaction that he felt melting away. She still defied him. Even now, captured without hope for escape, she still refused to yield. Wrenching himself away from her, he used his free hand to grip her jaw, forcing her mouth closed. It was a punishing grip, one that he knew would leave marks on her skin.

He leaned close again, determined to let her know that he was not scared of her, no matter what she did. He met her furious gaze with one of his own. They stayed like that for several moments before he hissed out "just one more sin for you to atone for."

He didn't give her a chance to respond. He sent a strong surge of the Force at her which rendered her unconscious instantly. Pulling her up into his arms he carried her back to his ship. Without looking at his men, or breaking stride, he simply stated "we are done here."

The Knights of Ren filed into the ship behind him. No one spoke. Giving the order to return to Mustafar, Kylo settled into his seat. He cradled the unconscious Rey to him. Refusing to part with her for even a moment. She was finally his.